CHRISTCHURCH - BOQUETS AND WARNINGS

Now the Christchurch reconstruction is beginning we need to acknowledge the successes - but be aware of the dangers!
SUCCESSES INCLUDE:
1.  The excellent leadership shown by Government both National and Local.
2.  The efficency, quality and sensitivity of the first response teams.
3.  The New Zeland people and the 'ownership' the took of the disaster.
These are not all evident to such an extent in similar diasasters the world has recently experienced.
BUT WE MUST BE CAREFUL OF:
1. Quoted costs:  The latests Treasury estimate has to be taken with 'a grain of salt'.   At best it can only be an informed guess based on limted data.  By comparison the 1995 Kobe earthquake (6.8 magnitude in a city of 1.5 million) cost $132 billion! 
2. Demolition orders:  They are the consequence of engineers assessing structures against their current rules (which represent the latest theories).  Where doubt exists they must be interrogated against heritage, social and macro-economic fatcors.  Technology exists that will make almost any building recoverable - if it is important enough (as it clearly was in many European cities after WW2 bombing destruction).
3. Infra-structure reinstatement:  Many of those determining how to do it have a career interest in centralised, highly engineered schemes.  Is there an opportunity to use low tech, loclalised schemes for such things as stormwater recycling, electricity generation etc?