International Company to Focus on Local Earthquake Solutions

21 September 2012

Miyamoto Impact launches joint company in NZ to offer world-class seismic solutions

With up to 25,000 buildings around the country assessed as earthquake prone, a new company has been established – drawing on local knowledge and international experience – to help building owners understand the issues associated with earthquake risk and design affordable seismic strengthening solutions.

Independent New Zealand project management company, Impact, has formed a partnership with Miyamoto International, a global earthquake and structural engineering company to address the considerable uncertainty and cost faced by building owners around the country.

Impact director Garth Palmer says building owners around the country are struggling to understand the requirements and manage the significant costs of major seismic upgrades.

“Councils, commercial investors and private building owners are all facing considerable uncertainty around how to meet the new standards while making upgrades affordable and manageable,” says Garth Palmer.

“As the cost of insurance skyrockets, building owners also need a proven model that insurance companies can work with. We believe that to protect the building owner’s investment, it is not enough for a building to be life safe – it must also be resilient enough to be economical to repair after an earthquake.”

Mr Palmer says Miyamoto Impact will draw on both its extensive local knowledge and the vast international experience the company has in high performance seismic engineering to deliver understandable, affordable options designed for the local environment and standards.

“The Miyamoto Impact Risk Management approach combines with internationally proven insurance and finance models to deliver not just life safety but also resilient buildings at a lower capital cost,” says Garth Palmer.

“It also provides for a staged approach for strengthening, which can allow building owners to take a more managed path to meeting the earthquake standards and funding their building upgrade.”

Miyamoto International has been providing earthquake reconstruction and retrofit engineering in New Zealand since 2011, with state-of-the-art engineering solutions provided to the private, public and insurance sectors.

Dr. Kit Miyamoto, CEO of Miyamoto International and a California Seismic Safety Commissioner describes the partnership as “a perfect marriage of skills and experience – with global expertise and local knowledge.”

“The key for seismic risk management is the combination of risk reduction by engineering and risk transfer by insurance.”

“This comprehensive approach produces the most cost-effective way to manage overall seismic risk; and it makes sense economically for both the public and private sector. The results of this practice will be a safer society,” Dr. Miyamoto says.

Impact is one of New Zealand’s most respected independent project management companies. Since 1999, Impact has delivered projects for a range of large-scale organisations, including KiwiRail, Wellington International Airport, the National Library of New Zealand, CERA and the Ministry of Justice. Impact works on a number of large Christchurch recovery projects and has delivered the Christchurch Central City Recovery Plan with Christchurch City Council. The company has recently been announced as a finalist in three (of five) categories (including project of the year) in the annual PMI (Project Management Institute) NZ awards for their work on the Recovery Plan.

Impact Director, Garth Palmer says he believes the new partnership can bring real benefits to the New Zealand market – creating safer buildings and more affordable seismic solutions.

“Our aim is to provide a total seismic solution for the strengthening of earthquake prone buildings throughout New Zealand, across engineering, project management, funding and insurance. We have found global expertise in Miyamoto International that can provide real solutions to the seismic problems in New Zealand.”

Miyamoto Impact seismic solutions are available throughout New Zealand with main offices in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland. Learn more about Miyamoto Impact: www.miyamotointernational.com/miyamoto-new-zealand

ENDS

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