The new Stage 2, three-story building will feature the Rolls Royce of seismic design and earthquake proofing – using “base isolation” technology, which is a first for buildings in Hawke’s Bay.

The technology enables the facility to remain fully functional following a large seismic event, providing assurance to Kaweka Health and the wider community in a time when it may be needed.

The steel framed superstructure sits atop a combination of 48 flat sliders, lead and rubber bearings. The base isolator components have been manufactured in Nevada, USA. These are now being shipped to land at the Port of Napier by early March 2022.

The isolators reduce the building shaking by absorbing a large amount of the motion and energy resulting from a major earthquake. The isolators sit under the base of the building within a specially formed undercroft. In a severe earthquake the isolators can move up to 700mm, and this also requires a ‘rattle-space’ moat surrounding the building so that it can move independently of the ground.

From an early stage, Kotahi Engineering Studio worked alongside Kaweka to understand what their expectations were around building functionality, resilience, and repair post-earthquake. The Canterbury earthquakes demonstrated the need for building design to consider more than just loss of life and building collapse.

The facility can continue to operate when it might otherwise take months or years to repair/replace in the absence of base isolation.

The Stage 1 building also has earthquake design and proofing technology that enables the building to function after a seismic event. The 3,000 m2 surgical building is less than 5 months from completion of construction. There’s been over 80+ workers on site every day with the building envelope fully closed in and secure and we’re now into the intensive phase of complex building services and interior fitout.