Owners of earthquake – prone buildings in the Jackson Street Heritage Precinct are being advised to act now to assess structural weaknesses in their buildings. That was my message at a recent meeting hosted by the Jackson Street Programme (JSP), Petone Historical Society, Historic Places Trust, NZ Society of Earthquake Engineers and Hutt City Council.
I released a joint statement along with JSP chair, Leonie Dobbs, saying the message from the meeting was very clear.
The Christchurch earthquake is making a tremendous draw on resources including engineers – property owners need to act now to determine structural weaknesses and come up with options and a work plan.
There has also been some concern among building owners and businesses in Jackson Street that earthquake strengthening will require significant investment. This could affect the viability of smaller businesses faced with higher rents.
The key focus of the meeting was to provide information and those who attended went away a lot wiser and able to manage the task ahead of them.
We see this as a first step in sharing information between heritage precinct property owners, businesses, and the Council in resolving the strengthening issues.
Hutt City Council already offers a facilitation service where owners of a block of buildings can get together to negotiate a group solution. The city council also offers financial support.
The meeting was defiitely a very good start.
Presenters at the meeting included Win Clark, Executive Officer New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, Simone Naylor, Corporate Executive Director, Aon New Zealand, and Ann Neil, Central Region Manager, New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
BACKGROUND NOTES COVERING WHAT THE PRESENTERS SAID:
Win Clark, Executive Officer, NZ Society for Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE) gave an enlightening presentation on strengthening earthquake-prone masonry buildings. He began with analyses of damage sustained by masonry buildings in the Christchurch earthquakes. This work has enabled engineers to identify key structural difficulties and suggest remedies which can be undertaken. In some cases new technologies may allow this strengthening work to be achieved at a much lower cost than commonly assumed.
The presentation covered types of masonry and their relative strengths, and typical collapses in the Christchurch and L'Aquila (Italy 2009) quakes. Mr Clark pointed to six key areas for assessment: the boundary wall, parapets, piers between windows, front façade, canopy, and shop-front windows. He gave an example of at least one type of strengthening method, e.g. 'tried and true' technologies such as tying façades to internal floor joists. The audience was fascinated to see some of the new technologies which have been developed, such as a carbon strip which can be set into a vertical channel carved into an interior wall. He noted that while the material was expensive, the process was relatively simple and quick.
A panel of experts comprising representatives of the NZ Historic Places Trust (NZHPT), AON New Zealand, NZSEE, and Hutt City Council then took questions. Ann Neill, Central Regional Manager, NZHPT, emphasised the importance of hiring an Engineer who has experience working with Heritage buildings. She pointed out that not only do they need a specific expertise in Heritage Buildings, but also in the requirements of District Planning, Resource Consents, etc, which apply. The Trust provides advisory services for owners, such as access to architects, once a strengthening scheme had been developed.
Simone Naylor, Corporate Executive Officer, AON Insurance, confirmed that there is increasing use of financial incentives, such as decreased premiums, for buildings which have been strengthened. Ms Naylor stated that AON remained committed to providing insurance cover across the country.
Mr Clark emphasised that the owners need to act now: identify if their building is earthquake-prone, determine what the critical structural weaknesses are by working with one or more engineers, design and document the solution to improve the carrying capacity, cost the scheme, develop a program of work which is affordable – a staged works program is acceptable. He also pointed out that an owner who acts now will have first call on the expert resources which will be in high demand over the next few years.
Hutt City Council Divisional Manager Environmental, Consents Helen Oram said the council operates a facilitation service where owners of a block of buildings can get together to negotiate a group solution. She also said that council provides financial assistance.
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