+IMPACT MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 by GreenEconomyMedia

IMPACT 1815

Official publication of the Green Building Council of South Africa

THE X-FACTOR

women and youth

Harnessed from the Air. Used for hot water WWK 304 ZA Compact series specially developed for outdoor installation Also suitable for indoor installation (recirculation air mode) High available mixed water volume and hygienic DHW temperatures > 61 °C in heat pump mode Categorised in the highest possible energy efficiency class for water heaters Permanently high efficiency and safety across the entire service life of the appliance, due to spring-loaded roll-bond heat exchanger Reduced operating costs via intelligent interface to increase consumption of on-site photovoltaic energy Display of the currently available mixed water volume via the LCD Highly reliable and cost effective due to the impressed current anode integrated as standard Very quiet operation due to sound-insulated compressor and positioning away from the air flow Includes temperature and pressure safety valve (T&P valve)

Comfort through Technology www.stiebel-eltron.co.za

CONTENTS

8 9

+IMPACT EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR’S NOTE By Alexis Knipe

THE X-FACTOR What women bring to the built sector

14 16

MAKING A +IMPACT News and notes

GREEN DREAM TEAM The Rewardsco Block B building in Umhlanga is an example of how the integrated design process results in a balanced design

DIGS FOR AFRICA A report on sustainable student accommodation in South Africa

32 36 42 46 49

TRANSFORM TOMORROW The new GBCSA green star category PAVING THE WAY TO NET ZERO Existing buildings and EPCs LEARNING IN NATURE The new UCT School of Education YOUNG INNOVATION Celebrating SA’s up-and-coming talent

WOMEN MAKING WAVES IN THE BUILDING SECTOR 50 FORCE FOR NATURE Driving the female agenda in property

52 W OMEN TRENDSETTERS IN PROPERTY GREEN GLOBE All the way from Russia POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

ACHIEVE INCREDIBLE PRODUCTIVITY,

EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY

WITH THE imagePROGRAF TZ-30000

Boost business productivity •

Get started straight away with your first print in 19 seconds

•

Accelerate your working day with continuous printing of up to 4 ppm for A1 CAD drawings

•

Multiply your productivity with parallel printing and scanning (MFP Z36 model)

Get more done, with incredible efficiency •

Print non-stop with hot swap roll replacement – the first system in the industry with this unique feature

•

Replace ink tanks during print jobs for continuous production (hot swap)

•

Minimise user time with automatic functions including media recognition and feeding – just some of the innovative features of the imagePROGRAF TZ Series

Protect sensitive information with enhanced security •

Increased security features meet corporate and government requirements to help win tenders

•

Passcode protection ensures printed jobs can only be accessed by a specific authorised user, helping to prevent security breaches

•

Secure storage, file erasure and data transmission through expanded encryption, lets users set their security levels to their environment

Impress with brilliant quality •

LUCIA TD inks achieve an extensive colour gamut, precise printing, for accurate CAD drawings in the production CAD market

•

Achieve output that is durable outdoors for up to six months with compatible water-resistant media without the need for lamination – ideal for construction sites

•

Bold colours and great media compatibility enable posters, flyers and more to be printed in-house

Seamless usability in any workspace •

Automated processes and low-maintenance engineering minimise user intervention

•

NEW Direct Print Plus job submission software improves operability

•

User-friendly console design includes the new high-performance Top Delivery Tray for stacking printouts up to 100 A0 CAD sheets or even mixed sizes and fully front-accessible operation

For more information on the imagePRGRAF TZ-30000 click here

See the bigger picture

IMPACT The official publication of GBCSA

Editor Alexis Knipe alexis@greeneconomy.media Director Danielle Solomons dani@positive-impact.africa Editorial Contributors Jutta Berns Adrie Fourie Kim Maxwell Melinda Hardisty Nicole Cameron GBCSA Editorial Advisory Georgina Smit Jenni Lombard Jo Anderson Design and Layout Carla Lawrence, CDC Design

Joint Publishers Gordon Brown gordon@greeneconomy.media Danielle Solomons danielle@greeneconomy.media Co-Publisher: GEM Alexis Knipe

Media Sales Glenda Kulp Tanya Duthie Vania Reyneke Gerard Jeffcote

Production Administrator Melanie Taylor

Chief Executive Officer Lisa Reynolds

Web Digital and Social Media Steven Mokopane

Cover photograph Rewardsco Building

MPeople Resourcing (Pty) Ltd t/a GreenEconomy.Media Reg no. 2005/003854/07

Finance & Operations Manager Levinia Palmer Marketing Manager Christy Borman

Professional Membership Partners

Consulting Engineers South Africa

CALLING ALL THOUGHT LEADERS

+Impact Magazine, the official publication of the GBCSA, presents thought leadership from local and international green building commentators and practitioners, and showcases the excellent work of GBCSA members. Are you a thought leader in your relevant field? GBCSA members are invited to submit stories about projects, design concepts, materials, research and anything else that promotes a healthy sustainable built environment. Submit a 100-word description of your content idea to: alexis@greeneconomy.media

ADVERTISE WITH US For advertising and sponsored content contact Danielle Solomons 081 7800 233 Advertising rates are discounted for GBCSA members and further discounts are available for booking multiple editions in 2022.

TALK TO US Subcribe to newsletter | www.greeneconomy.media All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any way or in any form without the prior written permission of the Publisher. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the GBCSA or the Publisher. All editorial and advertising contributions are accepted on the understanding that the contributor either owns or has obtained all necessary copyrights and permissions. GBCSA and the Publisher do not endorse any claims made in the publication by or on behalf of any organisations or products. Please address any concerns in this regard to the Publisher.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

FUTURE PLANS. CONSTANT CONSIDERATIONS. SUSTAINABLE CHOICES. WHAT GOES INTO IT MATTERS.

ASKFORAFRISAM ASK AFRISAM Our responsible attitude towards the environment informs everything we do, because building today only matters if we have a tomorrow to look forward to. As leaders in sustainability, we’ve undertaken signiﬁcant initiatives in the areas of energy optimisation and emission reduction including rehabilitating mines, optimally using resources, and holistically reducing our carbon footprint. Our future depends on the choices we make now in order to sustain life for future generations. Ask for AfriSam.

www.afrisam.com

Creating Concrete Possibilities

IMPACT

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD BOB VAN BEBBER Bob van Bebber, a senior director at Boogertman + Partners spearheads the conceptualisation and delivery of many of the practices’ large complex projects. From Soccer City, the main stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, to large mixed-use precincts as well as the largest single tenanted corporate head office in the southern hemisphere for Discovery Health. He was recently recognised by the South African Professional Awards as the winner of the Professional of the Year: Architecture Class Award as well as the Overall Professional of the Year for 2019. Van Bebber’s passion extends into urban design, interior design and education. www.boogertmanandpartners.com

GRAHAME CRUICKSHANKS Grahame Cruickshanks has worked as a professional architect, sustainability consultant and management consultant with 20 years of experience in the design, construction and property industry. Focusing much of his career on green buildings and an expert in his field, he has worked on a variety of Green Star and BREEAM certified projects and other building projects in South Africa, Singapore and the UK. Prior to joining Growthpoint Properties as the head of sustainability and utilities, Cruickshank’s previous roles included managing executive for market engagement at the GBCSA and manager at EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services. www.growthpoint.co.za

JUTTA BERNS Jutta Berns is an industry leader and one of South Africa’s first internationally accredited green building professionals, establishing her company Ecocentric in 2007. She has degrees from the Universities of Bonn (Germany) and Cambridge (UK), and a diverse blue-chip client base. Berns specialises in sustainable and net-zero solutions for large property portfolios. She has several LEED Platinum and 6-Star Green Star projects in her portfolio, is a GBCSA faculty member, a Green Star Assessor and GBCSA TAG member, and winner of the Gauteng Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 Award by the Women’s Property Network and 2019 winner of the Established Green Star Awards by the GBCSA. www.ecocentric.co.za

MANFRED BRAUNE Braune currently holds the position of Director: Environmental Sustainability at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where he leads the strategy and implementation of environmental sustainability across all spheres of the university since early 2019. He has also served as a non-executive director of GBCSA in a voluntary role since August 2020. Braune’s background is as a professional engineer, having worked at WSP Group for over 10 years as a consulting engineer, where he then started and led WSP’s green building business for three years and then worked for the GBCSA for 10 years. https://www.uct.ac.za/main/explore-uct/sustainability

MARLOES REININK Marloes Reinink is owner of Solid Green Consulting. With an academic background in innovation and architecture, she has been working as a sustainable building consultant for more than 15 years in South Africa and Africa. She founded Solid Green in 2010, which is one of the leading sustainability consultancies in Africa and achieved its 100th green building certification in October 2020. Reinink’s passion is advocating for a greener built environment and she recently started GreenED, an online education platform for sustainability in the sector. Reinink is an ambassador for the International Living Future Institute; a Living Future accredited professional; and a facilitator of the SA Collaborative Network for a Living Future. www.solidgreen.co.za

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

EDITOR’S NOTE

The X-FACTOR

isa Reynolds, CEO of the GBCSA, says that when it comes to driving sustainability in business, women must stand up and own this space. The African Development Bank and UN Women held a webinar on “Green Jobs for Women in Africa” as a side-event of the 8th Africa Forum for Sustainable Development in February 2022. The key objective was to discuss challenges and opportunities for women’s participation in the green economy in the next decades in sub-Saharan Africa. The webinar also served to present the findings for the report “Green Jobs for Women in Africa”. The main conclusion was that women are well positioned in some of the sectors where green jobs will be created. A range of sectors will create green jobs in sub-Saharan Africa, with energy, construction, and agriculture creating the largest number. However, women are underrepresented in the sectors most likely to create higher-end green jobs, like energy, transportation, construction and overrepresented in agriculture, waste management and certain areas of renewable energy, which are likely to create mostly lower-end jobs. “As governments have recognised in multiple fora, action on climate change must be closely connected with action to address gender inequality. This applies to cities and towns, which are undergoing many transformations: They need to strengthen their resilience to increased extreme weather events, cope with increased migration influx due to natural and man-made crises, and dramatically reduce their emissions and resource use. These transformations can be shaped in a more just, sustainable way with the rights of women and girls at the centre,” Annabel Short, senior advisor, built environment, IHRB, and Dr Ying-Chih Deng-Sommer, sustainable built environment officer, ICLEI write in City Talk, a blog by ICLEI. They go on to say that the built environment plays a defining role in the lives we live today and the future we create. “From land use to re-development, all stages of the built environment lifecycle still present deep gender disparities. Yet, there are also significant opportunities to harness, as well as work already underway to realise the rights of women and gender minorities.” As the UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls has highlighted, “Women are more harshly affected by land tenure insecurity due to direct and indirect discriminatory laws and practices at the national, community and family level.” In a joint report, UN Women and OHCHR emphasise that “realising women’s land rights is an integral part of the gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On page 11, women in power speak about the x-factor that females bring to the green building industry and on page 49 we celebrate women making waves in the sector. Advancing women’s priorities can shape the built sector in ways that benefit everyone. This begins with built environment education. And while we are on education, we look at the various sustainable and building awards that recognise talent in our youth (page 46). They are an inspiration to all. Do not miss the report on student accommodation on page 26 and we showcase the new School of Education at UCT on page 42. On page 36, we unpack Energy Performance Certificates for all to understand the why, the how and the when. Enjoy this issue! Alexis Knipe Editor

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

2-4 Nov 2022

Century City Conference Centre, Cape Town & Virtually

Be part of the most powerful green building gathering in Africa. Join the RE-Generation Movement at the 15th Green Building Convention and be part of driving the regeneration we need in the built environment in this decade of accelerated climate action. Registration from just ZAR 2000. Register Now Exhibition space from just ZAR 12500. Book Now

gbcsaconvention.org.za

850+ 100+ visitors

companies engaged

40+ exhibitors

WOMEN

THE X-FACTOR

The Urban Dictionary states that the x-factor is a quality that makes people in possession of it the epitome of cool. Women are the x-factor in most factors and in the green building sector they are taking the lead. LISA REYNOLDS CEO, Green Building Council South Africa “When it comes to driving sustainability in business, women must stand up and own this space. Women must demonstrate leadership in driving corporate sustainability and responsibility. Women must work together to develop strategies that will make businesses adopt a sustainability mindset. We need to move to a place where companies embrace creative, meaningful sustainability projects, based on the economic and social advantages of these.”

We asked other leaders in the green space what, in their opinion, is the x-factor that women bring to the green built sector.

JUTTA BERNS Founder and CEO, Ecocentric “We bring a genuinely unique perspective to the built environment: we tend to be formidable systems thinkers who know how to develop partnerships across disciplines and outside our professional communities. We understand that getting beyond silos and into meaningful and rapid collaboration is vital on the journey to preventing climate collapse and catastrophic biodiversity loss. This is where we, as women, truly come into play and this gives me immense hope.”

MARLOES REININK Director, Solid Green Consulting “In an industry where change and embracing the unknown are givens, interpersonal skills are essential to leading a dynamic organisation. Women are intuitive thinkers and are instinctively equipped with social skills that focus on inclusive and communicative behaviours. This allows us to listen, support and build trust with our colleagues, and to bring together diverse stakeholders to work towards a common vision. And, according to a recent Caliper study, female leaders are also more willing to take risks than male leaders – which is an essential quality when navigating the complex challenges of our constantly evolving built environment.”

DR RETHABILE MELAMU CEO, South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) “Undoubtedly, women bring a different and fresh perspective to an industry that has been dominated by men. With diversity of thought that women bring to this space, organisations in the built environment benefit from increased creativity and innovation, that creates immense value and growth to these organisations. By nature, women encourage cooperation and collaboration and that brings the necessary vibrancy to teams in what can sometimes be a rigid environment.”

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

Your partner in building scale renewable energy generation and storage projects! Solar energy is now the cheapest electricity available, after utility scale wind. Battery energy storage installations provide access to solar energy daily when the sun is not shining, enabling users to bridge their primary energy needs through most load shedding events. The cost of a hybrid solar + battery storage solution can beat your current electricity costs, depending on a number of factors. Would you like to know if your home or business can achieve energy security at the same cost or less than what you are currently paying? Did you know that SARS allows for the accelerated depreciation of your power generation installation? See Section 12A&B of the Tax Act. Altum Energy has developed a sophisticated modelling tool to determine the point of feasibility for each electricity customer based on your unique set of input values.

For more information visit us at:

info@altum.energy www.altum.energy

Altum Energy works with property owners

across the country to model their energy needs and facilitate projects, and in most cases the economics is advantageous, with high rates of return and payback periods as short as 3 years. Altum Energy is associated with range of preferred suppliers, offering best-of-breed technologies at ultra-competitive rates. We work with reputable and experienced installers with many satisfied customers. We also work with lenders ready to finance your project if you prefer an off-balance sheet structure. If you are considering installing solar and/or batteries at your home or business, invite us to quote and allow us to demonstrate our competitive advantage!

Solar and battery installation by

NEWS

MAKING A +IMPACT MSCI SA GREEN ANNUAL PROPERTY INDEX

Growthpoint owned Green Star certified Prime A-grade offices, Draper on Main, Claremont, Cape Town.

The latest MSCI South Africa Green Annual Property Index continues to support the investment case for green buildings in the commercial property sector. The index showed that the investment performance of certified green, Prime, and A-grade offices improved in 2021 and outperformed non-certified assets of a similar quality by 170bps during the year. Now in its sixth year, the MSCI SA Green Annual Property Index provides an independent and consistent comparative return on investment for green-certified and non-certified offices. Released annually in conjunction with the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) and sponsored by Growthpoint Properties, the index provides an independent, globally consistent view on the investment performance of green-certified and non-certified offices. At the end of 2021, the index sample comprised 303 prime and A-grade office properties valued at R59.1-billion of which 153 were green-certified buildings. These were compared to 150 non-certified offices of a similar quality. “Once again, the MSCI index results reflect the business case for green-rated buildings. Not only are these buildings more efficient, reducing the cost of occupancy for tenants, but they also provide a healthier environment for occupants, which is particularly relevant as staff return to their offices. The fact that green buildings achieve better returns shows that tenants are recognising these benefits. Growthpoint is committed to retaining its status as one of the largest owners of sustainable properties and will continue to pursue appropriate certifications,” says Paul Kollenberg, Growthpoint’s Head of Asset Management: Office. Green offices outperformed by 19.1% since 2016 For the year ended December 2021, the green-certified office sample delivered a total return of 2.2%, 170bps above the non-certified sample’s return of 0.5%. This was a similar outperformance to that measured in 2020 and takes the cumulative total return of green-certified offices to 45.2% since the inception of the index six years ago. Over this period, green certified offices outperformed the noncertified sample by 19.1% - an annualised outperformance of 260bps. A key reason behind the strong performance of green certified offices is its comparatively high income return despite a 29% higher capital value per square metre. This

was achieved courtesy of a 30% higher net operating income (NOI) per square meter compared to non-certified office buildings again reinforcing the importance blue chip occupiers are placing on green office accommodation. “Since the first green star certified building in 2009, the Green Building Council SA and those certifying their buildings, knew – almost instinctively – that it made business sense to certify green. We spoke then of the “Rands and Sense” of green buildings, with a lot of the business savvy couched within the lower utility bills, healthier buildings and highly productive occupants. The last six years’ worth of the MSCI SA Green Property Index results has moved the conversation to that of NOI and Capital Value. The conversation is not only about bottomline savings, but about investment – “Rands and Sense” to Value of Green,” says GBCSA CEO, Lisa Reynolds. Cashflows deemed lower risk Green certified offices boasted significantly lower per square meter usage of electricity (-11.6%) and water (-20.7%) when compared to non-certified offices. With administered costs rising at rates in excess of inflation, these costs can have a significant impact on performance over the lifecycle of a property. As a result, the green-certified office sample had a 50bp lower discount rate when compared to the non-certified sample, implying that its future cashflows were deemed lower risk. Better across all measures Released in April 2022, the MSCI South Africa Green Annual Property Index demonstrated the link between green-certified buildings and investment performance but also of its lower vacancy rate, lower operating cost, higher net operating income and lower discount rate. “In an extremely tough office market, it is encouraging to see that green certified buildings continue to outperform non-certified buildings. Not just because the perceived risk in the income stream is lower but is also underpinned by better property fundamentals – vacancies are lower and margins are higher. Certification provides a proven tool for asset managers to leverage off giving investors an enhanced return,” says Eileen Andrew, Vice President: Client Coverage at MSCI South Africa. Comparison of Green Star Certified Buildings vs Non-Certified Buildings in 2021 Certified Non-certified Total Return (%) Vacancy Rate (%) Net Operating Income (per square meter) Capital Value (per square meter) Total Operating Cost % of Gross Income Water Usage (m3 per annum) Electricity Usage (kWh per annum)

2.2 15.6 144

0.5 16.3 111

20,998 35.6

16,226 39.8

0.5

0.7

138

156

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

NEWS

GBCSA RELOCATES GBCSA has moved to new green offices in Cape Town at Growthpoint Properties’ River Park, Mowbray. The GBCSA has taken a three-year lease over some 330sqm of space at the recently refurbished multitenant office building. River Park recently improved its green rating to a GBCSA 5-Star Green Star SA – Existing Building Performance v1 certification. The building has high scores for its land use and ecology, green transport access, and energy and water savings. Lisa Reynolds, CEO of GBCSA, says a green building rating was a prerequisite for the council’s choice of offices, but it also had several other rigorous requirements. On top of walking the talk by working from a certified green building, cost-effectiveness was key. The GBCSA also sought an inspiring workspace in a good location with excellent accessibility for visitors. The office is near GBCSA’s former offices so staff travel would not be affected by the move and, thus, did not increase their carbon footprint.

ZUTARI OFFERS ITS EXPERTISE FOR EPCs To assist its clients to comply with the new EPC requirements, leading consulting engineering and infrastructure advisory firm Zutari is offering its experience in this regard, says Yovka RaytchevaSchaap, Associate, Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) Consulting & Project Management. Zutari offers both upstream and downstream assistance with the EPC process.

Yovka Raytcheva-Schaap, Associate, ESD Consulting and Project Management, Zutari.

WINNER OF 35TH COROBRIK STUDENT ARCHITECTURE AWARDS The winner of the 2021 Corobrik Student Architecture Awards was announced on 8 June at a special event at the Radisson RED in Rosebank, Johannesburg. The 35th national awards ceremony was unique in that all seven regional winners and the heads of school from their respective universities, together with leaders from the architectural fraternity, were in attendance in person for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2021 national winner, announced live, was Mpho Sephelane from the School of Architecture at the University of Cape Town, who received a R70 000 cash prize. A special prize for the best use of clay face brick in a project was awarded to Wian Jordaan from the Department of Architecture at the University of Pretoria. An overwhelming

four of the seven regional winners used face brick in their projects, including Sephelane. The seven regional winners presented their theses to an esteemed panel of judges in a Johannesburg studio during May, from where the final winner was selected. The judges were Ludwig Hansen from Ludwig Hansen Architects + Urban Designers, Rahdia Parker from Archi Cape Town, and Adwoa Agyei, Director: Physical Development Services at the City of Tshwane. “I can only agree with the sentiment that we as judges were impressed by the quality of the submissions. There are actually seven winners here. It has been an honour from our side to be part of the awards,” said Hansen. TO VIEW WINNING PROJECTS

The seven finalists at the 35th Corobrik Student Architecture Awards with Corobrik CEO Nick Booth and Chairman Peter du Trevou.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

PROJECT

Green DREAM TEAM 16

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

The Rewardsco Block B building in Umhlanga was yet another building in its A-grade commercial precinct to achieve a 5-Star Green Star certification late in 2021. Women played a key role in shaping its sustainability directions. WORDS Kim Maxwell IMAGES Karl Beath Photography

Project nutshell Project floor area: Carpark area: Project certification date: Green Star rating: Location: Type of building:

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

4 973m² 4 937m² November 2021 5-Star Green Star Office Design v1.1 Ridgeside Drive, Umhlanga Ridge High-performance office block

South African Council for the Architectural Profession

BUILDING A SAFE HOUSE No person can erect a building/house without approved building plans prepared by a registered architectural professional. Any member of the public who erects a building/house without approved building plan prepared by registered architectural professional is considered guilt of an offence. A member of the public will also suffer losses because the building will be demolished. Furthermore, a person who is not registered with the South African Council for the architectural profession (SACAP) will not be able to advise a member of the public not to build a house on a site which is subject to flooding or does not drain properly. A building plan prepared by a person who is not registered will be dangerous to

To check if your architectural profession is registered contact SACAP on: Tel: 011 479 5000 Email: info@sacapsa.com 51 Wessel Road, Rivonia Sandton,2128

akhosazana Mthethwa has been an architect and sustainable design consultant at Solid Green Consulting in Johannesburg since 2018. Under her guidance and expertise, the company’s sustainable building design input in the Rewardsco Block B office building in Umhlanga Ridge, eThekwini, helped achieve the precinct’s five-star Green Star Office Design v1.1 certification, in November 2021. Block B is the Umhlanga commercial precinct’s second Rewardsco building with a Green Star Office Design certification from the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA). The first Rewardsco office, Block C, was completed in 2014. The precinct has five office buildings and a hotel. The newest Rewardsco Block B has four levels of office space and three parking levels. Rewardsco is a leading provider of outsourced sales services, with its consultants working on behalf of blue-chip clients. The site is within walking distance of Umhlanga Arch and numerous amenities. Mthethwa is in her thirties and has straddled a career that has morphed between pure architecture and sustainable design practices. “This means I help develop solutions to reduce the development’s environmental impact and carbon footprint. In that way, I guide the project design team to create comfortable, healthy buildings that are highly efficient in their energy, water and resource usage. Whatever the project requires, we work towards that,” she says. “I also coordinate the green design certifications for these buildings.”

PROJECT

CLEAN VISION “Sustainable design is impacted by every discipline – whether it’s architecture, mechanical or electrical engineering – we coordinate those designs and provide supporting green technical advice so we can achieve the project’s overall sustainability goals.” How might this be implemented? “With the architecture side, we look at how to help the project architect to optimise the building’s form, making sure that designs are well orientated. Or if there is a lot of glass, we’ll advise on climate-appropriate glazing selections, particularly for buildings with higher glazing ratios that would require high performance glass and perhaps shading solutions.” Mthethwa says to predict a building’s performance, they carry out iterative computer base-model simulations for solar control, daylight availability, thermal comfort and energy analysis. “Using this simulated modelling allows us to give the design team an idea of the impact of different design variations – for instance, the impact of solar control on daylight availability and thermal comfort.” Where required, they also assist with post-occupancy surveys that offer user feedback on how occupants experience the buildings once completed. “It’s important for sustainable developments to have all members of the design team collaborating quite early in the design process, starting from concept to close-out, and even through to operations. In the sustainable design world, we call it the integrated design process,” she says. This results in balanced designs and reduced resource waste.

Rewardsco B Building in Umhlanga Ridge has a 5-Star Green Star certification.

Makhosazana Mthethwa has been a green building consultant at Solid Green since 2018. Her role is to facilitate green building design certifications as well as technically assist project teams to deliver sustainable buildings. Mthethwa is also an assistant lecturer at UCT for the Simulated Office School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics faculty. Before joining Solid Green, she was a design architect at dhk where she used her experience to incorporate sustainability initiatives into the architectural designs from concept level. From 2009 to 2015, Mthethwa worked at PJCarew Consulting. She joined as an academic intern and a year later began working as a green building design consultant. Thereafter she moved to part-time work to pursue a master’s degree from 2012.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

RENEWABLES

OFF-GRID WATER STORAGE SOLUTIONS ESSENTIAL FOR FUTURE

n the last 15 years we have seen and felt the impact of load-shedding on business operations and domestic life. The effects of drought and water restrictions have also been felt by all South Africans for many years. Add to these the challenges of ageing municipal infrastructure, nationwide riots and climate change causing floods that devastate infrastructure. There is little doubt that architects, building designers, property developers and planners need to prioritise going off-grid – or at the very least having a backup plan for energy and water in place. “Tackling this at design level makes for easier implementation and improves the marketability of a property exponentially,” says Chester Foster, GM: The SBS Group, which includes SBS Tanks and SBS Energy. “Planning for water and energy is essential for continued business operations and to ensure that lifestyle standards are maintained. Although it is ideal to start at design stage, our SBS solutions can be added at any stage, in an aesthetically pleasing and practical way.” The SBS Group works with architects, consulting engineers, urban planners, contractors, and industry specialists to deliver advanced off-grid water solutions which are modular, can be designed to maximise capacity on a limited footprint, and are colour-coated to either blend in or make a statement. The company offers a comprehensive range of rainwater harvesting, recycled or process water storage, and back-up water and energy solutions including usage monitoring for any size operation.

IMPACT MAG HALF PAGE AD_JUNE 2022.pdf

2022/06/09

3:49 PM

“With demand for water in South Africa expected to outstrip supply by 2030 and load-shedding set to be a part of our future, installing backup water and energy supply solutions must be prioritised,” Foster says. “Working with turnkey partners we work to maximise the client’s return on energy and water storage infrastructure and limit risk exposure. The addition of SBS Energy to our business portfolio earlier this year has meant we can now offer a complete off-grid solution.” Do you want to make your property more valuable? Looking for a trusted partner to deliver water and energy solutions? Talk to our team today. Call: 086 048 2657 Email: info@sbstanks.co.za Visit our website: www.sbstanks.com

PROJECT

IT ADDS UP

The Rewardsco buildings are all connected by bridges.

Building occupants benefit from ample quality fresh air.

Green certification for Rewardsco Block B was based on improving the facility’s energy performance, water savings and waste management. Mthethwa’s team focused on the following aspects: ENERGY EFFICIENCY The building has a modelled energy consumption of only 168kWh per square metre for each year, far lower than industry requirements. Sub-meters and an automated monitoring mechanism manage energy consumption. Carbon emissions were also reduced to much lower than a building constructed to South African national standards. This reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions is due to: - An optimised building façade, including highperformance glazing where required. -E nergy-efficient LED light fixtures. - Occupancy sensors for all enclosed spaces, and open-plan office areas no bigger than 100m² (so lights burn only when needed). -E nergy-efficient HVAC system equipment. - An efficient heat pump for hot water production. - Office harvesting of natural daylight to offset electrical lighting. WATER EFFICIENCY The building uses non-potable rainwater – collected through the site’s stormwater attenuation and retention ponds – and is pumped to several of Block B’s water storage tanks. That means only non-potable water is used for landscaping, toilet/urinal flushing and heat rejection. Water-eﬃcient sanitary fittings were also installed. The building’s sewerage outflow from occupant usage was reduced by 50% compared to the average practice benchmark.

With Block B, one of its most special features is the water system linked to the attenuation and retention ponds. WASTE REDUCTION To reduce operational waste, recycling waste sorting bins are provided in the basement waste area. This allows for the collection and eventual recycling of cardboard, paper, glass, plastics and metals.

Restorative spaces such as pause areas, outdoor seating and break places contribute to building occupant wellbeing.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Building occupants benefit from ample quality fresh air. The fresh air system improves on industry rates per person requirements by 66% with 12.5 litres per second per person. This impacts occupants’ abilities to keep alert, minimises building of indoor pollutants and mitigates sick building syndrome. Low-level VOC adhesives, sealants and carpets are installed in at least 95% of the fit-out. The building offers access to good levels of daylight and external views, to mitigate eye strain and provide general stress relief. More than 80% of ground floor and office floor plates have direct access to external views. Recreational and restorative spaces such as pause areas, prayer rooms, outdoor seating and break places also contribute to building occupant wellbeing.

PROJECT

DYNAMIC DUO REWARDSCO BLOCK B Main contractor: Trencon Client: Zenprop Properties Value: R92-million Project: Construction of an 8 000m2 new office block including a podium, an external link bridge connecting an existing office (Block C) to the new office (Block B), and three basements of 6 000m2. A five-star Green Star Office Design v1.1 rating was achieved for Rewardsco Block B. A four-star Green Star As-Built submission on this project is being reviewed by GBCSA currently. “Trencon prides itself on its ability to deliver projects of high complexity on time and within budget, while contributing to the social environment that it operates in,” says CEO Yavani Singh-Ninan. The company has been involved in numerous projects that have achieved four- and five-star Green Star ratings. Trencon was the main contractor on Rewardsco Block B, and is also involved on Rewardsco Block A, under construction.

The building offers access to good levels of daylight and external views, to mitigate eye strain and provide general stress relief. Karl Beath Photography

Aside from design input in Rewardsco Block B last year, Mthethwa is currently involved in the Rewardsco Block A building too (the latter still under construction). “The buildings are all connected by bridges, as they have the same main tenant Rewardsco, so A and B are quite similar,” she says. “We are targeting a Green Star Office Design v1.1 rating for Rewardsco Block A too.”

WATERWISE What did she find memorable about working on the completed Rewardsco Block B? Mthethwa’s focus was on the building’s sustainability elements. “Sometimes with large developments, what looks like a water feature is used as a water retention pond to hold storm water,” she explains. “With Block B, one of its most special features is the water system linked to the attenuation and retention ponds. As part of the Umhlanga Ridge precinct design, the ponds have additional capacity to store water. They are used for toilet and urinal flushing, as well as landscape irrigation and heat rejection.” All five office buildings draw from the ponds, thanks to some early design decisions. This project is a perfect example of how all members of the design team have collaborated from concept to closeout. Rewardsco is proof that an integrated design process results in balanced designs and reduced resource waste. Thinking smart for a sustainable building future.

Yavani Singh-Ninan (left) and Aradhna Singh-Sewdial (right).

When founding member Dino Singh passed away in 2021, his daughters joined the management team, with Yavani Singh-Ninan as CEO and Aradhna SinghSewdial as human capital and transformation director. “Our passion for women empowerment brings new energy and vision to a traditionally male-dominated environment,” says Singh-Sewdial. The sisters hope to build on their father’s legacy with “innovative and environmentally sustainable solutions”. Accredited professionals on the Trencon team include their Green Star and environmental coordinators, Thembo Miya and Hendi Janse van Rensburg. Construction team members also attend an online Green Star course conducted by GBCSA. The project team is involved from the start until certification is achieved, ensuring compliance to targeted points. All Green Star requirements are issued to Trencon’s sub-contractors and monitored, then distributed to buying teams to ensure compliance of materials. For instance, locally sourced, low-embodied energy materials used for building construction includes steel sourced from suppliers who have a high percentage of postconsumer recycled content, reducing resource depletion.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

• Tel: + 27 11 822 2320 • Fax: + 27 11 822 2354 • e-mail: cindy@ashak.co.za

For Quality Release Oils Formulated For Specific Applications!

gents ding A chors n o B • An mical • Che

crete • Con g pairs Bondin ete Crack Re ents Ag cr • Con ete Release tars r or c • Con ete Repair M cr • Con

• • • • • • •

unds Compo s g n i r Cu ive Adhes Epoxy out Gr Epoxy lants ea Joint S nk Grouts ri h Non S Repairs t s Pre Ca oofing Pr Water 6589 Ashak Constrctn 1/2pg IMPACT ad GBCSA JUNE’22 IMPACT mag

INTERSPRAY DURBAN CC

Proudly involved with

Rewardsco Block B building

We, as painting contractors since 1971, pride ourselves in our personalised service to ensure customer satisfaction. We take great care to ensure that all our sites are safe and follow all safety guidelines and procedures. T: +27 (0)31 569 4415 | F: +27 (0)31 569 3004 kevin@interspray.co.za | lutchman91@gmail.com

TRENCON CONSTRUCTION (PTY) LTD

Trencon Construction is very proud to have been part of the team involved in this GBCSA Green Star accredited building. T: +27 (0)11 451 8000 | info@trencon.co.za

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

Investment. Development. Management.

Adowa specialises in the investment, development and management of high-quality, affordable student housing communities in South Africa. Backed by our deep understanding of the market, a commitment to quality and combined experience of over 50 years in property development and finance, Adowa aims to be the leading choice for students looking for a living environment complimentary to their university years. We create spaces where students feel secure and comfortable, enabling them to focus on their academic objectives in stable environments.

Community: For Students – we provide a “home-away-fromhome” and a supportive living environment For Higher Learning Institutions – we offer a supplementary solution and service offering to the accommodation needs of institutions

Our Values Customer (student) focus: We focus on our students in everything we do Sustainability: We take genuine social, economic and ecological responsibility for our people and our communities. Excellence: We consistently strive to excel in all our offerings Innovation: We continuously challenge and improve how we operate Our People: We work together honestly in a professional manner to achieve exceptional results Collaborations: We strive to achieve mutual benefits with all our stakeholders

210 Amarand Avenue, Pegasus 1 Building, Menlyn Maine, Waterkloof Glen ext2 Pretoria, South Africa 7405 Email: info@adowa.co.za | Tel: +27 12 111 1630 | www.adowa.co.za

CONSTRUCTION

Adowa Student Accommodation – the new name in sustainable student living

he shortage of student beds in South Africa is well known. Various institutions have placed the supply gap at 500 000 . That’s half a million students who need suitable accommodation to enable them to complete their tertiary education in safe and secure living spaces. The impact of not having a safe, purpose-fit home to live in –sleeping in libraries or backyard makeshift rooms, for example – needs no explanation. It’s dire. And it contributes negatively to the upskilling and future of the country’s youth. Solving this challenge is a mantle that the Adowa Student Accommodation team has taken head on.

In partnership with the Government Employees Pension Fund, together with the Unemployment Insurance Fund, Adowa has set out on a task to contribute approximately 7 000 brand new student beds to the market, adding to the contributions of institutions such as the International Financing Corporation and other private student accommodation providers. Adowa aligns not only with the minimum norms and standards for student accommodation set out by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), but also with international guidelines of the Association for College and University Housing Officers-International’s (ACUHO-I) 21st Century Project design guidelines, and the Green Building Council of South Africa’s green building Edge certification. Sustainability and innovation are imperative ingredients to the Adowa designs, which makes Adowa’s projects world class. The idea with the Adowa developments is to ensure students are housed in environments that are conducive to success in their studies. It’s called Purpose-Built Student Accommodation. Research shows that accommodation that aligns itself well with the campus environment and which is integrated into the academic and social lives of

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

students at universities contribute to students achieving better results in their academic careers. Key features of the Adowa developments is proximity to the targeted institutions and a design arrangement that fosters communities. All Adowa developments are located within a walking distance from targeted universities, to allow students to feel part of the on-campus community. Units are arranged in both apartment and dormitory-style set-ups that have communal kitchens and bathrooms. Also part of Adowa’s offering are greater communal areas such as study rooms equipped with libraries to combine with curated student life programs that assist in career development and tutoring, as well as mentoring during exam time. Laundry facilities, unlimited WIFI and spaces for leisure ensure rounded young adults can be selfsufficient but also confident knowing there is a house supervisor to lend a hand when things get tough. Adowa recently launched its eye catching 1 047 beds facility named the Ellis Park Student Village in Johannesburg’s Doornfontein region – 50 meters from the University of Johannesburg’s Doornfontein campus. The vibrant and colourful building located on Beit Street is indicative of the renewed energy that Adowa is bringing, not only to the cityscapes of major South African cities and towns, but to student life as well. Another 6 000 student beds are due to come online in the next three years in Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Kwa Zulu-Natal and the Western Cape. The target market is the more than 70% of learners funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). Adowa aims to make quality purpose-built student accommodation accessible to all, but especially the indigent. The multiplier effect when these individuals are able to gain skills that empower them to feed and take care of their families is tremendous. And Adowa is proud to contribute to that empowerment.

REPORT

DIGS FOR

AFRICA South Africa is facing massive shortages of affordable and secure student accommodation. +Impact Magazine explores how developers are solving accessibility and cost challenges creatively and sustainably. WORDS Kim Maxwell

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

REPORT

TAG African founder John Schooling says the crisis of student accommodation not only in South Africa, but Africa, is affordability. “It’s a crisis for students, parents, universities and governments, who just can’t afford it.” The question is: how can we address the problem? Schooling believes that student accommodation is intrinsically linked to tertiary education success. “If students are in campus accommodation or living close to campus, their pass rate chances improve by 80%. ‘Through put’ is a term used for the total number of graduates vs total student numbers. In South Africa, the through put percentage at university is below 18% vs the 25% global average. “Our goal as a property development company is to pioneer the provision of a sustainable, affordable alternative to world-class student accommodation.”

TICKING BOXES But achieving world-class student accommodation is not only about beds. “If you design accommodation that ticks these boxes – providing a sense of community, sustainability, innovation, flexibility and technology – you’re well on your way towards world-class accommodation,” he says. “Then add these last four principles, specific to Africa: job creation, operational ability, transformation and affordability.” STAG applies all nine principles in their student builds. “We have built the greenest student accommodation at Stellenbosch University’s Tygerberg campus,” adds Schooling. Nkosi Johnson House was named the “greenest residence in Africa” after being awarded EDGE certification, earned through considerable energy (30%) and water (22%) savings, achieved in day-to-day residence operation, and in its sustainable construction methods. STAG’s sustainability wins at Nkosi Johnson House include the reduction of embedded energy in building material, grey water recycling for irrigation and toilet flushing, and solar photovoltaics (PV) for electricity generation. Heat pumps and LED lighting assist in additional electricity reduction.

FULL MARKS What considerations does STAG factor in for builds? “Built into our student accommodation costing is anchoring. If the Department of Higher Education and Training puts our cost at R350 000 per bed, our anchor is that it costs nothing per bed. We build it up instead,” Schooling explains. “The first step is that it must tick all those nine boxes. We also apply ‘first principles’, like Elon Musk did by designing a car that brought the cost down yet is worldclass and sustainable. We break down the product into its most basic form. “We are building the Tesla of student accommodation. We reduce the total amount of material used in building by 50%. We also reduce our waste from 25% to 1% of construction volume. And so on.” “The latest ‘cost of greening’ research has shown that a green-rated building only costs between 2% and 5% more on average,” says GBCSA CEO Lisa Reynolds. “Running costs of sustainable buildings are much lower – more cost-effective to run during the building’s lifetime and more affordable for students. Building (or renovating) student accommodation close to campus is not only beneficial to their studies and time management but minimises their carbon footprint with sustainability beyond the buildings.”

FIRST PLACE Back in 2020, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) 500-bed Avenue Road Residence in Mowbray was the first South African student housing development to be awarded a Green Star rating from the GBCSA. A four-star Green Star rating was achieved for water and energy savings as well as a disability suite on the R222-million development. “Since 2012, UCT has decided that all new buildings must be green buildings of at least a four-star Green Star rating, which includes any student housing projects,” explains Manfred Braune, director of environmental sustainability at UCT. “This is really important to us because it allows our design and construction to follow a best practice standard for green buildings and allows for independent verification by the GBCSA, who appoint independent auditors, anonymous to the project, to verify this.”

Developer STAG African’s Nkosi Johnson House is the “greenest residence” at Stellenbosch University’s Tygerberg campus.

UCT’s Avenue Road Residence was the first South African student housing development to be awarded a Green Star rating from the GBCSA.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

REPORT

Above: Units on Cape Station student accommodation at the Cape Station precinct development in Cape Town CBD will target a minimum GBCSA IFC EDGE rating. Below: Phase 1 of Units on Cape Station student accommodation will create more than 3 000 beds in the new Cape Station precinct development.

INTERNATIONALLY ON PAR Says Braune: “The reason we use the Green Star standard, as opposed to EDGE, is that Green Star is a holistic green building standard that covers all the most relevant issues a green building standard must incorporate, on par with other international green building standards such as LEED certification from the US, or BREEAM from the UK. These include not just aspects related to carbon emissions and water (what the EDGE tool covers), but also critical issues such as human health and ecological health impacts of a development. In the context of accommodation for students, human health must be a priority, which is why we place special emphasis on this.” But is this sort of sustainable investment workable? “Many will say the cost of using the Green Star standard is too high, but in our experience, it has not cost us more than approximately 1.3% additional to the project’s construction value to achieve a four-star rating, including for the Avenue Road Residence project,” says Braune. “This is very quickly recovered in terms of energy and water savings once the building is operational though – two years, in the case of the Avenue Road Residence building.”

CAPE STATION HUB Eris Property Group, one of South Africa’s biggest developers, is backing education in an existing transport hub by developing South Africa’s largest single-phase student accommodation in Cape Town CBD. The R1.5-billion investment consists of student accommodation plus a ground floor retail component. It is in the vicinity of the existing Cape Town station rail network, with its bus hub nearby. Phase 1 of Units on Cape Station student accommodation will create more than 3 000 beds in the new Cape Station precinct development. The purpose-built student facility has supporting amenities including sports courts, study rooms, a cinema and gym. The ground floor will have 6 700m² of retail space.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

“Too expensive” is often the retort, in economically challenged South Africa. Developers are entitled to make profits. So, is a sustainable building with green features affordable and achievable for new student accommodation builds? Eris says it is. “Sustainable building increases cost savings, which in turn reduces the required rentals from students, making these buildings more affordable to stay in, increases the longevity of the building and does not have a negative impact on the environment,” says Johan Janse van Vuuren, executive head of student accommodation at Eris Property Group.

ECONOMIES OF SCALE “Substantially sized projects create economies of scale, where the development cost per bed can be reduced and the operating cost per bed can reduce too.” He says designs maximising natural ventilation and optimal thermal positioning of windows and shading systems can reduce mechanical installation and save on utilities. Each student unit having individual metering of electricity, hot and cold water means that excessive usage and leaks are detected timeously and proactively, saving on operational costs. Students save too. Janse van Vuuren says all shared amenities are included in the student accommodation, reducing the cost of each student having to purchase, rent or travel to amenities such as computer labs, study areas, high-speed Wi-Fi, gyms and recreational space. From a sustainability perspective, an urban location closer to campuses and amenities ensures carbon footprint is reduced. It also increases student personal safety and affordability.

TARGET: ADVANCED RATING The Units on Cape Station student accommodation building at Cape Station precinct development will achieve a minimum GBCSA IFC EDGE rating. Janse van Vuuren says at present, the project is targeting an EDGE Advanced rating that will require a 40% reduction in energy, 20% reduction in water and 20% reduction in embodied carbon.

REPORT

Phase 1 of Adowa’s Ellis Park Student Village in Doornfontein, Johannesburg, was completed in January 2022.

Initiatives to meet these requirements include a PV electricity generation system, non-resistive water heating through heat pumps for all hot water generation, lowflow bathroom fittings and energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the building as well as individual monitoring on all apartments. Low-carbon building materials such as cement bricks will be used. Eris’s Johannesburg student project is due for completion at roughly the same time. Following similar green design principles is Units on Jorissen Street in Braamfontein, offering 998 student beds. The development is conveniently located near Wits University. Both Units on Cape Station student accommodation at Cape Station precinct and Units on Jorissen Street in Braamfontein should be ready for student intake in 2023.

MEGA BEDS Adowa is the specialist student accommodation property developer behind a 7 000-bed pipeline, with 6 000 student beds due to come online in Cape Town, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in the next three years. Its target market is the more than 70% of learners funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). Adowa Property Developer CEO Sisa Rafuza says their residences are designed to offer students security, proximity to institutions and a design arrangement that fosters community. “The impact of not having a safe, purpose-fitting home to live in – of sleeping in libraries or backyard makeshift rooms – needs no explanation,” he says of the alternative. Reynolds makes a similar point about short-term solutions. “I believe students in South Africa have unique needs when compared to other places. We need to establish how student housing can provide a solution to these unique needs and build accordingly. An example is that some students need a quiet place, with access to Wi-Fi and meals, only around exam time. How can we provide this?”

“The revenue from NSFAS is fixed, so costs need to be managed. The only way to do that well is to ensure that you build sustainably in terms of the running of the building, so you can yield a decent return on your investment as a developer,” says Rafuza. Centralised water heating instead of individual unit geysers, glazed windows and water flow management are just some of the features implemented. Adowa says that being focused on developing new builds, not refurbishing old spaces, means they are able to introduce green features with relative ease. At the completed Ellis Park Student Village (Phase 1), 50m from the University of Johannesburg’s Doornfontein campus, Adowa’s holistic approach includes EDGE certification of the building design plus green materials. “For example, we’ve used autoclaved concrete that makes it more sustainable – the brick itself uses less water, with less waste,” says Rafuza. “It’s also lighter for transportation, so uses less trucks and fuel overall. That is one sustainable aspect of the build.” Adowa’s Ellis Park Student Village provided 1 047 new beds on completion in January 2022. Another 600 beds will come online in Phase 2, during the 2023 academic year. Braune says more beds are in the pipeline for Cape Town too. “UCT is planning to roll out additional student accommodation for about 4 000 students, to hopefully come online by 2023/2024. Various development proposals were received recently through an open tender process, which is now in negotiation stage on the preferred proposals received. These projects will also be targeting a minimum four-star Green Star standard.” Reynolds reminds that renovating and/or repurposing buildings into student housing is another option. Aside from providing opportunities for creative solutions and jobs, they are “sustainably better than building new”. “Currently, there are some very creative solutions for student housing in the retrofitted building space – reusing of office buildings, railway station buildings, etcetera. The financing of these projects is dependent on them attaining a Green Star or EDGE rating.”

Following green design principles is Eris Property Group’s Units on Jorissen Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, offering 998 student beds.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

The IID is the only registered professional body representing the South African interior design industry. Membership of the IID indicates your status as a qualified, experienced & ethical practicing professional. There are many benefits to being a member including: • Belonging to a professional body gives you credibility in the marketplace • Personal webpage on the IID website. We encourage you to use this facility to promote your business • Skills development and business training workshops, both in-person and online • Professional signature to use on your emails and correspondence • The opportunity to be featured and/ or to write for an upcoming issue of Designing Ways magazine • The ability to tender for certain large, public projects • Cutting edge design research via partnerships with international research firms • Networking platforms and speaking opportunities, both local and international, such as Design Joburg and Art Meets Design Dialogue • Knowledge sharing with like-minded designers, at all stages of their career • VIP invitations to showroom events A forum for posing business related questions as well as offering sound business practice. • Legal guidance at a reduced rate If you are seeking specific resources or services, or would like to find out more about becoming a member please don’t hesitate to let us know by emailing Maria Day at maria@iidprofession.org.za

Iidprofessions.org.za

Left to right: Thuli Mahlangu from Zing Design ( Chair person of the IID marketing committee) Juliet Kavishe Director of the IID and Nthabi Ditau from Ditau Interiors Chairperson of the IID BID-Forum) Thuli Mahlangu from Zing Design ( Chairperson of the IID marketing committee) and Nthabi Ditau from Ditau Interiors Chairperson of the IID BID-Forum)

Penny Moon CEO of Top carpets and Corporate member of the IID, Trevor Sibanda Chairperson of the IID Student Advisory Committee, Maria Day COO of the IID, Thuli Mahlangu from Zing Design and chairperson of the IID Marketing Committee, Phil Darby from PDI interiors and IID Finance Committee and Nthabi Ditau from Ditau Interiors and Chairperson of the IID BID-Forum Committee Ilse Prinsloo HOD of UJ Interior Design and IID Chairperson of the education Committee, Thuli Student member of the IID, Trevor Sibanda Chairperson of the Student Advisory committee and Thuli Mahlangu from Zing Design and Chairperson of the IID marketing Committee

GREEN STAR

TRANSFORM TOMORROW THE PLACES CATEGORY

The PLACES category is an exciting addition to the Green Star rating system with its inclusion in the Green Star New Building version 2 tool that is currently under development. It ensures that people are placed at the forefront of design by facilitating a focus on how buildings are integrated into the existing urban fabric to create spaces that increase social cohesion. WORDS Adrie Fourie

he World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2022 identified social cohesion corrosion as one of the top short- and medium-term global risks in 31 countries, including South Africa. According to the report (2022:16), economic, political, technological and intergenerational inequality “was already challenging societies even before income disparities increased through the pandemic”, and it is anticipated that these disparities will now widen even further. The report goes on to describe the erosion of social cohesion as the “loss of social capital and a fracture of social networks negatively impacting social stability, individual wellbeing, and economic productivity as a result of persistent public anger, distrust, divisiveness, lack of empathy, marginalisation of minorities, political polarisation etc”. (2022:94)

Perhaps the most subjective and difficult to refine categories of the new tool, the PLACES category also creates a very direct link to the decision-making processes behind asset development and real estate risk assessment. The adage, “location, location, location,” is the driving force and we view this category of an extension of the extensive investigative work the developer and their assets investigations teams would have undertaken to identify the project location. It should build on the work already done, and present information to the full design team in a manner that will ensure that all the opportunities and challenges are taken into consideration to ensure that appropriate responsive design interventions are identified. As head of the sustainable cities and research department at Solid Green and the PLACES category director, I was supported by a fantastic and knowledgeable team that has

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

GREEN STAR worked tirelessly for the past six months to identify the local contextualisation prospective design teams would consider as part of the tool localisation process. I believe that we can facilitate meaningful change in how our cities and neighbourhoods are created, what these spaces would look like, and how these places will function. By including location and context sensitive design directives, which will require the full design team to review and respond with integrated design solutions, buildings will no longer operate in isolation from their surroundings. It will be possible to create systems that organically interconnect, for the betterment of the end user experience and longevity of the asset, while the risk associated with location is fully understood and appropriately addressed – through this category along with others contained within the tool. Peter Stokes, architect, and partner at dhk Architects provided insight into place making best practice, urban design guidelines that drive good design and site context analysis, which teams will usually undertake at the start of the project. He also noted that, if some of this information is not shared with the integrated design team at the outset, it can result in limiting design responses.

The PLACES category highlights the imperative that building design is no longer regarded in isolation.

Marc Sherratt, founder, and sustainability architect at MSSA, provided insight into the culture, heritage and identity elements linked to the category. Of the process and the category details he commented, “As a nation we have a leadership role to play in the green building movement and how it applies to this transitional stage between the industrial and ecological ages of human civilisation. Questioning how we can create better, safer and more equitable spaces in a country notorious for its inequality gives great weight to the words we have carefully proposed for this new green building rating tool.” Zendré Compion, professional architect, sustainability consultant, and owner of Common Space focused on the importance of movement and connectivity. “Sustainable buildings cannot be islands. Every site is unique and will therefore have to respond differently through designing in sustainable mobility or responding to infrastructure and services that already exist beyond the site – which we tried to capture with the transport-focused credit.”

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

The PLACES category highlights the imperative that building design is no longer regarded in isolation. It is essential to unpack, assess and manage the potential impacts that a project can have. For the real estate sector, this means that impacts are measured over more than one re-sale cycle to really understand the risk associated with a specific investment. For design teams, this means using the contextual understanding of a site to define design responses that are aimed at maximising the positive impacts while limiting the negatives that a building can have on the wider surroundings. There are three credits in the PLACES category that the team have been investigating: - Contribution to Place. This credit is aimed at placemaking and city scape formation with consideration to inclusivity and diversity in design. The focus will fall on ensuring an integrated design team response is developed to respond to the contextual opportunities and challenges of a site, while ensuring projects create accessible spaces that can contribute to community building and interactive engagement. For those spaces, design teams will also have the opportunity to create activation strategies that will remain with the building, as a guide to future end on how to use those spaces effectively, to ensure those spaces are always places for lively interaction with a positive contribution not only to the site, but also its surroundings. - Movement and Connectivity. Encourages mobile diversity that builds on the opportunities of a building’s design and location to encourage occupants and visitors use active, low carbon and public transport options instead of private vehicles. Depending on the specific project context analysis, specific emphasis could then be placed on interventions that encourage walkability through improving amenity access, pedestrianisation of the environment or the provision of showers and lockers. There will also be an opportunity for projects to consider how public transport can be given a more prominent role. - Culture, Heritage and Identity. This is perhaps the most reflective credit of the category. Teams are urged to find appropriate ways to reflect the local culture, heritage and identity by publicly demonstrable design interventions. These could include community art or placemaking projects; the selection of local labour/suppliers/designers for complete artwork or cultural element manufacture; significant publicly visible building elements that tell stories of local social and/or environmental past and heritage; and/or significant public spaces and uses that reflect local identities. Where credits within other categories of these tools are aimed at creating climate responsive buildings, the intent of the PLACES category and its respective credits is to identify people-centric design solutions that invite and accommodate occupants and visitors on site in ways that are memorable and rewarding. The goal is to create an asset that is unique to its location, is responsive to the external opportunities and challenges that the site offers, and that takes advantage of the opportunity the building and its immediate surroundings will have to converse with passers-by every day. The goal is to create a dialogue that will build stronger communities, create networks and support wider neighbourhood resilience for any future shocks and stresses that we might face in the cities of the future.

DID YOU KNOW:

Skills Programme

It is now law that certain buildings need to display this guy Let’s help you by helping your client to comply! WHAT IS AN EPC? An Energy Performance Certicate (EPC) is a certicate that indicates the energy performance of a building. It also shows: • what potential the building has of becoming more energy efcient • how energy efciently the building is used Building categories that must comply : • ofces, • entertainment facilities, • educational institution buildings, and • places of public assembly such as sporting facilities and community centres.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T COMPLY

NEED HELP? WE GOT A SOLUTION

It is law now - as published in the regulation for the mandatory display and submission of EPCs for buildings - as per Government Gazette, Notice 700 of 2020.

We have EPC Practitioners who completed a QCTO Skills Programme that can assist you.

According to the National Energy Act (No. 34 2008) penalties for contravening the Act - in which the EPC regulations are derived from - may incur a penalty of up to R5 million and/or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 5 years, if convicted. EPC deadline is 7 December 2022

How can they help you? • Check if your building needs an EPC • Collect your building data What happens thereafter? You get a SANAS accredited Inspection Body in to: • Verify the information collected by the EPC Practitioner • Issue your building EPC

DOES YOUR CLIENT’S BUILDING HAVE AN ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE (EPC) YET?

www.sanedi.org.za | 011 038 4320

The EPC Practitioner Skills Programme is a partnership between SANEDI and IEPA; and supported by DMRE, EWSETA, GIZ, BMZ and DHET.

IEPA

Young electricians enter a career path in the green economy A skills programme to open new career prospects for young unemployed electricians into the green skills economy, whilst assisting government to reach its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), was completed this month. A cohort of fifty electricians and two colleges that graduate electricians took part in a skills development programme which was aligned with the Regulation for the Mandatory Display and Submission of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) which was Gazetted for implementation by 7 December 2022.

ne of the most recent regulations towards a sustainable future passed by the Department of Minerals Resources and Energy (DMRE) for implementation by 7 December 2022 affects building owners in the categories of offices, entertainment and public assembly, places of instruction, and theatrical and indoor sports facilities. The sizes of buildings in the categories that must comply include privately-owned buildings of 2,000m2 net floor area or larger, and for buildings operated, owned, or occupied by an organ of state of 1,000m2 net floor area or larger.

College of Cape Town students celebrating writing their final Energy Performance Certificate exam earlier this month.

South Africa’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are as much about development and transformation as they are about the restoration of the dignity of people around the world, more so in South Africa with its history of deprivation and exclusion of the majority of its people.” – in the Minister

Mthembu, 2019 SDG Report

Keeping in pace with the words of Minister Mtembu in the 2019 SDG Report, this skills programme opened an entry-level opportunity in the energy auditing and energy management industry for young unemployed electricians, who have basic requirements to start their journey towards contributing to the green economy in South Africa. The fifty students, together with eleven lecturers from colleges in Gauteng and Ekurhuleni, as well as in partnership with the College of Cape Town Pinelands Campus, and Ekurhuleni East TVET College in Springs, took part in the training and practical sessions, and continued to put their knowledge into practice by collecting and measuring data from over 45 buildings to complete their work experience. The programme was developed by the Institute of Energy Professionals Africa (IEPA) and the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI). The programme was co-funded by SANEDI and GIZ Skills Development

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

for a Green Economy ll (SD4GE II) programme, a German Technical Cooperation Programme implemented on behalf of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). Working to shape a future worth living around the world is the aim of the Deutsche Gesellschaft Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeig GmbH (GIZ), an organisation that implements world-wide programmes on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

PAVING THE WAY TO NET ZERO Existing buildings and Energy Performance Certificates Energy efficiency improvements in existing building stock cannot be effectively implemented if there is no data on current building performance. This is where Energy Performance Certificates come in, and why they are becoming mandatory for many buildings in South Africa. Now three quarters of the way into the first implementation period, we look at the current status and what the future might hold in this area. WORDS Melinda Hardisty

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

ENERGY

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

Blue Dust EPC

The iconic Portside building in Cape Town is the largest and tallest building to receive an EPC to date. The building achieved a 5-Star Green Star As-Built rating in 2015 and has now achieved a D grading on its EPC.

ENERGY

n December 2020, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) gazetted regulations that make it mandatory for certain typologies and sizes of buildings to get and display an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The EPC is also submitted to the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) who stores, manages and tracks the data. The deadline for compliance is currently 7 December 2022.

EPCs UNPACKED

ROADMAP FOR BUILDING OWNERS

WHAT GETS ASSESSED? The inspections will consider all energy used in a building over a 12-month period, through gathered data and site inspections. A building qualifies as “existing” if it is over 38

EPC certificates show the key building specifications and indicate the grade achieved on a colour coded graph.

Marloes Reinink, founder of Solid Green Consulting, highlights that the grading considers energy use only and not the source of the energy, although the types of energy used are listed on the certificate. If two identical buildings were assessed, but one utilised renewable power sources while the other didn’t, the buildings’ EPC ratings would still be identical. This is because the rating is only considering how efficient or wasteful a building’s systems are, and not where the power is sourced, which is a different consideration.

EPC B

Marloes Reinink

The main stakeholders in the EPC process are the building owner, the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS), Accredited Inspection Body (AIB) for EPCs, and SANEDI, one of the implementing agencies for DMRE. The first steps towards obtaining an EPC are the responsibility of the building owner. They need to ascertain whether their building is required to obtain an EPC (or whether they would like to obtain one voluntarily), then they need to familiarise themselves with the requirements and the roles of the AIBs, and finally gather all the necessary data for the EPC assessment. From there an AIB is appointed and provided with the gathered documentation and allowed building access for inspections. The AIB will follow the necessary assessment processes, submit the data to SANEDI, and issue the EPC to the owner of the building. The building owner then submits a copy of the EPC to SANEDI digitally, and displays a hard copy at their building entrance. The building owner may then make interventions to improve their grade and then begin the cycle again for the five-year renewal of the EPC (or earlier should they wish to improve their grade before the first EPC expires).

SANEDI

The aim of the EPC programme is to assess the energy efficiency of existing buildings to get a realistic picture of the data as it stands to be able to formulate plans on how it can be improved. There is currently no baseline for South Africa’s existing building stock’s energy usage or carbon emissions, so the requirements to meet Net Zero Carbon commitments in accordance with the Paris Agreement Targets for 2050 are somewhat unknown. Realising that this was a rather ambitious task, the GBCSA partnered with the Carbon Trust to put together a plan for a more robust process of implementing the EPC programme successfully. They took that plan to UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (PACT), a UK government-funded programme for financing global climate initiatives and won funding for the EPC programme. UK PACT partners with various countries to assist them with their carbon reduction initiatives. Currently the regulations apply to only a select group of building occupancy classes; A1 (Entertainment and Public Assembly), A2 (Theatrical and Indoor Sport), A3 (Places of Instruction), and G1 (Offices). Buildings should be over 2 000m² for private buildings and 1 000m² if they are government owned, occupied or operated.

two years old and has not undergone major renovations within 24 months. This will allow a one-year “settling period” after construction or renovations, and then a year of normal operations to be measured. The certification rates the building’s energy performance on a scale of A (high performance) to G, with D being the midpoint benchmark. All types of energy (electricity, diesel, LPG, renewables, etc) are considered. The total energy use intensity per square metre per year is then calculated and compared to a benchmark established in the SANS 10400-XA standards applicable to new buildings.

Identical buildings would receive the same performance grading, regardless of the source of the energy used.

The first steps towards obtaining an EPC are the responsibility of the building owner. POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

ENERGY

THE PROCESS SO FAR A sample of 30 buildings (half private and half public) is being assessed as part of the UK PACT partnership. The “lessons learned” from the process will be collated and used for future regulation and guideline updates. As of 17 May 2022, only 29 other buildings had received EPC certificates. At the time of writing, there are only eight AIBs. It is not known exactly how many buildings fall into the current requirements but estimates are that between 150 000 and 160 000 buildings require EPCs by the December deadline. With only six months left, this is increasingly unlikely to be achieved. While the media has reported penalties of significant fines or jail time for non-compliance, nothing has been confirmed and it is unclear exactly what will happen after 7 December. The iconic Portside Building in Cape Town is the largest and tallest building to receive an EPC to date. The building achieved a 5-Star Green Star As-Built rating in 2015 and has now achieved a D grading on its EPC, this grade matches the baseline requirements by the current building regulations. Dr Frank Duvenhage, of Bluedust Engineering Solutions, was the consultant involved with preparing the building information for accreditation. He highlights the complexity of the building due to the many uses (including

Above: Sarel van der Merwe roof terrace at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. Below: Jody Scheckter Paddock Area and Viewing Deck.

retail, which is not currently required to be assessed), and its area and height which requires water to be pumped to the upper floors and extensive HVAC installations.

EPCS AND JOB CREATION The sheer number of buildings requiring inspection, as well as the amount of data that needs to be collected and collated for the EPC inspections, requires a lot of manpower. Dr Duvenhage points out that this is where facilitators can help to build momentum towards EPC compliance while creating more jobs regarding the collection of data prior to the AIB being involved. Coupled with the fact that EPCs are required to be renewed every five years, the EPC programme will provide a significant number of permanent job opportunities. The Institute of Energy Professionals Africa (IEPA) is a non-profit company in South Africa that provides training, exams, certification and curriculum development for the energy sector across sub-Saharan Africa. IEPA, in conjunction with SANEDI, has developed the EPC practitioner training to equip electricians, and other engineering disciplines, with the skills to be able to collect and collate the information for inspections. Yolanda de Lange, IEPA’s EPC practitioner skills programme project coordinator, explains that the new programme had nearly 200 applications from unemployed electricians. Just 50 were selected to complete training, practical modules and work experience under the guidance of mentors over a three-month period. “Close to 60% of the candidates are female as the EPC practitioner job profile is ideal for women in the energy sector,” says De Lange. There are currently three Skills Development Providers (SDPs) going through the process of getting accredited to provide the training course. De Lange highlights that there is no shortage of interest in the training but there are limited skills available for the mentorship and support roles, which is a focus area for future development. There will need to be many more trained inspectors in circulation to even begin to meet the requirements and timelines for all the inspections. This is an ideal opportunity for women and youth in particular. There is also likely to be an increased demand for consultants www.kyalamigrandprixcircuit.com

The Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and International Convention Centre has been rated B on its EPC.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

Stellenbosch University’s Admin B Block was the first building to receive an EPC rating and achieved an A Grade.

to upgrade and modernise building services to achieve upgraded EPCs and associated cost reductions.

TOWARDS NET ZERO

Solid Green Consulting

Goals for Net Zero Carbon by 2050 (or any other date, for that matter) are difficult challenges, and targets are irrelevant without clear plans of action of how to achieve them. This is where ambitious programmes like the EPC rollout in South Africa are essential. While it may currently seem like a maze of acronyms and slow-moving processes, it is a huge step in the right direction in terms of South Africa’s part in the global fight to slow global warming. At this stage, there are no required actions for underperforming buildings as the exercise is currently a data gathering process. Once the actual impact of South Africa’s existing building stock on our carbon targets is established, then plans can be introduced to improve energy efficiency. There are other benefits for building owners to

GBCSA

Stefan Els

ENERGY

Karl Bremer in Belville, which is owned by the Western Cape Provincial Government and is one of the 30 buildings being supported by the UK Pact project.

knowing, and improving on, their efficiency. Jonathan Booth, project lead at the Carbon Trust explains that “while climate change is the fundamental driver, there are strong commercial arguments for embarking on a net zero journey; for instance, rising energy costs and advancing technologies continuously strengthen the economic case for many of the most effective interventions such as upgrading HVAC systems and managing plug loads”. In the same way that a consumer might consider the EPC on an appliance, or the fuel efficiency of a car, before making a large purchase, prospective property buyers or tenants will now have a clear indication of what their energy usage and costs might be. This will likely create a higher demand for buildings with an above average performance rating.

MESSAGE FROM SANEDI

Although the initial uptake for EPCs for certain classes of buildings in South Africa was relatively slow, we have experienced a sudden increase in activity, as the current deadline for compliance of 7 December 2022 is fast approaching! This has come with a corresponding positive impact for job creation prospects (targeting, but not exclusively for women and youth), as can be seen by the numbers of delegates registering for EPCtraining with the various institutions offering this training and the number of jobs advertised by not only SANAS-accredited inspection bodies, but also for facility managers with an understanding of the EPC Regulations. These numbers still need to be quantified, but it is definitely on an upward trajectory. On the potential impacts for a net-zero carbon future, it is common cause globally that buildings have a major role to play in this effort to reduce the negative impacts of climate change. EPCs themselves, will not reduce energy consumption or carbon emissions, but will make a significant impact on visualising how far individual buildings are in achieving this aim and also quantifying the quantum of energy efficiency savings required to reach an A-rating, with reduced carbon emissions.

Upper Grayston Office Park blocks achieved 5- and 6-Star Green Star ratings when they were completed. Block E has now scored a B rating on its EPC.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

IT’S TIME TO GET BACK TO BUSINESS… FACE-TO-FACE

7 - 9 JUNE 2022 GALLAGHER CONVENTION CENTRE, JOHANNESBURG

CONNECT WITH SOUTHERN AFRICA’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY The Big 5 Construct Southern Africa, previously African Construction Expo, is a significant contributor to the economic growth, recovery and transformation within Southern Africa’s construction industry with a special focus on facilitating buyer/seller face-to-face connections and showcasing the most innovative solutions for the region.

CONNECT with over 8,500 industry buyers and distributors

DISCOVER the most innovative products and technologies available

Co-located with:

www.thebig5constructsouthernafrica.com

ENGAGE with public and private sector stakeholders over the most critical issues

LEARN about the latest trends, best practice and upcoming construction projects

PROJECT

LEARNING IN

NATURE 42

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

Nestled in amongst a small indigenous forest, the new University of Cape Town School of Education building has been uniquely designed around local ecology to minimise impact with its footprint, making for an incredible learning space with connection to nature. It becomes the fourth UCT building to be awarded 4-Star Green Stars by the GBCSA. WORDS Nicole Cameron IMAGES Waheed Parker

Project nutshell Project date: Construction completed April 2022 Green Star rating: 4-Star Green Star PEB v1 Design Location: University of Cape Town (UCT), Cape Town Type of building: Public & Education Building

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

PROJECT

“T

he identified site was an established ‘mini forest’, with several trees of significance,” says Waheed Parker, of Jacobs Parker Architecture. “A study was undertaken to determine the type, location and condition of each tree on site, and trees which could be relocated on campus were identified to create a space where a building could be inserted in between the remaining trees.” Parker says that by situating the building between mature trees, the building feels connected to the surrounding natural context. The spaces on the ground floor provide visual access to the established trees on site, and the inhabitants of the upper floors are situated between the canopies of these trees. The upper floors also have sweeping views of the cricket oval, Upper Campus and the mountains to the west, and Lower Campus and the Cape Flats to the east. “The intention was for the building to recede into the background by respecting the unique grain and scale of the Middle Campus environment, as well as the location, geometry and vegetation of the specific site,” Jacobs Parker’s Faizel Jacobs explains. “The distillation of this idea manifests itself in the form of a building which is ‘quiet’, sensitive, and respectful of its context, feeling ‘as if it has always been there.’ That said, it is by no means timid, and holds its own in terms of its form and its urban contribution.”

A HIGHLY ACTIVATED ENVIRONMENT The resulting design offers a user experience which engages the site holistically and integrates the building with the landscape. As tenants can view the existing forest from communal areas, many of which are designed as group-working or informal gathering spaces, a highly activated environment is created, in which it is easy to orientate oneself. The staff room feels private and discreet, without feeling “tucked away” or losing its connection with nature, while the programmes on the upper levels feel as if they’re suspended in the canopies of trees, a feeling which is largely created by the careful articulation of glazing in the façades, to admit, frame or obscure views from outside. This connection to nature and external views is a very important green building feature that improves the wellbeing of individuals in the building, both from a positive psychological perspective connecting with nature, as well as reducing eye-strain and headaches by allowing individuals to change their focus from internal objects and screens to external objects. “Another benefit

The spaces on the ground floor provide visual access to the established trees on site.

which occupants will experience includes the building’s excellent natural light penetration, owing to its narrow footprint,” says Francois Retief of Sow and Reap, the green building consultant for the project. “Blinds, shading and performance glazing have been used to mitigate glare and unwanted heat gain, so there is a good balance of daylight and warmth in the space. Openable windows allow for natural ventilation, while additional fresh air is also added and ‘tempered’ during hot or cold conditions to achieve a comfortable yet energy-efficient environment.” Manfred Braune, director: environmental sustainability, UCT, says that occupants also benefit from the fact that most of the floors in the circulation space are a polished concrete, which is a finish that does not emit any Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). It is also a very lowmaintenance finish that will last for many years. “Then there’s the fact that the building has a UCT Food & Connect store in it, which is really convenient and means that occupants don’t need to drive away from the building for a coffee or lunchtime snack. Surrounding buildings can also enjoy this benefit and will see many staff and students walking to this building for a coffee or snack. This is an important green building feature, because short vehicle trips have higher emissions where the petrol/diesel engine can burn cleaner on longer trips.” The location of the building is very central in itself in that it is within walking distance to both the main road, and the surrounding campus. Public transport options such as the UCT Shuttle Bus offer further connectivity. The fact that the main circulation staircase is located in a very central and visible location with the elevator less visible, is also a positive health benefit to occupants, as it encourages more use of the staircase. It also consumes less energy. A benefit which occupants will experience is the excellent light penetration.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

PROJECT In addition to the cafeteria, staff facilities, office accommodation, meeting rooms and spaces for hot desking, the building comprises of a 250-seat raked lecture hall, seminar spaces, a computer laboratory, social learning spaces, a graduate research commons and a wet laboratory. In terms of energy consumption, the base building is targeting 100 kWh/m²/year, which is an improvement of almost 40% compared to the national standard for this building type, which will equate to approximately R315 000 saving per annum compared to standard design. This is mostly achieved through the harnessing of daylight and natural ventilation. One of the essential design elements for the office spaces has been converting one of the four windows into a solid insulated panel that can also be opened. Although lecture theatres will still be equipped with heating and cooling systems, occupancy sensors will ensure they are deactivated once the rooms are empty. The School of Education’s (SoE) targeted water consumption is 550kl per year. This is an improvement of more than 70% on typical sites of this type. This is largely due to the fact that the landscaping has been specifically designed to avoid irrigation with potable

mandate to create healthy environments for staff and students through maximising fresh air, removing indoor pollutants and pathogens, and optimising daylight and external views. “The university is aiming to become a net zero energy/ carbon, water and waste-to-landfill campus by 2050 or sooner and is in the process of developing detailed plans and feasibility studies of how it will achieve this and by when this is possible, at what capital cost. This exercise of developing the feasibility and plans for this will take a few years, bearing in mind the complexity of the university across five different campuses with a transient community of about 28 000 students annually. This will require small incremental shifts every year to transform such a large institution – but in some rare instances we might see big shifts where leap frogging and major technological advances are possible at low cost,” says Braune. While there are sometimes misconceptions around the costs of green buildings, the SoE project has cost only marginally more than a regular building would have. He adds: “On this project, it ended up being only about 1.5% more expensive than a non-green building, which

Although lecture theatres will still be equipped with heating and cooling systems, occupancy sensors will ensure they are deactivated once the rooms are empty.

water. “We’ve taken a very conscious approach of retaining the existing landscape where possible and planting to match that landscape,” says Retief. “While some watering may be necessary during the first few months, once fully established, the locally appropriate plants used on site should no longer require regular irrigation.” In addition, instead of directing all rainfall into the storm-water system, the building’s gutters and downpipes have been designed to transport it back into the surrounding landscape to replenish the cut-off supply of groundwater which previously fed the trees on the lower end of the site. This water-wise approach continues inside the building where the most efficient and practical fixtures have been chosen for toilets and taps. “Water submeters are also in place so you can get data if you need it on where water is being used as well as to detect leaks,” says Braune. Reducing potable water consumption and energy consumption are two critical areas that UCT is currently focusing on in terms of its environmental sustainability strategy. Braune says that balancing land use and ecology, such as in the case of the SoE, is also a priority, as is the

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

Education buildings are extremely important in the green building movement. shows how achievable a Green Star rated green building actually is.” While attaining a Green Star certification is a major feat, the real challenge lies in sustaining it. Once the building is in use, UCT will monitor energy and water consumption, with these statistics being displayed on a big screen in the foyer in order to create awareness. “Education buildings are extremely important in the green building movement. They offer not only a conducive learning environment, but in themselves become a learning resource and example on how to address the major environmental concerns we face,” Retief concludes.

YOUTH

YOUNG INNOVATION In this issue of +Impact, we look at the awards that inspire the youth to learn about green building and sustainability and we celebrate the up-and-coming talent of the winners of these awards.

YIPA SUSTAINABLE YOUNG CHANGEMAKER AWARD

t the GBCSA Green Building Convention Awards 2021, GBCSA partnered with the Youth in Property Association (YIPA) to introduce the inaugural YIPA Sustainable Young Changemaker Award, which recognises the exceptional contribution of young people to sustainability in the built environment sector. Thamsanqa Hoza, CEO of Cape Town start-up Hot Nozzle Innovate, is the first recipient of the award. He is a young leader who is passionate about the intersection of infrastructure development, technology and improving the livelihoods of Africans. Hoza and his business partner Bokamoso Molale invented the Hot Nozzle, a batterypowered portable showerhead attachment that heats up cold water. No electricity is needed. Hoza received a Queen’s Young Leaders Award from the Queen of England in 2018 for his work to support young entrepreneurs. +Impact spoke to the inspiring 19-year-old from Welkom. +Impact: You were only in high school when you conceptualised the Hot Nozzle. What is your backstory and how did you come up with the idea? Hoza: A friend and I had just moved to a boarding school in Cape Town that focused on maritime education, so everything was set the way it would be on a ship. There was a hierarchy system where seniors were like captains and juniors were like cadets – and this meant we did everything last. We left events last because we had to clean, got our food last and even showered last, meaning that we always showered with cold water! Our boarding school bought additional electric (tank) water heaters as well as other methods like geyser blankets, but this did not solve our

problem – it just meant that the seniors could enjoy longer showers. We thought it would be cool to personalise the shower experience and that’s where the idea was born. How did you get your idea to product? What motivated you to see it though? Even though we researched further into how we could make such a product and made some initial prototypes, for several years, the idea remained just that – an idea. While in university, we zoomed out from the context in which the idea came and further explored the problems around conventional water heaters and just why they have not been working for Africans and came out with three important insights: 1. Almost 81% of Africans do not have stable access to water heating technologies and must rely on methods such as boiling water in a kettle, pouring it into a “vaskom” and that being their lived reality of a shower because they cannot afford or don’t have infrastructure needed to use the current technology. 2. The water heating industry makes revenues in excess of $28.4-billion (with the exchange rate of almost R16 to the dollar at time of publication, this equates to R442.4-billion in rands) each year growing at a 4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), but Africa as a whole is estimated to only contribute less than R10-billion. 3. Bringing things closer to home, even though a South African water heater industry has been established for over 100 years and contributes close to 50% of all water heater usage on the continent, it is estimated that only 29-33% of our population has a geyser.

Left: Thamsanqa Hoza, winner of the Yipa Sustainable Changemaker Award 2021. Right: The Hot Nozzle, a battery-powered portable showerhead attachment that heats up cold water.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

YOUTH It then became obvious to us that current technologies are not affordable and accessible to most of the population, and that we needed a solution that is specifically designed with the African use-case in mind. We also wanted to add sustainability into our solution. We assembled a team, managed to raise Angel Investment, took time to understand the problem more and developed a working prototype that eventually evolved into a product. What was your biggest obstacle? Making a new product is not easy and came with its own set of challenges, but I feel the biggest was getting access to enough early-stage funding to speed up R&D and product development as well as support to navigate regulatory hurdles. What has been your biggest lesson? Building a solid team and strong partnerships where you can leverage experience is the most important thing for an early-stage start-up. I would also add in obsessing over the customer: a great product does not mean a great business; we constantly had to innovate to get the right business

model, as well as channels to acquire and serve customers. Things worth building also take longer than expected. What surprised you? The support that people are willing to give as well as the openness to give young people like myself a shot. I was also surprised that we managed to develop a whole new product and business that has the potential to become a market leader on the continent. What’s the most important thing you’re working on right now, and how are you making it happen? We are working to fully commercialise our product to the open market and finish off our closed pilot. We’re also looking to start building a local facility that will ensure we build a strong, customer-centric brand. What advice can you give to other young green stars? Do not be afraid to put yourself out there. You can learn as well as provide value to your more experienced peers. Also just take your time and have fun throughout the process.

THE GREENOVATE AWARDS

joint initiative by Growthpoint Properties and the GBCSA, the competition challenges senior students to create innovative green solutions to environmental issues facing the property industry. Active since 2015, the Awards have the goal of seeding an early passion for sustainable development in university students. The programme also showcases the future leaders of the built industry. Making a name for themselves as innovators, changemakers and plant-shapers, the winners of the 2021 Greenovate Student Awards in the property category were: First: Tristan Fernandes – University of Cape Town: “A Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Developing High-rise Sustainable, Innovative, Affordable Housing in South Africa”. Second: Aasif Mohamed, Asemahle Mngxuma and Sacha

Harper – University of the Witwatersrand: “Experimental process of introducing chicken manure as an additive in cement to decrease pollution and increase thermal insulation as well as other properties of a concrete mix”. Third: Barret de Willers – University of Cape Town: “Investigating the adoption of green building features, initiatives, and technology in commercial buildings”. “The genuine passion for a higher cause shared by all the students participating in the awards, and nurtured by their universities, was clearly demonstrated in the cutting-edge thinking about building and operating our cities, towns, neighbourhoods and buildings in more environmentally sustainable ways. The GBCSA is proud to spark ‘greenovation’ at South African universities and shape a better future,” says Georgina Smit, head of technical at the GBCSA.

From left to right: Mario Schehle, Remote Metering Solutions; first prize winner in Property, Tristan Fernandes, University of Cape Town; Lisa Reynolds, CEO of GBCSA; Grahame Cruickshanks, Growthpoint’s head of sustainability and utilities.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

YOUTH

THE COROBRIK STUDENT ARCHITECTURE AWARDS

he Corobrik Student Architecture Awards jump-starts careers, builds the industry and designs tomorrow. Regional winners are selected from eight major universities, based on the students’ final theses. These regional winners then go through to the national round, where the top title is awarded, plus a R70 000 grand prize. The 2021 national winner is Mpho Sephelane from the School of Architecture at the University of Cape Town, who received a R70 000 cash prize. The thesis by Sephelane was entitled “Re[covering] Place: African ways of seeing, thinking and making as a call to rethink and remake places in cities”. The judges’ citation stated that Sephelane “shifted our mindsets to trust our heritage to guide us and to be truly authentic. She narrated the use of the Basotho blanket as a transformative and imaginative symbol of identity and relevance”. “I am extremely delighted and honoured to receive this prestigious award. I am even more excited to represent UCT at a national level,” says Sephelane. She adds that the Corobrik Student Architecture Awards is a great

The 2021 national winner is Mpho Sephelane from UCT for her thesis “Re[covering] Place”.

platform to share ideas on integrating African narratives into students’ work. “In sponsoring such awards, companies like Corobrik, open new avenues of work and collaboration that propel students into the professional world, where they can take their ideas further. Apart from the exposure, it also inspires other students to perform at their level best and offers a chance for them to engage with student work from different institutions.”

Entitled “Re[covering] Place: African ways of seeing, thinking and making as a call to rethink and remake places in cities”, Sephelane’s thesis investigates issues of recovery and preservation of traditional African knowledge systems, and how these can be translated into making contemporary spaces.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

WOMEN MAKING WAVES IN THE BUILDING SECTOR: The 2022 edition

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

WOMEN

FORCE FOR NATURE

Driving the female agenda in property Founded in 2001, the Women’s Property Network has a simple but powerful vision: substantially increase the participation of women in the commercial property sector across the value chain and in the driving seat. WORDS Jutta Berns

e are a membership-based organisation that thrives on engagement and interaction with our members from across the property sector. We count many listed properties companies as well as small businesses and individuals among our members and our engagements are through our regional Chapters in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal and of course through our various activities nationally. As a women-led advocacy and knowledge organisation our mandate has always been to promote the participation and integration of women within the commercial property space. We do this through various platforms and activities: • We lend a strong and leading voice in the advocacy and advancement of the gender equality conversation. • We create platforms through which women can engage for the purpose of sharing knowledge, skills and resources that can be ploughed back into the environments in which we operate. • We foster partnerships where we are a network of networks across various industry bodies. • We grow talent through the Women Property Network (WPN) Educational Trust and by supporting the advancement of the Student Chapter agenda at our key tertiary institutions. • We have been recognising outstanding women in the property industry at our Annual SA Women in Property Awards (SAWIPA), where we celebrate women – both regionally and nationally – who have stepped up and shaped women’s roles within South Africa’ s commercial property sector. • And importantly, we advance the climate agenda for a resilient property industry. More than two decades since the WPN officially launched and a proud history of achievements later, we can see that we have made inroads. While we, no doubt, continue to have our work cut out, we can see an increase in women representation on boards and in decision-making

Jutta Berns, Chair, Gauteng Chapter of the WPN.

positions across the commercial property sector, some of which is evidenced in the WPN’s 2021 inaugural report on the “State of Gender Diversity in the Listed Real Estate Sector”, where we see a 5% increase in female representation on boards between 2013 and 2020. By 2020, 20% of executive director positions in the SA REIT sector were occupied by women. So, it’s onwards and upwards and it represents golden opportunities for companies and organisations to lead by pushing gender diversity forward, purposefully and meaningfully.

“We need more qualified women on corporate boards – and we need boards to value the sustainable thinking that women bring to the table. We need rising stars to show how the construction industry can provide challenging and rewarding career options that also make a positive social and environmental impact.” – Romilly Madew, former CEO: Green Building Council, Australia

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

WOMEN

THE WPN EDUCATIONAL TRUST A considerable part of our mandate focuses on the WPN Educational Trust, which was specifically set up to ensure that women in the commercial property sector have opportunities for further education. The Trust particularly supports young women from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to grow in the industry and further their career objectives. Through our members’ contacts and networks, we can secure female participation in the industry’s educational activities, we support development and growth through skills development workshops/programmes and importantly every year we make available several bursaries at tertiary institutions for approved property courses. Applications for the 2023 WPN bursaries will open in November 2022 follow this link.

THE STUDENT CHAPTER The WPN maintains Student Chapters at our key tertiary institutions, with the University of Pretoria Chapter having just been launched. Student membership is available – and free – to all female students in second year and above, studying towards a property-related degree or diploma. The Chapters run regular networking events and are a hive of activity and engagement. To join, follow this link.

WHERE TO NEXT? The challenges of the past couple of years have not left us unscathed and delivering on our mandate has not been easy. But now that we find ourselves in a manageable (post-) Covid world, we are again rolling up our sleeves: to re-energise our mandate, to re-start our conversations and to re-connect with our members. And the timing couldn’t be better: in the climate space, the property sector is clearly at the nexus of mitigation and resilience. In my role as the new Chair of the Gauteng Chapter of the WPN and as the founder and director of Ecocentric, a green building consultancy which I established in 2007, I understand the critical role of women in the green property industry. As women we bring a truly unique perspective to the built environment; we tend to be great systems thinkers and we know how to build relationships across disciplines and outside our professional communities. We know that moving beyond silos and into meaningful and accelerated collaboration is critical on a path to what I still hope will be reversing a climate breakdown and preventing catastrophic biodiversity loss. This is where we as women are needed. And when I look around, so many of my colleagues in the green building industry are female – from those of

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

us running small green building consultancies to the formidable CEO of the GBCSA, Lisa Reynolds, from my incredible all-women team at Ecocentric to the exceptional women in the sustainability driving seat at property funds. Where education has always been a central tenet of our mandate, we are now actively extending this into bringing everyone along on the sustainability journey. We recently introduced our monthly Women in Green Series, an online – and offline – platform for topical conversations, education and information sharing in the green property space. We are opening this up to everyone – members and non-members alike and even the guys are welcome!

As women we bring a truly unique perspective to the built environment; we seem to be great system thinkers and we know how to build relationships. Over the next few months, we will cover topics ranging from setting science-based net-zero targets across property portfolios, we will unpack embodied carbon concepts, explore the pivotal role of small businesses in tackling climate change and run through the immense business opportunities that present themselves in the green property sector. Together we can leverage our network of impactful women in the property industry to accelerate the sustainability and female agenda. Talk to us, follow us, join us. We are always open to conversations, ideas and partnerships. WEBSITE LINKEDIN

NATIONAL CHAIR Thuli Mpuntshe, Senior Manager: Indirect Investments REGIONAL CHAIRS Gauteng: Jutta Berns, Founder and Director: Ecocentric, jutta@ecocentric.co.za Western Cape: Lara Schenk, Asset and Leasing Manager: Ingenuity Property Investments WPN EDUCATIONAL TRUST: TRUSTEES Ipeleng Mkhari, CEO: Motseng Investment Holdings Jackie van Niekerk, CEO: Attacq Refqah Ho-Yee, Director: Smith Tabata Buchanan Boyes WPN NATIONAL COORDINATOR Tel: 031 764 4645 Email: info@wpn.co.za

WOMEN

KEDIBONE TSILOANE Founder, Ramtsilo Manufacturing and Construction

Making South Africa sustainable – one brick at a time

Thirty-two-year-old Kedibone Tsiloane is the founder of Ramtsilo Manufacturing and Construction – a proudly South African, 100% black female owned sustainable manufacturing and construction company. Ramtsilo’s mission is to do everything possible to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to the global plastic pollution pandemic. The company has created a circular green economy in the plastic recycling and building material industry. They provide waste management and recycling services for plastic waste pollution, which is used in the manufacturing of strong, durable and fireretardant bricks. Tsiloane shares that she was inspired to begin Ramtsilo due to her growing up in a construction household, where her dad frequently took her on site. Ramtsilo started in 2013 as a construction business, however, because they had been spending so much money on building materials, specifically bricks, they made the decision to manually manufacture their own bricks at home. “We are from the township and upon discussion with one of the waste collectors we learnt that plastic waste collection in conjunction with the recycling of plastic has created a source of revenue for the unemployed. We began prototyping the use of plastic in brick making since 2016 and in 2017 we had a product that we were comfortable with, which we took for testing. The results were much better than we expected, and we formally went into the market in 2019.” When asked what motivates her as an innovator and drives her innovations, Tsiloane says, “Wanting to make a lasting difference, creating lasting solutions to everyday problems.” Being a firm believer in good old persistence, Tsiloane says what separates her from other innovators is that she always sees things through, no matter how difficult things get. “It should be a subject at school, without us thinking in a sustainable manner there will be no ‘future’ for us or the next generation,” she adds. Looking to her future, Tsiloane shares that she aspires to create more innovative solutions that change how we live our lives on a daily basis. She further goes on to share her hopes for the manufacturing and construction industry, “I hope the industry will be more receptive to change and innovation. While the traditional ways have worked, we need to get to a point where the industry is open to new ways of doing things.” As a woman working in a largely male-dominated industry, she credits her parents for instilling values in her that have allowed her to navigate this somewhat intimidating environment, “One thing my parents made sure we knew growing up is that there isn’t a man’s role and a woman’s role. So, when we encounter challenges based on gender, we face them head on and we remind ourselves that we are not here by chance. We put in the work thus we have created a space for ourselves in this industry through hard work and persistence.”

THULI ZULU INC SOLUTIONS AFRICA LEAD BSC Property Studies (Hons)

Meet Thuli Zulu, industry leader in the Interior Design sector

Thuli Zulu is the African Lead of an International Interior Company, INC Group. Launched in 2008 in the UAE, INC Group has been delivering excellence for over 12 years, with Africa being the newest arm of the business. With foundations grounded firmly in the ethos of structure, transparency and confidence, INC Group is able to deliver full turnkey interior solutions. Being driven by the aspiration to deliver tailor-made projects, INC’s inspiring and creative female-led workforce proudly specialises in premium services such as design, interior construction, furniture supply and IT solutions. Thuli holds a BSC in Property Studies (Hons) degree, which she obtained at the Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has since completed several courses and industryrelated qualifications through UCT Graduate School and Gibs Business School. Throughout her career, Thuli has served on various committees, including the Women’s Property Network Gauteng Chapter as well as the Alumni for The Graça Machel Women Creating Wealth Programme. With over 13 years’ experience in commercial property, Thuli’s background spans across various sectors in the industry, from commercial property broking, leasing consultancy and trading and acquisitions, to commercial property development and interior design and build. Her fundamental strengths include deal making and account management as well as coordinating, managing and leading design and build teams. Thuli has been instrumental in the successful delivery of various projects from her blue-chip client base and in successfully forming and managing relationships with diverse clients.

4 Sandown Valley Crescent, Sandton. africainfo@inc-solutions.com

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

WOMEN

MELINDA ISAACS Development Executive BSc (Hons) (QS) PrQS (SACQS) MRICS (RICS) Green Star SA AP (GBCSA)

MIHLAYENKOSI MATHIBE Candidate Quantity Surveyor (CanQS) BSc. Hons Quantity Surveying (Wits), BTech Quantity Surveying (UJ)

“Being a leader is about serving the people you lead” – Melinda Isaacs, development executive, Liberty Two Degrees

‘Every project is a new adventure’ – Mihlayenkosi Mathibe describes her quantity surveying journey

Passionate about real estate and influencing project execution, Melinda Isaacs is a seasoned Development Manager and a Member of the Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors, a registered member of the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession and an accredited professional with the Green Building Council of South Africa. With extensive experience in retail and hospitality projects, and as a Development Executive at Liberty Two Degrees (L2D), a leading precinct-focused, retail-centered REIT, Melinda has a proven track record spanning 15 years in development initiatives, in some of South Africa’s leading shopping centres, including Sandton City. With environmental risks remaining at the forefront of global risks, Melinda leads the implementation of L2D’s various development initiatives in the company’s journey to deliver its Net Zero commitments. Some notable initiatives include the installation of 1 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) roof panels at Eastgate Shopping Centre and Liberty Midlands Mall, as well as the solar trees at Eastgate, which have been nominated for the Steel Awards. She is also leading the team on the installation of an additional 4MW solar PV roof panel at Liberty Midlands Mall, which is due to be commissioned in April 2023. Melinda believes in the role that real estate plays in creating future environments for communities to thrive in, and she enjoys providing strategic direction that drives projects and processes more effectively, with a focus on delivering excellence. Melinda has also spearheaded and made significant contributions to various projects in property development, including the repositioning of Sandton City with the addition of the Southeast Extension and refurbishment of the mall, the reconfiguration of the Stuttafords space within the L2D portfolio, the mall reconfiguration and introduction of the Diamond Walk, the refurbishment of Mount Grace Hotel and Spa, and Rosebank Hotel among others. As a registered professional, Melinda is passionate about contributing to the industry as a mentor and has trained numerous other women, some of whom have also grown to various senior management roles in the industry. Seeing women grow and having contributed to their development is inspiring for her and she believes being a leader is about serving the people you lead, and giving back to the industry and the people you work with, which also allows you to grow.

I completed my undergraduate studies in 2015, the same year I started working as a graduate at MMQSMace. Currently I am an intermediate candidate quantity surveyor on a journey to become a registered professional quantity surveyor. As an intermediate quantity surveyor, I am responsible for all cost consulting and managing duties throughout the various construction stages from project inception to completion. The lessons I have learnt so far in the industry is that although the construction process may seem monotonous in its operation, no project is the same as another, which prompts professionals, particularly quantity surveyors, to be more adaptable to changes in operation while still maintaining standards and not deviating in construction principles. Construction also needs a creative/open mind - most of the time you deal will paper/drawings and plans which you should be able to visualise, measure and bring to life. Furthermore, because construction is mostly collaborative work, there are attributes required to excel, which include interpersonal skills (ability to learn from your peers), leadership skills, communication skills and an ability to work in a team. Personal attributes may also include being an analytic thinker, being detail-oriented and pro-active. My experience over the past five years as a young professional, particularly a black woman in an industry previously dominated by men, is that there have been reasonable strides towards making the industry more inclusive of women. The government’s initiative to have local participation in every project procurement has been a step in the right direction in uplifting communities, as business owners - particularly female-owned businesses - are given an opportunity to provide services. It also gives local labourers an opportunity to develop skills, and students a chance to be involved in construction projects, which is beneficial to their curriculum. However, there is still a long way to go in the industry in terms of unconscious gender bias and the gender pay gap. What I enjoy most about construction is that every new project is a new adventure, and an opportunity to contribute to the development of a community. It is also a chance to build new relationships and grow with new professionals and clients.

011 358 9145 info@liberty2degrees.co.za www.liberty2degrees.co.za

15 Forest Road, 2nd Floor - Building 1 Waverley Office Park, Waverley, Johannesburg, 2199 | 011 430 2880 noxolo.msibi@mmqsmace.com / mandla.mlangeni@mmqsmace.com

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

GREEN GLOBE

+IMPACTFUL IMMERSION Infusing sustainability and the project’s three keywords – connective, comfortable and versatile – into its design, a new office for an international software company in Russia transforms into a modern campus environment.

he JetBrains Office Campus in Saint Petersburg is a regeneration of the firm’s specific approach to work culture. Global architects, UNStudio, designed bespoke healthy workstations for all 1 000 newly housed employees. Central to the design is a vertically stepped, indoor atrium. This generous open space connects to an outdoor courtyard and terraces with expansive views of the Gulf of Finland. Meeting rooms, breakout spaces, auditoriums and a restaurant are organised along the atrium. Bridges span the large spaces, while carefully designed and intertwined biophilia form the natural backdrop for activities. Acting as a vestibule, the imposing lobby creates the first views towards the atrium. The courtyard on the fully landscaped podium level is enclosed by an active gallery and provides an intimate outdoor overflow space.

The atrium forms the core of the JetBrains community.

The courtyard terraces overlooking the Gulf of Finland.

Images: ZOA Studio

Concept diagram (left) and architectural axonometric section (right).

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

MATERIALS

AFRISAM DRIVES ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY

friSam signalled its seriousness about environmental stewardship over 15 years ago with the introduction of its first environmental policy in 1994. AfriSam operates this drive towards greening the industry at several different levels simultaneously, making it a leader in environmentallyresponsible cement and concrete manufacturing in southern Africa. Significantly, AfriSam was the first cement, aggregate and readymix producer in southern Africa to publish an environmental policy in 1994. Today, the organisation has a comprehensive sustainability roadmap which covers a broad range of focus areas, including waste management, water conservation, biodiversity conservation, emissions reduction and energy management. The company has established performance indicators that continuously monitor and track compliance to the company’s sustainability roadmap targets.

REHABILITATION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION Mine rehabilitation is an area where AfriSam has led the industry, with mine rehabilitation plans for all the company’s quarries completed in 1984. This was followed by the establishment of a dedicated Nature Conservation Trust in 1986 to provide funding for the closure of these mines. Rehabilitation of land impacted by AfriSam’s mining activities is not just a legal requirement but a moral obligation, and this level of long-term planning by AfriSam demonstrates a commitment that will ensure that land can be returned to a self-sustainable landform to be enjoyed by future generations. AfriSam actively practices concurrent rehabilitation at its sites where possible, which is in line with its policy to restore mined–out land to as close to its original state as possible. In many instances, alternative

use is found for the land, such as turning it into reservoirs, dams or recreational facilities. Environmental stewardship also requires that a company is proactive when considering its impact on the environment, and this has been the case in Saldanha Bay. AfriSam has received approval from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning for the construction of an integrated cement manufacturing facility on the Saldanha Peninsula in the Western Cape. This piece of land, owned by AfriSam, contains pristine vegetation of exceptional conservation value and therefore needs to be adequately protected to prevent extinction of these rare species of flora. AfriSam’s focus on biodiversity involves detailed and ongoing research to measure the environmental impact of operations on species of flora and fauna, and steps to protect and foster biodiversity where necessary, especially where species are protected by law or endangered. To ensure the sustainability of the relevant flora, AfriSam has set aside over 500 ha of the land it owns in Saldanha for conservation purposes. This land has received contract nature reserve status, the highest level of stewardship, and underscores AfriSam’s commitment to conserving natural resources, including flora, for future generations. Perhaps one of the least known, and most exceptional examples of AfriSam’s commitment to environmental stewardship is that of the significant archaeological and paleontological finds at its Sterkfontein quarry near the Cradle of Mankind. This was five years before the Sterkfontein Caves were declared a World Heritage Site. Realising that the company had stumbled upon something which could have important repercussions for the scientific knowledge of the area, AfriSam immediately suspended all quarrying activities and commissioned a number of surveys including archaeological, vegetation, palaeontological and geological studies. Subsequently, AfriSam has rehabilitated the area and donated it to the University of Witwatersrand for further promotion of education.

AfriSam actively practices concurrent rehabilitation to restore mined–out land to as close to its original state as possible.

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 18

Green Building Council South Africa is leading the way in respect to sustainability in the property and construction industry. Stay connected and in the ‘know’ on news and projects through GBCSA’s +Impact Magazine!

+IMPACT MAGAZINE FREQUENCY Issue 19: September 2022 Issue 20: November 2022 Issue 21: January 2023

To plan your marketing campaign, please contact us on Preferential rates for GBCSA Members. Discounts offered for multiple edition bookings. Have a look at the official +Impact Magazine website:

+IMPACT MAGAZINE ISSUE 18

Articles inside

WOMEN MAKING WAVES IN THE BUILDING SECTOR 48 FORCE FOR NATURE

YOUNG INNOVATION Celebrating SA’s up-and-coming talent

LEARNING IN NATURE The new UCT School of Education

TRANSFORM TOMORROW The new GBCSA green star category

PAVING THE WAY TO NET ZERO Existing buildings and EPCs

GREEN DREAM TEAM The Rewardsco Block B building in Umhlanga is an example of how the integrated design process results in a balanced design

DIGS FOR AFRICA A report on sustainable student accommodation in South Africa

IMPACT EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITOR’S NOTE By Alexis Knipe

MAKING A +IMPACT News and notes