Refurbishment Vision Aug 5, 2009
Widely regarded as one of Wellington's finest office buildings, Novell House is set to enter a whole new era, with new owners who are committed to a vision of refurbishment and sustainability.
Situated on The Terrace, the building was acquired in 2007 by AMP Capital Wholesale Office Fund (AWOF), an Australian fund managed by AMP Capital Investors. Changes have been made building-wide to bring it up to a standard that will attract tenants, including upgrades to the lifts and foyer, and improved air conditioning and lighting. Meanwhile a complete refurbishment of the top floor reflects AWOF's prerogative to set a standard in quality for the building.
The Building Intelligence Group project manager Martin Hubbard believes a key touchpoint for potential tenants will be the flexibility offered by a ceiling system that is the first to be installed in New Zealand. Main ceiling grid members are profiled to receive demountable partition head fixings, Martin explains.
"This enables tenants to carry out cost-effective fitouts, with flexibility to alter partition layouts smoothly as business needs evolve. Without the need to fix through the ceiling, reinstatement time and cost at the end of tenancy is minimised."
This flexibility and extended lifetime approach is also offered by cushion-backed, recyclable material, modular carpet tiles. If tenants require areas of special floor finish, carpet tiles can be simply lifted, stored and replaced at the end of the tenancy. The tiles also provide scope to seamlessly replace small worn or damaged areas during tenancies.
Environmentally sustainable design features are a key additional benefit for tenants, and include low energy and low brightness T5 lighting, automatic perimeter dimming operated by daylight harvesting sensors, motion detecting lighting systems in bathrooms and common areas, and water efficient taps and bathroom fittings.
AWOF asset manager Warwick Mayer emphasises that in thinking about what tenants want, AWOF considers sustainability to meet three key criteria: achieving reduced energy consumption and carbon footprint; extended lifecycle of components and minimisation of materials wastage; and an improved overall office working environment for tenants.
For example, smart design and material selection result in a leased space that maintains a high standard for the duration of a tenancy. We are finding that more tenants now recognize that control and maintenance of their business environment is considered to be a corporate responsibility and can influence customer and staff perceptions, Warwick says.
"AWOF benchmarks the refurbishment of its existing office stock and enhances the scope where possible. We're committed to bringing our approach into New Zealand through upgrading of office space and working with leading tenants to improve the quality of our buildings where the risk adjusted return equation permits."