Ngāi Tahu Property’s Te Urutī Building Received 6-star Rating For Energy Efficiency

Ngāi Tahu Property’s Te Urutī Building received a 6-star NABERSNZ Energy Base Building rating – the highest rating awarded for energy performance in a commercial building. It is the first building in Te Waipounamu to receive a 6-star rating from NABERSNZ. There are only 3 buildings across Aotearoa that currently hold this rating.

The 6-star rating means that the base building of Te Urutī uses 76% less energy than comparable buildings.

Ngāi Tahu Property General Manager Blair Forgie says the rating reflects the commitment of Ngāi Tahu Property to climate change action through energy efficiency and lowering energy-related emissions.

“Our investment and commitment aligns with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Group’s Te Kounga Paparangi climate action plan and the Ngāi Tahu values,” Forgie says.

“From a business point of view, less energy use means lower power bill. It is in everyone’s best interest to invest in ensuring energy efficiency.”

Te Urutī is part of the Pita Te Hori Centre located in the Christchurch central business district. It is in the West End between Cashel St, Hereford St, Montreal St and Cambridge Terrace.

The building has high efficiency HVAC sytems that are connected to a central site District Energy Scheme which supplies multiple buildings with ground source artesian cooling and heating – providing high efficiency cooling and heating. It also has a 139 panel 48kW Solar PV system that provides on-site generation to reduce building energy consumption.

Lower operational energy usage was also achieved by optimising the thermal envelope. Daylight is optimised to include high performance glazing, reducing the extent of curtain wall used and use of high levels of thermal insulation. Energy efficient lighting was also achieved using high efficiency LED fittings, daylight control and occupancy sensors.

NABERSNZ Assessors from Powell Fenwick worked with Ngāi Tahu Property’s facilities manager and tenants to achieve the 6-star NABERSNZ Base Building rating.

Pita Te Hori Centre is comprised of Iwikau and Te Urutī buildings that are 4 and 5 Green Star rated by the New Zealand Green Building Council. The buildings currently lease to commercial and Government organisations.

New Zealand Green Building Council Chief Executive Andrew Eagles says Ngāi Tahu Property are leading the way.

“The Pita Te Hori Centre is a fantastic example of sustainable design and construction, and it’s fantastic that this approach has been taken even further through optimising how the buildings are used and operated,” says Eagles.

“The most sustainable energy is the energy that isn’t used. We are seeing large growth in clients and owners certifying buildings to NABERSNZ. By achieving a leading 6-star NABERSNZ rating, Ngāi Tahu Property are demonstrating incredible focus and leadership in reducing pressure on our electricity grid and climate emissions.”

NABERSNZ is an adaptation of the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS). Launched in 1999, NABERS is widely considered to be a world-leading energy rating tool for commercial buildings.

Licensed to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) and administered by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), NABERSNZ ratings assign a star, from 0 to 6, to rank the energy performance of office buildings. Ratings are carried out by trained assessors.

Under the Government’s Carbon Neutral Programme, NABERSNZ ratings are required on buildings where over 2,000m2 is leased by Government agencies

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