Maintaining Historic Building and Achieving 5 Green Star Rating  

Overview 

The HB Central redevelopment breathes new life into two of Auckland's oldest buildings, creating a unique fusion of historical charm and modern functionality.  

This ambitious project includes 900 sqm of prime retail space fronting Queen Street and 2,000 sqm of offices and a cafe on Lorne Street. By exposing the building's original character and heritage fabric, the redevelopment creates a refreshed and stunning space for local businesses.  

Striving for a 5-star Green Star rating, the preservation of the original character of the building, and keeping many of the original construction features became a key priority for the project. 

Fireshield's Involvement 

The project required solutions that would maintain and upgrade the existing structure, making it compliant with modern fire regulations without adding unnecessary building materials. 

Taking the design parameters provided by the design team, Fireshield used our char rate reduction methodology to satisfy the regulatory requirements for structure and fire whilst also being able to fulfil the aesthetic vision of the architect. 

During the design phase, it was also identified that electrical and mechanical services needed to be attached to the structural members, which hadn’t previously been considered. Detailing the connections to the structural timber members was crucial to avoid heat sink into the timber. Fireshield worked with the architect to provide a set of fixing details for installers to use while also maintaining compliance. 

We then determined and designed solutions for both the timber and steel structure using TimberWhite and Steel 1001.  

Fireshield were able to issue a PS1 for specific design covering the char rate reduction of the existing native timber flooring and structure. This meant that the design team were able to expose the existing historical structure rather than boarding over it.   

During construction, we made several site visits, issuing construction monitoring reports, ensuring everything was being installed as per our design, which enabled us to sign off the PS4. 

As Fireshield's products are waterborne and low VOC, they were perfect for a 5-star Green Star build, with the secondary benefit of not having to add additional building materials to keep the carbon footprint as low as possible. 

Outcome 

The successful integration of Fireshield's fire protection solutions while preserving the building's historical character has been a significant factor in the HB Central redevelopment's now award-winning status.  

The building now stands as an example of heritage preservation and the Green Star rating done right, making it a valuable asset to Auckland's city centre.  

Through Fireshield's expertise, the structure has been strengthened and renewed, allowing it to be adapted for modern retail and commercial uses while maintaining its unique historical charm in the heart of the downtown area. 

For more information on our expertise in protecting heritage spaces click here.