The Elephants in the Room when it comes to Seismic Design
05/02/2026
THE 3 ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM
THE 3 ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM
WHEN IT COMES TO SEISMIC DESIGN
Reflecting on the AWCI ANZ National Conference: The "Three Elephants" in the Room
Looking back at the AWCI ANZ National Conference in Uluru, I had the opportunity to address the three "elephants in the room" regarding seismic design. Even in retrospect, these three phrases remain the most common hurdles industry members face when discussing seismic code and compliance in Australia.
1. "We don't have earthquakes in Australia, so seismic isn't a priority."
The geologists have done the research: Australia does have earthquakes; they simply occur less frequently than in other parts of the world. MunichRE (the global insurance company) estimates that a repeat of the 1957 Adelaide earthquake today would result in a multi-billion dollar loss.
The struggle to prioritize this part of the building code often comes down to "Present Bias." Our minds naturally downrate future risks to the point where we assume they will never happen—a sentiment felt in Christchurch prior to 2011. In short, seismic requirements are in the contract because they are in the code. While the risk profile is different, the potential magnitude is real. Australian regulators and insurance companies are now firmly focused on seismic compliance to align the country with international safety standards.
2. "Why are building elements not designed as 'one element' rather than three separate designs?"
Traditionally, engineers excel at specializing—knowing a lot about a specific area—but collaborative design across different disciplines isn't always the default. From a contractor's perspective, it’s the same wall; a single, coordinated design is clearly best practice.
The good news is that this is entirely achievable. At Brevity, we pride ourselves on the effective coordination of interior building elements. A coordinated design approach reduces design costs, minimizes material waste, and significantly cuts down on site labor and time.
3. "Sounds expensive—who should pay for interior engineering?"
This is a critical question. The cost of seismic design for non-structural building elements is approximately 2.5% of non-structural materials and labor. Because of how contractual obligations are structured, this cost often initially falls on the subcontractor through broad clauses requiring all construction to "comply with current building code" or "AS 1170.4."
Over time, we have seen sub-trades begin to include seismic design as a provisional sum, eventually moving it into the pre-tender design package. In New Zealand, we’ve seen these engagements move "upstream" to the early design phases. As seismic design becomes more prevalent across all Australian states, we expect a faster progression of costs moving upstream, allowing us to make a greater impact through collaborative design early in the process.
At Brevity, our team is dedicated to making interior engineering and seismic design simpler. Understanding industry needs remains our priority, and we are always here to help navigate these complexities
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