Building a Workshop for the Future

Now he’s keen to share what he’s achieved, so others can understand the benefits. 

“I have always been interested in the environment and when I had the chance to build a new workshop I planned to do as much as I could to be as green as possible while not affecting the business,” Craig says. 

What Craig found is it’s not about changing the business, but a shift in thinking on what you do in the business. He still does the same work, building Ford GT 40 replicas, and fixing cars from classics to EVs. 

His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed with world renowned wildlife sanctuary Zealandia championing his work and inviting him to show other businesses what can be done in a pilot scheme called “Sanctuary to Sea.

Craig believes with a change in thinking, anyone can balance being a car nut and an environmentalist. 

The workshop was built with the environment in mind.

“When we built the building, the idea was to try and future-proof it as much as we can.” 

On the list of improvements was a sump to catch runoff from the workshop floor to stop contaminants running into a nearby stream. 

It quickly proved its worth with the channel down the centre of the workshop capturing water and dirt when the floor is washed down, flushing it into two sumps out the front of the workshop where the solids settle, and the clean water is pumped out to the stormwater system. 

“When we emptied it out the first time, we got 10 litres of dirty oily water that would have gone into the stream.”

“While it might not seem a lot it wouldn’t be good for the stream.”

Craig also put in an EV charger as part of the improvements, an exhaust extractor, sound proofing insulation to curb noise pollution and the building’s foundations were dug deep into the ground to avoid it being too imposing. 

He’s collected rocks for the workshop gardens, which were purposely created to attract wildlife. 

Cardboard and paper are recycled along with wood, metals and plastics. 

“We don’t split it up, all of it goes into the bin and the recyclers split it up and it doesn’t cost us - we actually get a return which offsets any cost.” 

This coming winter there will be a new waste oil burning heater, he says, that is rated to the California Clean Air Standards which surpass anything New Zealand has. 

He’s in the process of making a press to squash oil filters and get the last of the oil out of them so they can go in the recycle bin. 

All the thought Craig’s put in has reduced real rubbish to a trickle and, he says, it costs nothing to dispose of it. 

“We used to put out three 205 litre drums of rubbish a week and often they were overflowing. Now we have a council green bin, and some weeks it is only a third-full – and that includes rubbish from home!” 

All the food scraps from lunch are composted and there is a worm farm on the property that Craig is in the process of getting up and running. 

“It’s great to show what can be done, even with a business like this.” 

“I still have a lot to learn, I don’t know everything by any means, and I would love to hear from other businesses what they are doing and what I can do better,” he says. 

 “All I need now is an extra mechanic or two with the same mindset.” 

Craig’s Top Tips for Going Green 

• It won’t affect your business, you can keeping doing the same work.
  

• It can have a positive effect on income. 
  

• Think about where the run-off is going when you wash the floor down. 
  

• Plant a garden if you have room, we have found customers like it, and it makes a difference to the local environment. 
  

• Put in an EV charger - customers are looking to business who are doing something for the environment. 
  

• Sponsor a local event like a stream clean up, run a BBQ to support community environmental efforts.