ASB Waterfront Theatre

Project Summary

Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) has sought a permanent home for some time and has investigated a range of options for securing a venue over the last six years. The site in Wynyard Quarter (138 Halsey St, Auckland, 1010) was chosen to ensure the long-term sustainability of the company and deliver a vision of enlivening the "after five" experience on Auckland's waterfront - and a high quality performing arts experience for Aucklanders and visitors alike.

The purpose-built waterfront theatre complex at North Wharf is built in association with Kiwi Income Property’s development for the new ASB Head Office on the corner of Jellicoe and Halsey Streets and on land owned by the Auckland Waterfront Development Agency (Waterfront Auckland). The combined ATC and ASB complex includes:

The Waterfront Theatre is envisaged to be the first Green Star rated Theatre in Australasia and perhaps the only certified Green Theatre in the Southern Hemisphere.

A Custom Waterfront Theatre Green Star Rating Tool has been specifically developed by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) on behalf of the Land Owner Waterfront Auckland.

Project Name: ASB Waterfront Theatre

Address: 138 Halsey Street, Auckland

Points Awarded: 66 points
Rating Achieved: 5 Green Star Custom Built

Building Owner: Waterfront Auckland Ltd.

Architect: Moller Architects / BVN Architecture

Building Services Engineer: eCubed Building Workshop Ltd.

Project Manager: Project Director: Mike Geale, Cooper and Co

Main contractor: Hawkins Construction (PM Alun Larsen)

GSAP: Sarah Daniell, eCubed Building Workshop

The key sustainable features of the building are:

Energy

• An energy efficient façade with a 50% window to wall, ratio with a preference towards glazing on the East and North facades.
• Glazing is efficient double glazed low e IGUs with selective coatings for control of heat loss and heat gain.
• The Theatre has a highly insulated and relatively reflective roof and moderately insulated walls to suit the high internal gains within the building
• Use of energy efficient displacement air conditioning in the main auditorium and VAV air conditioning for the front and back of house areas. Both allow all-air free cooling potential for the predominant cooling load.
• Heating of the building uses high efficiency condensing boilers (approx. 100% efficient)
• Cooling of the building uses water-cooled chillers/cooling towers (seasonal COP 5.0).
• The ability for mixed mode ventilation of the front of house, foyer, café and bar spaces by the use of large opening doors and rotary wind ventilators at roof level.
• High efficiency variable speed pumps and fans
• The Front of House spaces are predominantly daylit during daytime hours
• Low energy lighting includes significant use of LED lighting and an automated lighting control system.
• Efficient external LED feature lighting and controls
• A building management system is provided with main and sub electrical metering for energy management capable of connection to the ‘smart precinct’ monitoring system

Theatre Internal Environmental Quality

• Improved ventilation effectiveness is provided in the Auditorium by the under-seat displacement air supply arrangements.
• HVAC systems have CO2 monitoring and control facilities.
• Where appropriate, low toxicity materials have been used including adhesives, paints, sealants, ceiling tiles and composite timber board products.
• Daylighting, transparency and views/outside awareness are key design features of the Front of House areas.
• Lighting levels meet AS/NZS 1680 standards and the design lighting quality reveals/enhances spaces and ambience.
• A world class acoustic environment is provided within the main auditorium. PNC 15-20. This enables a spoken word theatre without the need for amplification/sound reinforcement.

Transport

• The Theatre is integrated with surrounding street and public transport services, bus drop off and walk/cycleways to the city.
• There are no parking facilities provided on the theatre site to encourage alternative transport strategies.
• The theatre is located in the low speed shared public street system of Halsey Street and Madden Street suitable for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.
• ATC are involved in the Wynyard Quarter Transport Management Association to encourage non-car travel to the area.

Management

• Nearly 90% of construction waste was reused or recycled.
• A construction management plan was developed by the contractor including project specific responses to resource consent conditions, environmental protection, and health and safety.
• Commissioning Agent was appointed to carry out management of the commissioning process and building tuning prior to the first performance.

Water

• Low water use plumbing fittings are used.
• Water metering is provided for the potable water system linked to BMS.

Land Use and Ecology

• The theatre is located on a brownfield site with contaminated land which was remediated/capped as part of the construction works.
• Basement construction was avoided to minimise the excavation of contaminated land and ensure resilience to potential sea level rise.
• There will be resource efficient sharing after hours use of Cube Theatre space within adjoining 5-star Green Star Design rated ASB North Wharf building with a connecting link to the theatre Foyer and Front of House facilities.
• The theatre is located in close proximity to the future Waterfront Hotel and the Viaduct Events Centre encouraging some synergies between these uses for major events.

Materials

• Existing pile foundations were reused.
• Hardfill aggregate was replaced with 650m³ of recycled, crushed concrete.
• Locally sourced low embodied environmental choice materials such as insulation; timber framing and NZ manufactured components were used where appropriate.
• Low environmental impact NZ sourced durable theatre seating with NZ fabric/timber was used.
• The building has a designated space for the collection, separation and storage of waste.
• Concrete bleachers in the auditorium were replaced with timber bleaches with considerably lower crane energy use and embodied energy.

Emissions.

• Zero ODP refrigerants and insulants were used.

• Sanitary water quantities were used reduced by the use of low water use sanitary fixtures.

Innovation points awarded

• Pre-approved Innovation for Waterfront Auckland – Exceeding TRA-1 and Smart Precinct. (3 points)
• Closing the Loop – Green Facilities Management. (1 point)
• Sharing rather than Building – rather than building additional capacity a physical link has been provided between ASB Waterfront Theatre and ASB North Wharf Bank Headquarters. (1 point)
• Lean Construction – Re-use of existing piles, changing from concrete to timber bleachers in the main auditorium, roof prefabrication and lifting. (1 point)
• Innovation Challenge - Financial Transparency. (1 point)