WT Advisory was engaged by Dexus to provide strategic facilities and asset management services for the Te Rua Archives New Zealand building in Wellington.
This $290 million facility is designed to preserve New Zealand’s most treasured documents and taonga, requiring a highly resilient and technically advanced infrastructure. The project demanded a forward-thinking approach to ensure long-term sustainability, operational efficiency, and disaster resilience. WT’s involvement spanned from early conceptual planning through to post-occupancy, integrating best practice standards and innovative technologies.
The building is one of the most complex archival facilities in the Southern Hemisphere, incorporating advanced climate control, seismic resilience, and energy-efficient systems. WT’s strategic input helped shape the operational framework, ensuring that the facility meets the highest standards for archival preservation and public accessibility.
Te Rua Archives New Zealand was delivered by Dexus in partnership with the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).
Services provided
WT delivered a comprehensive suite of services tailored to the unique requirements of the Te Rua Archives New Zealand project. These included:
- Development of a Strategic Asset Management Plan aligned with ISO 55000 and NAMS guidelines.
- Whole-of-Life Embodied Carbon Assessment, which was later published by MBIE as an industry exemplar.
- Facilities Management Procurement strategy, including contract model analysis and market engagement.
- Implementation of a Digital Twin to support real-time asset monitoring and predictive maintenance.
- Whole-of-Life cost modelling to inform design decisions and long-term budgeting.
- Integration of the Soft Landings Framework to ensure a smooth transition from construction to operations.
- Development of Building Performance Criteria and Levels of Service to guide operational standards.
- Handover Management ensuring timely and complete handover of building data and information.
Challenges
The Services delivered by WT were unique in their scope and extent within the New Zealand market. This itself represented the key challenge on the Project, which was the need to closely collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders without whom our Services could not be delivered successfully.
WT actively engaged with the Client, Designers, Construction Contractors, Digital Specialists and more with a key focus communicating the value of both Facilities Management focused design input, and the future benefits of Digital Twin technology for complex buildings.
Through this engagement, not only WT, but many of the stakeholders were required to adopt new ways of working, technology and collaboration not previously required within the scope of their roles.
Successes and value added
WT’s strategic involvement added significant value across multiple dimensions of the project. Key contributions included:
- Significantly reduced Whole of Life Cost through operational focused design input to ensure efficient maintenance and operations.
- Setting a new benchmark for embodied carbon analysis in New Zealand, influencing future government infrastructure projects.
- Pioneering the use of Digital Twin technology in a government archival facility, enabling enhanced operational oversight and data-driven decision-making.
- Delivering a robust procurement strategy that balanced risk, cost, and service quality, ensuring long-term value for DIA.
- Supporting climate adaptation planning, including resilience measures that allow the building to operate independently for up to three weeks post-disaster.
- Promoting industry development through the close collaboration with key partners and stakeholders.
- Uplifting capability in New Zealand with regards to Digital Twin solutions.
Overarchingly, the Clients commitment to considering the Whole of Life of the asset saw close collaboration across project stakeholders and resulting in a design which fully considers the efficiency and maintainability of the asset over its lifecycle. This will result in not only reduced cost but more reliable asset systems which critically, keep NZ Taonga safe.
To support the ongoing success of the project WT is engaged to oversee the operation of the building on behalf of the Landlord. This includes monitoring via the Digital Twin, the buildings systems against performance requirements and supporting ongoing asset management activities.
Project lead:
