Communicating seismic risk with commercial building tenants: Preliminary results

Abstract

In Aotearoa New Zealand, the interpretation of seismic risk information and the subsequent demands put on building owners and developers, are shaping the performance of our building stock. Commercial building tenants, in particular, can significantly influence property developers and landlords, who respond to tenant preferences to ensure they can lease and make a return on their property investment(s). However, there are many cases that indicate commercial building tenants do not fully understand the seismic risk information they receive nor how to incorporate the information into decision-making of leasing or vacating a building. This ongoing research will identify key challenges with current approaches for communicating seismic building risk with commercial building tenants through a series of interviews with commercial building tenants, property managers/owners, and structural engineers. The findings will develop and test best-practice communication approaches to assist tenants with making well-informed lease decisions about seismic building performance requirements within the context of their organisational needs. Preliminary findings indicate that lease decisions are mainly based on the %NBS (New Building Standard) of tenants’ buildings and that benefits of enhanced seismic performance considerations (i.e., building functionality) are not widely considered.