Project delivery · Contract administration · Independent certification
We’re independent infrastructure specialists. From the first concept through to Engineer to the Contract, our experienced team plans and delivers public projects and runs core services contracts fairly and on the record.
Investigate. Design. Consent. Procure. Construction. Operate.
01 Investigate
Investigation is the stage with the most influence on a project’s success, at the lowest cost. We test the need, investigate the site and compare the options honestly, so councils and funders commit to a scope that can be built for the budget they have.
More about investigate- Feasibility studies
- Site and condition investigations
- Survey and geotechnical investigations
- Optioneering
- Cost estimates
- Risk assessment
- Stakeholder engagement
- Business cases for funding approval
02 Design
We lead the design with in-house drafting and input from specialists, producing one integrated design. Where the client has appointed its own design team, we manage that team on the client’s behalf and review the work at each stage. The aim is a design that can be built safely, consented without surprises and delivered within the approved budget.
More about design- Design leadership with in-house drafting
- Management of client-appointed design teams
- Concept, preliminary and detailed design
- Specification drafting
- Coordination of specialist consultants
- Design reviews
- Safety in design
- Value engineering
03 Consent
Consenting is often the longest step on the programme. Working with our planning partners, we set the consent strategy early, prepare clear applications and engage with iwi and the community, then make sure the conditions are carried through into the contract and onto site.
More about consent- Consent strategy
- Fast-track consenting
- Assessments of environmental effects
- Resource and building consent applications
- Iwi and stakeholder consultation
- Condition compliance
04 Procure
Most contract disputes start with the documents. Our team is qualified in procurement and works to public sector procurement best practice. We choose the right form of contract for the risk, write clear NZS 3910 series conditions and schedules, and run a fair, well-documented tender so the client can award with confidence.
More about procure- Procurement strategy
- Contract selection
- Contract writing (NZS 3910 series)
- Tender documents and schedules
- Tender evaluation
- Negotiation and contract award
05 Construction
We act as Engineer to the Contract, Contract Administrator and Independent Certifier under NZS 3910, NZS 3915 and NZS 3916. Independent of contractors and suppliers, we assess claims on their merits, make decisions on time and keep a clear record, so both parties know where they stand.
More about construction- Payment claims
- Variations
- Extensions of time
- CM3 and CM4 monitoring
- Quality assurance
- H&S audits
- Practical completion
06 Operate
We act as Engineer, Contract Administrator and Independent Certifier under NZS 3917 on operations and maintenance contracts, and the role is held personally, never delegated. We monitor performance against the contract, report on asset condition and manage defects, so the services communities rely on are delivered to the standard paid for.
More about operate- Performance monitoring
- KPI systems
- Contractor claim assessment
- Variations
- Asset condition reporting
- Defects management
- Training
- Governance
NZS 3910:2023 · Independent Certifier · Contract Administrator
Need an Independent Certifier or Contract Administrator?
The 2023 edition splits the old Engineer to the Contract into two roles. The Contract Administrator acts for the Principal and runs the contract day to day. The Independent Certifier makes the certification decisions, fairly and impartially between the parties. We take either role, or both with a different person in each.
We are members of the Society of Construction Contract Practitioners (SCCP) and support the growing professionalism of contract administration in New Zealand’s construction sector.
Your certifiers
Lorenzo Canal
Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng). Contract Administrator and Independent Certifier
View profile
Kirsten Dovey
Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng). Contract Administrator and Independent Certifier
View profileMembers of the Society of Construction Contract Practitioners (SCCP)
Projects
Case studies that state the role and the contract form.
Each one says who the client was, which role we held, which edition of which contract, what was hard and how it ended. Filter by stage or by sector.
See all projects2001 – 2026
25 years of better places.
Lorenzo founded Urban Solutions in 2001 and still leads it. A quarter of a century on, around 500 infrastructure projects have been delivered mainly across Auckland, Coromandel and Waikato.
In that time we have delivered a wide range of projects across the Auckland and Waikato regions, including residential developments, city centres, roading, cycleways, carparks, parks and paths, boat ramps and marinas, community buildings, toilets and changing facilities, sports facilities, and water and stormwater infrastructure, through to district-wide services. Highlights include beach nourishment along Tāmaki Drive, the Kōpū Marine Precinct, which we took from preliminary design to opening day, and more recently the Puhinui Stream restoration programme in South Auckland.
None of it happens without people. Over 25 years, talented staff have built their careers here, many going on to lead projects of their own, our specialist partner firms have brought their expertise to project after project, and our clients have trusted us with the places their communities use every day. We are proud of them all.
Chartered engineers and project managers, qualified for the contracts they run.
Two Chartered Professional Engineers lead a team of six, with qualifications across civil and ocean engineering, project management and infrastructure procurement. The people who hold the formal contract roles are the people you meet on site. Continuing professional development is a standing part of how we work, so those qualifications stay current.
Backed by specialists we have worked with for years.
We keep the core team small and bring in the specialist disciplines each project needs, through long-standing working relationships built over many projects together. They are local consultants, mostly from small firms, who give us principal-level talent on every engagement. It is how we offer the depth of a large multidisciplinary consultancy with a best-for-project focus that stays nimble and responsive to our clients' needs. One of us stays accountable for the whole team.
The disciplines we bring in include marine and coastal structures, coastal science and hazards, hydrographic survey and freshwater ecology; land, set-out and marine survey and geotechnical engineering; civil, structural and stormwater engineering, architecture, planning and resource consents and legal; landscape and planting design, archaeology and arboriculture.