At New Zealand's Resource Management Law Association (RMLA) conference dinner on Saturday 22nd Sep 2018, our intrepid co-founder Chris Day was awarded the Outstanding Person Award for his significant contribution to the understanding and management of building acoustics and environmental noise, and so facilitating complex developments and furthering resource management practice in New Zealand.
The nomination and award was kept secret from Chris, and since he was sailing around the Mediterranean at the time, its presentation over Skype was completely unexpected - he had to very quickly think on his feet and readjust from sailing to award dinner!
Below is a full transcript of the presentation by 2018 RMLA President Rachel Devine, Partner at MinterEllisonRuddWatts, while the official RMLA citation used for the presentation can be viewed here.
The RMLA also published a news artlcie on their website, here.
Transcript:
The Resource Management Law Association’s Outstanding Person Award is made for outstanding contributions only, so by definition we do not award it every year. However this year, as Rosemary has indicated, we are awarding the Outstanding Person Award. The Award is to be presented for a significant contribution to the understanding and management of building acoustics and environmental noise, and so facilitating complex developments and furthering resource management practice in NZ.
And the Award goes to Christopher Day. [Applause]
Let me tell you a bit about Chris Day. Chris is a leading acoustic expert in New Zealand. He is a founding partner of Marshall Day Acoustics and has over 35 years of experience in acoustics. Chris was a strong supporter of the establishment of the RMLA, he was one of the inaugural members of the association on the first of October 1992. Chris has always been interested in sharing his knowledge and helping others, and in fact he presented a paper at the first RMLA conference. It was called “Environmental Noise: From Principles to Practice”, so we’ve got a good heritage of bringing our experts through and showing practical application of our expertise. Since then he has remained in interesting and entertaining presenter.
He has attended and supported the RMLA at numerous conferences and seminars and Chris has been involved in many planning processes over the years, including for those of you that are Auckland based the Auckland Unitary Plan process - he was deeply involved in that. He has been a leader in developing the planning approach to managing reverse sensitivity effects particularly near airports and ports, and he has had a major role in developing noise boundaries at ports and airports along with associated land use controls, and also advising on suitable acoustic treatment of affected houses.
Chris stays on the leading edge of technology advances in his field, as any of you that have gone to any of his seminars, and seen him enthusiastically telling you all about the latest developments [will know]. He provides technically excellent and strategic advice to a range of clients and because of his integrity and experience, his clients trust his judgement and accept his recommendations. He is also highly effective in court and has the respect of decision makers.
[They are getting Chris on video Skype connection on the background screen, with Chris visible on the phone with a backdrop of boat and ocean horizon, sideways to everyone’s amusement! He was unaware in advance of the award or that this was live to the conference audience at this stage]
Chris: Can you hear me? This is the view, we’re sailing at 25 knots off the south coast of Corsica heading for the islands off Sardinia called La Maddalena Islands, it’s great sailing
Yes, Chris everyone’s seeing that, that’s beautiful. I’m just wrapping up my comments on your wonderful expertise but I’ll just skip over as the acoustics a probably a bit hard to hear over there in Sardinia! … While Chris is sorting that out, I should say that the person who nominated Chris for this award highlighted some of his well-known personal attributes – Chris is a genuine, kind person with a fantastic sense of humour, who is an absolute delight to work with,… usually! Chris is hard working, collaborative and a great team player.
He has also been recognised well beyond the RMLA having been involved with all sorts of major performing arts centres both internationally and nationally. These include the Orange County Performing Arts Centre in the United States, renovations in both The Academy of Music in Philadelphia and the Auckland Town Hall, the new and highly acclaimed concert hall for Paris, La Philharmonie de Paris, as well as other specialist projects which include Roundhead Studios for Neil Finn, and the New Zealand School of Music for Victoria University of Wellington. In 2012 Chris was awarded the President’s award from the New Zealand Institute of Architects for projects such as these.
In short Chris, congratulations. You’re an outstanding person! [Applause]
Chris: Hi everybody, I’m totally flabbergasted and emotional. It’s a pretty crazy situation. Here I am on the south coast of Corsica, flying along on a catamaran and Siiri’s just told me what’s happening down there! It all just sounds pretty crazy. I’m overwhelmed! [dropping camera, and now he is the right we up – applause and laughter from all!]. So that’s the view out to sea, here’s our skipper and team, and it’s just amazing. So thank you very much, I’m not sure who organised this and who could possibly have voted for me or whatever, but thank you so much. I’m very humbled and amazed. Wish I could be there with you all, I always love the RMLA conferences, and very sad not to be there. Thank you again.
Thanks Chris we’ll let you go. [disconnected] Goodbye Chris, we’ll leave you to your holiday. We’ll give him the award later on his return, and I’ll leave you all to plan your trips to Corsica and Sardinia! Have a good evening.
