Samson Corporation: Generational Thinking Meets Energy Efficiency
Samson Corporation, a family-owned property company with a legacy spanning three generations, has long been a pioneer in sustainable commercial development in Auckland. Known for iconic buildings like Geyser and Ironbank, Samson’s ethos of “thinking in generations, not decades” is reflected in its commitment to long-term environmental performance.
Samson Corporation: Generational Thinking Meets Energy Efficiency [PDF 983 KB]
Energy efficiency in action
Samson has implemented a range of initiatives to improve energy performance across its portfolio, including:
- Removing gas from sites like Gillies Ave Office Park, leading to measurable improvements in ratings.
- Installing solar panels.
- Smart controls including sensors, timers, and split lighting systems to reduce energy waste.
- Deep dives into BMS and tenant base hours to optimise building operations
One standout initiative, used in its flagship Geyser building, was what the team dubbed ‘night at the museum’ — an after-hours audit of building energy use.
“We’d go into the building in the evening when everything was meant to be off and figure out what was
still on and tried to figure out if it needed to be… As a result we added things like sensors and timers to
control room areas so you don’t have someone leaving the lights on with nobody using that space.”
This hands-on approach helped identify unnecessary energy consumption and helped target improvements, particularly at the Geyser Building, which saw its NABERSNZ rating rise from 3.5 to 5 stars since 2020.