The essence of this approach lies in creating spaces that do more than minimize their ecological footprint. They actively contribute to the fabric of their communities, serving as nodes that enhance social interaction and facilitate alternative modes of transit. The effort to reduce private fossil fuel-powered vehicle use is not just an environmental concern but also a design challenge that requires a nuanced understanding of the locations where projects come to life.

Connectivity through Walkability

Walkability is a cornerstone of sustainable urban design. A walkable community encourages residents or building end-users to choose pedestrian travel over vehicular, leading to reduced carbon emissions and promoting health. By incorporating elements such as wide sidewalks, and safe and well-lit pedestrian walkways, green buildings can become integral parts of walkable urban landscapes. It’s about crafting a built environment that invites interaction, not just within its walls but also within its neighbourhood.

In urban South African contexts, where the sprawl has often prioritised cars, there’s a paradigm shift underway. Architects, planners, and engineers are reimagining spaces and envisioning communities where a trip to the grocery store or the morning commute can be a pleasant walk rather than a traffic-laden drive. This is not just about convenience. It’s about creating a more cohesive society where the chance encounters and shared experiences that happen on foot can flourish.

Alternative Transit Modes: The Green Connectors

Beyond facilitating pedestrian traffic, green buildings can act as hubs for alternative transit modes. Cyclist facilities, pick-up and drop off infrastructure, and close proximity to amenities and different public transport options can significantly enhance a building’s accessibility. These facilities encourage occupants to opt for more sustainable and healthier transit options, which not only alleviate traffic congestion but also knit communities together.

Green buildings in this context are not isolated entities but integral pieces of an urban puzzle. They serve as catalysts for change, prompting a re-evaluation of our dependency on traditional vehicular travel. When buildings offer amenities that support cycling or electric vehicle charging, they’re not just providing services; they’re advocating for a shift in cultural norms.

Understanding Location to Enhance Movement

A nuanced understanding of location is critical when designing green buildings that promote connectivity. In the South African urban context, with its unique historical and geographical layout, this understanding is even more crucial. The efforts of Solid Green’s Sustainable Cities & Research Department in collaboration with the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), exemplify this approach. Our work in localising the Places category of the Green Star version 2 tool is aimed at ensuring that projects can contribute meaningfully to the creation of sustainable, inclusive, and connected cities, encouraging project teams to consider walkability, safety, and engagement in their designs.

Recognising the specific needs and character of a project’s location — whether it’s in the commercial heart of Joburg or the more expansive regions of KZN — allows for designs that facilitate movement and interaction unique to each context. Integrating buildings into the broader community, whether by leveraging existing public transport routes or creating new corridors of movement, remains a key aspect of their success.

The Future Is Connected

The trajectory of South Africa’s green building sector is not only redefining the relationship between a building and its occupants but also its connection to the broader community. By placing a premium on connectivity as well as conservation, the new wave of green architecture is enabling a renaissance in community integration within urban settings.

As the industry progresses, the potential for green buildings to serve as keystones in the arch of community connectivity is immense. It’s an exhilarating era for South African urban development, where the vision extends beyond isolated green spaces to interconnected, thriving communities. The transformation depends on the industry’s commitment to recognising green buildings as not just environmentally sound investments but as pivotal to the fabric of urban connectivity.

The post Designing for Community Integration: How Green Buildings Enhance Connectivity appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Understanding the Contextual Assessment Process

Constructing a green building that becomes an organic part of its surroundings entails a comprehensive contextual assessment. This process could involve reviewing local area planning frameworks, site conditions, and contextual placement while considering a myriad of factors that collectively shape a neighbourhood’s character. Elements such as site location, the natural context, surrounding land uses and zoning, landscape systems, neighbouring developments, transportation connectivity, nodal identify, and safety concerns all play pivotal roles in these assessments.

Seamless Integration: a Catalyst for Transformation

The evolution of architecture has ushered in an era where buildings are no longer standalone entities; they are integral threads woven into the fabric of the neighbourhoods they adorn. Through meticulous contextual assessments, architects and designers wield the power to create structures that enrich the urban experience, pay homage to local heritage, and foster an authentic sense of place. As the journey towards a more sustainable future unfolds, the art of integrating green buildings into their immediate context emerges as a meaningful tool in shaping vibrant, inclusive cities.

Elevating User Experience through Integration

When project teams collectively assess the findings of a contextual assessment, architects and designers are able create a building responsive to its environment, aligning with the existing scale and rhythm of the neighbourhood. This approach enhances the asset’s long-term viability and amplifies the end-user experience. It ensures that passersby are engaged both visually and physically, while building occupants benefit from accessible spaces and environments that elevate their experience.

Promoting Connectivity for a Healthier Future

Strategic positioning of green buildings is crucial for facilitating easy access for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transportation users. By seamlessly integrating green buildings with existing transportation networks, it’s possible to reduce traffic congestion and promote healthier, more active lifestyles. Architects and urban planners, designing with connectivity in mind, create spaces that encourage movement, interaction, and accessibility.

Green Buildings as Catalysts for Placemaking

Green buildings possess the potential to transform underutilised areas into lively hubs of activity. The incorporation of public plazas, green courtyards, and communal gathering spaces allows architects to create environments that bring people together, fostering a sense of belonging and contributing to the neighbourhood’s vitality.

Shaping Neighbourhood Cohesion and Urban Identity

In an era of rapid urbanization and heightened environmental consciousness, green buildings have emerged as beacons of sustainability and innovation. As urban landscapes grow denser, the significance of seamless connectivity becomes increasingly vital. With cities evolving at an unprecedented pace, the integration of green buildings into the urban landscape takes on even greater significance. Beyond their ecological advantages, these structures hold the potential to redefine how neighbourhoods facilitate connections, strengthen social cohesion and bolster urban identity.

Fostering Connection through Holistic Design

Through meticulous site analysis and responsive design strategies, green buildings emerge as catalysts for amplified urban connectivity. These structures could serve as conduits for transforming neighbourhoods into thriving, collaborative hubs. The blueprint for success lies in fostering spaces that encourage connection, engagement, and interaction. By embracing this multifaceted approach, cities can embark on a journey towards sustainability, vibrancy, and inclusivity—one project at a time.

Green Star v2: Places Category

Through the development and inclusion of the Places Category into the Green Star version 2 rating tool, the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) establishes a blueprint for project teams to ensure that green building design considers its locational context and surrounding nodal character. This ensures end-user connectivity to amenities and diverse transport modes while create a visual language that communicates character and identity, all while embracing safety of place.

Projects may already be incorporating much of what is required to support the Places category and its respective credits. The intent is to establish a shared benchmark that further drives market transformation, aiding the consistent growth needed for our cities in the future.

About Adrie Fourie

Adrie Fourie, Head of Solid Green’s Sustainable Cities & Research Department, is actively collaborating with the GBCSA to enhance the Places category and its associated credits. This exciting endeavour aims to transform the category into a dynamic platform that empowers project teams to contribute significantly to the creation of sustainable, inclusive, and connected cities. By encouraging projects to explore their potential in shaping walkable, safe, and engaging environments, this initiative supports the development of strong social cohesion and an enriched sense of place for all.

Projects featuring placemaking:

• 110 Oxford: Shaping a more Resilient and Sustainable Future
• Ikusasa, 7 Parks Boulevard: Setting the tone for a sustainable future
• First certified Ecodistricts in Africa
• 8 Parks Boulevard exceeds Green Star benchmarks
• Double certifications for Greenlee and Greenpark
• The De Zicht Lifestyle Centre – a Balwin first for Cape Town
• Waterfall City’s first net zero building sets sustainable office space benchmark

The post Contextual Harmony: Integrating Green Buildings into the Urban Fabric appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

The new SABIS® International School – Runda is conveniently located near the Northern Bypass in Kiambu County, Kenya.

Facilities include an independent kindergarten area, upper and lower school buildings, cafeteria, gymnasium, pool, football pitch, tennis courts, mini car track, and an auditorium. As the first Green Star certified school in Kenya, the aim was to positively impact the project’s design and construction costs, asset value, operating costs, workplace productivity and user health.

With a GFA of almost 14,600 sqm, the school is conveniently located near the Northern Bypass in Kiambu County. The project was developed by the SABIS® Network, a global network of schools that dates back to 1886 and currently educates over 70,000 students in 20 countries on 5 continents. Concept design architects on the project were Archika, with Boogertman + Partners as executive architects. The green building AP (accredited professional) team comprised WEB Limited, a Kenyan based sustainable development consultancy and co-founding member of the Kenya Green Building Society, in collaboration with Solid Green Consulting.

The site was chosen to meet growing demand for a new school in an area that has become densely urbanised in the last decade.

Urban & Climatic Context

Elizabeth Wangeci Chege of WEB Limited explains that the site was chosen to meet growing demand for a new school in an area that has become densely urbanised in the last 10 years. Being very close to the Equator with no extremes in weather, conditions lent themselves to passive design; the soil is conducive to plant growth and biodiversity; and there is an abundance of rain for harvesting.

The SABIS® Network has developed schools in different regions in the Middle East and South America, and the concept design had to be contextualised, acclimatised and aligned with local expectations. For example, following the attack on the Garissa University College in April 2015, a top priority was security which necessitated a boundary wall and physical barriers between the buildings.

“Safety on site is also paramount,” comments Anthony Opil, project architect at Boogertman + Partners.

The site is on a steep slope so the buildings were staggered and connected with soft, landscaped ramps – working with the terrain to make the buildings easily accessible to one to another and for the mobility impaired. Courtyards were also designed for different age groups with specific play areas for the lower school and high school – which was an approach that was customized to local expectations.

The school is bound by two roads to the north and south respectively, with the northern road being a busy highway. SABIS® had to provide a budget and infrastructure to access the southern road, which is much lower and further away from the school. The original design was mirrored in order to avoid traffic and highway noise; and cyclist facilities and school bus facilities were provided.

he buildings are connected by soft landscaped ramps to make them easily accessible.

A Tailored Response

Another key consideration was resource efficiency. While there is a greater reliance on mechanical ventilation and heating in other countries, in Kenya, with its high energy costs and a consistent climate, a more appropriate response was developed.

The classroom blocks were oriented north/south with openings, particularly in the study areas, that do not face east or west. Heat gain from outside surfaces was limited by merging soft and hard landscaping and, in the site planning, by ensuring that paved spaces do not bounce heat back into the internal spaces. Air pollution was also mitigated by ensuring that the school bus parking areas, which are planted with young trees, are oriented to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the buildings.

Locally available materials and technologies were specified where possible, such as concrete hollow blocks and roof insulation to improve thermal massing. This was a departure from the typical local construction practice of using natural stone because, says Opil, the hollow blocks were more climatically appropriate, enabled costs to be reduced, and were readily available thus circumventing supply issues relating to stone.

Natural lighting and ventilation were modelled and optimised by increasing the height of the windows specified in the original design. Together with the selection and procurement of low-VOC finishes – such as paints, adhesives and sealants – to ensure that the children are not exposed to toxins, this ensured a significant improvement in the school’s Indoor Environmental Quality. Elizabeth Chege explains that, although the AP team did not conduct embodied energy calculations for materials, this strategy was used to govern the specification of materials; and workshops were held with both the client and contractor to ensure that targets were met.

Solar water heaters were installed to reduce energy consumption, and a modular solar PV system was designed for optional adoption – with the aim of providing panels for classrooms in the next phase of the development, to cut back on consumption and reduce operational costs.

Electricity and water sub-metering was provided for each block with smart meters connected to the BMS to monitor and manage consumption, and to offer a learning resource for the school children and their carers. The school was also the first in Kenya to install 100% LED lights in all spaces, thus gaining an additional Green Star Innovation point.

Play areas were provided for different age groups.

Targeting Net Zero Water

Boniface Chege, also of WEB Limited, says that the project is performing so well in terms of water consumption that the team will consider targeting a Net Zero Water certification which, if successful, will be the first in the region. “We had to consider how children behave and how they like to play with water,” he says. “We reduced consumption by specifying low-flush toilets and low-flow taps with sensors.

Potable water consumption for landscape irrigation has been reduced by 100% using a rainwater harvesting system and recycled black water system. This is backed up by a borehole with variable speed drive (VSD) pumps and municipal water as a last resort. For the Green Star rating, we achieved 99,9% of the available water credits just by using context-appropriate systems like efficient fittings and a blackwater treatment plant – thus contributing to the long-term resilience of the school.

Elizabeth Chege adds, “To treat the sewage emanating from the facility, a membrane bio reactor (MBR) – a process of membrane-based technology – was provided. In this process, the excess sludge does not require separate digestion and the quantity of sludge generated is minimal. This avoids the cumbersome sludge disposal exercise which needs more manual labour and land area. The treated water from the system is disposed of into an overhead tank to flush toilets by gravity. The supplier and installer of the system was also appointed to maintain the system during operations.

“A workshop is being planned with the school’s operational team to ensure a smooth transition from design to operations by sharing information; and consumption data is already being reviewed. The team will also implement an occupancy survey plan to ensure ongoing comfort and usability for users.”

Natural lighting and ventilation were optimised by increasing the height of the windows.

A precedent in Waste Management

Construction waste is currently a topical discussion in Kenya and this project has become a case study for the National Construction Authority, for other contractors to adopt. The reason, says Elizabeth Chege, is that the tender and preliminary documentation was very clear, so the contractor was informed at the outset of the required standards. The contractor therefore appointed a local waste consultant to ensure that the waste was recycled and reused, and 96% of the construction waste was tracked, weighed and diverted from landfill.

In terms of operational waste, spaces were provided on site for separation of waste; and recycling bins were clearly labelled for use by the school children and staff. Paper and cardboard, plastic, metal and cans, glass bottles, and food waste are all separated during operations. The appointed waste collection company was awarded a contract on the basis that they collect the separated waste in trucks that maintain separation, and they have an extensive sorting site that employs women and youth.

Facilities include an independent kindergarten area, upper and lower school buildings, cafeteria, gymnasium, sports facilities, and an auditorium.

A benchmark for East Africa

“The growth and development of school infrastructure has a large impact on our natural environment and communities,” shared Austin Opiyo, SABIS® International School – Runda Facilities Manager.

The design, construction, and operation of the buildings in which we work are responsible for the consumption of many of our natural resources. We are glad that SABIS® Runda is a leading example of a green school and has gone ahead to be a corporate leader in sustainability initiatives.

“Research has shown that certain green building factors positively influence learners’ performance at school,” notes Chilufya Lombe, director at Solid Green. “SABIS® Runda is the first school in the SABIS® Network to be completed and undergo certification in Africa, with more planned in future. With this project we have shown that schools, where our children spend most of their time away from home, can be green too. We hope that other learning institutions in Africa will also adopt green building certification and become part of the call to climate action.”

“This certification sets an example for the rest of the region,” says Elizabeth Chege.

We were thrilled to be part of the process of opening up the Green Star Africa PEB tool for countries outside South Africa. The client was dedicated to achieving this aim and the professional team and main contractor were completely open minded about the process, enabling us to efficiently meet the required credits.

In both its realisation and certification process, SABIS® International School – Runda has successfully set a new benchmark for schools and the green building sector in East Africa.

This article has also appeared on e-architect.

Professional Team

OWNER: Africa Crest Education Holdings
CONCEPT DESIGN ARCHITECTS: ARCHIKA Kamal Homsi Architects SAL
EXECUTIVE ARCHITECTS: Boogertman + Partners
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSULTANTS: WEB Limited / Solid Green Consulting
QUANTITY SURVEYORS: Cost Plan Quantity Surveyors
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: Gath Consulting Engineers
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: Maiteri & Associates
FIRE ENGINEER & MECHANICAL ENGINEER: Maiteri & Associates
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Greenersol Landscape Limited
WET SERVICES: Maiteri & Associates
MAIN CONTRACTOR: Seyani Brothers & Co. (K) LTD
DEVELOPMENT & PROJECT MANAGER: Athena Properties Limited

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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

The post Iconic 35 Lower Long gets 4 Stars appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Oxford Parks is targeting a 4-Star Green Star Sustainable Precinct Pilot Rating, and is envisaged to be a sustainable, secure and cosmopolitan medium-density urban environment.

Mitchell explains:

We are looking at the precinct holistically with the intention of making an exceptional intervention into the existing city structure. The vision is to create a sustainable public environment that will assist in supporting the longevity of the investment by making an attractive, pedestrian-friendly precinct with well-managed infrastructure.

Considering the Public Realm

Marloes Reinink, founder and director of Solid Green, the green building consultants on both Oxford Parks precinct and the Phase 1 building, observes:

In order for cities to grow in a sustainable manner, developments must take the opportunity to move green design beyond the building scale into the public realm. We are excited to be involved with this development, which is intended to contribute positively to the existing urban fabric of the Rosebank-Dunkeld area.

Scaling of the public environment and active building interfaces was extremely important, and pedestrian-level lighting contributes towards a quality experience for pedestrians and cyclists alike. Moving from Oxford Road towards Cradock, there is a hierarchical progression of streets with the friction of road surfaces increasing so that cars are forced to slow down and be more mindful of pedestrian and cyclist activity.

Security was a concern from the outset as the development has no fences in order to seamlessly integrate into the city fabric. Passive surveillance design techniques have been used so that the wellbeing of pedestrians is considered at all times.

According to Mitchell, the precinct is run by a Property Owners’ Association, which will become a City Improvement District over time, tasked with ensuring that the vision of the development is adhered to.

Building heights will range from four to six storeys, with building uses envisioned at one-third residential to two-thirds offices. The residential component will comprise between 2,000 and 2,700 units, bringing in 4,000 to 5,000 residents; while the offices are expected to bring in 10,000 to 14,000 office workers. Hotel offerings, high-street type retail at ground floor level and various leisure activities are expected to generate a 24-hour vibrancy for the precinct.

In addition to its own amenities, Oxford Parks is close to a range of services within walking distance including schools, day care facilities, a gym, medical facilities, pharmacies, dry cleaners, banks and restaurants – which reduces the need for private car trips and provides convenience for precinct users.

The Precinct is also perfectly located from a public transport perspective. The Rosebank Gautrain Station is within easy walking distance, as are a number of bus routes on Oxford Road as well as the newly revamped Rosebank taxi rank.

Phase 1 targets 5 Green Stars

The first building in the precinct, Oxford Park Phase 1, also developed by Intaprop, has been registered with the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), targeting a 5-Star Green Star Office v1.1 Design Rating.

Located on the corner of Jellicoe and Oxford Roads in Rosebank, the first building in the precinct has been registered with the GBCSA for a 5-Star Green Star Office v1.1 Design certification.

Located on the corner of Jellicoe and Oxford Roads, the project comprises 6 floors with a gross floor area (GFA) of 10,035m² excluding car parking areas. Rather than pursuing an As-Built certification, Intaprop has decided to implement commissioning and building tuning by an Independent Commissioning Agent and the project engineers, which provides a better return on investment and ensures that the building is operating optimally right from the start.

Environmental strategies are being implemented to enhance the wellbeing of the building’s users such as ample fresh air, access to external views, and plenty of natural daylight. As salaries are the biggest cost to companies, enhanced work performance and an improvement in working quality and quantity equate to direct cost savings.

Being able to analyse consumption data is key to understanding and managing building systems and to assessing opportunities for savings. Accordingly, sub-metering of major energy and water consuming systems is in place. Water efficient fittings are also being installed that limit occupant water usage.

In addition, to minimise greenhouse gas emissions associated with operational energy consumption, an energy model of the building was generated during the design stage, comparing the building to a SANS 10400 notional building model. This energy model has helped to inform the building design to ensure a high performing building from a building envelope perspective.

Modelling also enabled internal operative temperatures to be assessed to ensure that they are within the ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 Acceptability Limits for at least 98% of occupied hours, thus ensuring a high level of thermal comfort. Building Glazing Performance modelling was also carried out and performance values were agreed with the architect and mechanical engineer to assist with specification of glazing.

In terms of reducing energy consumption, provision has been made to ensure that all individual or enclosed spaces are individually switched with occupancy sensors. The project also saves energy by providing office lighting that is not over designed, with an average maintained illuminance level of no more than 400 lux.

All selected gaseous and fire suppression systems, refrigerants and thermal insulants used for the development have an Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) of zero, to eliminate any contributions to long-term damage to the earth’s stratospheric ozone layer.

In terms of Green Star, three main requirements had to be met before the project commenced with demolition and construction – a Waste Management Plan (WMP), an Environmental Management Plan (EMP), and a Hazardous Waste Management Survey on existing buildings.

NEMAI Consulting was appointed to compile both the Waste Management Plan and the Environmental Management Plan, which have been signed off by both the Bulk Earthworks Contractors and the Main Contractor. COH Consulting Occupational Hygienist was appointed to conduct hazardous material surveys of all the existing buildings that were on site, and Safe Disposal Certificates were required to ensure that any hazardous materials reported in the survey were safely disposed of by the demolitions subcontractors.

To reduce waste to landfill during building operations, a waste recycling storage area has been provided in the basement within 20m of the exit. This dedicated area meets the Green Star sizing requirement, and will accommodate paper and cardboard; plastic, glass and cans; and metals.

The project is also targeting the Watercourse Pollution credit, which deals with stormwater runoff. It is important that a development like this tries to capture the stormwater and reuse it within the building or within the precinct. The system has also been designed so that minimal pollutants and trash are diverted to municipal stormwater channels.

Annelide Sherratt, Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green and the Accredited Professional on the project, says, “We are developing a Building Users Guide and Community Users Guide to enhance knowledge and understanding of the sustainability attributes implemented for the buildings and precinct. Additionally, an education facility will be provided within the precinct to provide education materials and examples of sustainable strategies used in the planning, design and construction of the project.

The aim of the Building Users Guide is to inform occupants and users of all the building’s incorporated service and management systems, to optimise the building’s environmental performance and minimise its environmental impact; and to ensure that all future alterations, additions and program changes are consistent with the intent of the green building aims and the health of the environment.

As green building principles extend into the public realm in alignment with market demand, developments like Oxford Parks are becoming significant catalysts for positive change and urban regeneration.

The post Oxford Parks: A catalyst for urban regeneration appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.