A highlight of the project is the lush garden with outdoor seating, a play area, entertainment amenities, and a rooftop pool. A well-lit, dedicated pedestrian network gives residents easy access to local shopping centres, hotels, gyms, entertainment facilities and restaurants, while bus stations within the precinct connect to other major suburbs.

“It’s important to show that luxury living doesn’t have to be resource intensive and wasteful,” says Ranjita Pillai, Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green.

In fact, it’s essential that high-end residential developments rather lead by example when it comes to sustainability. Furthermore, a 4-Star rating does not cost more than a ‘conventional’ building and the sustainable benefits far outweigh the alternative.

Energy and Water Conservation Measures

Securing the 4-Star Green Star Design rating involved meeting stringent sustainability standards. There was a key focus on energy efficiency which was achieved in a few ways:

• Smart passive design principles, such as north-facing orientation.
• Well-chosen building materials with insulative properties.
• Energy sub-meters in each apartment that measure energy consumption (accessible via an app).
• A highly efficient centralised heat pump for hot water.

Energy modelling was used to measure the energy of an occupant of Menlyn Maine Residences in comparison to an occupant of a ‘conventional’ apartment building. The results show reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with operational energy consumption of 69%. This will result in cost savings for occupants, on top of the reduction in carbon emissions into the environment.

Water conservation forms a core part of the project’s sustainability strategy. Automated water meters and efficient irrigation systems ensure minimal potable water use, and quick leak detection. Water-wise landscaping further reduces the need for excessive irrigation, preserving this precious resource.

An Indoor Environment focused on Wellbeing

Indoor spaces have been designed to maximise occupant comfort while also being sustainable. Measures to achieve this include:

• Fresh air supply via natural ventilation and openable windows, with no mechanical systems specified.
• Ample daylighting.
• 95% of interior finishes such as paints, and carpets are low-VOC, reducing indoor air pollutants.

Materials and Waste Management

The project shows a commitment to respect the ecological fabric of the site and surrounding community. Using a previously occupied site meant minimising the ecological footprint of the building complex. Additionally, sourcing construction materials within close proximity of the site supported the local economy and helped to reduce the economic and environmental impact of material transportation.

The project minimises environmental impact by using recycled and reused materials, and lessening material use wherever possible. Use of Portland Cement in concrete was reduced by 30%, resulting in a lower embodied energy and resource depletion linked to the manufacture of cement. All steel used in the project has a post-consumer recycled content of at least 90%.

Waste management practices, such as the provision of a recycling storage area and in-apartment waste separation bins, further support apartment managers and residents with recycling.

Connectivity and Lifestyle

The design of the building complex promotes a healthy lifestyle by encouraging walking and use of alternative transport models. This is done through:

• A pedestrian network that offers access to the other amenities Menlyn Maine has on offer.
• Public transport options that are within 1 kilometre of the complex.
• Convenient and well-connected bus routes stopping in front of the apartments.
• Basement parking that has dedicated parking for fuel-efficient vehicles and plenty of space for scooters and motorbikes.

Looking Ahead

The Menlyn Maine Residences project sets a precedent for balancing luxury living with environmental responsibility. As more developers and cities make commitments to building green, projects like Menlyn Maine show us how it can be done well.

At Solid Green, we are committed to advancing sustainability across the built environment. If you are inspired by what Menlyn Maine has achieved and want to explore how your development can meet these high sustainability standards, reach out to us. Let’s build a greener future together.

Find out more on the Menlyn Maine Project page.

The post Menlyn Maine Residences: Best Practice for Sustainable Living appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Due to its location in the CBD, the building – which has eight floors and a GFA of 8720sqm – is well connected to local amenities and existing public transport infrastructure, and offers proximity to accommodation for staff or visitors. This enabled the project to achieve a high score under the Green Star Transport credits.

Zendré Compion, Senior Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green, explains that organisations should consider sustainability at the earliest stages of a new office project. “Choosing an existing building over a new building has major implications,” she says.

The impact of new construction, with the associated waste and urban sprawl, is significant. Green Star therefore rewards refurbishment projects for reusing as much of the existing building as possible, in this case the whole structure and façade; as well as for ‘Reuse of land’ under Land Use and Ecology, and for not impacting topsoil. In this instance, the building’s contribution to revitalising the city centre was also considered.

Compion adds that refurbishment projects are also rewarded for reduced environmental impact through a slightly simplified set of criteria because the material value comprises less than 1% of the contract value, so a number of the Green Star material credits fall away such as timber, concrete and steel.

While older buildings may be a challenge on some fronts, a potential benefit to refurbishment is that many of them were designed with good passive design principles – a practice that was slowly eroded as building thermal comfort became increasingly easy to manage with automated systems. In this case, the NERSA building has smaller glazed elements, large overhangs, external vertical blinds where the afternoon summer sun hits the building, and narrow floor plates.

A key focus for the refurbishment was the upgrading of the building’s major mechanical and water systems – which made it possible to target Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), Energy (ENE) and Water points. Energy modelling of the refurbished building design was carried out and the results indicated an improvement of 42% in Greenhouse Gas Emissions associated with operational energy consumption compared to a notional building model.

Energy uses of 100kVA or greater and all major water uses are sub-metered and managed through an efficient energy management system. Upgraded roofing insulation will improve the indoor thermal comfort and reduce the amount of energy used for building cooling; and internal blinds have been specified on all windows to reduce daylight glare. A total overhaul of building mechanical, electrical and wet services has improved energy efficiency. The outdated mechanical equipment was replaced by a VRF system, improving the system COP and general performance. In addition, hot water for amenities is heated using a heat-pump, thus improving efficiency and saving electricity.

Occupancy sensors were positioned throughout the circulation and common areas as well as bathrooms and storerooms, and energy efficient lighting was installed throughout the building. The lighting design was also updated to include efficient luminaires that provide appropriate lighting levels with much reduced energy consumption.

Potable water consumption has been significantly reduced through the installation of dual flush and low flow sanitary fittings, and rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing. Waste collection and recycling is being undertaken by waste and recycling service providers, with measures being put in place to improve the rate of recycling – such as the provision of confidential paper bins for white paper; flattening and storing of cardboard boxes; and the separation of wet waste (mostly from the canteen) from recyclables and landfill.

To inform occupants and users of all the building’s incorporated service and management systems, a Building User Guide was compiled, and educational material has been provided on a screen in the building foyer to communicate water and energy consumption data with occupants. This will enable the facilities management team to optimise the building’s environmental performance and minimise its environmental impact; and will go a long way to ensuring that all future alterations, additions and program changes are consistent with the intent of the purpose of the Building Users’ Guide and the health of the environment.

Compion explains that there were a few challenges in the Green Star certification process.

When working with an older building, with no physical extensions or additions and alterations, there was no room for targeting points through innovation. There were also some challenges in getting all the existing building information from old drawings. And logistically, the tenants remained in the building during construction so the refurbishment had to happen floor by floor, which made the process relatively slow and caused some discomfort to the building users at the time.

That being said, we are looking forward to see many more refurbishment projects in the future and hope that clients can make the leap to think of the sustainability of their building projects early in the design process. This is one important way in which we will be able to reduce overall construction sector impacts, and further revitalise inner cities.

The post NERSA’s existing building achieves 4 Green Stars appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Solid Green has been an integral part of South Africa’s green building journey for the past decade. We are immensely proud of every certification we have been involved with – from the smallest victories to the big ‘Firsts’; and we are committed to contributing towards the important advances that the sector is taking to align itself with best practice worldwide.

Developed by Attacq, The Ingress Waterfall’s 20,000sqm of premium-grade commercial space comprises five office buildings ideally located at the entrance to Waterfall City, with visible street access. The buildings, which are located close to a variety of amenities in a pedestrian-friendly, bikeable precinct, are suitable for single occupiers with their own identity or can be divided into multi-tenanted suites.

“Urban resilience and people’s health and wellbeing have been under the spotlight this year,” observes Miron Naidoo, Property Development Manager at the Attacq Group.

With this 4-Star Green Star SA Office Design rating for Phase 1, The Ingress Waterfall has successfully been recognised as Best Practice by implementing standards that speak to these critical considerations, as well as the need to optimise business efficiencies for our clients.

Madi van Wyk, Director at ARC Architects, explains that, in order to create a park within a precinct, the five buildings were placed along the perimeter of the site ensuring a strong street presence while allowing for a larger central courtyard. “The buildings were designed to allow maximum light into the central square and to create a comfortable human scale that does not feel overshadowed by tall building masses,” she says.

A lot of planting was added to further enhance the human scale of the courtyard, with stepped decks to accommodate different seating environments served by the central cafè comprising two repurposed containers.

Van Wyk adds that a façade design was developed for each type of environment faced, which ultimately ties all buildings together. For the North and East facing façades, glazing with spandrels and horizontal louvres was used to address the high sun exposure and glare. Feature elements called for fully glazed facades where dark tinted, double-glazed view panels were used. The Southern facades have similar glazing with spandrels, but with vertical louvres to mitigate the low Western sun that reaches these facades especially during winter months. The Western facades are more solid with punch-out windows or deep-set balconies.

Energy modelling was carried out in the design stages of the buildings and, compared to a notional building model, Greenhouse Gas Emissions have been reduced by 48%. Sub-metering and an effective mechanism for monitoring energy were provided to facilitate ongoing management of energy consumption.

All individual spaces or enclosed spaces are a maximum of 100sqm in size and are individually switched with motion sensors to offer greater flexibility and make it easy to light only occupied areas. The lighting power density for artificial light was also limited to a maximum of 1.50W/sqm per 100 lux to ensure minimal energy consumption. To ensure a high Indoor Environmental Quality, at least 95% of interior finishes specified are low VOC products.

Water meters and an automated monitoring mechanism were put in place to effectively monitor and manage water consumption. Water efficient sanitary fittings were specified and potable water consumption for landscape irrigation was reduced through the use of waterwise landscaping and efficient irrigation systems. This has also resulted in the building’s discharge to sewer being reduced by 50% against an average practice benchmark.

To create a unified brand identity for the precinct, the same material ingredients will be used in different configurations to give each of the five buildings a unique identity, with the lush use of greenery in numerous planters running between and around buildings to ultimately finish off the palette. The absolute quantity of Portland Cement was reduced by 30% across all concrete uses during construction, and reused or post-consumer recycled content steel was utilized in order to reduce the project’s embodied energy and minimise resource depletion.

The steps taken by the developer and professional team to implement sustainable construction and operations at The Ingress Waterfall take into consideration the important balance between environmental concerns, economic feasibility and occupant health and wellbeing.

Project Team

OWNER: Attacq Waterfall Investment Company
ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL: Solid Green Consulting
ARCHITECT: ARC Architects Pretoria
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: Claassen Auret Electrical & Electronic Consulting Engineers
FIRE ENGINEER: WSP
LIFE SPECIALIST: Schindler
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: Q Mech Consulting Engineers
QUANTITY SURVEYORS: RLB Pentad Quality Engineer
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: EDS Africa Consulting Pty Ltd
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSULTANT: Solid Green Consulting
WET SERVICES: Green Planet Engineer Services
MAIN CONTRACTOR: Archstone Construction
PROJECT MANAGER: Attacq Waterfall Investment Company
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT: Ecology International Pty Ltd
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Land Arch
BMS SYSTEMS PROFESSIONAL: Classen Auret Electrical & Electronic Consulting Engineers

The post Solid Green’s 100th green building certification! appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Janet Glendinning, Development Manager at Intaprop, says:

As the developers of Oxford Parks, we feel that it is important to ensure that buildings are both healthy and environmentally friendly, especially taking into consideration the recent global pandemic. With people now working from home as a preference, healthy spaces will be essential moving forward in order to attract quality tenants. WDB House is superbly well-located and easily accessible, and the carefully considered design has resulted in a multi-tenanted building of a comfortable scale that feels like home.

Responding to its urban context

Because the site is on the periphery of the Oxford Parks precinct rather than right at its heart, the zoning dictated height restrictions, and there was a significant building line on the south of the site to create breathing room between the neighbouring houses and the new office. Kathleen Western, Project Architect for GLH, explains that the Gautrain escape shaft to the east imposed a number of physical and bureaucratic constraints – but this, together with the reopening of the Cradock Avenue link to Dunkeld, allowed the architects to borrow the visual amenity of space, creating a landscaped foreground to WDB House.

A striking, carefully considered design

The brief for the building was a bespoke own-door office building with a striking identity that would allow WDB to consolidate several departments. The client also wanted additional space for the possibility of future growth or current use by related start-up firms.

In responding to both the brief and the various site parameters, Western explains that the architectural response was to create a strong and identifiable presence for the building on the busy street intersection. Efficiency was a primary consideration in terms of structure, space, costs, and the use of resources. The wings of the office space flank a central atrium and, together with the central circulation and service core, create a simple U-form in plan.

The corner of the building is articulated with a setback balcony and overhanging pergola which, together with building volumes in contrasting materials and colours, shape the building’s identity. Part of the parking level was used to create an approach podium to the new building, which obviated the need for mechanical ventilation or a fire sprinkler system in the basements – thus saving the developer capital and operational costs, and reducing the environmental impact of the building.

Good passive design contributes to IEQ

“It is good architectural practice to address sustainability criteria as part of your basic building design,” says Western.

In this case, construction was already underway when it was decided to pursue a formal GBCSA rating. Fortunately, as the building already combined a sensible passive design approach coupled with selected active technologies, it was a relatively simple exercise to document what had been done and to then achieve the rating.

The building faces north and sits squarely on its site. The façade glazing strategy takes into consideration this orientation, views, glare, and thermal comfort; and, together with a process of iterative energy and daylight modelling, shading, window sizing and the glazing specification were refined to ensure a beautiful and optimally performing building. The balcony and terrace feature larger windows, while smaller ‘punch out’ windows on the east and west façades respond to their orientation and provide a rhythm that contrasts with the stone and plaster walls.

Windows are openable, offering individual choice and immediate access to fresh air and a sense of outdoor temperature. Blinds are individually operated, and lighting is individually controlled with occupancy sensors. Lighting power density was limited, and efficient light fittings were installed. A high level of thermal comfort was ensured by addressing the internal operative temperatures through modelling. Priority parking was proposed for LEV, HEV, electrical, and carpool vehicles as well as motorbikes.

Resource efficiency and robust materials

Annelide Sherratt, Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green, explains that resource efficiency was a part of the design strategy.

The project has a 14.5kWp Solar PV system with an annual yield of 24.63Mwh installed on the north-east building wing roof; and the building’s HVAC system was efficiently designed and modelled. Potable water consumption was reduced through the use of water efficient sanitary fittings; and through the landscape design and selection of waterwise plants that minimise the need for irrigation.

Materials were chosen to be elegant, robust and long wearing, ensuring value for money in the operational phase of the building’s life. Recycled material components were specified in steel and concrete, and concrete additives were used to reduce noxious materials needed for waterproofing.

All gaseous and fire suppression systems and thermal insulants chosen for the building and façade insulation and pipe and duct lagging have an Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) of zero. All finishes to the base building areas are low-VOC and, where applicable, were sourced through sustainable stewardship. In addition, a project specific Waste Management Plan was developed and implemented to minimise the contribution of waste going to landfill; and space has been provided for operational waste separation and storage.

This carefully considered building responds well to both its urban context and provides flexibility for the changing needs of people and their workplaces; while taking into account the increasing need for both resource and operational efficiency as building owners face a rapidly changing business reality.

The post New 4-Star home for Women’s Development Bank appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Abland Property Developers strongly believes that, in today’s times, it is essential that all its developments are designed in the most efficient way possible, to be good for the environment and reduce the occupation costs for the tenants that occupy these buildings upon completion.

Shared Concept, Individual Identity

Jeremy Williams, director at MWLF Architects, explains that the design themes started in the development’s first building are evolving as subsequent buildings are developed. He says:

The concept is a family of buildings that share a DNA, but with each building having a unique identity that responds to the movement of time and trends as the park evolves. The buildings are designed economically to have efficient floor plates and to be able to accommodate a variety of tenants, with individual façade articulation creating design interest and highlighting the positive and negative forms of each structure.

The 6-storey Building C has a rectilinear floor plate with a central core that allows lobby access to 4 flexible subdivisions of 325sqm per floor. Williams adds that the ground floor of the building contains a recessed parking level, forming a base upon which the projecting office floors and ‘floating cubes’ of white structure rest.

These floating elements are eroded and cut into with windows and balconies to articulate the form through a play of solid and void.

A concrete end wall acts as a holding element, framing the negative space and cube, and folding over to form a top to the building. This entire façade is then reversed and mirrored on the alternating facade, creating two asymmetric end fades. We also introduced a strong diagonal element in this building, which will be carried forward in Building D.

User Wellbeing & Productivity

For years, it has been widely acknowledged that the design and management of buildings are critical to enhancing users’ health and wellbeing – both in terms of productivity, and mitigating disease and absenteeism. “In commercial building typologies, salaries are the biggest cost to companies, so an improvement in staff health and productivity will bring a direct return,” says Marloes Reinink, director at Solid Green Consulting.

And, in times of almost unprecedented economic uncertainty, this is an area that should receive increased attention from business decision makers.

Makhosazana Mthethwa, sustainable building consultant at Solid Green, explains that Westend Building C incorporates several green building principles that are geared towards user wellbeing, such as a balanced window-to-wall ratio that allows ample natural light into the offices. Furthermore, 89% of the office floor plates have access to external views.

“The building also uses non-harmful materials in the interior spaces,” says Mthethwa.

For the interior fit-out, and for any future refits and expansions, paints, carpets, adhesives, sealants and composite wood products will be specifically selected to minimise emissions typical of materials containing Volatile Organic Compounds.

The integration of physical activity is essential to achieving health and wellbeing, and Building C makes provision for a more active, less sedentary, lifestyle through walkability and accommodating non-motorised transport options. Sited just over 1km from Centurion Mall and within 700m walking distance of the Centurion Gautrain Station, the building provides cyclist facilities on the upper basement level with two changing rooms and showers next to the main entrance lobby and secure bicycle storage for both staff and visitors on the same level.

Preferred parking bays have also been provided on the lower, middle and upper basement levels close to the lift core and lobbies for fuel efficient vehicles like hybrid or electrical cars as well as mopeds, scooters and motorcycles. Car-share vehicles can also make use of these bays if there is a contractual agreement between the tenant and car-share company.

Optimising Resources

Behaviour of occupants is critical to reducing overall consumption, and energy and water sub-meters have been provided for all substantive energy and water uses to facilitate ongoing management of resource consumption.

The building recorded a simulated 53% reduction in energy consumption when compared to a building constructed to SA National Standards. The lighting power density for artificial light is limited to 1.5W/sqm per 100 lux to ensure minimal energy consumption. This is achieved through the use of LED lighting for at least 95% of the offices. All spaces are individually switched, and occupancy sensors linked to the lighting system enable lighting of occupied areas only.

Hot water is provided through the use of a 5,5kW heat pump to showers in the upper basement level and for use in kitchens and wash hand basins. Water saving initiatives include water efficient sanitary fittings, and an air-cooled heat rejection HVAC system rather than a system using potable heat rejection water. The system uses refrigerants with an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of zero; and does not include any component systems that might pose a risk of legionella infection.

A 21sqm recycling and waste storage area is conveniently located for precinct service collection at the Upper Parking Level, with easy access to dedicated sorting bins. This area is linked to Westend Precinct larger waste and recycling centre which facilitates sorting of paper and cardboard; plastic, glass and cans; metals; and general waste.

The project targeted a Green Star Innovation point for Financial Transparency. According to the GBCSA Technical Manual, the aim of this credit is to “encourage and recognise the sharing of costs/financial information related to the design, construction and operation of green buildings in the context of the Green Star SA certification process, that will create greater market transparency and awareness of the cost trends related to green buildings.” The data is also used as input in a research project by the University of Pretoria to provide insights into the cost of going green on buildings in South Africa.

The project team estimated the Green Building cost premium to be as little as 1%. This is due to an already high quality Abland baseline building standard that incorporates green design principles. Reduced potable water and energy consumption are also anticipated to significantly lower the building’s operational utility bills.

Post COVID-19 Building Strategies

“Climate risks have become part of the mainstream building conversation over the last decade, further highlighted by serious energy and water supply issues,” says Reinink.

In planning for a post-COVID-19 building strategy, health-related risks will join the Resilience conversation – requiring changes to design and construction methodologies for all building typologies.

As the links between urbanisation, climate change and public health become more apparent, current building practices are expected to fall under scrutiny, and projects like Westend Building C will point the way forward.

The post Westend Building C scores 4 Green Stars! appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

We are proud to be a front runner in the green building sector with this development, which is one of the first to be rated under the GBCSA’s Green Star Sustainable Precincts tool. We anticipate that this project will set a benchmark in changing the mindset around urban development in South Africa.

Simon van Helsdingen, Property Development Manager at Abland, adds, “In taking a holistic, integrated view to both the precinct and user experience, Sandton Gate aims to attract and retain leading tenants, who will benefit from both the lower operating costs and quality lifestyle on offer. We are looking forward to continuing our upward trajectory as we take the lessons from this development forward into future initiatives.”

Sandton Gate has been awarded a 4-star certification under the Green Star SA Sustainable Precincts v1.1 tool.

A precinct-wide vision

The project is located in Sandton on William Nicol Drive between Sandton Drive and Republic Road. In addition to its proximity to the Sandton CBD, the project falls within the City of Johannesburg’s public transport network and is directly adjacent to the Braamfontein Spruit, one of Johannesburg’s longest natural greenbelts – a situation that offers enormous advantages in terms of sustainable urban development.

From the outset, the developers committed to meet the site-wide requirements under the Sustainable Precincts tool, which was developed to influence and incentivise developers to consider good design, community and environmental outcomes. Credits within the tool – under the categories Governance, Liveability, Economic Prosperity and Environment – are intended to assist in site selection, site analysis and site layout; and include benchmarks for engaging with stakeholders in site planning. Site-wide green infrastructure, in terms of both hard and soft works, is also encouraged.

As part of the precinct’s ongoing sustainable management initiatives, a Community Users’ Guide was developed to give occupants the tools and knowledge to efficiently operate all service and management systems. The Guide describes all green initiatives that have been implemented with the intention of enhancing environmental performance and minimizing environmental impact and harm during Sandton Gate’s operational lifespan. This includes ensuring that all future alterations, additions and programme changes are consistent with the vision of the Users’ Guide and the health of the environment.

Community Management

Annelide Sherratt, Senior Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green Consulting, observed that the mixed-use project received its certification just in time for the GBCSA Convention 2019, which was themed ‘Beyond: Shaping Cities of Tomorrow’.

This development is a precedent study of what it means to go beyond certifying buildings to apply sustainability at a precinct scale. The project has also gone beyond the limits of the precinct boundary and has committed to the upliftment and upgrading of the Braamfontein Spruit and park adjacent to the site, which will be managed together with the surrounding community.

In addition to the rehabilitation of Bordeaux Riverside Park, the community management and development initiatives include monthly litter collection as part of the Mayor’s A Re Sebetseng Campaign, investment into cycle paths, art installations, LED night-time lighting, and a community food garden. Community-related information will be disseminated through the website and Sandton Gate App.

An extensive network of walkways, cycle tracks and traffic-calming devices supports Non-Motorised Transport (NMT).

Accessibility and non-motorised Transport

The Precinct Plan has been strategically designed to incorporate adequate Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) facilities. An extensive network of walkways will be provided between the residential, commercial and business components, with a shared pedestrian and cycle path along Minerva Avenue to promote the integration of non-motorised transport. Raised pedestrian crossings and universal access design at the internal intersections will supplement the connectivity for NMT users between the various land-uses. In addition, Minerva Road will have a cul-de-sac at either end to restrict through-traffic and provide a safe pedestrian/cyclist environment.

In keeping with the focus on sustainability and wellbeing, strategies have been put in place to promote and support a healthy, active lifestyle in and around the project site. Footpaths are prioritised throughout the project street hierarchy, and dedicated pedestrian sidewalks are provided on both sides of all roads throughout the precinct. Green buffer zones act as a protection layer from motorised circulation, and a continuous pedestrian walkway has been prioritised on the podium level which connects all the commercial developments.

Cyclist networks have been incorporated within the development and on Minerva Avenue, with links to the adjacent park via a bridge and pedestrian crossing. The community food garden and walking paths, implemented as part of the Bordeaux Riverside Park rehabilitation, aim to encourage recreational activity and passive surveillance throughout the park.

Current and future public transport connectivity includes access to the Gautrain Bus Route S4 Randburg-to-Sandton; Gautrain train and bus routes from Sandton Gautrain Station; and the Rea Vaya BRT system, where a trunk route and additional three BRT stations are planned for the vicinity.

Sustainable Practice Incentives

Sandton Gate is a people-centred development and users will be given the opportunity to benefit from living and working in the most sustainable ways possible. The precinct offers numerous incentives for sustainable living, which include:

• a carpooling scheme: to save on travelling costs, the Sandton Gate app will give all users of the precinct the opportunity to either get a lift from or give a lift to a fellow precinct occupant, with the option of sharing travelling costs between passengers.
• bus shelters with solar powered charging facilities, offering users free charging for their devices while on the move.
• a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) which accepts recyclable materials in exchange for credits or tokens from the machine to be utilized at pre-arranged venues for discounts on goods. The RVM, which is controlled with a barcode receiver, accepts only certain products such as cans, bottles and cartons. The initiative encourages recycling and additionally rewards users of the precinct for doing the right thing.

Recycling Waste

Three primary waste management schemes have been strategized to decrease the environmental impact of the waste produced on location. Recycling containers will be placed in designated areas for use by business and residential tenants and the public. Materials that are suitable for recycling under this scheme are paper and cardboard; beverage cans; plastic containers and glass containers.

On a weekly basis, gardening service providers will remove green waste to a central point for composting. Residential tenants will also be able to make use of this scheme by separating organic waste for collection and disposal as part of the composting scheme. Residents will also be able to benefit from an additional recycling service at no extra charge, which will provide for the collection and disposal of recycled materials from homes – paper and cardboard, plastic, household metals and glass.

Sandton Gate moves green design beyond the building scale into the public realm.

Phase 1 Resource Efficiency

Sandton Gate Phase 1, developed by Abland and Tiber, received a 5-Star Green Star SA Office Design v1.1 rating in July 2019. With a gross floor area of 15,181sqm excluding car parking areas, this commercial development comprises five floors and includes a 2,500sqm gym.

Both energy and water efficiency strategies have been implemented to reduce the overall consumption of the building and associated costs for tenants. An energy model of the building was generated during the design stages. The building design showed an improvement of 60% in energy consumption over a SANS 10400 notional building. Using current Eskom tariffs, the project can expect to save approximately R2,650,000 per annum.

Water saving initiatives include water efficient sanitary fittings, rain and moisture sensors, irrigation at night to reduce evaporation, drip irrigation, and pressure regulation valves. Overall, the water efficiency measures are expected to save approximately 30% over a notional building, or 2740Kl of water per annum. In terms of Johannesburg Water’s 2018/19 rates, this amounts to approximately R100,000 cost saving per annum. The project also anticipates that the installed water-efficient irrigation systems will achieve a 70% reduction of potable water used for irrigation.

The behaviour of occupants and users of the building is critical to reduce the resource consumption of the building. Because gathering information is key to understanding and managing building systems and to assessing opportunities for savings, sub-metering of major energy and water consuming systems will be implemented.

In terms of supporting the transition to sustainable transport, the Phase 1 office development has provided 36 fuel-efficient parking bays in preferred parking spaces dedicated to hybrids and other fuel-efficient vehicles; 37 dedicated motorbike parking spaces in preferred parking spaces close to the main building entrance; and 40 staff and visitors’ bike storage spaces.

Moving forward, the Building Users’ Guide recommends that new construction should aim to achieve a 30% reduction of the quantity of Portland cement as an average across all concrete mixes; a 60% recycled content of all steel by mass used on the project; and that 50% (by cost) of all timber products used in the building and construction works should be specified to be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, reused or recycled timber.

Sector Leadership

Sandton Gate provides a new benchmark that realises the opportunity of moving green design beyond the building scale into the public realm, thus contributing positively to the quality of the urban landscape and users’ experiences.

The post Sandton Gate achieves 4-Star Sustainable Precincts certification! appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Prior to construction, a comprehensive Environmental Management Plan was developed and implemented to minimize the impacts of construction work on the local environment. The building aims to have over 70% of its demolition and construction waste reused or recycled. Contractors on the project have also been conscious of the materials used within the structure, making use of concrete with reduced a Portland cement content, and reinforced steel containing 92% recycled content.

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) has been the main focus of the development. The HVAC system is an air-cooled system that does not use potable water, with fresh air supplied at a rate of 12.5l/s/person for 95% of the usable area. Ample natural daylight and views of the surrounding landscape have been designed into the building, with options to control glare for overall user comfort. The building has also implemented a non-smoking policy; and low-VOC materials have been specified to prioritise the quality of the air to which users are exposed.

Efficient energy and water usage have been prioritised throughout the development, with initiatives including the installation of lighting occupancy sensors; and sub-metering provided for all substantive energy uses within the building to monitor energy consumption and limit the building’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Water sanitary fittings are all fitted with actuators to reduce and control water consumption; and the project has implemented a rainwater harvesting system which provides water to the toilets and urinals, further reducing the use of potable water.

Building users are also encouraged to limit their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions by rethinking their modes of transport. The building makes preferential provision for alternative fuel vehicles, motorbikes/scooters, and cyclist facilities that include racks, lockers and showers.

To maintain the sustainability initiatives throughout the building’s lifespan, Growthpoint required a Building Users’ Guide to create awareness of the building’s systems and their optimal use; and has included a green lease within their agreement to ensure that all future tenants will be required to monitor the performance of energy, water and waste consumption on an ongoing basis; and to prepare a procurement policy for the use of environmentally friendly consumables.

Professional Team

OWNER: Growthpoint Properties
ARCHITECT: EPA Architects
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: DBA Consulting
FIRE ENGINEER: Woollatt & Clarke
LIFT SPECIALIST: Schindler Lifts (SA)
MECHANICAL ENGINEER & WET SERVICES ENGINEER: Spoormaker & Partners
QUANTITY SURVEYORS: FWJK
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: Arup
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSULTANT: Solid Green Consulting
MAIN CONTRACTOR: Trencon
PROJECT MANAGER: Betts & Townsend Construction Project Management
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT: SHE Sage

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