Check out our October events for 2025 as we explore water stewardship, climate adaptation, resilience, and more.
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Water New Zealand and IWA-ASPIRE Conference 2025
29 September – 03 October
Together We Shape the Future of Water
We’re proud to sponsor and participate in the 10th IWA-ASPIRE Conference and Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2025, the leading event for water, sanitation, and environmental professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region.
This year, the International Water Association (IWA) and Water New Zealand are joining forces to deliver an innovative, future-focused conference. As attendees and contributors, we’re excited to join global and local experts in Christchurch to address the most pressing water challenges, share indigenous knowledge, and explore smart water solutions for resilient communities.
Award Nominee
We are honoured to be a finalist for the Water New Zealand Excellence Awards – specifically, the Morphum Environmental Sustainability Award for the Maitai Aeration System, on behalf of our client, Nelson City Council. This recognition highlights our commitment to sustainable water management and environmental innovation. This project, led by Ollie Whalley from the Nelson office, included a team of consultants to deliver an innovative engineering solution that raised the level of dissolved oxygen in the Maitai River, a treasured taonga for the people of Nelson, past, present, and future.
Event Speakers
- Wioletta Gilfoyle, David Wyllie, and Jackie Colliar (Hamilton City Council) – Unlocking the value of hydraulic models for intensification planning in water supply and wastewater models
- Katherine Cowper-Heays – South Dunedin Future: Outlining the case for change
Tonkin + Taylor Attendees – Brad Tiller | Cameron Paintin | Chris Shanks | Eva Mrazikova | Ken MacDonald | Lisa Dowson | Ollie Whalley | Quinn Hornblow | Simon Aiken | Tessa Klapka-Innes
Adaptation Futures
13-16 October
We’re proud to support Adaptation Futures 2025 as Wānanga Sponsor and a major contributor to the global adaptation dialogue. Our team will join researchers, practitioners, and Indigenous leaders from around the world to explore how we can collectively advance climate resilience. Through six sessions, we’ll share insights on systemic governance, infrastructure resilience, community-led adaptation, Indigenous leadership, and global climate justice. As Wānanga Sponsor, we’re supporting culturally grounded kōrero and the launch of the Indigenous Adaptation Network – a major step toward elevating Indigenous leadership in climate adaptation. We look forward to connecting, learning, and contributing to this important conversation shaping Aotearoa and the Pacific’s climate future.
Meet Our Speakers
Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways for Auckland Transport | Dilys Fong, Transport Engineer, Tonkin + Taylor
17:15 – 17:30 | Monday 13th October >> Dilys Fong and Ashishika Sharma (Auckland Transport), will jointly present on embedding DAPP into asset management, including the development of signals, triggers, and thresholds, and their integration into an Adaptation Portal
Merging Long-Term Adaptation Planning with Adaptive Design for Atoll Nations in the Pacific | Richard Reinen-Hamill, Principal Consultant – Sustainability, Tonkin + Taylor
08:15 – 08:30 | Tuesday 14th October >> Richard Reinen-Hamill presents a case study on the climate change challenges Atoll nations have, and the long-term adaptation strategies and resilience measures required to manage present and shorter-term hazards.
Designing Loss and Damage Projects for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) | Dr Neeraj Shankar, Disaster Management Consultant, Tonkin + Taylor
15:45 – 16:00 | Tuesday 14th October >> Dr. Neeraj Shankar shares lessons from designing Loss and Damage projects in Pacific Island States, addressing unavoidable climate impacts through inclusive, locally led approaches.
Manawatia a Rehua: Indigenous Leadership Responsiveness | Marie McCarthy, Kaitohutohu – Māori Advisor, Tonkin + Taylor
08:15 – 08:30 | Wednesday 15th October >> Marie McCarthy and Troy Brockbank (Beca) present the development of He Rau Aroha, a group of Māori professionals (engineers, planners, comms advisors, strategists, and water experts alike) across seven major NZ infrastructure companies whose primary purpose is to build back resilient iwi, hapū, and whanau post-disaster.
Confronting Moloch: Overcoming Systemic Adaptation Challenges | James Hughes, Technical Director: Climate + Resilience, Tonkin + Taylor
13:45 – 14:30 | Wednesday 15th October >> James Hughes joins a panel exploring how misaligned incentives and fragmented responsibilities hinder adaptation, and how innovative finance tools can unlock progress.
South Dunedin Futures: Co-creation session | Dr Katherine Cowper-Heays, Climate Risk + Adaptation Specialist, Tonkin + Taylor
14:30 – 15:30 | Thursday 16th October >> Dr Katherine Cowper-Heays co-leads an interactive session on adaptation planning in one of New Zealand’s most exposed urban areas, integrating Kāi Tahu perspectives and multi-hazard risk assessment.
Tonkin + Taylor Attendees – Katherine Cowper-Heays | Neeraj Shankar | James Hughes | Richard Reinen-Hamill | Dilys Fong | Marie McCarthy | Tessa Allan | Danielle Clarke | Claire Smith | James Russell | Morgan Waugh
New Zealand Geotechnical Society Symposium
15-18 October 2025
This October, Tonkin + Taylor is proud to be part of the New Zealand Geotechnical Society Symposium as gold sponsors. This event is a gathering of the brightest minds in geotechnical engineering. With over 60 years of technical excellence behind us, we’re excited to engage with industry leaders, share insights, and explore the innovations shaping the future of our field. As an employee-owned group of environmental and engineering consultancies, we’re passionate about collaboration, risk-informed design, and delivering resilient solutions across Aotearoa, Australia, and beyond.
Our team will be presenting a diverse range of papers — from embodied carbon in retaining walls to machine learning for landslide susceptibility, and from rocking foundations to UAV-integrated embankment design.
Tonkin + Taylor Attendees – Adriana Garcia | Cliff Edwards | Dana Chaneva | Dani Thompson | Dave Chiswell | Elby Tang | Emilia Stocks | Gordon Ashby | James Elvy | Jesse Beetham | Jia Hong | Joshua Teal | Karin Speight |Keith Spencer-Edgar | Ku Jung | Mark Dawson | Mark Thomas | Monique Waring | Natalie Tan | Navim Zanzabil-Molla | Neil Korte | Nick Humphries | Razel Ramilo | Rhys Graafhuis | Rogan Clement | Scott Sutherland | Shazia Rajaiy | Simon Farquhar | Stuart Palmer | Sutejo Tjokro | Taya Kinley | Tommy Lam | Yolanda Thorp
Futurespace 2025
22-23 October
Futurespace is the premier leadership and consulting conference for New Zealand’s engineering and environmental sectors. This year’s theme, “Leadership of the Future,” explores how we can lead through complexity, foster innovation, and deliver sustainable infrastructure for our communities.
Meet Our Speakers
Simonne Eldridge, Technical Director – Environmental Engineering, will share insights from over 35 years of experience in civil and environmental projects. Her session, ‘Why collaboration delivers success’, highlights how shared accountability and strong relationships are key to navigating uncertainty and delivering lasting outcomes.
Dave Braendler, Principal Consultant – Data + Digital, will present ‘Chaos to clarity: AI in the first 90 days’. Drawing on his work with infrastructure, energy and public sector clients, Dave will offer a practical roadmap for identifying high-value AI opportunities and building capability to deliver measurable results.
This two-day event is designed for executives, emerging leaders, consultants, and innovators looking to grow their leadership capability and navigate the challenges of economic uncertainty, AI disruption, and global change.
Tonkin + Taylor Attendees – Chris Shanks | Grace Schaefer | Kumeroa Pihama | Lean Phuah | Penny Kneebone | Steph Gawne
Working Session Webinar: Climate Adaptation Challenges in Aotearoa
12-1:30pm | Tuesday 28 October 2025 | Online
As climate impacts intensify across Aotearoa New Zealand, adaptation is no longer optional. But how we adapt, who pays, and what we prioritise are questions that spark deep debate. Join our expert panel:
- Jonathan Boston, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy | Wellington School of Business and Government | Ōrauariki Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
- James Hughes, Technical Director: Climate + Resilience | Tonkin + Taylor
- Katherine Cowper-Heays, Climate Risk + Adaptation Specialist | Tonkin + Taylor
- Simon Harvey, Principal Consultant – Strategic Sustainability, Panel Facilitator | Tonkin + Taylor
They’ll share insights from our recent Climate Change and Business Conference workshop and discuss the evolution of climate adaptation policy in Aotearoa and real-world examples from current adaptation projects. Critical questions will be explored, including: Who should bear the cost of adaptation? What’s a fair transition period for new frameworks? How much public support is appropriate for planned relocations? Expect a lively, interactive kōrero exploring the social, technical, cultural, economic, and political sides of climate adaptation. Let’s shape a more resilient future—together.
Keep an eye out here first for the registration link – coming soon!
