The Meridian Building is the newest office building in Wellington that is considered earthquake-prone

The Meridian Building on the waterfront in Wellington. Photography: Mark Mitchell

The award-winning Meridian Building on Wellington’s waterfront is the capital’s newest office building to be considered earthquake-prone.

About 180 Meridian Energy employees have been working from home since Easter as a precaution while finding alternative office space.

Last week, NZME employees in Wellington were also sent home after it was found that the building they are working in had a lower-than-expected earthquake rating.

About 1,000 Inland Revenue employees found themselves in the same situation last year when an earthquake threat was discovered at Asteron House. They have since been temporarily moved through several buildings in the city while the remediation is in progress.

The Meridian Building at 55 Lady Elizabeth Lane was designed in 2005 and erected in 2007.

The property has won many awards for its green features. It has been promoted as using 78 percent less energy and 64 percent less water than comparable office buildings and not using fossil fuels on site.

In an announcement by NZX earlier this month, owner Stride Property said it regularly evaluates the seismic performance of its buildings, especially those in high-risk areas like Wellington.

The statement said the building had performed well in the previous two earthquakes, Seddon and Kaikoura, but last year’s assessment revealed some concerns.

“There has been significant learning and development as a result of recent seismic events, particularly regarding the geotechnical (ground) conditions in Wellington.

“As a result of this information, we have been advised by our advisors that the property may not operate in a seismic event in the way previously expected.”

Concerns have been raised about how the Meridian Building will perform in the event of an earthquake. Photography: Mark Mitchell

The statement said further investigations to determine the building’s final seismic classification are still ongoing and have not been completed.

This was traced back to the complex nature of the investigations and the emerging sciences on which it was based.

However, consultants have indicated that the building may be below 34 percent of the New Building Standard (NBS).

“Stride is currently evaluating repair options for the property and intends to provide an update later in the year when the seismic assessment is completed and remediation options are better understood.”

Anything less than 34 percent of NBS is considered earthquake prone.

When contacted for comment, Stride Property CEO Philip Littlewood said he had nothing to add to the NZX announcement, but said another update would be provided when more information became available.

A Meridian Energy spokesperson confirmed that the company was informed of the preliminary results of the seismic assessment this month.

“While awaiting the final results of the evaluation, as a precaution, Meridian advised its employees on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 to work from home while they obtain alternative office space ready to operate.

“Meridian’s priority is to ensure the safety of its people, first and foremost.”

NZME building staff work on Taranaki Street Photo/File

Meanwhile, the NZME-operated building on Taranaki St. was given a 25 percent rating by NBS after an assessment for evaluation purposes.

The building is owned by the Philanthropic Charitable Trust.

Chairman Rodney Lingard said the building was rated 70 percent under the previous building code, but dropped to 25 percent when rated under NBS.

He said that nothing really happened to the building itself, noting that he passed the Kaikoura earthquake unharmed.

“The consulting engineers assert that the building will need to live up to standard within 15 years but no action is required in the near future.

“They believe (subjectively) that the building is unlikely to experience a complete and catastrophic collapse in the event of a major earthquake due to its relative slope and previous reinforcement work.”

Michael Boggs, CEO of NZME, said the health and safety of all employees is the top priority.

Out of great caution, he said, the decision was made for NZME staff to vacate the building immediately.

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