Designed with Intent

From the outset, the development team asked: How do we build for people, not just for compliance? The answer was clear: design with intent. That meant sourcing materials locally, cutting transport emissions, and supporting South African suppliers. Sustainability wasn’t treated as a checklist; it was woven into the DNA of the project.

Beyond Standards

The HVAC systems here don’t just meet SANS requirements; they exceed them. Tuned for efficiency and comfort, they deliver fresher, healthier air while consuming less energy. Occupants feel the difference: cleaner air, steadier temperatures, and a workplace that supports well‑being as much as performance.

And then there’s the commitment to zero ODP (ozone‑depleting potential) emissions. By eliminating harmful refrigerants, the project protects the atmosphere while proving that world‑class sustainability can be achieved without compromise.

Spaces for People

Step outside, and the human touch is everywhere. Raised crossings, safe pedestrian routes, and cyclist‑friendly facilities make movement effortless. Hybrid and electric parking bays signal a future‑ready mindset, while smoke‑free interiors show care for health and well‑being. These aren’t afterthoughts; they’re intentional gestures that say: we value the people who work here.

World Leadership

The result? A 6-Star Green Star rating demonstrating World Leadership. But the badge is only part of the story. The real achievement is how these buildings feel: light‑filled, breathable, connected, and alive. Staff thrives, costs fall, and the city gains two landmarks that embody resilience and foresight.

Closing Thought

10 Parks Boulevard and 55 Eastwood prove that sustainability isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about courage, care, and vision. When you source locally, design beyond standards, eliminate harmful emissions, and create spaces where cyclists, pedestrians, and communities flourish, you don’t just build offices. You build legacies.

The post 10 Parks Boulevard & 55 Eastwood: Building with Purpose and Passion appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Because that’s what a Green Star submission really is: proof. Not promises. Not good vibes. Not “we totally did the thing.” It’s the careful stitching together of drawings, calculations, policies, product data, procurement records, photos, sign-offs and narratives that show, credit by credit, that the project truly meets the requirements.

So when you hit submit, you do the sensible things: you check file names, you cross-reference evidence, you run internal quality checks. You tell yourself it’s strong. You remind the team the process is robust and fair.

And then you wait.

Waiting for Round 1 results is always slightly nerve-wracking, because the outcome can go either way. Assessors are highly skilled, but they’re still human — and interpretation can vary. Some are exceptionally detailed and meticulous; others take a more pragmatic, realistic approach while remaining faithful to the tool. Either way, the Round 1 report typically arrives with a range of comments: points to clarify, strengthen or refine before moving into Round 2.

That’s normal. It’s part of the rigour of Green Star.

But it also means Round 1 often determines what your next few weeks look like. A tough Round 1 can trigger a second wave of work: rewriting narratives, digging for missing proof, chasing late sign-offs, and revising documentation while everyone’s already moved on to “the next urgent thing”. A strong Round 1, on the other hand, is like a giant exhale. It’s momentum and confidence, and gives the project team the feeling, “Yes! This is landing the way we intended.”

Across more than 150 submissions, we’ve only had a handful; maybe four or five, where Round 1 came back already at 4-Star level (45 points). Those are the ones you remember, because they mean the documentation wasn’t just adequate but it was clear, complete, and hard to argue with.

And then came last week.

We received Round 1 results for two Green Star Interiors projects in Cape Town, both targeting 6 Stars… and both came back with more than 75 points approved in Round 1.

Let that sink in. More than 75 points. In Round 1. Twice.

It was exciting. It was unprecedented. It was the kind of result that makes you reread the scorecard slowly, just to check you haven’t accidentally opened someone else’s report. And when the reality finally landed, we did what any reasonable sustainability team would do.

We celebrated like we’d won the World Cup.

We danced. We messaged the team with far too many exclamation marks. We enjoyed the sweet relief of knowing we wouldn’t be spending the next few weeks revising and re-uploading document after document. And we soaked up something that’s easy to forget in the daily grind: moments like this are a real validation of quality.

Because results like these don’t happen by accident. They reflect the work done on the project, and the work done behind the scenes: planning credits early, tracking evidence properly, keeping the team aligned, and obsessing (just the right amount) over whether the submission actually tells a clear, defensible story. They also highlight the value of a Green Star AP’s role – turning good sustainability intentions into a certification-ready reality.

In a world where sustainable outcomes must be proven, not promised, a great Round 1 result is more than a score. It’s a celebration of the process done well and a reminder that, sometimes, the hard work really does pay off.

The post When Round 1 Results Feels Like Winning the World Cup appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

This achievement sends a clear message that the future of construction is not just about building smarter but about building responsibly, ensuring that every new development contributes to a cleaner, greener world.

Advancing the Energy Transition

As the global urgency for carbon reduction intensifies, buildings are at the forefront of the transition to a more sustainable energy future. The built environment is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, but innovative projects like Balwin’s head office demonstrate that the reuse of existing buildings coupled with cutting-edge design, renewable energy solutions, and responsible construction practices can create net-positive impact. By securing the highest Green Star rating and achieving Net Zero Carbon certification, the project is both minimising its environmental footprint as well as proving that commercial developments can lead the way in a low-carbon economy.

Innovation in Design and Performance

Designed with efficiency and sustainability at its core, the building integrates smart building technologies, renewable energy sources, and passive design strategies to optimise performance. Solar photovoltaics, intelligent energy management systems, and high-performance insulation work in synergy to ensure the building operates at peak efficiency while significantly reducing its reliance on grid-supplied power. With this Net Zero Carbon As-Built Certification, Balwin has shown how future-focused developments of today’s existing building stock can decouple growth from environmental degradation.

Setting a Precedent for the Industry

Achieving these dual certifications is not just a milestone for Balwin Properties. It is also a statement to the broader industry that net-zero carbon buildings are not a distant aspiration, but a present-day reality. As policymakers, developers, and urban planners seek solutions to align infrastructure with climate goals, Balwin’s head office serves as a tangible example of what is possible when sustainability is embedded from concept to completion.

More info

Project page

The post Balwin HQ Achieves Landmark Green Building Certifications appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Solid Green worked closely with Balwin on the certifications of all 10 of its Lifestyle Centres as well as its head office in Johannesburg. Jennifer Dean, Sustainable Building Consultant and Lead Accredited Professional on the project, said:

This project demonstrates how sustainable design is not just an addition but a foundation. It showcases how, by prioritising environmental responsibility, we not only create healthier, more vibrant places to live and work in but also inspire future innovations in sustainable development.

Find out more about this impressive 6-star achievement in this article, and read more about the project’s sustainability features here.

The post Balwin’s tenth Lifestyle Centre receives its 6-Star certification appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Credit Paragon Architects

Adaptive Reuse

A key waste reduction strategy was reusing an existing building. The already iconic Creative Council building on the M1 highway near Melrose Arch, designed by Paragon Architects, created the canvas for the new project, which was also undertaken by Paragon. While already a striking building, upgrades were needed to ensure it became fit-for-purpose, and to improve the energy efficiency and other sustainable aspects of the building.

Credit Paragon Architects

Repurposing Materials

The original design consisted of a two-storey concrete building atop a rectilinear three-storey parking podium, separated by three double volume, metal-glad, conical forms. During the transformation into Balwin’s Headquarters, these conical structures were dismantled. Instead of sending the demolition waste to landfill, 100 lengths of second-hand steel U-channels were repurposed on two different sites. Other salvaged metal work and demolition rubble was also recycled, including over 1000m³ of fill material in the form of broken up and no-fines concrete that was used for road construction elsewhere.

Components typically replaced during a refurbishment, such as ducts, piping, electrical infrastructure, balustrades and sanitary fixtures, were reused. Additionally, 68.64 tonnes of gypsum waste from the dismantling of internal office partitions and ceilings were sent for composting.

A detailed Building Users’ Guide encourages consideration of the reusability of new materials during future refurbishments. The guide also includes direction for the management and recycling of operational waste now that the building is occupied.

Diversion from Landfill

Given the extensive refurbishment to the building, there was a considerable amount of demolition and construction waste. In total, the project has diverted a significant 97.14% of total construction waste from landfill. The remaining 2.86% (amounting to 64.85 tCO₂ ) was offset by purchasing waste-related carbon credits linked to the Stellenbosch Community Recycling project.

Separate colour-coded skips were provided on site for each different waste stream. The construction crew had to always keep the site neat and tidy.

The process of attaining the certification required weighing and measuring all the construction waste during the refurbishment process. Leago Environmental Projects created a comprehensive Waste Management Plan to guide the construction team on how to maximise the reusability of waste material on site. This included separation and sorting before it was sent to be recycled off site, which is the most efficient way of maximising reuse and recycling.

The main contractor devised and executed a comprehensive demolition plan which meticulously outlined how the existing components would be dismantled into the various material types. This enabled a smooth on-site waste separation process, facilitating collection by external recycling contractors.

Initially, finding trustworthy recycling contractors to guarantee that the construction waste was actually recycled and not sent to landfill, was a challenge. However Onsite Solutions, the main contractor, was able to navigate this.

Collaborative Effort

Being able to reuse and recycle almost 100% of the construction waste required a huge commitment from the team and was not without challenges. Jennifer Dean, Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green, said, “Documentation was a challenge and coordinating the weighing of waste by different subcontractors was not easy, but our success demonstrates everyone’s dedication to a achieving an important shared goal.”

A Shining Example

Balwin HQ sets a remarkable precedent for sustainable construction waste management, shining a light on the benefits of adaptive reuse. It proves that minimising construction waste is possible with careful planning and collaboration. Waste is not an inevitability; it is a choice.

Imagine if all commercial projects were to divert 97% of their construction waste? At Solid Green, we’re committed to creating a built environment where zero construction waste is the norm. Get in touch with us, if you’d like to discuss how you can make this a reality on your next project.

Balwin HQ Project page.

Credit Paragon Architects

The post Pioneering Net Zero Construction Waste in Commercial Property appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

A Sustainable Mixed-Use Precinct

When Intaprop began implementing the Oxford Parks Precinct back in 2017, their vision was to create a sustainable, mixed-use development prioritising the public, pedestrian realm, and non-motorised transport. As an extension of Rosebank, the precinct comprises offices, retail, and residential apartments. The buildings were given generous setbacks (with all parking underground) to allow plenty of space for landscaped areas including pedestrian paths, cycle lanes, and linear parks.

Also at the heart of Oxford Park’s sustainable vision was for each building to achieve a minimum 4-Star Green Star rating, to ensure high efficiency and compliance with best-practice sustainable standards. The first building in the precinct was 199 Oxford Road, tenanted by BP in 2019, which achieved a 5-Start Design rating.

Minimum 6-Star Green Star Rating

A few years later, Intaprop decided to up the ante and make sure that every new building achieves both 6-Star Green Star and Net Zero Carbon ratings. iKusasa, meaning ‘future’ in Zulu and the home of Anglo American’s Global Services division, is the first building in the precinct to reach this 6-Star milestone. Opening its doors in March 2022, iKusasa was designed by GLH & Associates Architects with flexibility to accommodate single or multiple tenancies.

Solid Green, the Green Star Accredited Professional on the project, developed various plans to ensure environmental sustainability, such as:

• Waste Management Plan: Reducing landfill waste during construction and operations.
• Environmental Management Plan: Protecting site ecology during construction.
• Hazardous Waste Management Survey: Addressing existing buildings’ hazardous waste.
• Building Users’ Guide: Educates the building users.

Innovative Design Features

To undertake the tight 12-month construction period, the building was constructed using modular pre-made panels, which facilitated quick assembly. They can also be easily disassembled if needed.

Green building principles and technologies include:

• Passive Design Principles: Ideal orientation to optimise sunlight, and shading devices.
• Solar Energy: 421 PV panels providing 385,500 kWh annually.
• Energy and Water Management Systems: Highly efficient and state-of-the-art.
• Natural Daylight and Fresh Air: Enhanced indoor environmental quality, outside views for 80% of all work spaces, and a high-tech HVAC system.
• Meters and Sensors: Measuring and monitoring all systems to identify savings and check for anomalies.
• Building Management System: A system that manages the entire Oxford Parks Precinct, monitors and controls electrics, water, meters, HVAC, and more.
• Waste Recycling: A dedicated recycling storage facility in the basement.

More information on the 6-Star Design rating is available here.

The Road to As Built

While an As Built rating is not a current requirement for all buildings in the development, it was requested by Ikusasa’s tenant, explains Bain Fowler from Intraprop.

A Green Star Design rating is awarded during the design stage of a project and indicates that the design of the building is destined for a 6-Star rating, but the final proof happens when the building is complete and all systems are tested. This is the purpose of the As Built certification. For a tenant, it gives them confidence that the ‘building does what it says it can do’. As more corporates are becoming conscious of their sustainable impact and its influence on their ESG ratings, being able to occupy a proven green building provides advantages.

With regards to the process of achieving the As Built rating for iKusasa, Fowler says that it was fairly straightforward owing to the fact that the Design rating was done well, and closely followed during construction of the building. This is testament to strong collaboration and an experienced team of consultants who have been working together on the various projects in the precinct since 2017.

“iKusasa is our first project in the Oxford Parks Precinct to be ‘tested’ with an As Built rating,” Fowler adds.

We look forward to applying these learnings in future projects and we plan to keep raising the bar and pushing the boundaries of green, to ensure a sustainable future for all.

At Solid Green, we’re committed to helping our clients design and build buildings that meet their sustainability promises. If you need help making your green building goals tangible, reach out to us today.

Project Team

OWNER: Intaprop/ Oxford Parks Pty LTD
ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL: Solid Green
ARCHITECT: GLH & Associates – Base Building
INTERIOR ARCHITECT: Paragon
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: RWP Consulting Engineers
FIRE ENGINEER: WSP
LIFT SPECIALIST: Schindler Lifts (SA) (Pty) Ltd
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: Adaptive Resource Engineers
QUANTITY SURVEYORS: Gro2 Consulting
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: Pure Consulting
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN REVIEW: Solid Green
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSULTANT: Solid Green
WET SERVICES: Izazi
MAIN CONTRACTOR: Concor
PROJECT MANAGER: Morta Project Management
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Paragon
LANDSCAPE DESIGNER: Insite Group
BMS SYSTEMS PROFESSIONAL: Adaptive Resource Engineers

The post iKusasa demonstrates Sustained Sustainability appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Balwin HQ_renders courtesy of Paragon

“In order to achieve the stringent Net Zero Carbon certification, a project must focus on energy efficiency first,” Alex Varughese, Modelling and Simulations Consultant at Solid Green, explains.

It is necessary to achieve a higher level of energy efficiency than that of a standard green building. And converting to a fully renewable supply also makes the project financially attractive to the developer.

Balwin HQ_renders courtesy of Paragon

The building is targeting an energy consumption of 101kWh/m2/year, far less than the 218kWh/m2/year required by SANS10400 XA for a building of equal size and specification. Energy modelling was carried out in the design stages to compare the building to a notional building model. Greenhouse gas emissions associated with operational energy consumption were reduced by 103%. This was achieved through sub-metering and effective monitoring of energy systems; through the provision of motion sensors to designated zones; and by improving the lighting power density through efficient lighting design.

Because the behaviour of building occupants and users is critical to reduce building energy consumption, a learning resource has been provided that communicates energy and water data as well as educational material on sustainability initiatives implemented in the building.

Balwin HQ_renders courtesy of Paragon

As a refurbishment, one of the key strategies was that of reuse. Says Kim Newell, Associate at Paragon Architects, “In today’s global socio-economic environment, we need to consider resources more carefully. The importance of upcycling existing buildings cannot be overstated. We were able to reuse the entire structure of the building and adapt it to meet the requirements of the brief.”

100% of the building structure was reused, while materials that are typically replaced during a refurb – such as mechanical ducts, fire water piping, balustrades and sanitary fittings and fixtures – were also reused. In addition, the architects managed to keep the concrete structure and the quintessential elevated concrete box, and added the additional level on top, without having to strengthen the foundation.

Balwin HQ_renders courtesy of Paragon

A new steel roof structure houses a 183kW photovoltaic system installation, which has an annual energy production of 285.7MWh, allowing the base building demand to ultimately achieve Net Zero carbon emissions. The existing MV/LV supply infrastructure and metering was reused, including the main LV distribution board. Existing DB boards and electrical installation to the basement parking floors were retained, with only the new parking levels receiving new lighting.

Balwin HQ_renders courtesy of Paragon

Commenting on the importance of this redevelopment, Steve Brookes, CEO of Balwin Properties, says

Targeting a Net Zero carbon certification for Balwin’s head office presented both a challenge and an opportunity. With our vision of better building practices for people and planet in mind, it’s a challenge that we eagerly embraced. The Green Star and Net Zero Carbon certifications for this project have reinforced Balwin as a sustainability leader in the property sector.

Project Team

Owner: Balwin Properties
Accredited professional: Solid Green Consulting
Architect: Paragon
Electrical engineer: Sutherland
Fire engineer: Sutherland
Lift specialist: Kone
Mechanical engineer: Sutherland
Quantity surveyors: JMHT Quantity Surveyors
Structural engineers: Sotiralis Engineers
Sustainable building consultant: Solid Green Consulting
Wet services: Sutherland
Main contractor: Onsite Solutions
Project manager: Onsite Solutions
Environmental consultant : LEAP
Interior designer : Paragon Interface
Commissioning agent: Cardinal Commissioning Services
Renewables: RWP

The post Balwin Headquarters achieves both Net Zero and 6-star certifications appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

ONE represents action – aggressive, ambitious and innovative. ONE represents one people, united against the threat of climate change. It represents one individual after the other joining together to create ONE collective that has the power to change everything.

On Day 1, the team kicked off the convention with a pre-convention catchup at our new offices on 33 Sixth Street, Parkhurst. Aside from being a great time to meet up after almost two years of online meetings, we were also able to strategically plan which parallel GBCSA convention sessions we would be attending and which conversations we were most excited to explore.

On day 2 and 3 of the convention we were fully immersed in the parallel discussion sessions as we spread out into our various interest areas.

The emergence of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investment and its relationship with the green building industry

Liberty two˚degrees sponsored numerous sessions centred around the hot topic of ESG investing with discussions around the basis of ESG strategies for property development, and the role that integrated development plays in improving investor relations and development reputation. This included the emergence of property developers who look at moving beyond certifications to producing better products for their end-users that consider long-term impacts on communities, minimize environmental harm and implement good governance. This is potentially an interesting transition for the sustainable built environment to begin engaging with developers to push thinking towards community engagement, precinct scale sustainable initiatives, and development that fosters diversity and inclusivity.

The importance of water saving mechanisms in our construction industry

Rand Water was one of the main sponsors of the GBCSA Convention. Their statistics show us that in South Africa, a water-scarce country, water use is at 233L per capita per day compared to a world average of approximately 170L per capita per day. Rand Water then presented on the strategies they have implemented to promote water conservation and generate sustainable water which includes advocacy and research. Rand Water has also partnered in post-graduate scientific programmes that support water conservation and generation; and has launched a water wise calculator app which can assist the consumer in understanding their water usage behaviour and how it corresponds with their water bills.

Other discussions covered investment in energy efficiency, which creates three times more jobs than investment in fossil fuels; exciting developments such as legislation recently passed by South Africa that requires larger buildings to report and display energy performance according to SANS; and how some projects have used eco bricks as void fillers.

At the Day 3 Awards, South Africa’s top-rated Green Star projects were announced. Solid Green’s Zendré Compion was the accredited professional on the Balwin Head Quarters (owned by Balwin Properties). This 6-Star rated project placed 2^nd for the Highest Rated Building category, and it is targeting a Net Zero Carbon and Net Zero Waste v1 Rating, as well as an Office As-built rating.

We are especially proud of two of the dedicated, powerful members of our team who brought home GBCSA Leadership Runner-up Awards. Dashiell Coville was named runner up for Established Green Star – the GBCSA recognised his incredible work in bringing sustainable development to the rest of Africa which included making the Green Star rating system fit the slightly different social and environmental contexts in other countries. The work done by Dash resulted in the first Green Star rated building in Botswana, Prime Plaza, and the first Green Star rated office in Nigeria, Project Windsor. Both received 4-Star Green Star Office v1.1 Design ratings.

Alex Varughese, who won the runner up for Rising Green Star, has over years’ 5 experience in delivering Green Star rated buildings with Solid Green, with a focus on the energy performance of buildings. In the last two years, Alex has worked on over 35 Edge, Green Star, Net Zero and New Build certifications, advising project teams on how to rethink their energy use, glass performance and alternative modes of energy.

“It was a wonderful surprise to be nominated and a privilege to be the runner up in the Rising Green Star category, says Alex. “I am super excited about receiving this award. As a company and team, we put a lot of work into every green building project that we are involved in, and it is wonderful to be recognised for the work done. I want to especially mention and thank my colleagues in the modelling department at Solid Green for all the for hard work, assistance and collaboration that is required for all our projects. While winning the award is an amazing achievement, I understand that this is just the beginning and more will be required to achieve “greener” buildings in South Africa and beyond.”

We are very excited about the transition of the green building industry which was showcased through the convention, and we are extremely proud of the excellent contribution that our team is making towards furthering the sustainability agenda across the continent. We look forward to participating again at the Green Building Convention 2022!

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Balwin Properties has been a dream of mine since I was a 14-year-old boy. It’s a fantastic business made up of partners and collaborations of professionals – I’m very proud of our people. We want to make this a better place and aim to be the leading residential property developers in South Africa.

Made up of four basement levels and five office floors, the development will push its sustainability ambitions even further by aiming for Net Zero Carbon and Net Zero Waste certifications. Paragon, who handled the original design of the building, was also commissioned to undertake the refurbishment.

This entailed the removal of the three iconic cone-shaped elements from the building and the addition of two new floors under the elevated concrete box. The original building had a double volume storage area in the basement. An additional slab was cast into this space to add another level of parking to the building. In the existing double volume from ground floor to first floor a new floor slab was cast on upper ground level to increase the GLA. On the roof level a steel structure was added as a third floor to the building. The steel roof will house a photovoltaic installation that will provide sustainable power for the development. The architects managed to keep the concrete structure and the quintessential elevated concrete box, and added the additional level on top, without having to strengthen the foundation.

Solid Green assisted the project team with the integration of Green Star objectives and processes throughout the design and construction phases. Architect Kim Newell from Paragon says, “It has been very interesting to have Solid Green on board as it has helped us greatly to achieve the Green Star certification. Originally, we had designed a full glass form that fitted into the existing concrete box, and we had in mind a similar design for the roof. But, to make that design function in terms of sustainability, we were looking at double glazed performance glazing that would cost a fortune. Solid Green also advised us in terms of glare and thermal issues, as the glazed building would not have been a very comfortable space in which to work.”

The design had always included timber fins that the architect envisioned for shading and much of the glass was also replaced by vertical brickwork panels, as is visible in the architectural renderings. Says Newell, “Replacing the glass changed the aesthetic, which is still very successful with the black brick panels, dark grey glazing and the timber fins that will be fitted onto the building. It is going to be a very interesting, as well as comfortable, building for people to work in and visit.”

The timber fins, which will be installed in January 2022, are a design element that looks easy but needed quite some tweaking. The type of wood used is FSC certified Accoya, and the team had to attend several workshops with this very durable type of wood to get the detailing right. Solid Green provided guidance on the spacing and angling of the fins to achieve the right amount of thermal comfort.

Zendré Compion, Senior Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green on this major refurbishment, comments, “There is inherent value in refurbishment projects like this, and the Green Star tool is set up in a way that credits building projects for doing major refurbishments. Not only did this project use previously developed land, but it also reused 100% of the original structure, only adding structural elements in order to increase the building lettable area.

A commissioning expert was included in the team to ensure that the building is commissioned to the highest standard, while Balwin has an in-house team member who is responsible for renewable projects and will look after building tuning upon completion.

The value of tuning and commissioning is easily underestimated on projects but, where Commissioning professionals are included from project inception, building systems perform better, are more reliable, and lead to a reduction in energy and water consumption. The base building rating has greatly benefitted from the project’s renewables component that has also enabled Balwin to target Net Zero Carbon for their headquarters.

Project Team

Owner Balwin Properties
Accredited professional Solid Green Consulting
Architect Paragon
Electrical engineer Sutherland
Fire engineer Sutherland
Lift specialist Kone
Mechanical engineer Sutherland
Quantity surveyors JMHT Quantity Surveyors
Structural engineers Sotiralis Engineers
Sustainable building consultant Solid Green Consulting
Wet services Sutherland
Main contractor Onsite Solutions
Project manager Onsite Solutions
Environmental consultant LEAP
Interior designer Paragon Interface
Commissioning agent Cardinal Commissioning Services
Renewables RWP

The post Balwin Headquarters – Net Zero ambitions for a 6-star building appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

We left the two structures, converted the main building into the main office space (with kitchen and ablutions) and designed the outbuilding at the back of the property as a multi-purpose space with a large boardroom which could also function as a yoga/exercise or chill space. We started demolition in early 2020 and, when COVID hit, there wasn’t much of the structure left; and it took a while before we were allowed to continue building the structure up again. So, how has COVID made us rethink the spaces we were building?

Building Structure

Early on in the specification process, we decided to pioneer a Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) structure for the roof, instead of using a concrete coffer slab. This was done to reduce the building’s embodied energy, and because it is much lighter and therefore helped to reduce the amount of strengthening and modification that the foundations required.

However, a CLT roof is quite expensive and it was a considerable cost in our budget. Lockdown hit and we were all working from home for a number of weeks. Our successful transition to remote working helped us to realise that a phased approach might work. So, we decided against constructing the CLT roof immediately. We installed the glulam timber beams for a future CLT roof, but opted a more economical roofing solution. When we eventually get the rights for a second floor, and if we need it, we will close the office for a couple of weeks and make the adjustment in the future.

Need for smaller meeting rooms/phone booths

With the move to online and remote working, the space planning allows for maximum flexibility and churn in terms of how power is supplied, and the old ablutions have been transformed into phone/meeting booths to meet the need for video conferencing.

Initially the kitchen and the ablutions were located within the main office building, and we planned a mostly open space office plan. During COVID we realised that we need smaller meeting rooms where staff can take a video call with their project teams. So, we transformed the toilet rooms and the kitchen into smaller meeting rooms, and the ablutions and kitchen moved to the multi-purpose room in the back of the building.

Working from home to the max

Solid Green has always had a “working from home” policy and staff were working from home 2 to 3 days a week. The idea with the new office was that we wanted to create an office environment for flexible working with no allocated desks/workspaces. We had 20 workstations in our old office and decided to only take 8 desks to the new office. The remainder of the desks were donated to Streetlight Schools. This was good forward thinking!

Energy Neutral Building

We always had the goal that our office would be extremely energy efficient, while still thermally comfortable. Over the December holidays, most of the things lying on site were taken away by more needy people. Then, in early January, our Distribution Board was stolen from the site. And, as if that was not enough, a week later the municipal electricity meter was also taken! We quickly installed the solar system with inverter and battery system, and we are up and running. In fact, we ran all the construction activities (including grinders) with solar power and we are now running on 100% solar in the office and are no longer connected to the municipal supply.

Flooring options

We researched the most sustainable flooring option for the office. Due to a height difference, this would have required putting in a raised floor system and we wanted to have a linoleum floor on top of that. Most people will pull up their nose at Linoleum as it is seen as a “hospital product”. However, the product has evolved over time and it is really a beautiful product in different finishes. And now linoleum is made from all-natural materials, including wood flour, rosins, ground limestone, powdered cork, pigments, jute and linseed oil. It really is one of the most sustainable flooring options available.

Linoleum is still our preferred flooring option, but due to COVID we had to look for a more economical option. We are currently investigating upcycling used carpet tiles (more about this in the next newsletter) as a temporary solution.

Recycling – Upcycling

During demolition, we aimed to ensure that there was limited waste going to landfill. Most of the materials, including timber and bricks, were reused or recycled somewhere. The old Oregon pine roof timbers which were cleaned up, inspected and reused as the outside decking. And the interior fitout is going to be put together from mainly recycled, reused or upcycled materials.

A renovation always takes more time than you think and never progresses according to the planned schedule, especially when it is interrupted by a global pandemic! There is still some work to be done on our dream office. The back buildings still need to be renovated and transformed, and we intend to build an attenuation pond/wetland system so that we do not have to release any stormwater into the municipal system. And, over the coming months, we are going to upgrade the landscaping, plant a veggie garden, create an outdoor seating area, and make our space comfortable with fitting and soft furnishings. That being said, we are already loving our new home and are looking forward to developing it further this year!

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