One of the recurring themes throughout this assessment process continues to be the operational inefficiencies that exist within traditional lifting and transport models, particularly in geographically difficult environments. A strong example was assisting with multiple Passive House builds using Formance SIP panel systems. Several of these homes occupied almost the entire site footprint, leaving minimal setup space for traditional truck-mounted cranes. In Pauanui, Kuaotunu and Cooks Beach, lifting operations had to be completed largely from the roadside due to the house footprint covering most of the section itself. The Cooks Beach project also highlighted another growing issue. Due to truck size and weight, neighbouring land had to be utilised during the build process, with reinstatement requirements identified during planning due to the risk of surface damage from heavy vehicle movements. The Wharekaho project created another challenge entirely, with the home positioned partway up a steep hillside development accessed via an extremely steep driveway. In all cases, the lifting capacity itself was not necessarily the main challenge — access, deployment efficiency, staging space, surface impact, and equipment utilisation were. The Formance team, who operate projects throughout New Zealand, also noted these types of access constraints are becoming an increasingly common nationwide issue rather than something isolated to the Coromandel alone. As flat sections become less available, developments are increasingly moving toward tighter sites, architecturally complex builds, and difficult hillside terrain. At the same time, Passive House and panelised building systems are becoming increasingly popular due to energy efficiency and faster build times. These projects continue reinforcing why smaller footprint and more specialised lifting solutions may become increasingly relevant across multiple industries and regions throughout New Zealand.
