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Behind one of New Zealand’s most sustainable civic developments
Systemair helped deliver optimised ventilation solutions for Te Manawataki o Te Papa Library and Community Hub, one of New Zealand’s most ambitious civic and sustainability-focused developments.
Te Manawataki o Te Papa Library and Community Hub, New Zealand
Supporting one of New Zealand’s most sustainable civic developments
Systemair solutions contributed to the project’s ambitious sustainability objectives, supporting targeted 6-Star Green Star and WELL Gold certification goals.
Delivering integrated acoustic and ventilation performance
Carefully coordinated fan and attenuator selections helped balance aerodynamic efficiency, controllability, and strict acoustic compliance within a mass timber hybrid structure.
Providing tailored solutions for a marine-influenced environment
Specified equipment incorporated high-performance epoxy coating systems and stainless-steel construction to comply with C4 corrosivity category requirements.
Supporting value engineering through close collaboration
Working alongside VAE Group, Beca, and Marshall Day, Systemair delivered ventilation solutions aligned with the project’s technical, environmental, and spatial requirements.
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A Civic Precinct Designed for Community and Culture
Located at 95 Willow Street in Tauranga, New Zealand, Te Manawataki o Te Papa Library and Community Hub forms a central part of Tauranga’s new civic precinct development. Designed to meet the evolving cultural and social needs of one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing urban centres, the precinct represents a significant investment in community infrastructure, sustainability, and civic identity.
Developed and operated by Tauranga City Council, the wider precinct includes a new library and community hub, civic whare (public meeting house), museum facilities, upgrades to the Tauranga Art Gallery, and extensive landscaped public spaces designed to encourage community interaction and connectivity.
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Designed Around Sustainability and Wellbeing Compliance
Sustainability formed a central pillar of the project from the outset. Tauranga City Council committed to placing environmental responsibility and occupant wellbeing at the forefront of the design strategy, targeting an NZGBC 6 Green Star Design rating from the New Zealand Green Building Council, reflecting world leadership in sustainable building practices.
To support these goals, the building incorporates a mass timber hybrid structural system, selected to reduce embodied carbon while creating a healthier and more sustainable built environment for future generations.
The project also targets WELL Gold accreditation, reinforcing a broader focus on occupant comfort, indoor environmental quality, and long-term operational performance. Additionall, it was critical to ensure that the general ventilation for the building comply with AS/NZ standards
Systemair’s contribution supported these ambitions through carefully selected ventilation and attenuation solutions designed to optimise energy efficiency, acoustic comfort, and controllability throughout the facility.
Managing Acoustic Complexity in a Timber Structure
One of the project’s key engineering challenges stemmed from the building’s mass timber hybrid construction. While the structural system offered significant sustainability advantages through its low embodied carbon and favourable weight-to-strength ratio, it also introduced complex acoustic considerations due to its more limited sound insulation characteristics.
Acoustic consultancy Marshall Day advised on the Library and Community Hub building’s sound performance strategy, with enclosed areas such as meeting rooms requiring carefully designed ceiling systems incorporating both sound insulation and absorptive properties.
To support the wider acoustic objectives of the development, Systemair worked closely with project stakeholders to optimise fan and attenuator selection throughout the building. Fan selections were carefully evaluated to achieve the best balance between aerodynamic efficiency, sound power levels, controllability, and energy performance, while coordinated silencer design ensured compliance with the project’s strict acoustic requirements.
The integration of EC motor technology also played an important role in supporting quieter operation alongside improved energy efficiency and controllability.
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Ensuring Long-Term Durability Under Tight Project Timelines
Due to programme requirements, Systemair New Zealand had approximately six months to manufacture and supply fans and attenuators to the project site, requiring close coordination across manufacturing, logistics, and project delivery timelines to meet the fast-paced construction schedule.
Located within Tauranga’s marine-influenced environment, the project also required careful consideration of long-term durability and corrosion resistance. To comply with C4 corrosivity category requirements, all specified equipment incorporated either high-performance epoxy coating systems or stainless-steel construction, helping ensure reliable long-term performance in demanding coastal conditions.
The success of the project relied heavily on close collaboration between the mechanical contractor, consultant, acoustic specialists, and suppliers throughout both the design and construction process.
By carefully integrating fans and attenuators into a unified acoustic strategy, Systemair helped support the project’s ambitious targets for sustainability, occupant wellbeing, and long-term operational efficiency.
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Ventilation Solutions Designed for Performance and Durability
Working alongside VAE Group, Beca, and Marshall Day, Systemair contributed practical, coordinated engineering solutions that aligned with the project’s acoustic, sustainability, operational, and environmental performance objectives. Systemair carefully selected and acoustically combined fans and silencers to achieve the required acoustic performance to match the targeted 6-star rating goal.
The project incorporated a range of locally manufactured and internationally supplied ventilation products, including ICQ280–560 Inline Centrifugal fans manufactured by Systemair New Zealand, PMF200-EC inline mixed flow fans, anti-vibration spring mounts, as well as Systemair Germany PRF-SWSI Polypropylene fans and Prio315-EC inline EC fans. Integrated attenuator solutions were also supplied as part of the project’s coordinated acoustic strategy.
The selected solutions were designed to deliver reliable long-term performance while supporting the broader architectural, acoustic, and sustainability vision of the development.
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A New Civic Landmark for Tauranga
In December 2025, the Te Manawataki o Te Papa Library and Community Hub became the first building delivered within Tauranga’s new civic precinct.
The project demonstrates how thoughtful engineering, sustainability-driven design, and close collaboration between stakeholders can contribute to creating civic spaces that not only perform efficiently but also strengthen community identity, resilience, and long-term public value.
For more information on Systemair's projects and solutions in New Zealand, explore our full New Zealand portfolio here.
Reach out to Peter Carmichael, Key Account Manager, Systemair New Zealand at peter.carmichael@systemair.nz