APL Factory Hautapu
Green Building
Commercial
Industrial
Client: APL (Architectural Profiles Limited)
Architect: Jasmax Architects
Location: Hautapu, Waikato
Completion: 2020
This large-scale project involved the Mechanical, Electrical, Hydraulic, and Environmental Services Design for Building A at the Hautapu Development Campus for APL. It also encompassed services and environmental work associated with the campus masterplan and future APL facilities. The building achieved a 5 Star Green Star Built rating using the Industrial Tool. The design maximises natural ventilation and daylighting, supported by a range of specialised building services tailored to the industrial processes within.
APL is New Zealand’s largest manufacturer of aluminium windows and doors, and through an associated development company is transforming a 56.7-hectare industrial zone at Hautapu, near Cambridge. Bordering the Waikato Expressway, the site will become Waipā’s largest industrial park, converting 30 hectares of deferred industrial land and 26.7 hectares of rural land into productive industrial space.
More than five hectares are dedicated to a central hub featuring visitor accommodation, a conference centre, healthcare and childcare facilities, research and development, and retail.
Building A, a 400m-long by 100m-wide factory will be home to APL’s operations, transitioning over a five-year period and employing around 460 people. Among other objectives, APL aimed for the factory to be a second home for staff, an inspirational workplace, a benchmark for corporate design, and, of course, a facility producing the best window systems in the country.
The project was fast-tracked under a design-and-build procurement model led by Foster Construction (Hamilton). APL began relocating parts of its operation to the new site in 2020.
Climate-based daylight modelling was used to refine the building’s design and glass selection. Unlike traditional Daylight Factor analysis, this approach assesses daylight performance throughout the year using realistic sun and sky conditions derived from standardised weather data.
It is particularly suited to the New Zealand climate, where Daylight Factor analysis can lead to oversized glazing and issues with glare or overheating. Climate-based daylight modelling delivers a more accurate prediction of daylight quality and distribution across the space.
NZ Commercial Project Awards - Industrial - National Category Winner - 2023
NZ Commercial Project Awards - Sustainability Award - 2023
PCNZ Awards - Green Building Award - 2022
PCNZ Awards - Industrial Property Award
PCNZ Awards - Commercial Property Award - Merit - 2022
NZIA Local Awards - Commercial Architecture - 2022
CBRE Industrial Property Award - 2022
