British High Commission – Wellington Rebuild after Earthquake
Following the 8.1 magnitude earthquake in Wellington New Zealand where by several buildings near the epicentre in downtown Wellington were damanged, The British Embassy was evacuated and condemed due to the structural damage. My team conducted the structural assessment, provide the repair project management plan and undertook the structural rectifications and repairs.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Project Name | British High Commission – Wellington Rebuild after Earthquake |
| Client Company | British Government – Foreign Commonwealth Office – High Commission |
| Project Type | Capital Project – REIT – Renovation |
| Project Value | $1,980,290 |
| Project Start and Finish | 2017 – 2017 |
| Strategic Objective | To rebuild and restore the British High Commission in Wellington after significant earthquake damage, ensuring structural integrity, operational efficiency, and compliance with both British and New Zealand safety and building codes. |
| The Challenge / Need | The project faced challenges associated with seismic resilience, preservation of heritage elements, and ensuring modern safety compliance standards while working in an operational diplomatic facility. |
| Our Approach | Conducted detailed seismic assessments, engaged structural engineers with expertise in earthquake resilience, and collaborated with local contractors to ensure adherence to both British and New Zealand building codes. Managed stakeholder communications to align expectations and ensure minimal disruption to diplomatic operations. |
| Solution & Key Deliverables | – Structural assessment and seismic retrofitting – Restoration of heritage architectural features – Installation of modern HVAC, security, and operational systems – Compliance with British and New Zealand building codes – Staff relocation and operational continuity plan during works – Comprehensive handover documentation and staff training |
| Risks and Challenges | – Managing seismic retrofitting in a heritage-listed structure – Aligning compliance with two distinct regulatory systems – Minimizing disruption to diplomatic and operational functions during construction |
| Result / Outcome | Successfully delivered a structurally sound, fully functional British High Commission building. The project met all seismic and operational standards, preserving the site’s heritage significance while enabling modern operational capabilities. |
| Our Value-Added Differentiator | – Expertise in managing complex seismic retrofitting projects – Seamless integration of modern operational systems within a heritage structure – Transparent stakeholder communication and collaboration – Delivered project on time and within budget despite regulatory and structural complexities |
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I led the development and execution of the project as Head Contractor Program Director/delivery team.
Design for the design project the team consisted of:
- 1 x Lead designer
- 8 x Engineers,
- 10 x Drafters
- 1 x PLC/SCADA designers
Construction for the Construction project the team will consist of:
- 1 x Project Manager
- 1 x Construction Engineer
- 1 x Contracts Manager
- 1 x Quality Manager
- 1 x Safety Manager
- 1 x Structural Fabrication contractors
- 1 x Mechanical systems Fabrication contractors
- 1 x Erection contractor
- 7 x Functional Suppliers (Motors, Gearboxes, Drives, Pullies, Idlers, P&I Monitoring/Control )
- 1 x Electrical contractor
- 1 x Construction Manager
Project was completed with 126,000 hrs with ZERO LTI and 1 x FAI
