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

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“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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Situated within walking distance of both the Gautrain and the Metro bus stops, the development is close to the Post House Centre, giving easy access to amenities such as retail outlets and restaurants. The building boasts various spaces to work privately and collaboratively, and to interact socially; and it facilitates employee wellness by incorporating spaces such as a canteen for daily meals and crèche for young families.

Green building features were incorporated from the outset, to demonstrate commitment to sustainability, enable employee wellbeing, and reduce resource consumption. Energy strategies were implemented to reduce the overall energy consumption of the building, thus reducing energy expenses as well as greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy generation from fossil fuels.

Lighting levels were designed to be 80% less than the prescribed standard, while still being above the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) requirements so that sufficient lighting is provided for specific tasks without wasting electricity. All individual or enclosed spaces are less than 100sqm in size, and are individually switched. This approach, together with light intensity and motion detector sensors used throughout the building, offers greater flexibility for light switching, making it easy to light only occupied areas.

All office lighting, both direct and indirect, is equipped with electronic programmable lighting ballasts, which allow the building management team to address each ballast individually. All ballasts are high frequency luminaires, eliminating the chance of discomfort to building users caused by the flicker of low frequency lamps.

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 water and energy 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. An integrated BMS system records and logs all energy and water usage within the building, and this data can be displayed in real time.

Management of water consumption was also a key consideration. The HVAC system is a cooled air system, which uses minimal water. Sanitary fittings were installed that reduce predicted potable water consumption by building occupants. Water meters and an automated monitoring mechanism are in place to effectively monitor and manage consumption. These measures have resulted in the building’s outflow from occupant usage being reduced by 50% against an average practice benchmark.

In accordance with the base build certification requirements, a waste recycling storage area was provided 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.

Jesse Hamman, Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green and the Green Star accredited professional on the project, says:

It was a pleasure to work with such an experienced project team. The developer sought not only to provide the tenant with lower utility costs, but tenant and occupant wellbeing was also of top priority – a philosophy that is being carried through to the project’s interior fitout.

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Green building initiatives implemented since the design certification include ice storage, rainwater harvesting, and innovation credits. Says Annelide Sherratt, sustainability consultant at Solid Green and the accredited professional (AP) on the project:

Working with a like-minded professional project team, developers and client such as those on Lakeview Phase II, who share common views on sustainability, made the project a pleasure to work on and allowed each professional to push for sustainable solutions within their area of expertise.

The 12,542m2 office building consists of 4 office levels and 3 basement levels. The project implemented several environmental initiatives to improve wellbeing of the occupants in the building that in return contributes to enhanced work performance. Sherratt explains that:

As humans spend over 90% of their lives indoors, exposure to air pollutants can be far greater indoors than outdoors. The HVAC system implemented here therefore provides a high proportion of good quality outside air to counteract the build-up of indoor pollutants. The building prohibits smoking inside the building to further ensure optimum air quality; and only interior finishes with low Volatile Organic Compounds have been specified within the fitout.

To achieve a high level of thermal comfort for the building occupants, the building was modelled in a simulation program. Various energy initiatives were also implemented to reduce the overall energy consumption of the building. As the behaviour of the building occupants is crucial to the building’s energy performance, energy submetering was installed for all substantive energy uses within the building, to facilitate ongoing monitoring and management of energy consumption; and a Building Management System (BMS) was incorporated to actively control and optimise the effectiveness of building services.

Occupancy sensors are installed throughout the building to provide flexibility related to light switching and to prevent wasting energy in unoccupied spaces. The project also incorporates artificial lighting with minimal energy consumption, that provides optimum illuminance levels without being over designed. Hot water is provided by small high performance electric under-counter geysers installed in the kitchenette areas.

Overall, the project design and building services achieved a 45% improvement in Carbon Emissions over a SANS 204 notional building through energy modelling. Chilufya Lombe, director at Solid Green Consulting, explains:

The building has reduced its peak electrical demand by providing an ice storage system for the chiller plant. Instead of having a large chiller, a combination of a chiller and an ice storage facility has been designed. This system allows the building to have a chiller that is 50% smaller than a conventional building. The ice works as a thermal storage device: at night, the chiller runs to create ice and, during the day, this ice is used for the cooling system to supplement the chiller.

Additional sustainability initiatives were implemented that focus on the reduction of potable water consumption, with the aims of easing demand on municipal water sources as well as contributing to more cost-efficient operations of the building. Water efficient sanitary fittings have been specified that help occupants to use water sparingly. Sub-metering for major water consuming systems is in place, to detect any leaks so that little to no water is wasted. Rainwater harvesting has been incorporated as an alternative water source for landscaping; and smart irrigation systems and indigenous landscaping have been incorporated to use water as efficiently as possible.

Innovative sustainable initiative, over and above what is required by Green Star, have also been implemented for the project. The developer committed to certifying the project with multiple ratings – both Green Star Office V1.1 Design and As-Built certifications. As transparency in terms of a Green Building Premium is extremely important to help drive sustainability in the building industry, Lakeview Phase II completed the financial transparency criteria that will assist the GBCSA with market research and inform the public regarding the cost of Green Buildings.

Making a difference in the Sustainability sector is to consistently lead by example and motivate for change,” Sherratt concludes. “Through the commitment and close collaboration of the developer, the client and the professional team, Lakeview Phase II successfully demonstrates how an office building can drive excellence in the South African construction industry.

For more information about this project, see the project page for Lakeside Phase II.

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The new offices boast various spaces to work privately and collaboratively, and to interact socially. The building has an efficient HVAC cooled air system that makes use of minimal water usage, with fresh air supplied at 10l/s/person for 100% of the usable area. Hot water is efficiently supplied by heat pump to the shower facilities and kitchens. The building and site lighting is efficiently designed with 100% LED lighting, incorporating electronic control gear, maintained within 100sqm zones at 1.7W/sqm per 100 lux. The majority of lights have been fitted with motion sensors; and external lighting does not emit light into the night sky thereby reducing light pollution on site.

All toilets, urinals and tape fixtures are water-efficient, with WC’s and urinals fitted with actuators to reduce and control water consumption. An integrated BMS system records and logs all energy and water usage within the building, and data can be displayed in real time. And, in terms of Indoor Environmental Quality, all paints, adhesives, sealants and carpets have low VOC emissions.

In bringing together green building, quality architectural design and public space considerations, Mbombela Square is contributing towards more sustainable urban development in the Nelspruit area.

Read more about the project here.

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