NZ’s largest mass timber office building for Tauranga

TAURANGA CITY COUNCIL’S NEW OFFICE BUILDING AT 90 Devonport Road is set to be the largest mass timber office building in New Zealand and will target a net zero carbon footprint for the building’s construction process.

Property development and investment company, Willis Bond, has worked alongside Warren and Mahoney architects to design the 10,000 m2 building, which will use engineered timber in place of most traditional concrete and steel elements, with a view to reducing embodied carbon – carbon emitted through the manufacturing, transportation and installation of building materials and components – to its lowest possible point.

The building will also feature rainwater harvesting, electric vehicle charging and facilities that encourage active transport options. The building is targeting the highest 6 Green Star – Design and As-Built NZv1.0 – Design Review Rating, demonstrating world leadership in sustainability.

Willis Bond Executive Chair, Mark McGuinness, says the project will set a new precedent for innovative and sustainable building design in New Zealand: “Our goal is always to keep as much carbon in the ground as possible and to walk with a light footprint. What makes this project unique is the scale at which we will be able to achieve this.”

Tauranga City Council last year confirmed the leased building will accommodate all council administration staff under one roof for at least the duration of the 15-year lease.

Construction of the building is expected to commence in late-2022 with completion before the end of 2024.