Eco Insulation SME Business Winner - Yealands Estate

Yealands Estate winery won the 2009 SME Award for its groundbreaking Marlborough winery which produces sustainable premium wine. The winery was designed to minimise its use of energy and its environmental impact.

Set in the rolling foothills of the Awatere Valley, the $45 million winery is the brainchild of Peter Yealands - a staunch advocate of sustainable methods. It features advanced green technology in every aspect of its design and operation.

A wide range of energy efficiency initiatives were incorporated into the design of the winery, which was built to target a 6-Green Star Rating ‘world leadership' accreditation under the Green Star New Zealand Industrial Building rating system. These initiatives include heat recovery, installation of solar panels, insulated tanks and wind-powered electricity generators.

The success of the Yealands Estate Winery project to date is an effective demonstration that sustainable production practices and innovation can go hand-in-hand with commercial viability.

Sarah Judkins, Sean Hutchinson, Hon. Gerry Brownlee and Jason Judkins (holding the SME Award).