Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission Te Komihana Rūwhenua o Waitaha Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission – Te Komihana Rūwhenua o Waitaha

Those who lost relatives and friends in the 22 February earthquake can be assured that there will be a very thorough inquiry into the failure of buildings that resulted in loss of life.
Chair, Justice Mark Cooper
 

Media Release

11 January 2012

 

Quakes Royal Commission Confirms Buildings to be Analysed

The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has confirmed which buildings it is analysing as part of its inquiry into earthquake-related building failure in Christchurch.

The Commission’s Terms of Reference require it to establish a reasonably representative sample of buildings in the Christchurch Central Business District (CBD) and to use this sample as the basis for answering a number of very significant questions that arise from the earthquakes. This representative sample must include the Canterbury Television (CTV),  Pyne Gould Corporation (PGC), Forsyth Barr building and Hotel Grand Chancellor buildings.

In addition to these four buildings, the sample of buildings includes every building that contributed to a fatality in the 22 February 2011 earthquake as well as the Catholic Basilica, Christ Church Cathedral, Christchurch Central Police Station, Christchurch City Council Civic Offices (Hereford St), Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch Public Hospital (some buildings), Clarendon Tower, the Arts Centre (some buildings), IRD building in Cashel Street, Crowne Plaza hotel, 151 Worcester St, Bedford Row car park, Canterbury Centre (Westpac building), Victoria Square apartment building (100 Armagh Street), Craigs Investment House (90 Armagh Street) and the Gallery Apartments at 62 Gloucester Street.  Other buildings may be added to the sample.

The Commission has employed engineering consultancies Wellington-based Spencer Holmes, Auckland-based Compusoft Engineering, and California-based Rutherford & Chekene to help analyse information received from engineers, building owners, insurance companies and the Christchurch City Council about the performance of the buildings.

The Commission is also taking into consideration work that has been undertaken by other organisations including reports commissioned by the Department of Building and Housing (DBH) on the PGC, Hotel Grand Chancellor and Forsyth Barr buildings, research by BRANZ, and reports received from other organisations. The Commission will consider the DBH report about the CTV building once it is available.

As part of its ongoing inquiry, the Commission will also hold more hearings in 2012, beginning with the Hotel Grand Chancellor from 17-18 January.  All hearings are held at St Teresa’s church hall on the corner of Puriri Street and Riccarton Road.

ENDS

For further information

Robin Major
Senior Communications Advisor
Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission
Ph + 64 (0)3 741 3004 or + 64 (0)21 621 656
Email: robin.major@royalcommission.govt.nz

 

Background about the representative sample of buildings

For more information about the representative sample of buildings please see the earlier media release ‘Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission lists buildings of interest’ published on 14 July 2011.