N E W S Networking evening: Buckley’s chance if you’re late The recent revisit to Buckley Systems for the company’s second Kaeser Compressor Network Evening at the facility was a chance for the tour party to get up close and personal again with a world class manufacturing company. Buckley Systems' Auckland manufacturing plant produces huge high precision electromagnets, charged particle beam systems and high vacuum equipment for use in medical therapy technology, border security systems and particle accelerators for physics research. The tour got to see the labours of Bill Buckley, an MESNZ patron and winner of many awards, including NZ Entrepreneur of the year. Interest in the evening again exceeded the Buckley teams’ hosting capability and for the second year running disappointed late punters were turned away. Never wishing to disappoint his fellow engineers, Mr Buckley has vowed to host an evening again next year. www.engineeringnews.co.nz 15 Engineering student, Zheng Sibo, from Mt Albert has won $3000 towards course costs for a solar-powered street lamp design created for one of Unitec’s annual sustainability challenges. Sibo, who is in his second year of a NZ Diploma of Engineering, submitted a total of eight entries to the sustainability challenges. His winning design of a dual facing street light mimics an emerging plant, similar to the sturdy bamboo stalk with opposing leaves. His other designs included a solar powered pod, bicycle ramp and bus stop. “I get all my creative ideas from the world around me. I am excited about creating something new and making a real contribution.” Anthony Lai, one of Unitec’s engineering lecturers, says he encouraged all his electrical engineering students to enter the design competition as a chance to solve real sustainability problems. “Sibo showed me his designs – they are fascinating. They are modern and have clean lines and great aesthetics. Definitely, I was very impressed, and in my own thinking, he was in for a chance.” Self-taught in graphic design, Sibo describes himself as a practical and handson person. DIY stores are his Disneyland. He came to Unitec from the Northern city of Qinhuangdao in the Hebei Province and returned there during the summer break to work for a solar power company. “Ultimately, I would like to be to be an electrical or technological engineer – or a teacher,” he says. Street lamp wins solar sustainability challenge Steel skeleton grabs the PM’s eyes Prime Minister Bill English paid a visit to Whangarei to meet with a local company which may have the solution to New Zealand’s housing crisis. This year Donovan Group NZ Ltd will launch a new residential housing franchise, which offers a housing system to rival the current industry standard. The building system incorporates a patented innovative steel skeleton structure, with the company’s own unique, patented Structural Insulated Panel (SIPs) system. Together these elements provide an energy-efficient, affordable, eco-friendly and fireproof home which can be erected in record time. The system is backed by custom-built software that allows customers to design, walk through and price their dream home online, in real time. “Our Home Direct will be launched later this year and we’re confident that it will be a game changer in the New Zealand residential building industry,” says Jeremy Parkinson, general manager, Our Home Direct. “The speed at which we can take a residential customer’s concept from design, through to completion is a huge advantage. The system has also created huge opportunities for multi-storey, commercial housing developments.” During his visit, the PM took a tour of the Whangarei manufacturing facility, where the new residential construction system is currently being developed. Donovan Group NZ Ltd is a New Zealand owned and operated company which is best known for its commercial steel building franchise success story, Coresteel Buildings. LOADS OF EXTRA MULTIMEDIA CONTENT SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE eMag www.engineeringnews.co.nz Zheng Sibo
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