A job well done
Daikin Park’s new 8,500sqm facility in Hornby is now officially open – a milestone marking the completion of a smooth and highly efficient development.
Ben Lagan of Carbon Property, a specialist property development management service, describes the development as “streamlined” from start to finish.
“It has been really smooth. The building and design team absorbed quite a large amount of change, yet still completed two weeks earlier than the original completion date,” he says.
Daikin, one of the world’s leading heatpump (HVAC) companies, has developed several ‘Daikin Parks’ internationally, but its Christchurch facility stands out.
“Choosing Epoch [landlord] and Carbon Property [developer] may have been considered unconventional, but ultimately it was a decision driven by their determination to present a plan that met our high standards and expectations. Over the past 18 months of working together, they have exceeded those expectations in quality, project management, and delivery,” says Michael Trad, Director of Daikin NZ and GM of Supply Chain, IT & Procurement.
Sustainability was a key part of the planning from the outset, Ben explains. “We set out to incorporate sustainability initiatives as a minimum standard, then halfway through the project, we completely absorbed the entire Green Star accreditation process into the project. We’re now on track for a five-star Green Star rating.”
Daikin Park Christchurch is a purpose-built, sustainable facility featuring a 100kW solar system, EV chargers, and rainwater harvesting. Advanced HVAC systems maximise energy efficiency and air quality. A dedicated training academy supports industry skills and innovation, while upgraded supply chain operations improve response times and customer service across the South Island.
“It really is a game changer for our employees, our customers, and the local community,” says Daikin Managing Director Ryuta Hayashibara.
“We even added a four-hole mini golf putting course at the back of the facility. It’s important in industrial suburbs to create your own fun, otherwise they can become very functional areas of the city. It was Epoch’s and Carbon Property’s gift to the local team at Daikin,” says Ben.
He says Daikin’s main motivator for committing to its own warehouse was strengthening its presence and training capacity within the South Island. “This is a clear mark of Daikin’s commitment to the South Island. The volume of this building and its stock is a huge commitment to 1.2 million people throughout the island that it will serve.”
Like other projects Carbon Property has managed, Ben has designed the building layout for future flexibility. “We had to provide a fully flexible platform for the landlord. With the current positioning of the building, you can change the entire operational flow of the premises. We’ve also allowed structural capacity to support fire sprinklers should a future tenant need them in 20 years’ time.”
For Carbon Property, the experience has also been a valuable learning opportunity. “They talk about the ‘Daikin Way.’ They’ve refined their operation over many years – we’re not there to revolutionise it. Our role is to develop the most efficient property solution around their world class business solution.”