Britomart CPO Building
Fire alarm system upgrade across three levels of Auckland’s landmark transport hub.
Overview
Zion Fire successfully completed a comprehensive fire alarm system upgrade across Levels 1 to 3 of the Britomart CPO Building — one of Auckland’s most recognisable and historically significant transport hubs. The project involved modernising the existing system to align with the building’s current layout and safety standards.
Business Challenges
This project came with several site-specific and operational challenges that required careful planning, coordination, and sensitivity to the environment we were working in. The combination of a live CBD setting, heritage building requirements, and existing infrastructure meant our team had to manage access, safety, and installation sequencing with precision.
- Live, high-traffic environment
- Limited access and parking in the CBD
- Coordinating fire isolations safely
- Retaining usable existing cabling
- Working within a heritage building
Objectives
The objectives for this project focused on bringing the building’s fire protection systems up to modern standards while ensuring minimal disruption to occupants. With changes to the building layout and increased activity within the atrium and tenancy areas, the upgrades needed to enhance safety, reliability, and overall system performance.
- Upgrade the fire alarm system to meet modern compliance and performance standards
- Improve system reliability and ensure clear detection and notification coverage
- Minimise operational disruption for tenants and the public
- Update system mapping to reflect the new atrium and tenancy layouts
Solutions Implemented
Zion Fire carried out a full upgrade of the fire alarm infrastructure across Levels 1–3. All existing speakers were removed and replaced with new compliant fire alarm speakers, and fresh fire-rated cabling was installed while retaining any existing wiring that remained suitable, helping reduce disruption and cost. Duct smoke detectors were added to enhance detection coverage, and manual call points were relocated to align with the revised atrium and tenancy layout.
The Mimic Panel was updated with new zoning to reflect the building’s updated configuration, ensuring clearer identification and faster response in an emergency. Throughout the project, our team carefully managed all fire isolations, site logistics, and compliance inspections to maintain safety, minimise operational impact, and deliver a smooth and efficient system upgrade.
Project Outcome
The completed upgrade has equipped the Britomart CPO Building with a fully compliant, future-ready fire alarm system designed to support long-term safety, resilience, and operational reliability. The improvements deliver clearer detection coverage, updated zoning, and modernised infrastructure that aligns with current building layouts and regulatory requirements.
Despite the complexities of working within a live, high-traffic CBD environment and the added constraints of a heritage structure, the project was completed on schedule and with minimal disruption to tenants, visitors, and surrounding operations. This outcome reflects careful planning, structured staging, and close communication with all stakeholders throughout the process.
Zion Fire’s attention to detail, proactive coordination, and strong focus on quality enabled every stage of the upgrade to be executed smoothly. From managing isolations and logistics to ensuring full compliance and accurate documentation, our team delivered a seamless result — reinforcing our capability in delivering complex fire system upgrades to the highest standard.
Why Choose Zion Fire?
- Certified IQP providers for compliance.
- Full testing, inspection, and certification.
- Expertise across residential, commercial, and industrial properties.