This 5000m² GLA, P-Grade Development, developed by Barrow Properties, is located in the vibrant neighbourhood of Rosebank, Johannesburg, in a position that affords high profile and visibility, and is within walking distance of the Rosebank Mall and Gautrain Station.

Dayne van Rensburg, Project Manager at Barrow Properties, comments, “By targeting and successfully obtaining a Green Star design certification, 110 Oxford has demonstrated its adherence to rigorous sustainability standards. This certification acknowledges our efforts to incorporate environmentally friendly practices into the design and construction of the project, ensuring that it aligns with principles of resource efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and improved occupant well-being.

We firmly believe that sustainable buildings play a crucial role in shaping a more resilient and sustainable future, and we are proud of the project team’s efforts. This achievement will inspire us to continue developing innovative solutions that contribute towards a greener, healthier, and more sustainable built environment.

A notable achievement that contributed to the certification was the formation of the GSSAAP Team, consisting of five professional team members and four members from the main contractor. This team’s successful completion of the online Green Star New Buildings course showcases the project’s commitment to fostering knowledge and expertise in sustainable building practices, and allowed the team to optimise the project’s sustainability features and performance.

Under the Green Star tool, the project targeted an Innovation point for Financial Transparency and has completed calculations, which indicate that the Green Building Cost Premiums are as little as 2.65%.

To guarantee an indoor environment conducive to user wellbeing and productivity, a direct visual connection to the external environment was provided for 86% of the Office Useable Area. Furthermore, a high level of thermal comfort was ensured by addressing the internal operative temperatures through modelling and ensuring they are within the ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 Acceptability Limits for at least 98% of occupied hours.

Energy, water, and environmental initiatives implemented in the building include the following:

• Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The operational energy consumption associated with the building has been minimised to decrease its carbon footprint. An energy model was created during the design phase, allowing a comparison between the building’s energy performance and that of a notional building based on SANS 10400 standards. The design of the building demonstrated an improvement over the notional building model.
• Individual Space Switching: To enhance flexibility and energy efficiency, each individual space or enclosed area is equipped with occupancy sensors that control the lighting, ensuring that only occupied areas are illuminated.
• Energy-Efficient Office Lighting: The lighting design for the office spaces prioritises minimal energy consumption. The power density for office lighting was set to be less than 1.5 W/m² per 100 Lux, ensuring efficient use of artificial lighting.
• Water Efficiency: To help conserve water resources, the building incorporates water-efficient fittings and all major water-consuming systems are equipped with sub-meters. This allows for the collection of detailed information on water consumption, facilitating better understanding and management of the building’s water systems.
• Smart Metering and Waterwise Plant Selection: Potable water consumption for landscape irrigation has been reduced through the use of smart metering technology, soil moisture sensors, drip irrigation and the selection of waterwise plants. This combination enables efficient monitoring and management of water usage, as well as a significant reduction in water used for irrigation.
• For the duration of the construction period, a project specific Environmental Management Plan was developed and implemented to establish guidelines to minimise the environmental impact associated with construction activities. A project specific Waste Management Plan was also developed and implemented to minimise the contribution of waste going to landfill.
• The project has provided a total waste recycling storage area of 42m² to encourage building users to recycle all waste where possible, to minimise the waste going landfill sites.

Reflecting on the experience of working on this project, Cebisa Mafukuzela, Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green, says, “For the team at Solid Green, successes like the 110 Oxford certification reinforce our dedication to prioritising both environmental and human well-being, and inspire us to continue pushing the boundaries of sustainable design and construction.”

Project Team

Owner: Barrow Properties
Accredited professional: Solid Green Consulting
Architect: Paragon Architects
Electrical engineer: One Zero
Mechanical engineer: Adaptive Resources
Quantity surveyors: Barrow Construction
Structural engineers: Kantey and Templer
Sustainable building consultant: Solid Green Consulting
Main contractor: Barrow Construction
Project manager: Barrow Properties