Rescue workers at the ruins of the CTV building. Photo: AFP / USAR
The man who oversaw the construction of the CTV building that collapsed in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, killing 115 people, is appealing a ruling against him by Engineering New Zealand (ENZ).
Last month ENZ disciplinary committee upheld a complaint against principal engineer Dr Alan Reay, finding his conduct fell well below accepted professional standards.
Reay was fined $750 and ordered to pay $1000 in costs - the maximum under the regulations at the time the building was designed in 1986.
The 82-year-old, who is retired, fought all the way to the High Court in an attempt to stop the hearing taking place.
The complaints against Reay and his employee, engineer David Harding, were made in 2012 by dozens of family members of those killed and the Ministry of Building, Innovation and Employment's chief engineer, based on the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission findings the building's design was seriously deficient.
The commission found Reay knew the building's layout could create excessive torsional response (twisting) but did not check the design, and failed to supervise Harding, despite knowing he lacked the necessary experience.
The commission also found Harding made fundamental errors in designing the building.
Reay continued to deny the allegations, saying it was the design engineer's responsibility to bring issues to his attention.
In a statement at the time of the disciplinary committee ruling, Reay said he believed Harding - a registered senior engineer with 13 years' experience - was sufficiently competent to undertake the work.
Reay's lawyer Kristy McDonald KC said the ruling was "fundamentally unfair" because it blamed Reay for not complying with supervision standards that did not exist in 1986.
Engineering New Zealand confirmed an appeal had been lodged.
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