A future insurance policy

The centre with the glass front has the NZ Green Building Council five-star rating. Photo / Greg Bowker

An insurance giant will soon move more than 700 staff into a new environmentally advanced Auckland building where Seamart once stood.

The glass-clad office block at 1 Fanshawe St has been developed by Newcrest Group for IAG New Zealand and many of its brands.

The building has many features to ensure low energy consumption, including treble-glazing on its northern face, double-glazing on levels two to five and underfloor air-conditioning designed not to reach ceiling areas where it is unnecessary.

Rainwater will be captured from the site and building roof and used to flush toilets.

Tim Dromgool and Allan Fraser's Newcrest developed a number of buildings in the area, including the distinctive glass-clad Vodafone Fanshawe St headquarters which won the Property Council's supreme award three years ago.

An IAG spokeswoman said staff would begin shifting into the new building after June 20 and the people based there would work for different insurance brands, including State and NZI.

Staff would come from a number of sites and buildings.

The 9250sq m building at the intersection of Nelson St, Market Place and Fanshawe St will be called the NZI Centre. It was designed by architects Jasmax.

Lincoln Fraser of Newcrest said key Jasmax staff involved in the project were Greg Boyden, Nick Moyes and and interior-design specialist Tim Hooson. The cross-features in the building's distinctive glass exterior was a diagrid or diagonal orientation of the mullions, Fraser said.

Seamart, the fishmongers, shut up trading on the corner site three years ago after going into receivership.

The Property Council has organised a tour of the new building later this month but said the event was so popular and there was such a high level of interest from property professionals that the tour had already sold out.

The centre is designed to achieve the New Zealand Green Building Council five-star rating.

"A design of extreme connectivity and a large number of innovative features, this is one building to marvel and one to see," the council said, citing the property's innovation, quality and low environmental impact.

Ian Foy, IAG New Zealand chief executive, said the NZI Centre was "a far-sighted response to the company's commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and being a leader in sustainability".

IAG's Auckland central business district staff are at 151 Queen St in IAG House, 131 Queen St and Shortland St.

IAG's Christchurch claims centre has moved to a purpose-built development in Addington and that building has environmentally sustainable design.

GREEN BUILDING
NZI Centre, 1 Fanshawe St, Auckland:
* Five-level office block.
* Underground carparking.
* Owned by M6 Investments.
* Leased to insurer IAG.