Building scientist Patrick Arnold of 335 has won the Greenwood Roche Supreme Excellence Award at Property Council New Zealand’s Wellington Property People Awards tonight, recognising 20 years of making Wellington’s buildings greener and more resilient. He also won the TSA Riley Sustainability Champion Award, on a night when winners shared a common thread: rebuilding the city by strengthening and reusing what it already has.
“Patrick Arnold helped write the rules New Zealand uses to rate sustainable buildings, then spent two decades proving they work, one Wellington building at a time. He’s the quiet force behind some of the city’s best buildings and the next generation of experts who will design them,” says Property Council chief executive Leonie Freeman.
Mr Arnold, a director and building scientist at 335, sat on the technical committee that adapted Green Star for New Zealand in 2005. Green Star is the New Zealand Green Building Council’s rating system for sustainable buildings. He has since led 30 rated projects, 23 of them certified on the finished building rather than on design alone.
He was central to the case for keeping, rather than demolishing, 8 Willis Street and Stewart Dawson’s Corner. Reusing seven levels of the existing structure avoided 1904 tonnes of carbon dioxide, and the building became Wellington’s first 6 Green Star commercial building.
The judging panel said his body of work, from Wellington’s first 5 Green Star office to its first 6 Green Star commercial building, represents “the standard the rest of the industry should aspire to”. The judges also praised his “quiet, sustained investment in mentoring the next generation of building science consultants”, including more than 10 years teaching at Victoria University of Wellington.
The team behind Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui (Wellington Central Library) won the BBD Best Team Award for strengthening and reimagining the much-loved library, which closed in 2019 and reopened in March this year. The team rebuilt the foundations below the water table and placed the building on base isolators, allowing it to move independently of the ground during an earthquake.
The judges called it “a standout example of collaborative delivery on a civic landmark that matters deeply to Wellingtonians”.
“What stands out about this year’s winners is how much of Wellington’s future is being built from what the city already has. From Te Matapihi to Bowen House to 8 Willis Street, these are people who chose to strengthen, reuse and reinvest rather than start again. That’s good for the environment, good for the city’s heritage and good for everyone who uses these buildings every day,” says Ms Freeman.
Precinct Properties’ Mike Patching received the Envelope Judges’ Choice Award for more than 40 years shaping Wellington’s CBD, including the refurbishment and seismic strengthening of Bowen House. The judges noted he has had a hand in virtually every landmark project in Wellington.
Structural engineer Alistair Cattanach of Dunning Thornton won the Rolle Property Outstanding Leadership Award for two decades leading low-damage seismic design, which helps buildings stay usable after a major earthquake.
Steph Watts-Pointer of the New Zealand School Property Agency was named Beca Young Achiever of the Year. As one of the Ministry of Education’s youngest programme managers, she grew a national programme upgrading small and remote schools, securing an extra $175 million in government funding.
Navigation Financial Partners founder Rachael Wise was named Catalyst Property Professional of the Year for 25 years in property finance and her pro bono work, including helping Mary Potter Hospice fund a 42-apartment development.
Eyal Aharoni of Primeproperty Group received the Ortus International Long Service Award for more than 30 years investing in Wellington. Since the Kaikōura earthquake, he and his team have strengthened more than 23 commercial buildings across the country, 20 of them in Wellington, including the James Smith carpark. When asked about the secret to his success, Eyal’s answer is simple: “choosing the right people — some of whom are sitting here tonight.”
ENDS
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Kelly Taylor | Head of Communications | 021 5757 02 | kelly@propertynz.co.nz
NOTES TO THE EDITOR
Winners of the 2026 Wellington Property People Awards
- Greenwood Roche Supreme Excellence Award: Patrick Arnold, 335
- TSA Riley Sustainability Champion Award: Patrick Arnold, 335
- BBD Best Team Award: Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui Wellington Central Library project team (Aurecon, Wellington City Council, Athfield Architects, Tihei, LT McGuinness, RCP)
- Envelope Judges’ Choice Award: Mike Patching, Precinct Properties
- Rolle Property Outstanding Leadership Award: Alistair Cattanach, Dunning Thornton
- Catalyst Property Professional of the Year Award: Rachael Wise, Navigation Financial Partners
- Beca Young Achiever of the Year: Steph Watts-Pointer, New Zealand School Property Agency
- Ortus International Long Service Award: Eyal Aharoni, Primeproperty Group