Telecom is building a new environmentally friendly base in central Wellington, to house around 1700 employees currently in six properties.

Telecom has contracted The Wellington Company to develop the 26,000m square metre campus, consisting of two buildings linked by a glass atrium, on Willis St, Telecom chief executive Paul Reynolds said.

Telecom's development will feature chilled beam cooling technologies, energy efficient lighting, solar panels and possibly wind turbines, a thermally active exterior, and during construction will use materials and technologies which minimise environmental impact.

"We are committed to Wellington, and having a purpose-built campus will maximise future operational efficiencies as well as meeting our environmental sustainability commitments," Mr Reynolds said.

The building is scheduled to be ready by mid-2011. Telecom will be the majority tenant in the property, committing to 19,000m sq of office accommodation for an initial 12-year lease term.

An environmentally sustainable four-building campus development in Auckland, for over 2500 staff, is due to be ready by 2010.

The Wellington Company recently won the Property Council of New Zealand Excellence Award for their redevelopment of Wellington's former Mid City movie theatre complex as the country's first 5 Green Star-rated building, home to the Department of Conservation.