Developed by Attacq, the P-Grade space is located on Magwa Crescent, Waterfall City, and has a commercial area of 7 363m². The building features an advanced, sustainable design and is currently targeting multiple Green Star certifications.

Attacq is demonstrating its commitment to green building certification by seeking 5-star Green Star Office v1.1 Design, As-built and Interior v.1 certifications.

credit LYT Architecture

Lourens du Toit, Head of Sustainability, Infrastructure and Land at Attacq, explained that the building, designed by LYT Architecture, was built to be stylish and appealing while also meeting the highest environmental standards. du Toit said:

Our brief was for the architects to design a building that boasts a distinctive and desirable architectural style, and that also meets a 4-star Green Star rating as a minimum requirement.

Seeking net zero certification

As with the other buildings in the Nexus precinct, Nexus Building 01 features alternating glazed and solid facades. The building, which consists of two basement levels, a ground floor, three office levels and an entertainment terrace on the third floor, was designed to provide plenty of natural light to tenants. It was also built to enable easy sub-division into tenant suites.

The building features a host of advanced features to deliver best-in-class environmental sustainability. du Toit added:

We pursued net zero carbon level 1 certification to demonstrate our commitment to developing environmentally friendly and sustainable spaces for our clients as well as a broader commitment to a sustainable built environment in general.

credit LYT Architecture

Nexus 01’s sustainable features include:

• Sub-metering of major energy-consuming systems to monitor energy use.
• Photovoltaic panels to reduce peak electricity demand.
• Highly energy efficient lighting.
• All fire suppression systems and insulants have an Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) of zero.
• A specific Waste Management Plan was developed and implemented to reduce the impact of any waste produced.
• Water efficient fittings limit the occupant water usage to 0.56 L/day/m2. Sub-metering of major water consuming systems is in place.

The construction phase itself followed the most stringent sustainability standards. A project-specific Environmental Management Plan was developed and implemented throughout the duration of construction to establish guidelines to follow to minimise the environmental impact associated with construction activities.

credit LYT Architecture

An impressive commitment to sustainable development

Elri Syfert, sustainability consultant at Solid Green, noted Attacq’s commitment to making a positive environmental impact in a commercially sustainable way. Syfert said:

They were able to reduce their carbon footprint while also reducing the occupancy costs.

Syfert explains that energy modelling during the design stage of the project compared the building to a notional building design.

Compared to a comparable modelled SANS 104000 building, the Nexus Building 01 showed an improvement of more than 100% carbon emissions reductions.

Waterfall City’s ethos is about creating a green environment that benefits residents and businesses operating within the precinct. Waterfall has adopted an environmentally conscious approach to planning and development. The Nexus 01 building is a milestone in the precinct’s sustainable development path.

Project Team

Owner: Attacq Waterfall Investment
Accredited Professional: Solid Green Consulting
Architect: LYT Architecture
Electrical engineer: Claassen Auret
Fire engineer: Plantech
Mechanical engineer: Adaptive Resource Engineers
Quantity surveyors: RLB Pentad
Structural engineers: Pure Consulting
Sustainable building consultant: Solid Green Consulting
Wet services: Spoormaker & Partners
Main contractor: Archstone Construction SA
Project manager: Metrum Project Management
Environmental consultant: Seaton Thompson & Associates
Occupational health and safety manager: Cairnmead