Meridian’s new office building on the Wellington waterfront brings together our Wellington-based staff, who are currently spread across several sites. It is also a physical representation of the Company’s values and our commitment to sustainable development.

Project Manager Murray Pugh says the Customhouse Quay office is the first office building designed and constructed in New Zealand using Ecologically Sustainable Development principles.

"The performance specification we developed for the building broke new ground," says Murray. "It defined 102 separate aspects that had to be met, including indoor air quality, energy use and efficiency, security, and amenities – a whole new level of specifications. For example, each floor area had to have specified natural light levels and air refresh rates. That actually made it easier for the market to respond to our requirements, because we – and they – knew exactly what we wanted."

The specification set some challenging targets for energy efficiency and water conservation. The building is designed to use 60% less energy and 70% less water than comparable office buildings.

Some facts about Meridian's new Wellington office:

• Water usage is reduced by capturing rainwater falling on the building and using it for flushing toilets.
• To reduce temperature variations (and reduce the electricity required to heat up or cool down the interior), the building has a double skin façade to the East and West, double glazing to the North and South, and an exposed concrete floor slab (which retains heat).
• A highly sophisticated Building Management System automatically integrates and optimises the building's heating, cooling, ventilation, security and lighting systems.
• The ventilation system includes chilled beams to help control temperatures.
• The lighting system automatically balances natural and artificial light levels to achieve greater energy efficiency.
• The building materials include recycled cement, sustainably harvested timber, recycled (and recyclable) carpets, ceiling tiles with recycled backing, and environmentally friendly paints and sealants.

To find out more about our new Wellington office building, visit our website.