CHRISTCHURCH REBUILD OPPORTUNITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

“The rebuilding of homes and commercial buildings damaged in September’s Quake provides the ideal opportunity to incorporate sustainable design concepts not widely used when the buildings were originally constructed,” says Mark Graham of the New Zealand Homeowners Building Guide, New Zealand’s bible for construction information.

“Most of Christchurch’s CBD was constructed from an English template that didn’t allow for New Zealand conditions” says Graham.

“Buildings should make use of the natural energy of the sun, and be constructed from materials that absorb the sun’s energy to reduce heating costs, such as bricks” he says

Some green building options require an additional upfront cost, however bricks are one of the most cost effective construction materials on the market.

The creative design potential of brick is not often realised in New Zealand, whereas overseas it is often the leading cladding in light commercial and residential construction.

“Brick has a sense of permanence, it has history and solidity. The scale of Brick is very beautiful,” says Leading architect Pete Bossley.

Christchurch needs to find the balance between retaining its essential English character and utilising sustainable best practice in its reconstruction and brick is ideally placed to provide that balance.

ENDS

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