Source: Radio New Zealand
Prefab classrooms at Wellington Girls’ College, used because of its old and earthquake-prone buildings. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
A big government project has begun to improve understanding of seismic risks at schools, starting with the Welllington region.
Seismic risk assessments for buildings generally undergo regular shifts in what is required, key in particular was research into the 2016 Kaikōura quake and, more recently, government policy aimed at lightening the costs on owners of quake strengthening.
A Treasury report suggested two tranches of the new school seismic projects were approved in December by the Cabinet, with each worth more than $100 million and each at the stage of a detailed business case.
The Education Ministry confirmed to RNZ it was “undertaking preliminary work to better understand seismic risk across parts of the school property portfolio”.
“This work is focused on improving information and informing future options, and is being considered in stages,” said chief executive for school property Jerome Sheppard.
The two tranches were on a list of 23 big projects from roads to hospital wards to defence housing that totalled more than $25 billion in forecast spending over the next four years.
The two were categorised as medium-to-high-risk investments.
“We are looking first at Greater Wellington, where seismic risk is generally better understood, and where assessment and planning work is more progressed,” said Sheppard.
Several Wellington schools, such as Wellington Girls and Onslow College, have gone through years of angst and disruption for students over earthquake assessments and upgrade projects.
“This work is at an early stage,” Sheppard said. “Wellington schools continue to operate as normal and are aware of the seismic status of their buildings.
“Any future decisions about next steps would be subject to Cabinet consideration.”
Five months ago, the government introduced a new “risk-based” approach to earthquake strengthening to supercede rules brought in after 2016, which it said would save building owners nationwide more than $8.2b.
In 2022, the Building Research Association and the ministry did structural testing into the seismic capacity of buildings commonly used in schools nationwide. This showed that “the buildings are inherently resilient”.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
