Earthquake Gas Shutoff for Building Services & HVAC Contractors
Automatic earthquake gas isolation for commercial buildings. Specify and install the Solid State Seismic Shutoff — MK6. NZ-made, field-adjustable, 10ms response.
Gas heating systems and earthquake risk
Multi-storey buildings with centralised gas heating carry a risk that most building owners haven't thought through. A long internal gas run — from street connection to basement boiler — can span multiple floors. In an earthquake, those joints and connections are vulnerable. If the pipe ruptures, gas accumulates silently before anyone can manually intervene.
As the contractor maintaining that system, you understand the exposure. Automatic earthquake gas isolation closes the supply within milliseconds of detection — before the destructive shaking arrives, and before anyone has to make a decision under pressure.
The Solid State Seismic Shutoff — MK6
The MK6 continuously monitors ground acceleration and fires its output relay within 10 milliseconds of threshold exceedance — closing gas valves and triggering any connected safety system before the damaging S-waves arrive.
Key points for specification:
- Electronic sensing — no moving parts, no mechanical reset required after an event
- P-wave detection — triggers on the faster pressure waves, seconds before destructive shaking
- Field-adjustable sensitivity — 0.012g to 0.200g across five settings, set on-site to suit the installation
- Two relay outputs — flexible wiring for gas valve, alarm, BMS, or any combination
- AC or DC power — AC version includes NiCad battery backup for up to 24 hours; DC version for battery-backed or remote installations
- 6-digit event counter — auditable record of every activation for building manager logs
- Robust construction — cast aluminium casing, suited to plant rooms and basement environments
Installed on a concrete foundation at the building's gas entry point and wired to an automatic shutoff valve. Gas valve connection should be commissioned in accordance with AS/NZS 5601.1.
View full specifications and wiring details →
Protect your clients — and your recommendation
When you specify a seismic shutoff system, you're not just adding a line item. You're identifying a risk your client hasn't quantified and offering a solution with a clear, documented outcome.
Post-earthquake gas fires can far exceed structural damage costs — a pattern seen in major NZ earthquakes. Building owners and body corporates increasingly face pressure from insurers and engineers to demonstrate proactive gas safety management. Specifying automatic earthquake isolation gives your clients a defensible position and gives you a clear point of difference.
The MK6 has been installed in commercial buildings, apartments, hospitals, and public infrastructure across New Zealand and Australia since 1971.
Standards and obligations relevant to your installations
- AS/NZS 5601.1:2022 — Gas Installations — governs design and commissioning of gas systems in NZ and Australia; automatic earthquake shutoff is increasingly specified as a risk management requirement
- NZS 4219:2009 — Seismic Performance of Engineering Systems in Buildings — covers mechanical and gas systems in buildings
- Gas (Safety and Measurement) Regulations 2010 — WorkSafe NZ oversight of gas safety obligations
- NZS 1170.5 — Earthquake Actions — sets seismic design requirements by building importance level
We recommend consulting a structural or mechanical engineer when specifying for high-importance buildings.
Talk to us about your installation
We're based in New Zealand and supply direct. If you have a specific building or installation in mind, we're happy to discuss the right configuration — AC or DC variant, sensitivity settings, and valve compatibility.