Stirring The Pot – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Stirring the Pot we’re having a kōrero with Kaveh Andisheh.

Kaveh is the project led for the theme of Monitoring 4.0 in the Endeavour Funded and HERA led Ngākopa Construction 4.0 research project. We dive into Monitoring 4.0 and speak about how it is revolutionising structural health by using cutting-edge technology and real-time data to make construction smarter, safer, and more sustainable. From detecting early damage in buildings to informing better design practices, it’s an approach that’s transforming the industry.

Kaveh explains how Monitoring 4.0 overcomes the limitations of traditional testing by embedding sensors in real structures to provide accurate, actionable insights. This technology eliminates guesswork, reduces material use, extends infrastructure lifespan, and informs updates to outdated standards. He also shares how AI is making monitoring more cost-effective and accessible, with huge potential for high-seismic areas like New Zealand.

If you’re in construction, engineering, or simply curious about how tech is reshaping our built environment, this episode is packed with insights. Learn how Monitoring 4.0 is setting the foundation for a more sustainable and resilient future!

Connect with Kaveh

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaveh-andisheh/

Contact – https://www.hera.org.nz/team-member/kaveh-andisheh/

Connect with Ngākopa Construction 4.0 Hub

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/construction4-0hub/

In this episode of Stirring the Pot we’re having a kōrero with Grier and Jill Fuller.

We explore the award-winning Hinuera Sheds project with Steelworks NZ, a standout example of sustainable construction. The team shares how they transformed a demolished shed into a world-class structure, earning global recognition at the ConstructSteel Awards. Learn how they overcame challenges like compliance and quality assurance to successfully repurpose steel, significantly reducing carbon outputs and proving what’s possible with innovative thinking.

Discover the importance of early collaboration, clever problem-solving, and a commitment to sustainability in driving this project’s success. Whether you’re passionate about steel, sustainability, or simply love a great success story, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration.

Connect with Grier & Jill

Grier - https://www.linkedin.com/in/grier-fuller-83595b89/

Jill - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-fuller-7b2a889a/

Contact - https://steelworksnz.co.nz/contact/

In this episode of Stirring the Pot we’re talking with Dr Alice Chang-Richards, Dr Yuqian Lu and Dr Yang Zou.

All based out of the University of Auckland, together they make up the research team focused on Smart Construction in the HERA led and Endeavour Funded Construction 4.0 research via MBIE: “Developing a Construction 4.0 transformation of Aotearoa New Zealand’s construction sector,”

Join us as we explore the technological shifts reshaping the global construction sector, focusing on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Construction 4.0 technologies like virtual reality, AI, and robotics. Discover how these tools revolutionise Aotearoa New Zealand's construction landscape, especially for SMEs. We also discuss preliminary research findings, case studies, and the challenges of data acquisition and change management, as well as the importance of global collaboration, integrating academic research with industry practices, and incorporating indigenous knowledge and sustainability metrics. Special thanks to Alice, Yuchen, and Yang for their invaluable contributions to this important conversation on the future of construction.

Connect with the Smart Construction team 

Smart Construction Lead - Associate Professor, Alice Chang-Richards:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-chang-richards-29204921/

Construction Process Automation Expert, Yuqian Lu:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuqian-lu/ 

Construction Informatics and Digitisation Expert, Yang Zou:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yangzou89/


Pre-order the 'Ngākopa Construction 4.0' book here!

We are close to releaseing the first book publication “Ngākopa Construction 4.0” which explores why Construction 4.0 in Aotearoa makes sense. It will share insights and integrated connections across the core themes of the research.

 https://www.hera.org.nz/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php action=frm_forms_preview&form=ngakopa2024&theme=1

In this episode of Stirring the Pot, we talk with Professor Chris Cook who is the Former Executive Dean of Engineering at the University of Wollongong in Sydney, Australia.

He was involved with the Facility for Intelligent Fabrication - who deliver expertise, technology, equipment and training in automating steel fabrication to help manufacturing businesses adapt and compete. Their knowledge and resources drawing on decades of research-based welding and automation expertise and training.

He also was part of a trip to New Zealand with colleague John Norrish to identify opportunities for improvement and automation at some of our member companies. Conducting audits and offering in-depth insight into the latest developments in the field of welding automation while here.

This podcast i great if you want to explore smarter ways of doing things, IP concerns, examples of automation in action and more.

Connect with Chris

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-cook-4096881/

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/350285397

Join our automation innovation cluster

Contact our Welding and Research Engineer, Holger Heinzel: holger.heinzel@hera.org.nz

Read more about our automation cluster works: https://www.hera.org.nz/automation-defence-clusters/

Learn more about automation & join us at our 20/20 Vision this 21 February 2020!

Register: https://www.hera.org.nz/event/futureforum-2020/

Got a question? Email Brian: brian.low@hera.org.nz

In this episode of Stirring the Pot, we talk with Kemppi Managing Director David Green.

David is very familiar with global technology trends in welding, and Kemppi is also a key sponsor of our Future Forum 20/20 Vision conference being held next year.

We start with the 'so what?' of Welding 4.0 and why adoption by industry is pivotal if we're to remain competitive, improve quality and streamline productivity. There’s no escaping the gravitational pull of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. So, deciding what we do about the new machine era will be the single biggest influence on what our future success looks like.

This boils down to leaders shifting their mindset away from just dollars in the bank right now. Instead, allocating and protecting a pool of resources and investment solely focused on the future - while of course, also running business as usual!

Connect with David

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-green-7a40b9b1/

https://www.kemppi.com/en-US/

Join us at our 20/20 Vision on 21 February 2020!

Register: https://www.hera.org.nz/event/futureforum-2020/

Got a question? Email Brian: brian.low@hera.org.nz

In this episode of Stirring the Pot, we talk with Tim Ng – Deputy Secretary and Chief Economic Adviser for Treasury.

Together, we discuss the Governments Living Standards Framework – or LSF for short. A newly developed and broader way of looking at things which has been used to help Government decide it’s five Wellbeing Budget priorities.

Most importantly we relate it back to NZ’s metals industry, and why we should care.

More about Tim

Tim Ng is a  macroeconomist by training, and an expert in the area of monetary, fiscal and financial system policy.   He’s been with the Treasury for a number of years, but has also worked for the Reserve Bank and as an economist at the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland and at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Want to know more about the Treasury’s Living Standards Framework?

Head to their website: www.treasury.govt.nz

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nztreasury

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nztreasury/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-zealand-treasury

In this episode of Stirring the Pot, we talk with our General Manager Structural Systems Stephen Hicks on what research projects our Structural Systems team will be focused on to assist our membership in the New Zealand metals-based industry.

We discuss the Steel Research Panel, who is represented on it, and how they were able to choose the projects to focus on for industry, as well as the projects themselves:

• design software for composite beams and slabs,
• guides for designing composite beams,
• the ROBUST project,
• revisions for design provisions in category 3 seismic load resistance, 
• structural fire design for steel framed car parks,
• development of steel and concrete composite standards for buildings and bridges,
• training and international visitors planned, and
• our future vision for the Structural Systems team.

This podcast is part of our commitment to provide greater transparency and visibility of the R&D focuses we have.

Please note that Stephen is due to leave HERA to pursue an exciting new career as Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Warwick in the UK at the end of July 2019. To ensure continuity we’ve been making sure that his panel projects are handed over to our existing team during his remaining time with us.

We hope this will mean there will be little to no delays in moving these along once a successor is appointed.

Did you know that HERA members can propose projects for HERA to work on?

Find out more details on the process and how you can tell us about problems you'd like solved through R&D: 

https://www.hera.org.nz/call-panel-projects/

Demystify our research levy and how all of industry can leverage it (including SMEs):

https://www.hera.org.nz/hera-research-levy-projects/

In this episode of Stirring the Pot, we talk with our General Manager Welding Centre on what research projects his team will be focused on to assist our membership in the New Zealand metals-based industry.

We discuss the Welding Research Panel, who is represented on it, and how they were able to choose the projects to focus on for industry, as well as the projects themselves:

• seismic research program,
• advanced design capability program,
• performance of coastal weathering steels,
• national register for certified welders,
• training and international visitors planned,
• engagement program with SMEs,
• the Innovation Centre initiative,
• Automation and Defence clusters, and
• our future vision for the Welding Centre team. 

This podcast is part of our commitment to provide greater transparency and visibility of the R&D focuses we have.

Did you know that HERA members can propose projects for HERA to work on?

Find out more details on the process and how you can tell us about problems you'd like solved through R&D: 

https://www.hera.org.nz/call-panel-projects/

Demystify our research levy and how all of industry can leverage it (including SMEs):

https://www.hera.org.nz/hera-research-levy-projects/

In this episode of Stirring the Pot, we talk with Pamela Bell. Founder and Former CEO of PrefabNZ whom we crossed paths with due to her involvement on the NZ Construction Industry Council.

Pamela has been on a mission to innovate in New Zealand’s built environment and create a hub for prebuilt design and construction. We were keen to chat to her about this, as prefabrication has come up as one of the top interests our members are keen to explore in our recent innovation survey.

This is a not to be missed episode if you're curious to know if prefabrication could answer Auckland's housing crisis, or if there is sufficient volume of construction for your business to invest in prefabrication. 

Join us as we discuss the benefits of prefabrication, challenges to overcome, relevance of this trend to our metals industry, opportunities for our future pipeline, traceability and conformity to seismic standards, and more.

Connect with Pamela:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-bell-2195b564/

View the 'How to pre-fab' case studies mentioned in the podcast:

http://www.prefabnz.com/resources

View HERA's research to explore light steel framing multi-story buildings in New Zealand:

https://www.hera.org.nz/solving-auckland-housing-crisis/

In this episode of Stirring the Pot, we talk with Industrial and Organisational Psychologist and self professed leadership, resilience and curiosity seeker - Alia Bojilova!

In this thought provoking chat, she challenges our current perceptions around resilience and wellbeing within the work place. Making it known that paying lip service to these concepts are a massive risk to our industry which requires huge investment in terms of intellectual capability.

She believes the focus on resilience and wellbeing need to be a great deal more robust, especially if we want to be a business that attracts and retains top staff for greater productivity and profitability.

Saying "Stress steals time. The more busier we are, the less likely we are to pay attention to what matters. And, business as usual is sometimes a huge dusty pile of stuff we don't have to attend to. We need to pause, and focus on the things that matter as apposed to everything that is immediately in front of us."

Connect with Alia:

LinkedIn: https://https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrina-alia-bojilova/

Interested in attending HERA's Future Forum - 20/20 Vision so you can hear more from Alia?

Registrations are now open! https://www.hera.org.nz/event/futureforum-2020/