Preserving the Past, Powering the Future: Twinview's Role at Archives New Zealand

Preserving the Past, Powering the Future: Twinview’s Role in Archives New Zealand

The newly constructed Archives New Zealand facility in the heart of Wellington represents a strategic investment in the long-term stewardship of the nation's invaluable historical records. Designed to provide a secure and stable environment for the preservation of national archival collections, safeguarding heritage isn’t just about secure storage; it requires a smart, resilient, and efficient environment supported by cutting-edge facilities management.

To meet this challenge, Archives New Zealand partnered with Twinview and WT New Zealand to embed intelligence into the building's fabric. The result? A future-ready, high-performance facility where smart data meets operational excellence.

A Smart Response to Seismic Risk

Given the site's geological activity, robust structural stability was paramount. However, traditional monitoring methods weren’t enough; Archives New Zealand needed a more intelligent, adaptable approach. Where standard monitoring methods fall short, Twinview delivers real-time movement analysis, tracking deviations down to the millimetre. 

In the event of an earthquake, facilities managers can instantly assess the building’s integrity and identify areas that need attention, turning a potentially reactive situation into a proactive, data-driven response. This capability doesn’t just support safety; it dramatically reduces downtime, supports continuity planning, and helps preserve critical records by ensuring the building remains a stable and secure environment, no matter what the earth throws at it.

Driving Sustainability Through Smart Energy Management

As a public institution, Archives New Zealand adheres to the highest environmental standards. Its facility includes high-efficiency HVAC, low-impact materials, and state-of-the-art insulation, but smart oversight was needed to bring it all together.

Enter Twinview, a central command for energy management. The platform continuously monitors energy use across systems, identifying inefficiencies in real-time. Facilities managers gain a clear view of performance metrics and can take immediate action to reduce energy waste without compromising environmental control for delicate archive materials.

The impact? Lower emissions, reduced utility costs, and a clearer path to long-term sustainability targets.

Turning Complexity into Clarity

Managing a facility of this scale, with its delicate contents and mission-critical systems- is no small task. The sheer volume of operational tasks can quickly overwhelm traditional FM approaches, from HVAC to lighting, from maintenance to asset tracking.

Twinview simplifies the complex. It integrates all building systems into a single platform, giving facilities teams real-time visibility and control. Pre-emptive maintenance alerts reduce the risk of equipment failure. Intelligent scheduling tools streamline daily operations. And centralised dashboards empower teams to respond faster and work smarter.

By automating routine tasks and flagging critical issues, Twinview enables facilities managers to focus on strategic priorities while supporting archive teams in their essential mission of preserving New Zealand's national heritage.

Data-Driven Decision Making, Evidence-Based Efficiency

Gone are the days of gut-feel facilities management. With Twinview, Archives New Zealand operates in a fully data-informed environment.

Twinview integrates thousands of building data points, transforming them into actionable intelligence. Whether it’s optimising HVAC loads during seasonal changes, adjusting lighting usage based on occupancy, or prioritising maintenance on faulting systems, every decision is grounded in real evidence.

This means better performance, reduced costs and increased confidence at every level of facilities management.

Built to Perform Today—and Tomorrow

This facility transcends the conventional notion of a building; it represents a dynamic, adaptive system. Through the strategic partnership of Archives New Zealand, WT New Zealand and Twinview, a dynamic and future-proofed asset has been realised, effectively addressing contemporary needs while anticipating future demands.

With digital twin technology at its core, the building can be continually fine-tuned for efficiency, resilience and user comfort. As needs shift over time, the FM team is equipped with the tools to adapt- without costly retrofits or reactive overhauls.

"The Twinview system will provide a number of new ways for managing Archives New Zealand's holdings in the new building, as well as the efficiency of the building and asset management. I am looking forward to having this system as a tool for our preservation staff to have "eyes on" at all times on our new building very soon."

David Adams, Archives Preservation and Digitisation Lead at Archives New Zealand

The Bottom Line: Smart Tech for Smarter Buildings

Archives New Zealand sets the standard for how cultural institutions can harness digital technology to operate safer, smarter, and more sustainably. Twinview is proud to be a core part of this vision- supporting the critical work of preservation through intelligent, integrated facilities management.