Auckland University won't reclad block with Grenfell Tower-like cladding

The atrium in the Owen G Glenn Building at Auckland University. Photo / Natalie Slade

Auckland University will not re-clad its business school building, despite it being included on the list of 25 blocks with Grenfell Tower-like cladding.

The university said it had no concerns about the Owen G Glenn Building with an exterior aluminium composite cladding and that major donor and entrepreneur Sir Owen Glenn says he viewed his investment in the building and school as an investment in the future of New Zealand.

Following the Grenfell Tower fire last year, the University Property Services team reviewed all buildings and found only one significantly utilising the panel was its Owen Glenn business building.

The panels form part of the Fisher and Paykel lecture theatres' eternal cladding, are used in the main building's internal atrium and on the exterior of the lift shaft, the university said.

Comprehensive fire protection in the building includes sprinklers, smoke detectors, smoke extraction and fire curtains. The building has multiple exits and is not used for accommodation and the fire protection system complies with fire code and regulations.

The decision to take no further action was based on advice from structural engineers BECA and supported by Auckland Council.

The university noted that the council had stressed that buildings containing the ACP cladding are not necessarily dangerous because they have other means of fire protection.

The distinctive six-storey stainless steel and glass structure is between tree-lined Symonds St - the major artery through the University's city campus – and the Auckland Domain.

High-rise apartment/hotel towers on the list include Orewa's Nautilus and Takapuna's Spencer on Byron - both under repair.

Auckland Council's list of 25 buildings, released in June was: Some Auckland Hospital buildings, Civic Centre in Henderson, Oceania & Eastern, CBD, Viaduct Point Apartments, The Spencer on Byron, Shoal Haven Apartments, Spark Centre on Victoria St West in the CBD, the PwC Building on Quay St, TVNZ in Victoria St, Owen Glenn Building at Auckland University, Quest Apartment Hotel in the CBD, Dynasty Gardens Apartments in the CBD, an unnamed Rosedale building, AUT Millennium at Rosedale, Queens Lodge in Newmarket, an unnamed Newmarket building, An unnamed Henderson building, a building on Great North Rd in Grey Lynn, Kiwi on Queen in the CBD, H47 Apartments in the CBD, an unnamed Parnell building, an unnamed Albany building, City Garden Apartments in the CBD, Waitakere Stadium (Trusts Arena) in Henderson and Nautilus apartments in Orewa.

Trevor Jones, a director of Maynard Marks, said people with units in buildings on the list must seek information from their body corporate on the level of risk from having the ACP cladding.

"It means people have to be on their game when it comes to the annual warrant of fitness assessment," Jones said.