Category
Sports & Public Venues
Location
Tauranga NZ
Client
Apollo Projects
Year
2025
Case Study
In the heart of Tauranga’s city centre stands the newly unveiled Haumaru Sports & Recreation Centre—a vibrant hub for sporting excellence, community connection, and active wellbeing. Repurposed from a former retail warehouse, this transformed facility now houses four versatile indoor courts, purpose-designed for basketball, netball, volleyball, pickleball, and badminton. With flexible configurations and a capacity of 1,500 people, Haumaru delivers a dynamic venue for both casual play and large-scale tournaments.
Named “Haumaru” by mana whenua, reflecting a sense of safety and community well-being, the facility was developed through a powerful partnership between Tauranga City Council, Bay Venues, the University of Waikato, Apollo Projects and key contractors. Built in under six months and cost-effectively delivered by converting an existing structure, Haumaru delivers significant community benefit while supporting the city’s evolving identity as a thriving, active urban centre.
The mechanical services scope included HVAC design, installation, and commissioning, ensuring optimal indoor air quality, temperature control, and energy efficiency across the facility. The project also involved:
Installation of new toilet exhaust systems serving changerooms and accessible amenities.
A general exhaust system for storerooms, complete with non-return dampers to prevent air recirculation and maintain hygiene standards.
An outside air system designed for the Tournament Control and Reception areas to provide fresh air and occupant comfort.
Electrical integration to enable seamless control and monitoring of the new ventilation and mechanical systems.
Building Management System (BMS) connection to the existing infrastructure, allowing centralized system management and performance monitoring.
Custom ductwork fabrication to suit the building’s unique layout and structural constraints.
Air-handling systems were thoroughly cleaned, sealed, balanced, and certified through rigorous testing and commissioning processes.
Ongoing defect liability period maintenance by VAE Group to ensure continued system performance and reliability post-handover.
Located within Tauranga’s seismic zone, the project required meticulous planning and compliance with stringent structural and safety standards. VAE’s engineering team implemented robust seismic restraints across all HVAC systems to ensure safety and longevity.
One of the defining successes of the project was the collaborative effort between all stakeholders to meet a tight project timeline. The transformation was made possible through strong partnerships among Tauranga City Council, mana whenua, community sporting organisations, the University of Waikato (as naming rights partner), and Apollo Projects. Through open communication, coordinated scheduling, and shared project goals, the team successfully delivered a facility that not only meets high-performance standards but also serves as a modern, inclusive hub for the local sporting community.
The existing rooftop package units required extensive refurbishment to meet the facility’s upgraded performance standards. VAE Group carefully assessed, refurbished, and recommissioned each unit to improve energy efficiency, airflow balance, and overall reliability — extending the equipment’s service life while reducing capital expenditure for the client
Given Tauranga’s seismic conditions, the project demanded enhanced seismic restraint systems for all mechanical plant and associated services. VAE implemented robust, code-compliant restraints designed to ensure the safety and stability of rooftop HVAC units and ductwork under seismic load, while maintaining accessibility for future maintenance.
To enhance occupant comfort and indoor air quality, new fresh air and exhaust systems were installed across changerooms, accessible toilets, and storage areas. Each system was engineered for balanced airflows and included non-return dampers to prevent air recirculation, ensuring compliance with hygiene and ventilation standards.
The upgraded systems were seamlessly integrated into the existing Building Management System (BMS) to provide centralised monitoring, control, and fault diagnostics. VAE’s electrical team collaborated closely with mechanical engineers to ensure proper mechanical-electrical integration, enabling precise operation of ventilation and exhaust systems and optimised energy performance.
The Haumaru Sports and Recreation Centre exemplifies how collaboration, innovation, and community focus can transform an underutilised space into a thriving hub for sport and wellbeing. Delivered under tight time constraints with a focus on seismic resilience, the project highlights the success of collective effort between local government, contractors, and community stakeholders.
By repurposing an existing building into a modern, multi-purpose facility, Tauranga City has created a vibrant, adaptable venue that meets diverse sporting needs today while remaining flexible for the future — a safe, inclusive, and dynamic asset that reflects the city’s evolving identity.
