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

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

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

Energy and Water Conservation Measures

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

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

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

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

An Indoor Environment focused on Wellbeing

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

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

Materials and Waste Management

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

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

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

Connectivity and Lifestyle

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

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

Looking Ahead

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

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

Find out more on the Menlyn Maine Project page.

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

Designed as a multi-tenanted building with maximum flexibility to enable both large and small tenancies, this 19,900m², 7-storey building has a double volume entrance that relates well to the retail centre on the west. An impressive internal atrium covered by a steel and glass roof contains a white cantilever staircase that connects all floors and hopefully entices users to skip the lift for the stairs.

Energy and Water Strategies

To reduce the overall energy consumption of the building, the following strategies were implemented:

• Energy modelling carried out during the design stages of the building helped to reduce operational energy consumption by 42% compared to a notional building model.
• Thermal energy storage reduces the energy demand of the mechanical system and shifts the heating and cooling load off peak.
• Ongoing management of energy consumption is in place through sub-metering of tenancies and all substantive energy loads.
• Occupancy sensors positioned throughout the circulation and common areas ensure that lights are only on when needed.

Water strategies have been put in place to reduce the use of potable water through the efficient design of building systems and accurate monitoring of water consumption. The target for potable water consumption is 0.26L/day/m², reduced from 0.92L/day/m². As a result of this reduction, the building’s discharge to sewer has been reduced by 50% against an average practice benchmark.

Water saving initiatives include:

• Sanitary fittings and waterless urinals.
• Waterwise landscaping and efficient irrigation systems.
• Rainwater collected from the roof of the building is filtered and treated for external irrigation and toilet flushing.

Environmental considerations

Zendré Compion, Senior Sustainable Building Consultant, explains that the site’s ecological footprint was minimised by using a site situated within a municipal approved urban edge and by redeveloping a previously occupied site. “To reduce light pollution, outdoor lighting was designed so that no lights shine directly up into the night sky,” Zendré adds.

This is because over-lit buildings can have a devastating environmental impact on nocturnal creatures by disorientating them and changing behavioural patterns – which impacts urban ecosystems. Accordingly, the brightness of all external lighting on balconies, parking areas and walkways was aligned to the minimum required maintained illuminance for these areas.

All thermal insulating materials used in the project have an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of zero, ensuring no adverse impact to the Earth’s stratospheric ozone layer over the long term. The project has also taken a significant step by decreasing the total amount of Portland Cement by 30% in all concrete applications, thereby minimising the consumption of energy and resources during construction. Furthermore, the building incorporates reinforcing steel with a minimum post-consumer recycled content of 54% by mass, underlining the project’s commitment to more sustainable material choices. This emphasis on material characteristics extends to the sourcing of new materials, promoting a holistic approach to responsible material selection.

Ensuring occupant wellbeing

As salaries are the highest cost to companies, all occupied areas receive large amounts of fresh air to ensure a healthy work environment. An abundant supply of outdoor air is delivered at a 66% higher rate than the SANS 10400-O standard, to counteract the accumulation of indoor pollutants. This is achieved via the energy efficient air conditioning, which allows more fresh air to be introduced into the building without increasing the building’s energy use significantly.

Furthermore, paints and carpets have low VOC content, which contributes to a heathier indoor environment for building users.

Park Lane West’s strategic location, flexible design, and focus on resource efficiency, environmental and wellbeing strategies underscore the client and project team’s vision for a more holistic and sustainable approach to mixed-use developments, and their positive impact on urban living.

Project Team

OWNER: PARKLANE WEST CO-OWNERSHIP, MENLYN MAINE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS & BARROW PROPERTIES (Pty) Ltd
ACCREDITED PROFFESSIONAL: SOLID GREEN CONSULTING
ARCHITECT: BOOGERTMAN + PARTNERS
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: BERTA WIUM LANDSCAPE DEVELOPMENT
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: RWP TAEMANE CONSULTING ENGINEERS
FIRE ENGINEER: WSP
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: C3 ENGINEERS
QUANTITY SURVEYORS: RLB PENTAD QUANTITY SURVEYORS
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: WSP STRUCTURES AFRICA
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSULTANT: SOLID GREEN CONSULTING
WET SERVICES: WSP BUILDING SERVICES AFRICA
MAIN CONTRACTOR: BARROW CONSTRUCTION
PROJECT MANAGER: BOOGERTMAN + PARTNERS & MMIH
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT: LEAP ENVIRO
INTERIOR DESIGNER: BOOGERTMAN + PARTNERS INTERIORS
OCCUPANTIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGER: CAIRNMEAD

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Adaptable floor plates, which allow for churn and tenancies of various sizes, are organised around a central atrium. Balconies serve each tenancy and help to further articulate the building’s façade. The multi-volume atrium is crowned with a lightweight skylight that won the Association of Steel Tube and Pipe Manufacturers (ASTPM) Tubular category at the SAISC Awards. Another strong architectural element is the atrium’s singular cantilevered staircase that connects all floors internally and promotes user activity by enticing staff and visitors to use the stairs rather than the lifts, thus contributing to occupant wellbeing.

“This kind of human-centred design thinking can have major implications for how we design and build more sustainably in the future,” comments Zendré Compion, senior sustainable building consultant at Solid Green.

I believe that the rapid adaptation everyone has had to make in their daily lives due to the Covid-19 pandemic will inspire many more such simple insights, and small changes that lead to good impact – for people and our planet.

It’s also worth noting that five members of the professional team and four representatives from the contractor completed the GBCSA New Building online Accredited Professional course – so the project was able to contribute towards skills development as part of its creation process.

Both the incentive towards activity by using stairs and the upskilling of team members earned the project Green Star innovation credits, as did the fact that it is targeting more than one certification, plus the specification of aluminium frames with 75% recycled content, for use in exterior fenestration and internal shopfronts partitions.

Compion adds that most of the buildings in the Menlyn Maine precinct have only cold water supplied to their ablution facilities, which not only saves on electrical costs but also goes a long way to reducing material consumption in the form of additional geysers or hot water systems, pipes, valves and heat pumps, as well as long-term maintenance of these systems. She says:

The building was delivered as shell and core, with the tenant fit-outs to be executed on a different contract to integrated fit-outs. This ensures less construction waste throughout the building life span than a typical generic office fit-out.

The project has significantly reduced potable water use through rainwater collection and by installing waterless urinals as well as other water wise fixtures and fittings. Together with water wise plant selection, moisture sensors and drip irrigation, the demands on the irrigation system have also been reduced by at least 50%.

The building has a thermal energy storage system (TES) that uses a phase change material to store cooling energy to be used at off-peak times, thereby reducing the energy use of the HVAC systems. Fresh air is provided into the building at a rate of 66% above the SANS standard; and, to enable effective management of resources and early detection of any issues, energy uses of 100kVA or greater, and all major water uses, are sub-metered and controlled via an advanced BMS.

With user health and wellbeing at the forefront of industry concerns, together with operational cost efficiency, Park Lane West maintains a sector-leading standard for Menlyn Maine, both in terms of its architecture and green building features.

Project Team:

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Zendré Compion, Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green says:

Menlyn Maine is dedicated to having all its buildings Green Star certified; and encourages sustainability initiatives that go beyond the green building features that have become a standard part of building practice. In this instance, the collective experience of the architect, contractor and the rest of the professional team – who had all previously worked on several Green Star rated buildings – contributed greatly to achieving the rating.

An important principle that has been incorporated in both this building and the precinct as a whole is that of ‘Beyond the Green Star Office rating’. This includes the adoption of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles. While it is sited on the busy January Masilela Avenue, this building’s entrance is on Mercy Avenue, where the design of the precinct is at a human scale. The building entrance steps straight off the sidewalk instead of being positioned behind multiple barriers. This entrance is slightly elevated, a good ‘designing out crime’ principle, while large shopfronts allow passive surveillance from the reception to the street. There is regular pedestrian traffic past the building as the precinct is quite dense, with numerous offices and a residential tower building across the street.

Compion explains that the building was awarded 10 out of the available 10 Green Star Innovation points. One point was awarded under the tool’s ‘Innovation 1 – Innovative Strategies and Technologies’ credit for making use of a fire suppression gas with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 0. Due to there not being a local regulation or standard for phasing out gasses with high GWP in the fire suppression industry, this is substantially contributing to the broader market transformation towards sustainable development in South Africa.

Another point was awarded under ‘Innovation 2 – Exceeding Green Star Benchmarks’, as the building is located within walking distance of more than 8 amenities. An additional 8 points were achieved under ‘Innovation 3 – Environmental Initiatives’ for having achieved the following ambitious targets:

• The project met the Financial Transparency Innovation Challenge by sharing its financial information on the cost of Green Building items compared to standard building costs, and in this way contributed to ongoing research on the cost of green building;
• 10 individuals on the project team have completed the full Green Star Accredited Professional (AP) course or at least the online course;
• The project registered for more than one certification (Design and As Built);
• The installation of Learning Resources, in this case a screen in the building foyer with a live display of the building’s energy and water performance, as well as educational material about the Green Star rating;
• For incorporating materials that have a high recycled content, in this case aluminium window frames with a recycled content value greater than 2% of the contract value. Other strategies regarding construction materials included reducing the cement content in the concrete used by 30%; and the average post-consumer recycled content of reinforcing steel in the building is at least 54% (by mass).

To reduce the possibility of immediate tenant refits, the new office was developed with 100% of the Useable Area as an integrated fit-out. All thermal insulants used for the development have an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of zero; and at least 95% of the interior finishes (such as paints, carpets, adhesives and sealants) minimize the contribution of Volatile Organic Compounds.

A number of energy efficiency and environmental initiatives were implemented. These include modelling the building during the design stage, achieving a reduction of 50% in Greenhouse Gas Emissions associated with operational energy consumption compared to a notional building model. Sub-metering and an effective mechanism for monitoring energy consumption were also provided, for ongoing management efficiencies. In addition, light pollution is minimized by ensuring that all light fittings are positioned so that there is no upward light spillage into the night sky.

Compion adds that Menlyn Maine, together with the project team, should be commended for water saving initiatives – including only having cold water supplied to ablutions, waterless urinals, and rainwater flushing in most of the buildings in the precinct. She says:

While some developers are still averse to sustainable initiatives that have management implications, these systems have become standard in this precinct. This is a great precedent and demonstrates the importance of planning, design and management for real sustainability in the built environment.

A Building Users’ Guide was developed to contribute towards optimising operational efficiency by informing relevant parties about how to use the building systems effectively. Recommendations made in the Guide also aim to ensure that all future alterations, additions and program changes are consistent with the intent of the Guide and the health of the environment.

The Guide also provides information on public transport options and routes, to encourage the use of public transport. The development is served by the Gautrain bus service, connecting to the Hatfield Gautrain station. An A Re Yeng bus station is currently being developed on the adjacent Atterbury road, linking to Hatfield and through to the West of the city, and to Mamelodi in the east. The Tshwane bus service and taxis also serve the precinct and its surrounds.

In order to reduce the number of automobile trips by the building occupants, the office development has a well-lit dedicated pedestrian network to adjacent buildings that gives easy access to Menlyn Central Square shopping centre, hotels, a gym, entertainment facilities and restaurants.

The precinct will be occupied both during the day and at night, with the mall, Sun Arena and residential building already attracting evening visitors, while the offices and mall are occupied during the day. These elements contribute to the sustainability and vibrancy of the precinct and bode well for the future.

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Pegasus

All the buildings in the precinct are being designed on sustainable building principles with a particular focus on water and energy saving as well as improved public transport and waste management. The Pegasus building, owned by Menlyn Maine Investment Holdings and Fast Motion Trade and Invest, comprises approximately 6192 m² usable office area for the combined Phase 1 and Phase 2 office blocks on a 4445 m² site; and houses tenants such as Regus, BMW and Menlyn Maine Investment Holdings’ head office. Sustainability initiatives were considered from the schematic design phase through to construction completion and building services have been optimised to improve building performance.

Image: Boogertman+Partners

Location

The building is ideally located in walking distance from a wide variety of local amenities and public transport services, and it is easily accessible via the regular Gautrain bus service that links it to a greater transport network. To encourage the use of alternative forms of transport, 5% of preferred parking bays have been dedicated for alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles and 5% for motorbikes, mopeds and scooters. Tshwane’s Bus Rapid Transit system will also serve the precinct, once the Menlyn A Re Yeng bus station is completed.

Energy and water

Passive design initiatives include the building orientation and sizing of the floorplates for optimal daylighting of interior spaces. Indoor Environmental Quality was a major consideration, and fresh air intake in the building has been improved by 100% over the SANS 10400-O requirement of 5 litres/second/person for offices. Over 80% of the office area has a direct line of sight to the outdoors, while internal blinds and screens are used throughout the building to reduce daylight glare.

A water-saving strategy has been implemented in the whole building with water-efficient fittings and waterless urinals installed. Potable water consumption for landscape irrigation has been reduced by more than 50% through drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting from the site and building hard surfaces. The project also achieved points for making use of mechanical systems that do not rely on water consumption for heat rejection – and the fire-protection system was designed to ensure that the minimum amount of water is rejected during the inspection of these systems.

Image: Boogertman+Partners.

Energy sub-metering is implemented for all major or substantive energy uses within the building and a BMS was installed for monitoring energy and water consumption. In addition, a Building User’s Guide was developed in close cooperation with the design professionals to advise building occupants on the efficient operation of systems.

Emissions

To reduce carbon emissions associated with the project, all HVAC refrigerants and gaseous fire suppression systems used have an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of zero – and no ozone-depleting substances are associated with either the manufacture or the composition of any thermal insulants in the project.

The project has reduced the absolute quantity of Portland cement, as an average across all concrete mixes, by substituting it with industrial waste products or oversized aggregate by 20% as an average across all concrete mixes. More than 30% of the total PVC content has been replaced by alternative materials, mainly HDPE – and the recycled content across all steel in the building is more than 54%.

Waste management

During construction, the contractor developed, implemented and monitored a project specific Environmental Management Plan that included a Waste Management Plan, tracking all waste streams and completing quarterly reports on waste generation, recycling and reuse. A total of 70% of all waste was recycled or reused.

Image: Boogertman+Partners.

90% of the Usable Area of the project is delivered as shell and core, allowing tenants to complete their own fit-out. This reduces unnecessary waste that would normally accompany tenant fit-out where the base building includes finishes. In terms of waste management during operations, a dedicated adequately sized storage area has been provided for the separation and collection of office consumables, with good access for all building occupants and for collection by recycling companies.

As the first building registered for a Green Star SA rating, Menlyn Maine Pegasus is succeeding in setting new benchmarks in its sector.

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The contextualisation of the tool is being sponsored by USAID South Africa Low Emissions Development Program (SA-LED) on behalf of the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA). The process includes research and contextualisation of the tool for local conditions; input from the GBCSA’s Technical Advisory Panel for this tool; and the sharing of knowledge from thirteen pilot projects that will be applying for pilot certification under the Communities Tool once the LCR is complete.

Solid Green is the consultant on four of the thirteen pilot projects – Dunkeld, Sandton Gate, Melrose Arch and Menlyn Maine.

The Dunkeld Precinct

A redevelopment of a previously suburban area and an extension of the Rosebank Business District, the Dunkeld precinct is particularly focused on the public realm and creating a pedestrian orientated environment with improved connections to surrounding schools and transport infrastructure.

Source: DHK and Intaprop

Developed by Intaprop, the mixed-use precinct will include residential, retail and commercial office typologies. In line with the principles of a ‘resilient city’, sustainability features will look at adaptability of buildings over time; the robustness and flexibility of public spaces; sustainable ways of dealing with stormwater; water and air pollution; shading and cooling; and energy and water efficiencies at building and precinct level.

Sandton Gate

Sandton Gate, a mixed use development on the periphery of the Sandton Central Business District falls within a High Priority Area (Public Transport Management Area) in terms of the Growth Management Strategy of the City of Johannesburg. The development will be carried out in 9 phases, the first of which is planned to break ground in the second quarter of 2017.

At approximately 75 508 sqm, the precinct will include a mixed use zone, a residential zone and private open space, with building heights ranging between 3 and 15 storeys. The precinct will target a Green Star Communities rating and individual building ratings on the commercial mixed use buildings.

Melrose Arch

Melrose Arch, a multi-use office, retail, leisure, residential and recreational precinct, has been designed to connect people in a truly social environment. Conceived in 1996 and located adjacent to the M1 highway between Rosebank and Sandton, the development employs the principles of New Urbanism, providing amenities to meet people’s everyday needs with generous public spaces, wide sidewalks and recreational activities. While it is a managed environment, it offers uninhibited but controlled access to everyone.

Menlyn Maine

Menlyn Maine is a mixed used precinct in the City of Tshwane comprising nineteen buildings that will include commercial office, retail, residential, leisure and entertainment typologies as well as scenic parks. The developers have identified water, energy, transport and waste management as their key sustainability focus areas. The precinct is targeting a 4-star Green Star rating for each building, and a Green Star Communities rating for the precinct.

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The GBCSA congratulates Solid Green on achieving this significant milestone and for becoming a leading consulting firm in the green building sector, having been responsible for a very significant proportion of the 130 Green Star SA certifications to date. It is organisations such as Solid Green that are key enablers, working with the GBCSA, to transform the built environment into a more sustainable one.

Braune’s “very significant proportion” includes 20 successfully facilitated Green Star SA certifications – the newest for Menlyn Maine Pegasus (which houses Regus and BMW, among others) marking this milestone. In the four years from founding by Marloes Reinink in 2010 to December 2014, Solid Green completed 10 certifications – as of 2015, another 10 ratings have been achieved, meaning output has doubled in the last year.

On Solid Green‘s watch, Menlyn Maine Pegasus (corner of January Masilela Drive and Amarand Avenue, Pretoria) became, in 2009, the first building registered with the GBCSA for a Green Star SA Rating. Menlyn Maine embodies the ambition of the precinct developers to have all the buildings certified, with the project bringing together a group of professionals well versed in the sustainable building design and construction techniques necessary for making and maintaining a green precinct.

Pegasus includes a number of passive design initiatives, such as: the use of building orientation and sizing of floor plates to gain optimal daylight for the building; and use of the site and hard surfaces to collect rainwater. Sustainability initiatives were considered at design and carried through to construction by, for example, making use of: coated glazing for improved thermal control; concrete with reduced cement content; and recycled steel in the rebar. In Pegasus, energy and water consumption are actively monitored by a Building Management System (BMS), with building services being optimised to improve building performance and to reduce resource consumption.

Menlyn Maine sustainable building features:

• Potable water use is reduced by rainwater harvesting (from most of the site area) for irrigation and toilet flushing.
• Water and energy sub-metering and monitoring through BMS.
• Building delivery as Shell-&-Core – allowing tenants to complete their own fit-out – reduces the unnecessary waste normally accompanying tenant fit-out where the base building includes finishes.
• Steel in the building has a weighted-average post-consumer recycled content of 78%.
• Fire-protection system has been designed so that as little water as possible is lost during system testing procedures.
• Building is ideally located within walking distance of a variety of amenities and public-transport services.

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