Innovation lab
The Innovation Centre is HERA’s purpose-built innovation hub. A flexible, multi-purpose space for research, development, and demonstration across manufacturing and construction.
Designed for use by our internal research teams, it also welcomes external incubators ready to move into their next phase, with space for demonstration rigs, pilot plants, office space, and hands-on development work.
Our vision
The building
A purpose built sustainable facility showcasing steel.
Our Innovation Centre is an extension to the existing HERA House, designed to give our industry the room to experiment, develop, and ultimately grow as the fourth industrial revolution plays out.
An initiative driven by HERA Foundation, the aim is to achieve a 6 Green Star Design & As Built certification from the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) to cement the centre’s position as a global leader in sustainable design and set new benchmarks for responsible development in the steel sector.
Showcasing locally sourced steel as the primary structure and highlighting its versatile features throughout, the striking design encapsulates the essence of industry innovation and places sustainable excellence at the heart of its design.
Building for a Sustainable Future
HERA’s Innovation Centre is more than just a new innovation hub – it’s a testbed for how the built environment can align with global sustainability goals. While construction is still underway, we’ve already taken steps to measure and disclose the building’s environmental footprint using Planetary Accounting, a world-first for a building assessment.
What makes this building different?
- Planetary Accounting first – This is the first time a New Zealand building has been assessed against the Planetary Boundaries, giving us a clear view of how its impacts compare with the safe operating space for people and the planet.
- Green Star excellence – The project is targeting a 6 Green Star Design & As Built certification, demonstrating leadership in sustainable construction.
- Science-based insights – The Planetary Facts assessment shows that the Centre’s upfront impacts from materials and construction are just 2% of an annual per-capita environmental budget for 2030. When end-of-life demolition and waste are included, this increases to 9%, highlighting the importance of designing with circularity in mind.
- Material hotspots identified – Concrete and steel were found to be the biggest contributors to carbon and waste footprints, providing opportunities for innovation in material choice, recycling, and re-use.
Why it matters
The global construction sector is responsible for around 37% of CO₂ emissions and over a third of all solid waste. By applying Planetary Accounting now, HERA is helping define what a truly sustainable building looks like – not only in 2030, but for decades ahead.
Looking forward
The IndustryX.O Centre is designed as a collaborative space for research, testing, and innovation in heavy engineering and construction. By disclosing its environmental performance openly, we aim to inspire industry partners, suppliers, and clients to join us in driving down carbon, waste, and other impacts – from the start of a project right through to its end of life.
Our expert
Latest news & resources
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This white paper report reviews academic literature on public governance in Construction 4.0, exploring themes like policy, skills, digital inclusion, data privacy, and societal impacts.
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Thirty years in heavy engineering leaves a mark. Noel Davies is first up in Humans of Steel, our new series celebrating the people behind the…