The fit-out is housed in a base building with an existing 4-Star Green Star Office v1.1 Design certification. Covering a total usable area of 5,941m² and designed by Thinkspace in close collaboration with ENS and various expert consultants, the office interiors provide various unique spaces in which to work privately, collaboratively, and to interact socially with colleagues and clients.

With both functionality and comfort in mind, a collection of sound-proofed spaces offers privacy and cutting-edge technology that enables seamless e-meetings, each with its own dedicated and customisable settings for temperature, air flow and lighting.

Elri Syfert, sustainable building consultant at Solid Green, comments:

These enclosed spaces provide appropriate speech privacy levels, in accordance with the ‘Performance’ method, with sound insulation between acoustically sensitive rooms and other occupied spaces.

Guido Tagge, director at Thinkspace, adds, “These versatile areas cater to both formal and informal interactions. The end result is an ideal setting for focused work and collaboration.

“Contrasting with these intimate individual-orientated spaces are the accessible communal areas on each level. Designed to foster natural collaborative flow, the communal meeting and working spaces have access to ample natural light and breathtaking views. They also have custom planters housing indigenous African plants, organic-shaped lights and environmental land-art-inspired walkways designed to give impressive views over the city. Waterpoints and feature handwash stations are strategically positioned in each wing to allow easy access to hygiene, not only in response to our learnings from the recent pandemic but also to make hand washing accessible as part of the workplace of the future.”

Choice of materials was also an important consideration that contributed towards the certification. The furniture, assemblies and floor coverings specified have third party eco-labels and certificates, demonstrating reduced environmental impact. Most of the appliances and tenant equipment in the fit-out are rated under the Energy Star® system or the European Energy Labelling scheme, while all printers and photocopiers within the occupiable area of the building meet the standards for low harmful emissions.

“We have adopted a saying ‘more than this’,” says Mzi Mgudlwa, Chief Executive ENS.

This means that our business doesn’t only revolve around what we do, and the wonderful people we work with and for. Rather, our business is about truly caring about what matters. We want to go all out to make a “differENS” that counts.

Lee Mendelsohn, Chief Operating Officer ENS, adds, “It was a pleasure working with the Solid Green team on this important project. Their dedication, integrity and expertise in guiding us to ensure that what we do now, and going forward, is sustainable, is truly commendable.”

Standard Operational Floors

The office floor concept revolves around “OWN Spaces” (OS), providing a uniform office solution for each individual staff member, regardless of employment status.

All OSs are centrally situated in clusters around the inner core, intentionally separated from façade lines to maximize natural light in common areas and accommodate shared functions. Each OS is identical in size and design, emphasising visual and acoustic privacy and with optimised storage, individual lighting and air-conditioning control, own filtered ventilation, virtual/e-meeting call background branding, and a whiteboard.

Cluster configurations ensure smooth traffic flow, connectivity to natural light and city views, which are shared by everyone, and access to communal facilities such as print stations, water points, central storage and meeting rooms.

Client-facing Floors

Levels 22 and 23 are ENS’s direct connection to the world, clients and visitors. They redefine standards by embodying the brand essence, while catering equally to client and staff needs.

These floors are divided into two distinct functions: a welcoming meeting environment and a versatile restaurant space. With separate entrances yet connected internally, these areas seamlessly converge with a state-of-the-art open cooking kitchen, strategically positioned at the heart of the building.

The restaurant provides diverse seating arrangements with varying levels of privacy, including enclosed sections, which can be transformed into multifunctional presentation spaces, and an abundance of planters housing indigenous African plants and accessible hand washing stations. This environment, enhanced by upscale finishes and captivating city views, prioritises flexibility, hospitality and the wellbeing of staff.

Managed through the welcome desk, the client meeting areas are conveniently linked via an interconnecting staircase, which encases a planter. Here, the design, flow, finishes and branding ensure a cohesive and immersive experience for clients.

ENS’s fit-out is a testament to the organisation’s commitment to sustainability and wellbeing. By integrating nature-inspired elements, energy-efficient technologies, and collaborative spaces, this project exemplifies the future of office design – where productivity, wellbeing and environmental consciousness coexist in harmony.

Project Team

Owner: ENS
Accredited professional: Solid Green Consulting
Architect: DHK
Interior designer: Thinkspace
Electrical engineer: Converge Consulting
Fire engineer: Sutherland Engineers
Mechanical engineer: Ekcon Engineers & Project Managers
Quantity surveyors: Du Toit Pienaar Quantity Surveyors
Sustainable design review: Solid Green Consulting
Sustainable building consultant: Solid Green Consulting
Wet services: Sutherland Engineers
Main contractor: Stabilid Cape
Project manager: Abland
Environmental consultant: Vivienne Stern & Associates

The post ENS Interiors Certification – Collaboration, Productivity and Wellbeing appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Building H is targeting a 4-star design rating. In keeping with the precinct’s design guidelines, there are numerous sustainable design elements such as LED light fittings as well as low flow sanitary fittings throughout the building. Motion sensors are used for lighting in the basements, lobby and toilets, and real-time energy consumption will be on display in the lobby. All the energy as well as water meters can be connected to an offsite monitoring system. An upscale generator provides a full power backup, while a domestic water back up can provide water to the building for two days.

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 has also targeted to have over 70% of their construction waste reused or recycled. Furthermore, contractors on the project have been conscious of the materials used within the structure, making use of concrete with reduced Portland cement and reinforced steel made of 92% of recycled content. The project achieved innovation points for a GSSAAP team, where 5 professional team members and 4 members of the main contractor successfully completed the online Green Star New Buildings course, ensuring an enhanced understanding of the Green Star rating tool.

Bryan Charters, director of Nsika Architects, says the building is in a very visually prominent position on the corner of William Nicol and Montecasino Boulevard. He adds, “The visibility is key to its design and positioning, whilst respecting its orientation to the north and movement of the sun.” Besides the north orientation, the architect made use of several passive design elements in terms of energy efficiency. The east and west facades have less glazing, while the northern façade has deep overhangs and shading to keep direct sunlight out. Additionally, the northern façade is double glazed with low-E performance glazing.

Charters continues:

The fact that Omnia is taking the entire building allowed us some design flexibility. We were able to introduce a three-storey atrium in the lobby, interconnecting three levels. The roof garden with large planters and timber screens offers views all the way to the Magaliesberg. We try to encourage open air and outdoor environments for gatherings.

The reception and lobby area in the atrium will have an internal water feature, coffee station and a planted three-storey high atrium wall. Glass balustrading and an open staircase encourage the use of stairs instead of lifts. Each level has opening windows and access to external balconies for fresh air.

Monte Circle Building H has followed on from four previous successful Green Star rated buildings within the Monte Circle development. With an innovative approach to property development, Abland considers every detail from sustainable building practices, transport links, connectivity, state-of-the-art security, accessibility, green surroundings and improved work performance. Tinus van Zyl, project manager at Abland says:

Collaborating with a project team who share a common vision makes the certification process that much easier and allows us to push harder for sustainable solutions. It inspires us to develop more Green Star rated spaces.

Project Team

Owner : Abland
Accredited Professional : Solid Green Consulting
Architect : Nsika Architects
Electrical engineer : RWP Taemane Consulting Engineers
Fire engineer : International Fire Engineering (IFESA)
Lift specialist : Climate Control Consulting Engineers (C3 Engineers)
Mechanical engineer : Climate Control Consulting Engineers (C3 Engineers)
Quantity surveyors : Quanticost
Structural engineer : L&S Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Sustainable design review : Solid Green Consulting
Sustainable building consultant : Solid Green Consulting
Wet services : Wills Franklin Pretorius (Pty) Ltd (WF-P)
Main contractor : Gothic Construction
Project manager : Abland
Environmental consultant : Strategic Environmental Focus (Pty) Ltd
Facilities management company : Abreal
Occupational health & safety manager : Rhulani Safety Consultants
Waste contractor : Lifetime Plumbing
Cleaning contractor : Gothic Construction
Landscape management company : Life Landscapes
Electrical contractor : Mocwiri Electrical
Lift specialist : Schindler

The post Monte Circle Building H: 4 STARS INSPIRED BY A COMMON VISION appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Irene Link Building B, with a GFA of 7,359 sqm, is the second building in the 75,000sqm Irene Link Precinct commercial office park in Centurion, which will extend along the N1 Highway up to the Botha Avenue off-ramp, and will include a 15,000sqm retail and lifestyle centre.

Irene Link Building B. Render credit: Nsika-Architecture.

Westend Building D, with a GFA of 6,800sqm, is part of the A-Grade Westend Office Park located in Centurion. The site is within walking distance of the Gautrain station and is close to Centurion Mall, with easy accessibility to highways and major routes.

Westend D. Render credit: MWLF Architects.

“We work hard to deliver everything a corporate tenant needs, from first-rate security to good accessibility and low cost of occupation,” says Hendrik Van Zyl, Regional Director at Abland.

In line with our aim of being fit-for-purpose and future-focused, both buildings are designed to have efficient floor plates with flexible, open plan work environments that accommodate a variety of tenants and allow for ease of churn.

Makhosazana Mthethwa, sustainable building consultant at Solid Green, explains that both buildings incorporate a number of green building principles that are geared towards user wellbeing. She says, “Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become imperative that the design and management of buildings address users’ health and wellbeing, to mitigate disease and absenteeism and to enhance productivity.”

Irene Link Building B was designed to have its own strong identity and visual impact adjacent to the existing Green Star rated Barloworld Automotive and Logistics building. In keeping with the envisioned architectural language of the precinct, the design employs high performance glazing, off shutter concrete feature elements, textured exterior rendering and aluminium sun screening – contemporary materials that knit the building into its context whilst maintaining a unique architectural identity.

Render credit: Nsika-Architecture.

At Westend Office Park, the concept was a group of buildings that respond to a central design theme, but with each building having its own unique identity. Taking forward a strong diagonal element that was introduced in the precinct’s Building C, Building D’s facades are further articulated with strong, asymmetric geometric forms that allow for an interesting play of solid and void.

Render credit: MWLF Architects.

“Resource efficiency was a key consideration for both Abland and its tenants, and passive energy design and energy efficient mechanical systems were required from the outset,” explains Dash Coville, sustainable building consultant at Solid Green.

Because accurate data is essential to understanding and managing building systems, and to assessing opportunities for resource savings, both projects have sub-metering of major water and energy consuming systems in place.

The buildings make use of water efficient sanitaryware fittings as well as water-wise landscaping and irrigation to support water consumption reduction strategies. In both cases, all lighting used is energy efficient LED; and motion sensors were installed to lighting in common areas. The Irene building also has a thermal energy storage system to reduce the building’s peak energy demand. All paints, adhesives, sealants and carpets have low VOC emissions. And, at the Westend building, an excess of 70% of all building waste generated during construction was recycled or reused. Furthermore, there is space allocated on site for separating and sorting recyclable waste during the building operation.

To encourage activity, Irene Link Building B has an attractive and accessible staircase designed to motivate users to walk rather than using lifts; and Westend has secure bicycle storage for employees and visitors, as well as shower and changing facilities for freshening up.

Both Irene Link Building B and Westend Office Park Building D contribute to driving best-practice principals in the commercial office sector by responding well to their respective contexts, optimising resource efficiency, and offering optimal service provision for users.

PROJECT TEAMS:

Irene Link Building B:

Westend Office Park Building D:

Render credit: MWLF Architects.

The post Fit for Purpose and Future Focused appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Image credit Abland.

“The HVAC system implemented therefore provides a high proportion of good quality outside air,” she explains.

Smoking inside the building is prohibited; and only interior finishes with low Volatile Organic Compounds have been specified for the fitout. In addition, all gaseous and fire suppression systems and thermal insulants used have an Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) of zero.

An energy model was generated in the design stages of the building to ensure that thermal comfort levels are within the ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 Acceptability Limits for at least 98% of occupied hours. Various energy initiatives were implemented to reduce the overall energy consumption of the building. All individual spaces or enclosed spaces are individually switched with occupancy sensors to offer greater flexibility for light switching; and care was taken to ensure that the office lighting is not over designed, and that artificial lighting with minimal energy consumption was specified.

Image credit Abland.

This reduction in operational energy consumption will ensure that Greenhouse Gas Emissions are minimised during the building’s lifecycle. As data gathering is essential to assessing opportunities for energy savings, sub-metering of major energy consuming systems was implemented.

Sub-metering of major water consuming systems is also in place. The building was designed to reduce the consumption of potable water for the building’s fire protection and essential water storage systems; and occupant water usage was limited to 0.4L/day/m2 thanks to the specification of water efficient fittings.

Image credit Abland.

Project specific Environmental and Waste Management Plans were developed and implemented during the construction phase to establish guidelines that minimise the environmental impact associated with construction activities, and to minimise the contribution of waste going to landfill.

As transparency in terms of perceived Green Building premiums is extremely important to help drive sustainability in the sector, Lakeview Phase II completed the financial transparency criteria to assist the GBCSA with market research and to help create a broader public awareness around the actual cost of Green Buildings.

“Nedbank has once again confirmed its dedication to driving green building in the property sector by committing to both 4-Star Green Star Office V1.1 Design and 5-Star As-Built certifications. This includes operational benefits expected from 45% energy savings compared to an average office building,” Sherratt concludes.

Collaborating with a client and professional team who share a common vision has made the certification process that much easier and has allowed each professional to push for sustainable solutions within their area of expertise, resulting in the significant achievement of the 5-star rating in As-Built.

Project Team

OWNER & CLIENT: Nedbank
DEVELOPER: Abland
ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL & SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSULTANT: Solid Green Consulting
ARCHITECT & WET SERVICES: MWLF Architects
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: Claassen Auret
FIRE ENGINEER: IFE SA International Fire Engineering
LIFT SPECIALIST: Quality in Motion
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: Spoormaker & Partners
QUANTITY SURVEYORS: Quanticost
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: WSP
MAIN CONTRACTOR: Tiber
PROJECT MANAGER: Morta Project Management
LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS: Connie Pretorius Landscaping
IRRIGATION CONSULTANT: Controlled Irrigation

The post As-Built certification for Lakeview Phase II 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.

Photo credited to Abland Property Developers.

Located on Corobay Avenue in the heart of Pretoria, the 12,000sqm office development will offer Menlyn Central’s users access to a range of local amenities such as top retail shops, hotels, conference facilities, health clubs and a variety of value-added services. And recent infrastructure upgrades mean that the site is easily accessible from the N1 freeway via the Atterbury and Garsfontein off-ramps.

Both the Gautrain and public bus services pass by the Menlyn Central site and, with its proximity to local amenities, the overall number of automobile trips taken by building users is expected to be reduced. In addition, 3-phase electric car charging stations have been installed on all Office parking levels.

Photo credited to Abland Property Developers.

The building is equipped with modern security systems, lower energy consumption features, and interiors that were designed to facilitate greater productivity and flexibility. Energy and water sub-metering have been employed to enable the building to be effectively managed and to facilitate the outcomes of the various sustainable initiatives that have been implemented. The meters are connected to a system which presents live data on a visual display in the reception area of the building.

With South Africa’s continued reliance on fossil fuel (coal) for energy production, energy efficiency is a key factor in reducing the development’s contribution to carbon emissions. Accordingly, an energy efficient 4-pipe chilled water system was specified to condition the air in the building. This is coupled with a thermal energy storage system. The combined effect results in an energy efficient building that also has a significantly reduced peak energy demand during the day. In addition, 100% of lighting installed in the building is LED, and all lights within the offices have motion sensors.

Occupants’ comfort and enjoyment of their surroundings is significantly increased by incorporating natural light and views, and the building’s floor plates were designed to optimise both daylighting and views to the outside, with all vision glazing equipped with manually operated blinds as part of the base build.

Photo credited to Abland Property Developers.

Avoiding materials and chemicals that create harmful or toxic emissions is essential in promoting the health and wellbeing of users. Accordingly, only paints, adhesives, sealants and carpets with low VOC emissions have been specified.

Menlyn Central is located in semi-arid Gauteng, and water efficiency was an important consideration. Low flow/flush water closets, urinals and faucet fixtures have been selected to ensure potable water usage is minimised; and, over and above normal water metering, flow sensors will be installed on all sanitary ware to detect water leaks from taps and flush mechanisms.

The building also boasts a condensate collection system which allows air-conditioning condensate to be collected and re-used. Furthermore, the Dealership’s major water usage, its Basement Carwash system, recycles up to 75% of its water in order to attain efficient water usage.

As the newest addition to Menlyn Maine and surrounds, Menlyn Central is contributing to the high-performance ethos of its urban precinct, and is helping to further embed sustainability as ‘business-as-usual’ in the South African commercial real estate sector.

More info and sustainable building features can be found on the Menlyn Central project page.

Project Team

OWNER: Abland (Pty) Ltd obo Menlyn Maine Towers (Pty) Ltd
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: CKR
QUANTITY SURVEYORS: Quanticost
ARCHITECTS: Boogertman and Partners
FIRE ENGINEER: Ronnie Koekemoer
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: C3 Engineers
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSULTANT: Solid Green Consulting
WET SERVICES: GK Pereira Consulting
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: DG Consulting
PROJECT MANAGER: Abland (Pty) Ltd
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN REVIEW: Solid Green Consulting
MAIN CONTRACTOR: WBHO Construction

Photo credited to Abland Property Developers.

The post Menlyn Central adds to Menlyn Maine’s offerings appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Kamogelo Mmutlana, CEO: Barloworld Automotive & Logistics, explains that their new home aligns to the company’s growth ambitions of being a modern, future-focused and fit-for-purpose organisation. The sculptural, contemporary building, which is designed to accommodate 380 staff members over four floors, rests on a podium formed by two naturally ventilated basements. In contrast to Barloworld’s previous offices, the building design incorporates a flexible, open plan working environment that allows for improved productivity.

Barloworld Automotive and Logistics Head Office in Centurion has recently been awarded a 5-Star Green Star SA Design Rating v1.1.

A viable implementation strategy

“Resource efficiency was a major consideration for both the owners and tenant,” says Simon van Helsdingen, Property Development Manager at Abland.

During the past three years, the Centurion and Irene areas have experienced regular water interruptions. And, in keeping with best green building practice worldwide, passive energy design and energy efficient mechanical systems were required from the outset. The inclusion of sustainability features meant that we could target a 5-Star rating during the design process, as opposed to the initially anticipated 4-Star rating.

The 5,860sqm building accommodates meeting rooms, a gym, a coffee shop and cyclist facilities for staff and visitors, among other amenities and is enclosed in a highly transparent envelope that gives access to views over the surrounding urban context. P.W. Hattingh, project architect at Nsika Architecture & Design, says, “From the inception of the project the design team and developers were like-minded that this project would try to achieve a high level of energy efficiency that will benefit the end-user. Best practice principals such as effective building envelope design, efficient energy use and good indoor environmental quality, were paired with commercially effective design and a viable implementation strategy.”

A vertical aerofoil louvre fin structure was chosen for the eastern and northern envelope, acting as a ‘permeable jacket’ to keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter.

Carefully considered façade design

The concept focused on creating a simple floor plate form allowing for a high rentable ratio efficiency so that resources could be channelled into a strongly aesthetic envelope. “The superstructure, as well as the choice of façade system and glazing type, were major design consideration,” Hattingh explains.

The idea was to create a permeable glass envelope that would sit lightly on a naturally ventilated basement. Time was spent to optimize the structural design in relation to the building material weight, and to create a good glazed-to- solid façade ratio. This allowed for a market-related structural design on very difficult soil conditions while also achieving optimal natural internal lighting quality with ample external views.

Both the northern and western facades are double-glazed, to improve internal thermal conditions and address acoustic challenges arising from the adjacent highway. With a ratio of more than 80:20 between glass and solid façades, several shading design options were investigated. A vertical aerofoil louvre fin structure was chosen to wrap around 42% of the building’s eastern and northern envelope. The louvres act as a ‘permeable jacket’ to keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter. This is achieved by optimizing the aerofoil fin spacing and angle of the fins for each façade orientation.

The development is situated in Irene Link, a 75,000sqm precinct located along the N1 highway.

Resource efficient systems

Due to the recent water interruptions, it was decided from the outset to minimise water use in the building and to provide effective and safe back-up water supply. Dash Coville, Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green, explains:

The building makes use of water efficient sanitaryware fittings as well as water-wise landscaping and irrigation to support the water consumption reduction strategy. A rainwater storage and filtration system was also introduced into the building. The system collects rainwater from the roof and purifies it to a potable level for use throughout the building. These initiatives have led to a major reduction in municipal potable water consumption.

In terms of energy efficiencies, a large 120kW photovoltaic system was designed by Barloworld Power. The system is expected to reduce the building’s annual energy consumption by 200MWh. In addition, 100% of the building’s light fittings are LED, which are connected to motion sensors.
A Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system, which enables a levelling out and reduction of the building’s peak energy demand, has also been incorporated into the building’s design. This is achieved by ‘charging’ thermal storage tanks containing glycol-water during off-peak periods when electricity is cheaper and the country’s energy demand is low. During normal operating conditions, the charged TES tanks then supply additional cooling energy to the building, reducing the municipal energy demand. This process reduces the designed HVAC system’s full load by up to 50%.

Energy and water sub-metering have been employed, which will enable the building to be effectively managed and the outcomes of the implemented sustainable initiatives realised. The meters are connected to a system which presents live data on a visual display, which is located in the reception area of the building and supplies real-time consumption information to building users and visitors.

The design intention was to create a permeable glass envelope that sits lightly on a naturally ventilated basement.

A benchmark for Irene Link

Barloworld Automotive & Logistics Head Office is joining the global community in combating the negative effects of climate change and preserving our planet. In doing so, it sets a high standard for future buildings in the precinct and contributes to driving best practice principals in the commercial building sector.

Water-wise landscaping and irrigation in the surrounding outdoor spaces support the water consumption reduction strategy.

Project Team:

Developer: Abland (Pty) Ltd
Owner:  Abland (Pty) Ltd, Giflo Developments and SOM
Accredited Professional: Solid Green Consulting
Architect: Nsika Architecture & Design
Electrical Engineer: Taemane Consulting Engineers
Fire Engineer: Ronald Koekemoer & Associates Fire Protection Engineering Consultants
Mechanical Engineer: C3 Engineering
Quantity Surveyors: Quanticost
Structural Engineers: DG Consulting Engineers
Sustainable Building Consultant: Solid Green Consulting
Wet Services: GK Pereira Consulting
Main Contractor: WBHO
Project Manager: Abland (Pty) Ltd
Landscape Management Company: Insite Landscape Architects

The post 5-Star Certification for new Barloworld Automotive & Logistics Head Office in Centurion appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

The potjie started at 09:00, and the remainder of the team arrived to support and add spirit to the occasion. The potjie was made to a secret recipe with lamb shin as the primary ingredient, and assorted vegetables. To accompany the lamb potjie, we set up our solar cooker and made rotis. While our rolling pin skills may not have been up to scratch, everyone was impressed with the solar cooker as a sustainable feature.

When the Judges arrived to taste our food, they were impressed with the combination and the spirit of the group. The potjie must have been good as no leftovers remained! It was a truly great day in honour of a good cause. The event was held to raise funds for the Abland Group Foundation, which provides help to communities with skills development, socio-economic development and enterprise development. Unfortunately, Solid Green did not place in the Top 5 winners, but we represented ourselves well and are looking forward to the next competition.

The post Relishing the Abland Potjiekos Competition 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.

“35 Lower Long is a significant project for Abland as we are aiming to transform the Cape Town skyline,” comments Marios Michaelides of Abland.

Not only is the timeless design visually important, but it also had to take into account sustainable practices. As a market leader, Abland recognises the importance of driving change and, through obtaining a Green Star rating, we are able to do that as well as partner with tenants that share the same vision.

The development’s prominent location allows building occupants to easily access surrounding amenities with reduced reliance on private occupancy vehicles. It is within 150m walking distance of MyCitiBus stops on various routes that connect to city districts in the north, south, east and west; and is also within walking distance of Cape Town Station, which connects to various Metrorail Stops and to the MyCityBus network. Close to the popular foreshore precinct and the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the building is within easy walking distance of various amenities in the area, including hotels and restaurants, retail outlets and schools.

Built on a very constrained brownfields site, the new office building is specifically designed to equip tenants with knowledge and skills around sustainability, and to give them a workplace that enhances their productivity – with interiors boasting various spaces to work privately and collaboratively, and to interact socially. Green building features were incorporated from the outset to enable employee wellbeing and to reduce the overall consumption of resources.

Lighting levels were designed to be 80% less than the prescribed standard, while still being above the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) requirements. Only high frequency luminaire ballasts will be installed, eliminating the chance of discomfort to building users caused by the flicker of low frequency lamps. All individual or enclosed spaces are less than 100sqm in size and are individually switched in order to provide greater flexibility, making it easy to light only occupied areas. Lighting sensors have also been specified to assist with this target. And, to reduce energy consumption, the lighting power density for 95% of the useable area is less than 1.5W/m2 per 100m2.

The behaviour of occupants is critical to reducing the building’s overall consumption, and gathering information is key to understanding and managing building systems, and to assessing opportunities for energy and water savings. Accordingly, sub-metering of lighting, power and all substantive energy use items greater than 100kVA is provided, along with an effective mechanism for monitoring energy consumption. The estimated operational saving for energy is R48,500 per month based on a notional building improvement of 48%, with carbon emissions reduced by 34kgCO2/m2/yr.

Management of water consumption was also a key consideration. Water meters and an automated monitoring mechanism are in place to effectively monitor and manage consumption. This monitoring system will also be able to detect leaks and alert management, ensuring that little to no water is wasted. These measures have resulted in the building’s outflow from occupant usage being reduced by 50% against an average practice benchmark. The operational saving for water is estimated at R3,700 per month based on a projected consumption of 0,46L/day/m2.

In addition, the project’s Variable Refrigerant Volume HVAC System has an air-cooled chilled water plant, which reduces water wastage as water is not required to cool down the system. The system also makes use of refrigerant with an ozone depleting potential of zero. Hot water is provided by a heat pump, for use in showers and bathrooms throughout the building.

A 40sqm waste recycling storage area has been provided in the basement to encourage recycling of resources used within the building to reduce waste going to landfill (for paper and cardboard; plastic, glass and cans; metals; and general waste), with recycling waste to be collected weekly.

Paints, carpets, adhesives and sealants and composite wood products used within the building will be specifically selected to minimise emissions typical of these materials. The construction is targeting 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 on the project; and that 95% (by cost) of all timber products used in the building and construction works should be specified to be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified Timber, reused or recycled timber.

Jesse Hamman, sustainability consultant on the project, observes:

The fact that the project team was knowledgeable on the Green Star submission process and green building design requirements made the certification process much easier.

As an iconic new addition to the Foreshore precinct, this sculptural edifice will further entrench in the construction sector the green building and occupant wellbeing principles that we are beginning to expect from leading developments in the country.

Project Team:

• Owner: Abland (Pty) Ltd and Ellerine Bros (Pty) Ltd
• Architect: DHK
• Electrical Engineer: Converge Consulting
• Fire Engineer: Sutherland Engineers
• Mechanical Engineer: Ekcon Engineers
• Quantity Surveyors: Du Toit Pienaar Quantity Surveyors
• Structural Engineers: Aurecon Engineers
• Sustainable Building Consultant: Solid Green Consulting
• Wet Services: Sutherland Engineers
• Main Contractor: Stabilid Cape
• Project Manager: Abland (Pty) Ltd
• Environmental Consultant: Green Direction

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