Due to the project’s extensive and varied land use, which is utilized by the neighborhood, it is regarded as a community facility. Numerous applications include a children’s playground, a laundromat, and a food shop, to name a few.
The project has a Gross Floor Area of 1069m² and it has a single level with a mezzanine.

The building has implemented internal building service and architectural sustainable initiatives which can be recognized as world leadership.

Building Information

Address: Firlands Minor Rd, Helderberg Rural, Gordon’s Bay, Cape Town, 7135
Total gross floor area: 1 069 m²

Sustainable building features

• Sub-metering of major energy consuming systems is in place. Gathering information is key to understanding and managing building systems and to assess opportunities for energy savings.
• Minimisation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions associated with operational energy consumption is reduced. An energy model of the building was generated and in the design stages of the building compared to a notional building model. The building design showed an improvement of 100% (net zero operating emissions base building) over a SANS 10400 notional building.
• Provision is made to ensure all individual spaces or enclosed spaces are individually switched. This will offer greater flexibility for light switching, making it easy to light only occupied areas.
• The buildings peak electrical demand is actively reduced using Photo voltaic system.
• A direct visual connection to the external environment is provided for 80% of the Community Centre Occupied Area. A high level of thermal comfort is 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.
• All selected gaseous and fire suppression systems and thermal insulants used for the development have an Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) of zero, to eliminate any contributions to long-term damage to the earth’s stratospheric ozone layer.
• A project specific Environmental Management Plan was developed and implemented throughout the duration of construction to establish guidelines to follow to minimise the environmental impact associated with construction activities. A project specific Waste Management Plan was developed and implemented to minimise the contribution of waste going to landfill.
• The building achieves a savings by water efficient fittings, rainwater harvesting and a greywater harvesting system installed to provide water for flushing and irrigation.
• Sub-metering of major water consuming systems is in place. Gathering information is key to understanding and managing building systems and to assess opportunities for water savings.
• Balwin Properties has over exceeded the target by implementing several innovation measures which not only allow for a world leadership building yet also encourages the improvement of their contractor and design professional team, this is done through GBCSA online courses and further metering education measures.
• Learning resources are found throughout the whole internal and external fabric of the development A public display of the energy, water usage and indoor air quality levels within the development.
• The project has made provision to install low water demand plants within their landscaping area

Project Team

OWNER: Marno Gerber – Balwin Properties
ACCREDITED PROFFESSIONAL: Jennifer Dean – Solid Green Consulting
ARCHITECT & LANDSCAPE: Stephan Du Plessis – Boogertman
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: Henk Brand – Lyners
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: Amien Nieftagodien – Man-Huber
QUANTITY SURVEYORS: Ernest Geza – Balwin
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: Simon Knutton – KCE Ian Dewsbury
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN REVIEW: Solid Green Consulting
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSULTANT: Solid Green Consulting
MAIN CONTRACTOR: Marno Gerber – Balwin
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT COMPANY: Gaylin Strydom – Landsdowne
AMS CONSULTANT: ISwitch
ECOLOGIST: Doug Jeffery – Doug Jeffery Environmental Consultants

Certificates

Green Star

NET ZERO

Further Resources

• Download Building Users’ Guide (.pdf)