This presentation will focus on how Tauranga City Council’s City Water team used the Wedge Model to get asset data right first time and build in-house capability. It sets clear asset information requirements, embeds ISO 19650-aligned ways of working in live projects, and transfers knowledge through shadow consulting so the council team can lead without ongoing external support.
The work improved handover readiness and reduced information chasing and rework. The delivery milestone was a digital twin water network pilot (March 2025) bringing together GIS, hydraulic modelling and SCADA to support day-to-day operational decisions.
Part of the Asset Management in Action Webinar Series – showcasing submissions from the 2026 Excellence Awards.
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Juan Martinez brings a unique blend of experience from both the private consultancy sector and local government, offering deep insights into the operational and strategic challenges faced on each side. In his current role as Digital Engineering Lead at City Waters, Juan has developed and implemented an Information Management framework aligned with ISO principles, driving the adoption of digital engineering practices across infrastructure projects. His leadership is rooted in a strong commitment to sustainability and systems efficiency. Juan is an active contributor to the water industry, regularly speaking at national conferences and playing a key role in the development of data standards for water assets. He is currently one of the four national BIM in NZ advisors, and an active collaborator within WaterNZ SWIG Digital Engineering and AI Forum AEC working groups. His collaborative approach and strategic thinking have earned him recognition as a valued voice in the digital transformation of infrastructure delivery. Juan is known for his ability to build strong relationships across all organizational levels — from frontline operators to senior executives — creating trust and alignment in complex initiatives. He brings a systems-thinking lens to every challenge, recognizing interdependencies and long-term impacts. His collaborative attitude fosters cross-functional engagement, ensuring that digital engineering solutions are not only technically sound but widely supported and successfully adopted.
Asem Zabin is an Executive Advisor with GHD, leading the Data & AI Advisory business across the Asia Pacific region. He specialises in asset management, digital transformation, information management, and data-driven decision making for infrastructure-intensive organisations. Over the past 15 years, Asem has helped public and private sector clients improve asset performance, strengthen organisational capability, and deliver innovative asset management solutions. He is a recipient of the 2024 ACE New Zealand Futurespace Award, the 2025 ACE New Zealand Special Gold Award, and the 2026 Āpōpō Supreme Project Award for excellence in infrastructure asset management. He is currently completing a PhD focused on ontology engineering and information management for infrastructure assets, with a research interest in improving the quality, accessibility, and governance of asset information.
