4 Oct 2018
Engineers are congratulating Wellington region building owners and territorial authorities on securing facades that pose an earthquake risk.
Susan Freeman-Greene
Engineers are congratulating Wellington region building owners and territorial authorities on securing facades that pose an earthquake risk.
Engineering New Zealand Chief Executive Susan Freeman-Greene says securing this vulnerable masonry has increased Wellington and Lower Hutt’s resilience and has the potential to save lives.
Resilience is more than a concept: it has a tangible outcome when the unpredictable hits. We need to value resilience more, and to create incentives that build it, like this securing initiative.
“Wellington and Hutt City Councils deserve applause for making sure building owners carried out this important public safety work, in the wake of the increased risk of aftershocks from the Kaikōura earthquake. We also appreciate the Government’s role in helping fund this work, which was championed by engineers.
“Our technical groups the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE), Structural Engineering Society (SESOC) and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society (NZGS) came together to advocate for this work in the wake of the November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake.”
Ms Freeman-Greene says New Zealand needs an ongoing conversation about what earthquake-related risks we are prepared to tolerate.
“This includes weighing the different risks in provincial centres, where earthquake strengthening can have a huge economic impact. Engineering New Zealand is currently consulting on more practical approaches to this problem.
“We also want to start a public conversation on what we’re designing buildings for – is it enough just to allow people to evacuate or should we be making buildings that have a life beyond a moderate earthquake?”
Notes to reporters
Thirty-nine people were killed and more than 100 injured because of falling masonry in the February 2011 Canterbury earthquake.
Engineering New Zealand is New Zealand's professional body for engineers, with more than 22,000 members. We represent – and regulate – our members. We also act as the Registration Authority for Chartered Professional Engineers. Previously known as IPENZ, on 1 October 2017 we introduced a new, more inclusive membership pathway and changed our name to better reflect what we do.
Engineering New Zealand recently released a report exploring New Zealand’s approach to seismic risk and water issues.
For more information or to request an interview, please contact Amanda Wells, Engineering New Zealand Communications Manager, on 021 479 885.
