Officially the first Waikato building certified as ‘green’ by the New Zealand Green Building Council, the aptly named Kakariki House (literally translated it means ‘green house’) in Grey Street, Hamilton East has been given a four star green rating. Nationwide it is the seventh building to be certified under the Green Star rating system, and just the second existing building.

Largely a concrete shell that was once home to Mitre 10, the refurbished building now houses 100 employees working for five companies including the national office of WISE Management Services, and regional offices for Te Pou, Pathways, Workwise and Keys Living Choices.  Waikato Primary Health also shares the building.

The finished building includes 13 meeting rooms, two board rooms, a training room and creative space, complete with touch screen room booking, touch sensitive smart boards and three video conferencing facilities to reduce the need for travel. The building also has a café, a relaxing atrium and a small gym with showers and lockers to encourage employees to have healthy lifestyles.

The $4.9m development’s new green features include low volatile organic compound paints, recyclable carpet tiles that can be individually replaced; low flow water fittings; efficient ventilation and lighting controls to ensure staff comfort; and more than 90% of the structure was reused. Motion sensors control lighting and a computerised system stringently monitors the use of power and water. All bathrooms include low flow toilets and taps and only energy efficient lighting has been used. None of the 100 staff have wastepaper baskets.

Constructed using concrete blocks made of 20 per cent recycled aggregate, the substrate slows down heat transfer and reduces heating and cooling energy requirements. This is finished in a system of solventborne Resene Aquapel followed by Resene Uracryl 403 clear for protection against graffiti. Exterior steel columns are resplendent in Resene Rose Of Sharon (desert orange) joined by Resene Grass Hopper (steamy olive) on textured plaster. The existing roofing was painted to match COLORSTEEL® Titania.

The interior is finished throughout in Environmental Choice approved Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen waterborne enamel complemented by Environmental Choice approved Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel on doors and frames. Resene Rose of Sharon brightens the gym wall and steel, set against the deep hue of Resene Zeus (strong charcoal) on the partition. Window frames are finished in Resene Grass Hopper, doors in Resene Secrets (celadon green) and Resene Black Squeeze (white grey) completes the look on main and perimeter walls and a selection of trim and joinery.

For WISE, the four-star rating for Kakariki House is the start of an ongoing green journey.

Architect: SEKTA Architects & Project Management Ltd
Building Contractor: Arrow International
Owner: WISE Management Services Ltd
Painting Contractor: Cantec Services
Resene: Peter Smithers, Waikato Trade Sales Representative
From the Resene News – issue 2/2009

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