NEW EDUCATION BUILDING – UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY

Our team played a key role in the seismic strengthening of the existing New Education Building (NEB) at the University of Canterbury, delivering a complex structural upgrade within a live campus environment. The project involved the installation of approximately 500 tonnes of new internal structural steel, which was integrated into the existing concrete structure to significantly enhance the building’s seismic performance. The strengthening works also included the installation of numerous Buckling Restrained Braces (BRBs) and 144 Fluid Viscous Dampers (FVDs), advanced seismic protection systems designed to improve the building’s resilience during earthquake events.

The project presented a number of logistical and technical challenges. Much of the steelwork had to be manoeuvred through narrow access points and installed within confined internal spaces, requiring careful planning, precision execution, and constant communication between crane operators and steel erection crews. Around 90% of the steel was installed using the South Island’s tallest tower crane, supported by a 100-tonne mobile crane for specific lifting operations. Our team worked to complete the majority of the structural strengthening ahead of follow-on trades, while the final stages required close coordination with multiple contractors working simultaneously on site. Through strong teamwork, detailed planning, and a commitment to safety and quality, we successfully delivered this significant strengthening project within a challenging construction environment.