Venue

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has been designed as Ōtautahi Christchurch's ‘gathering place’. A key part of the regeneration of the city, the Government's investment in Te Pae Christchurch is set to act as a catalyst – not only for the growth and development of the city, but as a way of building lasting social, cultural and economic connections between the region and the world.

Our name, ‘Te Pae’ draws inspiration from several phrases in te reo Māori:

Te Pae Maunga – our mountain views.
The source of our origin and central to our land and people, mountains are a key element on the southern landscape, just as Te Pae is a central point within our city.

Te Pae Whenua – the vast plains we inhabit.
With our strong ties to mountains and the rivers and plains they create, it is only natur al this influence can be found in the building’s design, where shapes and lines represent the contours of our Southern Alps and braided rivers of Canterbury.

Te Pae Tangata – a place to meet and converse.
To talk, to be hosted, to share, entertain and inform… for Christchurch, Te Pae Christchurch is a gathering place.

At Te Pae Christchurch we are committed to sustainable operations across our venue. Wherever possible our environmental and social policies and practices will align to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, our supply-chain focus will be on supporting and purchasing from local organisations who commit to supporting the environment alongside us. As we work towards ISO 22000 accreditation, every food supplier will be visited by us on an annual basis to ensure their practices continue to meet our accreditation requirements and align with our ethos.

How Te Pae Christchurch is approaching sustainable operations:

REDUCE

Food Miles. Source at least 60% of our food and beverage needs from within Canterbury, so that we can reduce our footprint, while showcasing the best of our region. The remainder of our produce will be sourced from the wider South Island in the first instance, followed by the North Island.

Carbon Reduction. We will support and encourage our staff to be carbon neutral. Our business vehicles will be electric, including the forklifts, lifters, booms and ride-on cleaning equipment; and we will provide dedicated staff bicycle storage facilities to encourage green transport. Whatever we cannot reduce, we will look to offset.

Energy. 85% of the energy used in the building will be from renewable sources, and we are looking at ways to offset the remainder. Our Navigator software will allow us to monitor and analyse our energy outputs.

REUSE

Circular Economy. All food waste shall be processed in our onsite GAIA dehydrator. The system converts food waste into a nutrient rich compost-style material, which will be donated to local market gardens and schools. The end goal being that we will then purchase produce from them. Nothing goes to waste. Food from events that is suitable to be reused will be donated to the Christchurch City Mission to distribute to their patrons as appropriate.