+IMPACT MAGAZINE ISSUE 22

IMPACT

with an EDGE Buildings

4 5 6 8 12

SUPERIOR INSIGHT IN INTERIOR DESIGN

The Liberty Two Degrees Innovation Hub is far from ordinary 20 TRANSFORMING TOMORROW

All you need to know about the revised Green Star New Buildings rating tool 28 THE WINNING EDGE

Rubicon’s new headquarters are state of the art 38

CHANGING THE FACE OF GREEN DESIGN IN ZAMBIA

First Capital Bank’s Green Star rated building is a trendsetter amongst its peers 44 A RENEWABLE FUTURE AHEAD FOR GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES

The Integrated Renewable Energy and Resource Efficiency Programme 48 FIFTY YEARS FORWARD A thought leadership article by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat 54 LIVING LIFE ON THE EDGE

Aurum Zimbali Lakes, KwaZulu-Natal’s newest development, is future ready to meet the demands of the next generation 59 GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES 60 FIVE WAYS GREEN BUILDINGS SAVE WATER 64 GREEN GLOBE Implications of innovation

IMPACT

The official publication of GBCSA

Editor

Alexis Knipe alexis@greeneconomy.media

Director

Danielle Solomons dani@positive-impact.africa

Editorial Contributors

Marlinée Fouché

Melinda Hardisty

Nicole Cameron

Editorial Assistant

Melanie Taylor

GBCSA Editorial Advisory

Georgina Smit

Jenni Lombard

Jo Anderson Dash Coville

Anja Thompson

Ann-Mari Malan

Design and Layout

Carla Lawrence, CDC Design

Media Sales

Tanya Duthie

Glenda Kulp

Vania Reyneke

Cover photograph

The Rubicon headquarters

Joint Publishers

Gordon Brown gordon@greeneconomy.media

Danielle Solomons danielle@greeneconomy.media

Co-Publisher: GEM

Alexis Knipe

Web Digital and Social Media

Steven Mokopane

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

CALLING ALL THOUGHT LEADERS

Chief Executive Officer

Lisa Reynolds

Finance & Operations and Executive Director

Levinia Palmer

+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: editor@positive-impact.africa

ADVERTISE WITH US

For advertising and sponsored content contact Danielle Solomons 081 7800 233 | dani@positive-impact.africa

Advertising rates are discounted for GBCSA members and further discounts are available for booking multiple editions in 2023.

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

In the 2023 Budget Speech and in recognition of government’s role in encouraging adaptation and mitigation, Minister Godongwana announced two tax measures to encourage businesses and individuals to invest in renewable energy and increase electricity generation.

From 1 March 2023, businesses will be able to reduce their taxable income by 125% of the cost of an investment in renewables. There will be no thresholds on the size of the projects that qualify, and the incentive will be available for two years to stimulate investment in the short term.

Secondly, a new tax incentive for the installation of rooftop solar panels was introduced: individuals who install rooftop solar panels from 1 March 2023 will be able to claim a rebate of 25% of the cost of the panels up to a maximum of R15 000. This can be used to reduce their tax liability in the 2023/24 tax year (for this period only).

Government will guarantee solar-related loans for small and medium enterprises on a 20% first-loss basis through the Energy Bounce Back Scheme that will be launched by National Treasury in April 2023.

The minister spoke about the considerable risks that climate change poses to sustainable economic growth in South Africa. We are among the most water-scarce countries in the world, and recent events have shown that extreme weather events such as floods, heatwaves and drought are occurring more often. Don’t miss Five ways green buildings save water on page 60.

Infrastructure investments lay the foundation for inclusive and sustainable growth; they address supply-side constraints and expand access to basic services. Overall, the public sector is projected to spend R903-billion on infrastructure over the medium-term. Most of this, around R448-billion, will be spent by state-owned companies, public entities and through publicprivate partnerships.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is the largest property owner in South Africa, spending up to R8-billion in water, electricity and waste expenditure each year. The Integrated Renewable Energy and Resource Efficiency Programme (iREREP) is the public sector’s renewable energy plan. It has up to 320MW of clean energy procured per annum and will attract private sector capital investment of between an initial R120-billion and R253-billion to 2050. With sustainability embedded into its strategy, being a responsible business is at the heart of Liberty Two Degrees’ (L2D) purpose. “Through our strategic building block Good Spaces, which aims to minimise the impact of our assets on the environment, we have various initiatives in place to reduce our impact, contributing to our green building strategy,” says Brian Unsted, L2D asset management executive and head of Good Spaces (page 12).

Best practices, and the certifications that standardise them, need to continuously push boundaries for the built environment to consistently achieve better levels of performance. And so, the process of assembling a task force to advance the existing GBCSA Green Star New Buildings tool started in late 2021. The New Build V2 is aimed at Transforming Tomorrow (page 20).

GBCSA partnered with International Finance Corporation to facilitate certification using the EDGE tool in Africa. The tool was developed to provide scaleable green building standards through an online software platform. In this issue, we feature KwaZulu-Natal’s development Aurum Zimbali Lakes which applied for EDGE certification (page 54) and Rubicon’s new headquarters designed to qualify for an EDGE Advanced Certification (page 30).

What are the processes, digital tools and advancements that will change the way we occupy and build cities 50 years from now? Turn to page 58 for a glimpse into the future.

Transform tomorrow!

Alexis Knipe Editor

COLUMN

I

am writing this chairman’s note while flying from Cape Town to Johannesburg after a great business trip in the Mother City. It has been incredible to experience the vibe and energy of what’s happening in Cape Town currently. Dining at the magnificent V&A Waterfront on Monday night, it was difficult to believe that it was indeed a Monday. I noticed two cruise liners docked in the harbour no doubt boosting trade.Cape Town is hosting the Formula E “E-Prix” in Green Point this weekend, and is also a stop-over point for the Ocean Race, adding to the hustle and bustle. The city appears to be shouting out that it is indeed open for business.

On the topic of business, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presented the 2023 national fiscus budget today [22 February]. There were a few notable parts of his presentation for me in the context of this issue of +Impact:

• It was good to see an entire section devoted to climate change.

• The Just Energy Transition featured strongly. There is a significant amount of work to be done to ensure an equitable transition in a resource-rich economy such as South Africa’s. The Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (what a mouthful) has a R1.5-trillion investment allocated over the next five years.

• Of course, the energy sector was highlighted with comments made on how to improve the power supply shortage. South Africa faces the difficult challenge of trying to rapidly improve our energy supply to stimulate economic growth and drive the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while simultaneously having to transition to clean energy away from fossil fuels.

• Welcome tax relief was announced for businesses and individuals investing in solar systems.

+Impact 22 has some great reading context, including news on GBCSA’s New Build Tool Update. The original tool was relevant at the time, but as the sustainability industry in the built environment has matured, targets need to be further challenged and the rating criteria required fine-tuning. The updated tool is more appropriate for 2023 and beyond.

I am extremely proud to have been personally involved with the Six-Star Green Star interiors V1 rating of Liberty Two Degrees’ wonderful new office space in the Nelson Mandela Square West Towers in the heart of Sandton. The office space was transformed from a rather drab and difficult space into an incredible workspace that occupants can enjoy, and where creativity is encouraged and productivity optimised. The design approach was centred around people and usage of space.

This issue also reports on the EDGE Advanced certification at the Rubicon head office in Richmond Park. Well done to all involved with this achievement.

It is always great to receive news of what is happening in the sustainability space in the rest of the African continent. First Capital Bank Project in Lusaka has achieved a 5-Star Green Star Office Design v1.1 rating.

The largest owner of real estate in South Africa, the government through the Department of Public Works has the single greatest opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the impact that real estate has on the environment by making commitments, rating buildings and making operational changes and improvements. It is fantastic to read about the wheels of motion being set in place in government to enable change to take place through its implementation of the energy efficiency and resource programme. I am hopeful that thousands of government employees attend the course and champion the green cause throughout this significant organisation and owner of immovable assets.

reading the latest edition of +Impact.

Brian Unsted GBCSA Chairman

MEET THE GBCSA CHAIRMAN

Brian Unsted is an asset management executive and drives “Good Spaces” at Liberty Two Degrees. Unsted has over 25 years of experience in the South African property industry with a particular focus on extracting value from South Africa’s most iconic mixed-use properties. Unsted’s role includes ensuring the implementation of sustainability interventions to propel towards the set net-zero strategies in the waste, water and carbon space.

In 2014, he co-authored a book called Sandton Places – a guide to the hidden gems, corners and destinations of northern Johannesburg, while providing both the history and future insights of Sandton.

Brian Unsted.

THAT’S SUSTAINABILITY, FIRST.

Since our sustainability journey began, we’ve been leading the way, writing our planet-friendly story one industry rst at a time. From becoming the rst cement manufacturer in Southern Africa to publish an environmental policy, to modifying our plants to emit lower CO2 emissions, to introducing a range of green cement as early as 2000, putting sustainability rst has been, and always will be, second nature to us.

MAKING AN IMPACT

SAVE A SPACE FOR CONVENTION 2023

Think

TRANSFORMATIONAL AFRICAN “GREEN CITY” DEVELOPMENT

Leading East African architecture and engineering firm FBW Group has been appointed to the international team tasked with delivering the trailblazing Kigali Green City project in the Rwandan capital.

The transformational development is being hailed as an important milestone on the road to creating more sustainable green cities in the region. Its aim is to demonstrate that building green is “a necessity, not a luxury” and it will feature a range of initiatives, including the use of renewable energy, rainwater harvesting, wastewater management, recycling and reuse of water and sustainable transport solutions.

The project pilot should deliver 2 000 much-needed quality homes for the lower-to-middle-income brackets. Green City Kigali has been envisaged to cover the full 600ha Kinyinya Hill, a suburb of Kigali.

FBW Group, which has offices in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya, has been appointed to be the local team on the ground, delivering the key services of architecture and engineering.

Antje Eckoldt, FBW group director, says: “The pilot

project will lay the ground for the design of quality, low-carbon and resource efficient housing types suitable for various sites and density conditions and point the way towards the future for sustainable urban development.

“One of the aims of the project is to combine appropriate technologies, progressive thinking and the use of local skills and materials to show that this urban environment has everything it needs to sustain its community and for people to live green.” She adds, “At the moment we are exploring local low-carbon construction methods and materials and how they can be used to their maximum affect.

“We are also looking at ideas relating to urban farming and a green economy that will create jobs for existing and new residents on Kinyinya Hill, all based on low tech processes, on waste reduction and on circular economy principles.”

FBW is involved in a series of major projects in Rwanda. Rwanda, including delivering a masterplan for the expansion of the University of Global Health Equity and working with the International School of Kigali to create a 21st Century “green” campus in the Rwandan capital.

of a space, what does it look like? How does it make you feel? Is it a memory or an imagined space? GBCSA is creating a space like no other for its 16th Green Building Convention from 15 November 2023 at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town. Register your interest by email to gbcsa@idna.co.za

2023 GBCSA WORKSHOP TRAINING SCHEDULE

Overall masterplan aerial perspective of the green city. Character views, town centre.

FCBS

VUKILE APPROVES INVESTMENT IN SUSTAINABLE BACKUP POWER

Vukile Property Fund, the specialist retail property REIT (real estate investment trust), will invest around R350-million in backup power as it deploys a strategy to efficiently supplement the electricity supply to its malls.

Vukile will provide its tenants with the option of reliable solar power, which, combined with battery storage, costs less than grid power. This will also save many retailers the hefty cost of installing their own backup systems. Vukile’s new hybrid solar-battery grid-tied systems will give shopping centres at least three sources of power –solar PV, battery backup and the national grid.

These silent systems are easy to integrate into malls’ existing power networks, need little maintenance and are simple to expand. They are especially effective for shopping centres, as the busiest trading hours coincide with daylight hours when the sun can power solar PV panels. Retailers have the option to augment this further with generators for days when solar generation is constrained.

The roll-out of this project has been fast-tracked and can be achieved in about half the time required to install

generators. The first phase is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023.

WATERFALL CITY CROWNED WORLD’S BEST FOR FIFTH TIME

At the lavish annual “World’s Best” International Property Awards ceremony held at the iconic Savoy Hotel in London in February, Waterfall Management Company was awarded Best International Mixed-use Development 2022-2023 for Waterfall City.

This is the fifth time in six years that Waterfall City has beaten formidable competitors to claim the top spot. Over and above scooping this prestigious international accolade, Waterfall City also garnered the regional title of Best Mixed-use Development in Africa for the eighth time. This follows Waterfall City’s recent win of being named Best Mixed-use Development in South Africa, also for the eighth time, in October 2022 in Dubai.

SAIA INAUGURATES ITS 70TH PRESIDENT

The South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) inaugurated Amira Osman as its 70th President at a hybrid event in February.

Tokunbo Omisore, International Union of Architects (UIA) Vice President Region V Trustee and Past President of the Africa Union of Architects, explained how Africa’s Great Green Wall, which promotes sustainable development and climate change mitigation, will feature in Copenhagen, exploring how the profession can contribute to regenerating the social ecological systems of the continent and making them more resilient in the face of climate change and degradation, all while supporting and promoting indigenous knowledge and traditional technologies.

“Our world is facing climatic challenges that are subjecting many to poverty. To survive and thrive, the architectural profession must think creatively and engage collectively in the Conference of Parties on Climate Change to address these challenges,” urged Omisore.

Osman is the South African research chair in spatial transformation (Positive Change in the Built Environment). The architectural profession has a critical role to play in the achievement of human settlements that are more equitable, beautiful, and functional, increasing opportunities and offering people a better chance at improving their lives and livelihoods, according to Osman’s SAIA Manifesto.

Accepting the award for Waterfall Management Company was (left to right) Willie Vos, CEO, Tertia du Toit, Communications Manager and Phillip Badenhorst, CFO.

PV installation at Kolonnade Retail Park in Pretoria.

A PROUD PARTNERSHIP WITH A COMPANY CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF INNOVATIVE EXCELLENCE

We extend our warmest congratulations to our trusted manufacturer, Royal Boon Edam, on their momentous 150th anniversary. This remarkable milestone is a testament to their unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. From humble beginnings as a carpentry shop in Amsterdam, Royal Boon Edam has grown to become a world-renowned leader in entrance and security solutions. We are proud to have partnered with such an outstanding company and look forward to continuing our successful collaboration with them.

Jack Frost Cape Town, now trading as Frost International, and Royal Boon Edam started their relationship 31 years ago in 1992. It started with a project called Mutual 89, in which Hugh (Jack) Frost -who had been involved with Old Mutual Pinelands campus for many years - was asked by the development team to explore the feasibility of using revolving doors at the rapidly expanding campus's main entrance.

THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

Jack took off for Amsterdam to investigate Boon Edam's unique revolving doors. There, he met the company's owners and brothers, Erik and Rob Huber, and a deal was struck over a handshake. Frost International would become South Africa’s sole distributor of Boon Edam's innovative product, which was quickly taking the world by storm. The handshake between Jack and the Huber brothers laid the foundation for a long-lasting and successful relationship. Today, Frost International stands as one of the oldest and most successful Boon Edam distributors, consistently ranking in the top 3 for turnover.

In November 1993, Boon Edam launched an extensive export policy and was seeking distributors around the world. Mike Frost was lucky enough to be invited to their first-ever distributor meeting in Edam, despite having only one project under his belt.

Since then, Frost International has had the privilege of collaborating with Boon Edam and meeting with their global partners, giving them valuable insights into different markets and alternative ways of doing business. Being a part of the Boon Edam family has been a huge advantage and has allowed Frost to expand its reach and better serve their customers. It's amazing to think that what started with just one project has blossomed into a long-lasting partnership that has opened doors (pun intended!) to new opportunities and possibilities.

Over the years both companies have grown. Boon Edam has earned the distinguished accolade of being named a Royal Dutch company due to its remarkable success in the international export market. Frost International has become a specialist in entrance and security solutions, expanding its market into southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

A CUSTOMER-FOCUSED APPROACH

Frost International has successfully completed over 1000 installations using the Boon Edam product range. One of the keys to their success has been their ability to be flexible, work well as a team with main contractors and professionals, and adapt to ensure their clients receive the right solution for each project. This customer-focused approach has earned Frost International a reputation for supplying superior quality products and services throughout Africa and beyond.

Frost International and Royal Boon Edam are committed to building on their successful partnership and continuing to innovate and excel in all aspects of their business through future generations. As they move forward, they are excited to collaborate and develop new solutions to meet the evolving needs of their clients and the industry.

SUPERIOR INSIGHT

in interior design

THE L2D INNOVATION HUB

When a prominent Real Estate Investment Trust, one that prides itself on its progressively sustainable property portfolio, requires a new head office, it is assumed that the upshot will be somewhat green. But the resultant interiors, which include recycled toothpaste tube ceilings, are far from ordinary.

WORDS Melinda Hardisty

IMAGES Trend Group

PROJECT NUTSHELL

Location: Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton

Green Star rating: 6-Star Green Star Interiors v1.

Type of building: Office interior

Project dates: December 2020 – April 2021

Project size: 978m²

WHEN QUALITY MATTERS!

Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) is an internally managed Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) with a large property portfolio that focuses primarily on precinct developments and operates largely in the retail sector. As a company, it has set high sustainability targets for itself, constantly focusing on how it can improve the performance and reduce the environmental impact of all the buildings in its portfolio.

In April 2021, the fit-out of L2D’s new head office, called the Liberty Two Degrees Innovation Hub, was completed. It comprised a little less than a thousand square metres of office space on the third floor of the West Office Block tower at Sandton’s Nelson Mandela Square. L2D already owns the precinct, which incorporates Sandton City Shopping Centre, Nelson Mandela Square, Atrium on 5th and Sandton Office Tower, which itself is 6-Star Green Star rated. In September 2022, the new office fit-out was 6-Star Green Star rated, using the Interiors V1 tool.

CORPORATE VISION

By 2018, when L2D was reconfigured and listed as a corporate REIT, the company was already formalising its environmental targets. The project’s main goal is to create spaces for people that are built using four main building blocks: GOOD, SMART, INTERACTIVE and SAFE Spaces. The Good, Smart and Interactive building blocks are underpinned by the SAFE Spaces building block, which ensures that its environments adhere to the highest standards of hygiene, care and security, says GBCSA Chair, Brian Unsted who is the asset management executive heading up GOOD Spaces.

DEFINING PRINCIPLES

Unsted explains, “The decision to pursue this rating for our offices stemmed from our sharp focus on the longterm sustainability of L2D, including the achievement of Existing Building Performance ratings (EBPs) across our entire portfolio and ambitious net-zero targets, while enhancing our distinctiveness and competitive edge.”

L2D’s project lead for this fit-out, Saadiyah Kahn says, “The project itself was supported on four main ‘pillars’ that are a combination of L2D’s strategic building blocks and are key business enablers.” The pillars of Good, Smart, Well and Design were identified and fleshed out through engagement with the project team and other stakeholders. They were defined as being answers to the new requirements for a future-fit office environment, particularly in a post-pandemic corporate world.

“I thought they were joking when they showed me the space because it was this long corridor (between the two internal atria of the Nelson Mandela Square mall), with a big semi-circular space at the end of it, opening out over the square itself,” proclaims Edmund Batley, design lead for the architects, Batley Partners International. “It has an amazing urban presence, but we couldn’t think how we were going to make it work efficiently. It was the opposite of an ideal square or rectangular space and instead resembled a tree and its trunk. It became a ‘tree of life’ story that evolved and L2D continues to support this green design theme.”

Colour and nature meander down the tight passage running through the odd office footprint shape.

A woodland artwork brings nature and life into a large corporate boardroom.

A rope art piece adds to a casual meeting space.

The design is intended to stimulate all five senses.

“The design is intended to stimulate all five senses,” continues Batley. “There is running water, art, a lot of greenery, textured walls, colour and special lighting to change moods as you experience the differing areas,” he says. “We have built a ‘central park’ in the middle of the offices that became the screen between public and private areas.

DOING GOOD

The “Good” pillar aligns with L2D’s GOOD spaces building block. The objective of this pillar is to transform an old, unappealing office space into something new and exciting that is more suitable to the changing work environment, while also being good for both the planet and the building occupants. Targets are set to minimise electricity and water use and efficient fittings were installed throughout while usage, consumption and peak demands can be monitored and assessed using smart meters linked to the building management system (BMS). Waste stream audits are done on all of L2D’s portfolio to minimise waste to landfill. In this case, office waste feeds into the existing Sandton City waste stream, a high percentage of which is either recycled or composted with very little going to landfill.

“Biophilic design is also utilised for the project, where real plants and natural daylight are incorporated to reduce stress, enhance mood and improve the creativity and productivity of the office occupants,” adds Kahn. Natural wood walkways divide carpeted desk areas. There is a “mat of moss” as a backdrop to the entrance logo signage. It survives on moisture from the air with a little air purification from time to time, but needs no actual watering, muses Batley.

BEING SMART

The “Smart” pillar aligns with L2D’s SMART Spaces building block, which encompasses the company’s overall digital transformation strategy. As technology has developed, and as the working world has changed since the pandemic ushered in remote work and online collaboration as a normal part of the working world, there has been a steep rise in the technological demands of efficient office spaces. “The aim for the new office was to create a plugand-play setting that is mostly wireless and allows for a combination of online and offline collaboration options for L2D people,” explains Kahn.

KEEPING WELL

The “Well” pillar relates to L2D’s SAFE Spaces building block, which focuses on safety, health and hygiene. Elri Syfert from Solid Green handled the Green Star submission for the project. She explains the importance of Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) to the health and wellbeing of people occupying the buildings. “One highlight of this project is the special attention to air quality within the office,” she says. “At least 95% of the nominated area is provided with fresh air at a rate of 10l/s/person, which is a 33% improvement over the SANS 10400-0:2011 requirements.”

Real plants, natural daylight and versatile space types make the office feel comfortable and attractive.

Good, Smart, Well and Design were defined as being answers to the new requirements for a future-fit office environment.

Indoor air quality monitors assess temperature, humidity, VOCs, carbon monoxide, dust particles and nitrogen dioxide levels, quickly alerting to any abnormalities or spikes. Plant room CO 2 levels are monitored and automatically corrected if necessary. A green cleaning policy was implemented that adheres to environmental best practices for interior cleaning. The policy will ensure that building users and maintenance personnel are not exposed to potentially dangerous chemical, biological or particle contaminants.

CONTEXTUAL DESIGN

The “Design” pillar encompasses all the aesthetic design decisions, as well as where and how materials and finishes are sourced. Kahn adds, “Priority was given to locally sourced materials, both from a carbon footprint point of view and to encourage local social investment. But this pillar also focuses on L2D’s requirement to be ‘rooted’ in the South African context.” This allowed for the inclusion of bespoke artwork and colours, as well as some innovative materials.

“The most prominent and innovative design feature,” says Syfert, “is the use of 100 000 compressed, plastic toothpaste tubes recycled into a three-dimensional wave ceiling feature with integrated LED lighting to accentuate the forms.” Batley adds that the material was cheaper than using timber for a similar feature, but that it takes a brave client to embrace such new materials.

L2D invests significantly in art and is acutely aware how the pandemic had affected artists. Kahn says that the art consultants, Latitudes, curated a unique and bespoke collection of art that aligns to the key design themes. One piece, a colourful “beehive” screen, was made by women in the workshop of Bethany House, a non-profit organisation that shelters and rehabilitates women and children.

One highlight of this project is the special attention to air quality within the office.

A colourful honeycomb screen, created by the beneficiaries of local NPO, Bethany House, adds vibrant colour and interest to the office space.

The wave form ceiling was created from 100 000 recycled toothpaste tubes.

Priority was given to locally sourced materials, both from a carbon footprint point of view and to encourage local social investment.

The spaces were designed to be fluid and versatile, and include ergonomic and comfortable work and collaboration spaces, as well as spaces for relaxation and meditation, further emphasising a focus on wellbeing and mental health. The spaces are flexible enough to be adapted or expanded as the business needs change over time.

VISION REALISED

Meyer Erlank of Trend Group who completed the fit-out for the project commends L2D for staying true to its green strategy, particularly in using existing furniture

and fitting assets in its new office design. “We are proud to be part of such a prestigious project. The development is an example to the REIT community that it is possible to re-purpose to the highest environmental standards in a cost-effective way,” he adds.

The development includes the creation of a detailed user guide, spelling out how the spaces should be used to continue achieving the high standards envisaged. Soft elements have been thought about, right down to the purchasing of good quality, fair trade coffee for office consumption.

Kahn says they were pleased to see its staff immediately embracing the new, agile working environment and using it in the ways it was intended to be used. Future Vision continues to encourage boundaries to be pushed. The benchmark targets for improving the building’s performance include a Net Zero Waste Certification in 2023, a net-zero water target for 2025 and a net-zero carbon target by 2030.

The aim for the new office was to create a plug-and-play setting that is mostly wireless.

A variety of spaces, including a colourful canteen, provide options for the occupants.

Biophilic design is used for the project to reduce stress, enhance mood and improve the creativity and productivity of the office occupants.

LIBERTY TWO DEGREES SAYS EMBEDDING GREEN BUILDINGS IN ITS OPERATIONS IS A STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE

Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) says incorporating sustainability into its commercial real estate way of doing business is an integral strategic imperative for the listed company, presenting an ideal opportunity to make a lasting impact on the economy, environment and society.

Asset Management Executive and Head of Good Spaces, Brian Unsted says sustainability which was previously a “nice to have” credential is now unavoidable because investors, clients and even society are aligning themselves with companies that embrace sustainability. Many companies, whether listed or unlisted, have or are incorporating ESG into their business, and it has become the foundation on which they implement their strategic business goals.

Unsted says sustainability is now extending to tenancy of buildings and offices that are “green” certified, which is creating a new business opportunity for commercial property investors who are increasingly seeing the benefits of green construction. While L2D is currently not actively involved in significant new green construction project developments, its existing property portfolio has achieved Green Star ratings according to the Green Star Existing Building Performance (EBP) rating tool.

ensuring that buildings’ ongoing operations and management are resourceefficient and environmentally responsible

The focus here is on ensuring that buildings’ ongoing operations and management are resource-efficient and environmentally responsible, with long-term sustainability goals embedded in day-to-day operational policies and plans.

He says L2D has taken the lead among commercial property owners in South Africa to embrace sustainability, guided by the principle that its investors and stakeholders expect and trust the company to operate and grow its business in a responsible, sustainable manner. Sustainability for the company has therefore been embedded into its business strategy for the following compelling reasons:

Firstly, because being a responsible business is at the heart of the company’s purpose, L2D has to ensure that it champions sustainable environments that benefit current and generations to come. This is guiding the implementation of its commitment to achieve a Net Zero target by 2030 which will be achieved through Good Spaces; secondly, given the rapidly escalating energy costs which will in the future be followed by rising water and waste costs will follow suite, it only makes a compelling financial investment in sustainability initiatives; and lastly, the company needs to ensure reliability of energy and water supplies given concerns about reliability of supplies going into the future.

“Globally and in South Africa, sustainability is becoming increasingly important for investors when making capital allocation decisions. In this regard, the principles guiding capital allocation are experiencing a dramatic shift, and investors are now balancing between financial returns and good governance, social responsiveness and sustainability,” says Unsted.

ensuring that we implement green building practices has several benefits for investors

“With this in mind, ensuring that we implement green building practices has several benefits for investors including attracting and retaining tenants, thus assuring investors of predictable returns, a reduction of costs, improved efficiencies and sustainability of operations which reduce investment risk thus making L2D a more attractive and sustainable investment,” he says.

Unsted says because many companies are making it a non-negotiable requirement only to lease or occupy green certified buildings, L2D’s approach to achieve green-building ratings gives us a competitive advantage when it comes to tenant retention. Already, there is pressure mounting on organisations to embrace sustainability, as evidenced by the increased focus on ESG reporting particularly during the past three years. The “E” component means that organisations have pressure to report on what they are doing, where they are investing, and what targets and commitments they are making.

“It is for this reason that many companies now want to occupy “green” certified buildings, which means they have a focus on sustainability, simply because for a start, it is a non-negotiable imperative for many and usually a board directive; and the other being that it can assist in reducing operating costs of that business due to better efficiencies of the building. We expect that this growing trend of only occupying “green” certified buildings will improve occupancy rates and potentially achieve higher rental rates in “green” buildings. Ultimately, this will enable landlords with green certified buildings to both attract and retain tenants better than non-certified buildings,” says Unsted.

Going forward, Unsted says L2D sees green buildings as an opportunity to use its resources more efficiently and address climate change while creating healthier and more productive environments for tenants, shoppers and communities. “Through our strategic building block Good Spaces, which aims to minimise the impact of our assets on the environment, we have various initiatives in place to reduce our impact, contributing to our green building strategy,” he concludes.

PROUDLY TAKING FORWARD

TRANSFORMING TOMORROW

with the revised Green Star New Buildings rating tool

After many months of localisation by a dedicated voluntary team of professionals and specialists, the revised Green Star New Buildings Rating Tool (New Build V2) is entering a final stage of technical development. We take a look at what the new version brings to the green building arena.

WORDS Melinda Hardisty

As time ticks on towards target dates and sustainability goals that aim to slow the planet’s decline, and as building technologies improve, old benchmarks of building efficiency and sustainability have become outdated. Best practices, and the certifications that standardise them, need to continue to push boundaries so that the built environment is compelled to achieve better and better levels of performance.

To that end, the process of assembling a task force to analyse and improve the existing GBCSA Green Star New Buildings tool began in late 2021. Dash Coville, who was involved in the development of the POSITIVE section, has recently joined GBCSA full time and will be overseeing the ongoing work on the new version. A team of industry professionals was assembled to work on each of the eight categories of the new tool from early 2022.

REDEFINING GREEN BUILDINGS

The New Build V2 is aimed at “Transforming Tomorrow” because it ensures that the property sectors definition of a green building is ambitious, relevant and effective. Global sustainability mega-trends and a broader scope inform the new tool, as well as alignment with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) requirements. GBCSA’s head of technical, Georgina Smit, is incredibly excited about this industry development: “We are delighted to

support such a transformative update and believe that this will provide a useful framework to orientate solutions and positive outcomes in a way that moves the property sector to ambitious new frontiers.”

WHAT WILL BE TRANSFORMED?

There are several updates to this tool that are going to shake things up. Some key highlights include:

- One tool for all building typologies, allowing for ease of application.

- Several minimum thresholds that all buildings must adhere to, to establish a consistent baseline for all green buildings.

- An entire new category dedicated to resilience and how buildings need to consider their role in future climate change.

- All buildings must have a net-zero action plan to consider how they can reach the net zero 2030 goals.

- Upfront embodied carbon emissions associated with a building’s structural and architectural design must be considered.

- A category focusing on people, to respond to the requirement for improved socio-economic considerations within construction and design processes.

GREEN BUILDINGS FOR THE FUTURE

“We want to ensure that this new tool sends a clear message to industry about what the minimum standard is for a green building,” explains Smit. She goes on to elaborate that it has purposefully been updated to be very outcomes focused. “I think because this tool has several minimum requirements, it can provide a clear message to the market that any Green Star rated building has been designed and built to perform well, provide healthy spaces, be responsibly managed and not significantly harm our ecological systems.”

INDUSTRTY COLLABORATION

A key priority for tool development is always to collaborate with industry and obtain feedback. This ensures that the tools are robust, practical and that they have been scrutinised by different stakeholders within industry.

The bones of the tool structure were developed by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), but this needed to be adjusted and contextualised to suit South African requirements. Local stakeholders were asked to give feedback on the tool, and other tools were also utilised as precedent. A development team was structured to work on the tool, comprising largely of industry professionals who gave of their time and expertise on a voluntary basis.

Then there were task teams set for each of the different categories. These team members were selected from a pool of applicants who expressed interest in the call put out by the GBCSA. These “subject matter experts” were selected and then assigned to the category that best suited their area of expertise. From each group, a market leader was selected to be the task force director for that category, and they were tasked with leading the team throughout the development process.

The New Build V2 Task Force members.

A key priority for tool development is always to collaborate with industry and obtain feedback.

THE ROAD THIS FAR

GBCSA was established in 2007, with the first Green Star rating tool (Office V1) launched in 2008 and the first building certified in 2009. Since then tools have been developed for other typologies, including; Retail, Multi-Unit Residential, Public and Education, Existing Building Performance (EBP), Interiors, Precincts and Net Zero. Each iteration of a tool aims to increase the requirements, pushing buildings to better levels of performance and sustainability. All the tools are adapted to be specific to the South African environment, industry requirements and context in general, making them different to other rating tools available around the world.

The New Build Version 2 tool looks to combine the existing New Build tools into a single, clear tool that can be used on all new building projects. As always, GBCSA aims to create tools that are affordable and flexible, enabling them to be more widely utilised, while still maintaining the highest global standards and best practice.

New Build V2 categories: unpacking the impact focus areas of the new tool

Comment from the category lead and/or GBCSA

RESPONSIBLE

Category aim: The RESPONSIBLE category recognises activities that establish that a building has been designed, procured, built and handed over in a responsible manner.

Category director: André Harms, Sustainability Engineer and Founder of Ecolution

Key changes from V1: This category builds on the old Management category but advances the requirements significantly, pushing buildings to be higher performing and responsibly procured.

Comment from the category lead and/or GBCSA Harms highlights that there is an increased uptake of sound practices. This section aims to prepare buildings to be sustainably operated, equip operations teams to optimise operational performance and advance circular economy principles.

HEALTHY

Category aim: The HEALTHY category looks at the physical and mental wellbeing of the occupants and users of a building.

Category director: Annelide Sherratt, Head: Green Building Certifications at Solid Green

Key changes from V1: This category builds on the old Indoor Air Quality category. The credits now look at clean air, light quality, functional acoustics and comfort, exposure to toxins, amenity comfort and active buildings, connection to nature as well as thermal comfort.

“Drivers for this section include studies that conclusively show how user health and comfort can improve performance and productivity and reduce absenteeism, meaning there is realistic data available to businesses to prove there are tangible returns on investment in this area,” says Sherratt.

RESILIENT

Category aim: Future planning scenarios look at current and anticipated climate events as well as other global upheavals. Credits are earned in four categories: climate change, operations, social and heat resilience. This category carries all the other categories as these credits are interconnected with almost every aspect of a building. The Climate Change section requires both the analysis and understanding of future climate events, as well as a plan to mitigate them. Operations Resilience looks at potential “shocks”, like pandemics, attacks and critical infrastructure failure. Social Resilience explores the potential risks that may be faced by the community in and around the building. Finally, Heat Resilience largely looks at the building fabric and aims to reduce its impact on the heat island effect.

Category director: Jutta Berns, Director at Ecocentric

Key changes from V1: This version is a new category.

Comment from the category lead and/or GBCSA Berns explains that this is the smallest category but an important one that speaks to “designing and operating buildings in the face of an uncertain and unpredictable future, where extreme shocks and chronic events may well upend what we have hoped to achieve”.

POSITIVE

Category aim: This category encompasses credits that relate to carbon, as well as energy and water use.

Category director: Francois Retief, Founder of Sow and Reap Green Building Solutions

Key changes from V1: This category combines aspects of the old Energy, Water, and Materials categories, but there is now a greater focus on embodied carbon. This category uses a tool that will allow project teams to begin quantifying upfront carbon emissions. It promotes low carbon construction solutions far beyond the current tool’s focus on concrete and steel as the main offenders. There is an emphasis on performance-based targets that are calculated and their impacts quantified, as opposed to providing prescriptive measures to implement.

Retief explains that the performance focus simplifies the certification process while also driving high levels of performance. The methodologies used aim to narrow the gap between design and real-world performance using calculators which will give closer predictions and also be able to compare actual operational figures to the design model outputs.

Comment from the category lead and/or GBCSA

“The POSITIVE category, as the name suggests, aims to move the conversation from ‘doing less bad’, to developing buildings with a positive, regenerative impact; buildings that work alongside nature and its elements, as well as the people they serve,” says Retief.

PLACES

Category aim: PLACES includes four credits; Contribution to Place, Identity of Place, Movement and Connectivity as well as Safer Spaces. Contribution to Place explores placemaking and the formation of the city scape. It explores how to create interactive and communitybuilding spaces supported with an appropriate activation strategy that will inform any future tenants/owners how the spaces can be used most effectively to build social cohesion.

Movement and Connectivity encourages occupants and visitors to use low carbon, active and public transport options instead of private vehicles. Culture, Heritage and Identity explores and finds ways to reflect local culture, heritage and identities of different people groups and community members who relate to the specific site. Finally, the building should contribute to the creation of safer spaces for the community.

Category director: Adrie Fourie, Head of Sustainable Cities and Research at Solid Green

Key changes from V1: The PLACES category is new with this version, but incorporates a lot of content from the old Transport category into its Movement and Connectivity section.

Comment from the category lead and/or GBCSA Fourie explains that this category calls for an integrated design approach that responds better to specific locational context drivers and places people at the core of the design.

It is a more holistic tool which takes a more integrated and systems approach to buildings within their environment.

PEOPLE

Category aim: This category encourages solutions that address the social health of the community by bringing a new dimension to the design and construction of buildings. It recognises the multitude of people who are involved in the delivery and occupation of a building and rewards the design team and builder’s internal practices that promote diversity, equity and inclusion; facilitate local economic development and equitable growth of priority groups; and encourage buildings to be more accessible to a diverse population and welcoming to their needs.

Category director: Michelle Ludwig, Founder of Ludwig Design Consulting

Key changes from V1: The PEOPLE category is largely new with this version release, but it overlaps with some content from the old Indoor Environment Quality and Materials categories. The credits within this category are Inclusive Practices, Economic Development, Empowerment and Social Equity as well as Design for Inclusion.

Comment from the category lead and/or GBCSA

“Green buildings in South Africa must support socioeconomic development,” says Georgina Smit, head of technical at GBCSA.

LEADERSHIP

Category aim: This category recognises the use of innovative practices, processes and strategies that promote achievements beyond the scope of the rating tool as released and that drive market transformation. This may include meeting the aims of a credit using a technology that is considered innovative to South Africa’s market or implementing an initiative that substantially contributes to the market transformation towards a climate positive development.

Category director: Not applicable

Key Changes from V1: This is a new category that doesn’t dictate specific credits but rather rewards innovation in whatever forms it takes.

Comment from the category lead and/or GBCSA

Through the new tool we aim to “recognise and reward excellence and leadership in this field in both the private and public sector,” explains Dash Coville, technical manager for special projects at GBCSA.

NATURE

Category aim: This category aims to shift the building industry from being an historical destroyer of natural ecosystems to one that is integrative, resilient and regenerative of local indigenous ecosystems.

Category director: Mike Aldous, Technical Principal at MPAMOT

Key changes from V1: This category expands on the old Land Use And Ecology, and Emissions categories, but is more specific in the areas it addresses and requires more stringent measures to comply. The credits in this category address Impacts on Nature, Ecological Regeneration, Nature Connectivity, Nature Stewardship and Waterway protection.

Comment from the category lead and/or GBCSA

Aldous explains that it is important to remember, “Built and Environment are not mutually exclusive concepts, the Nature category looks to redefine the interaction and blur the boundary.”

FUNDING THE FUTURE

Until recently, the entire development process for this version has been undertaken without a budget. All the professionals and experts involved in the development did so on a voluntary basis. Recently, however, Balwin Properties has come on board as the main sponsor of the revised tool. Smit highlights that this funding is invaluable, especially for the process of developing the complex calculation tools that will be required in some of the categories.“We are grateful for the bold sponsorship and support from Balwin, without which the tool development and finalisation would not be possible,” Smit attests.

IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY

Coville explains that the new version of the tool will have a significant impact on existing and aspiring green building owners and the industry at large. “The certification process will be easier, more cost effective, and faster to allow smaller and more mainstream projects to achieve Green Star ratings, while also maintaining the prestige and robust nature of the tool,” he says.

ONWARDS TO RELEASE

The revisions will not only push requirements beyond what they have been thus far, but it will also be a more universal tool. Harms alludes to this when he says he is “excited to see the transformation of even more green and regenerative buildings of all shapes and sizes in South Africa and the rest of the continent.” The goal is also to eventually phase out the old “Design Rating” certification (except in a temporary form to be used for marketing or fund-raising), replacing it with only an As-Built version. This goes further to confirming that the constructed buildings are actually

meeting the targets set out in the design. The coming months of development through the pilot phase promise to refine and deliver a tool that will be intrinsic to meeting South Africa’s 2030 targets for sustainability.

Berns, who was also on the steering committee, is delighted about the new version as “it is a more holistic tool which takes a more integrated and systems approach to buildings within their environment and considers their resilience to climate change in design, construction and operations. It is a giant step in the right direction.”

An early version of the tool is expected to be released on a pilot basis in the last quarter of 2023. During the pilot phase, which is expected to take about two years, the tool will be tested on real world projects in order to be further refined.

CALLING ALL SUSTAINABILITY PIONEERS

“We are looking for projects to pilot this tool,” explains Smit. GBCSA encourages and invites any stakeholders currently planning a new build project to consider embarking on this pioneering industry journey with them by piloting this tool on their project. GBCSA is able to support this process and will allow the current tools to also be used concurrently. “Please let us know if you are interested in joining this industry initiative, and to be part of writing the next chapter of green building history,” concludes Smit.

Green buildings in South Africa must support socio-economic development.

MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME

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TheWINNING EDGE

When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River, it changed Rome’s future. Sustainable technology company Rubicon recently moved into its 9 382sqm new headquarters, developed by property investor Atterbury. With state-of-the-art green features leading to an almost 40% energy saving, this project also represents a threshold moment in taking sustainable building principles to a level where there’s simply no looking back.

WORDS Nicole Cameron

Located in Richmond Park in Milnerton, Cape Town, Rubicon’s new headquarters combines its operations, which were previously spread across six different locations, into one customdesigned multi-million-rand facility that includes a 7 532sqm warehouse and 1 780sqm of offices incorporating a 521sqm showroom. Positioned among blue-chip neighbours, including the new Takealot pickup point and distribution facility, the company’s new business base benefits from great exposure and also provides flexibility to accommodate future growth.

Underlying the building’s elegant façade is a highly energy-efficient design. Its envelope is sculpted to minimise heat gain and loss by considering space planning, window-wall ratios and insulation. Adding to its green design benefits, the building uses effective systems for its operation. Working together with sustainable building consultancy ecocentric, the building was designed to qualify for an EDGE Advanced Certification, a tool developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to provide quantifiable and scaleable green building standards through a user-friendly online software platform. GBCSA has partnered with IFC to facilitate certification using the EDGE tool in Africa.

GIVING IT THE EDGE

“For a building to qualify for EDGE Advanced Certification, it needs to achieve a minimum of 40% savings in energy, and 20% in water and materials,” says Iphendule Ndzipho, architectural and sustainability consultant at ecocentric. “This goes beyond the 20% in all three categories that is required for the Standard Certification.”

The approximate saving of 40% in energy is just one element where the development breaks new ground. “With regards to energy, the ‘big ticket’ items that pushed the project to qualify for EDGE Advanced include lowwattage LED lights, a high-efficiency HVAC system and solar PV panels,” says Ndzipho. “The fact that around 40% of the building’s annual energy use will be renewable energy is fantastic, as this measure will significantly reduce the utilities cost.”

Johann Prinsloo, development manager at Atterbury, adds that the PV system, which covers a significant portion of the building’s extensive rooftop has been specifically designed to match the energy consumption of the building, ensuring that most of the solar power is consumed by it. “Surplus solar energy is charged into a central battery that can power the building at night or during loadshedding events,” he says. “Rubicon was proud to be able to supply all the major components of the PV system from within its own basket of products.”

BACK TO BASICS

“The features that have achieved this significant result are relatively ‘simple’, and yet yield extremely positive results. The lesson is that achieving sustainability is not all that complicated,” says Ndzipho. “And yet, it must be stated that working with a developer like Atterbury, where sustainability principles are already deeply entrenched, makes the process smooth and seem easier than it would be otherwise.”

The water saving percentage of 20% can be attributed to a rooftop rainwater harvesting system, where a significant portion of the total roof area is designed to

Rubicon is proud to be leading the way in contributing towards a more sustainable, technology-driven future.

“Meester Bouers Kompanjie”

a company of master builders

We are a relationship focussed practice with traditional architectural values aiming to make excellent buildings in excellent company. Our skills are advanced in industrial/ logistics, mixed use, and retail architecture and we are very proudly associated as architects and principal agent of the Rubicon project.

SUSTAINABILITY BEYOND THE

Enabling

sustainable construction with

catch rainwater, together with low-flush toilets and flow rate restrictors for some of the taps. To not compromise water pressure, the restrictors used were aerators. “Once again, something like an aerator is not expensive to install, I recall one can be purchased for approximately R42, an inconsequential amount and yet extremely effective,” says Ndzipho.

The third component making up the EDGE Advanced Certification relates to materials savings. The Rubicon building achieved a 30% saving, with beneficial features including the presence of steel rebar in some of the slabs, which helped reduce the embodied carbon content of the concrete; an 84% concrete finish and 16% nylon carpet when it came to floor finish, and Glass wool insulation. “The flooring and insulation choices are significant. If, for example, we were to replace the concrete floor finish with various types of tiles and/or vinyl flooring, or make the flooring 100% nylon carpet, the numbers would drop drastically and the materials tab would go from 30% to 10%,” says Ndzipho. “Similarly, the type of roof insulation really matters – a wood wool insulation, for example, would drop the materials tab from 30% to 17%. The team did well on the basis of choosing the most beneficial type.”

THE EDGE TOOL

EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is a free software, a green building standard and an international green building certification. Reasons to consider this tool for your building include:

Cost calculator. The tool helps select the best options for sustainable building and estimates the incremental costs thereof.

Resource efficiency. The certification focuses on energy, water and embodied energy in materials for a quantitative approach.

Bio-climatic modelling. Information is location-specific with climate and lifestyle data for thousands of cities.

MAKING THE MIX WORK

Richmond Park is a new multi-billion-rand mixed-use development situated in Milnerton, Cape Town..

• It is serviced by two major arterial routes, the N7 highway and Plattekloof Road (M14), ensuring convenient access to the N1 highway, Cape Town port, CBD and airport.

• Extensive road upgrades, include, inter alia, the dualling of Plattekloof Road from the N7 Eastern Terminal to the N1 and the dualling of Tygerberg Valley Road from Plattekloof Road to the entrance of the Park.

• Easy access to public transport: taxi, train and MyCiti bus. Chempet train station is situated 5km away.

• Fibre optic infrastructure allows for integration with tenant’s Internet service provider of choice.

• Eskom provides the power supply, resulting in savings in consumption charges if compared to other utility suppliers.

“We set out to create a world-class facility that celebrates sustainability, and together with Atterbury and other key project partners, we’ve achieved just that. Our Group headquarters is monitored through a building management system (BMS) which enables a live view of the performance and savings of various integrated services – just one of the features we’re showcasing in our new state-of-the-art showroom. Rubicon is proud to be leading the way in contributing towards a more sustainable, technology-driven future,” says Rick Basson, CEO of Rubicon.

Prinsloo adds that they were incredibly proud to deliver this new facility to Rubicon. “It has been a pleasure working with the Rubicon team on this tailormade

property and we have built great relationships during this project. We are pleased to bring the vision for Rubicon’s headquarters to life with this building, where they can meet all their business needs for the region under one roof,” he concludes.

The fact that the Rubicon building has achieved an approximate saving of 60% in energy is just one element where the development breaks new ground.

RLB was involved in the development of a new 9,300m² distribution and office facility to consolidate sustainable technology company, Rubicon, into new headquarters in Richmond Park, Milnerton, Cape Town. The new headquarters benefits from boosting brand awareness due to the exposure Richmond Park provides with its accessibility along upgraded access from both N1 and N7 highways. The facility combines Rubicon’s operations, currently dispersed across six different sites within Cape Town, into a tailor-made, multi-million-rand facility that includes a 7,900m² warehouse and a 1,400m² office, incorporating a 250m² showroom with an option to expand a further 1,200m2

RLB provided full quantity surveying services for this unique project.

Director responsible: Martin Meinesz

+27 21 418 9977

www.rlb.com

RUBICON, RICHMOND PARK, CAPE TOWN

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PROJECT

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE

First Capital Bank is celebrating its 10th year in business with a first for Zambia: the company is constructing a 5-Star Green Star rated building – the first GBCSA rating in the country.

WORDS Marlinée Fouché IMAGES Paul Munnik Architects

PROJECT NUTSHELL

Location: Lusaka, Zambia

Green Star rating: 5-Star Green Star

Type of building: Office

Office Design v1.1

Project dates: Certified November 2022

Project size: 3 820m2 total gross floor area

Anew building is rising in Lusaka, and it’s not the usual type of glitzy office block one usually finds here. It’s a relatively small building with two wings, each consisting of three floors and a shared lower-ground parking level. Regardless of size, its influence has already been exerted and may transform the face of green building design in Zambia

First Capital Bank’s FCB new-fangled head office is the first in the country to receive a Green Star rating from GBCSA. According to Patience Mutale, chief transformation officer, it flows from the company’s desire to make a difference in the environment by influencing the future of construction.

The initial plan wasn’t the construction of a green-rated building, but when the new CEO, Edward Marks, stepped in a couple of years back, things changed. “As we evolved over the past 10 years more information around being environmentally friendly started coming through,” says Mutale. “With the new management, he believed we can also play a role in this space and contribute to improving the environment that we operate in.”

The rest is history.

The original design was drawn up by Paul Munnik, from Paul Munnik Architects in Botswana, and it was also he who made the necessary adjustments. “What we have tried to do is build a cost-effective, simple building with good passive design principles. In Lusaka, the tendency is to go for flash – buildings that have an impact, that are striking, and have features like full-glass façades. Features that, I believe, are not particularly environmentally friendly and are just there for the sake of image, rather than dealing with practical elements.”

Kagiso Sebetso from Time Projects, describes Munnik’s continued involvement as invaluable. “We worked with him for decades in Botswana as well, and he has always aimed for a green design. If some of his buildings were to get rated, they would come close, because sustainability is always at the core of his design. It’s a great advantage because we didn’t have to start from scratch.”

Munnik wanted to maintain the same look and feel to the building, as the one he designed for FCB in Botswana. “We generally try to work and design towards a green star accreditation in any event, so we really didn’t have to make too many changes to our original design,” Munnik says. “My primary concern is the passive energy aspect of a design, so orientation, treatment of façades on various orientations, looking very carefully at west façades and how to deal with them – eliminate heat gain while maintaining natural light quality.”

One of the biggest adjustments to the design was the addition of solar panels to reach a 5-Star Green Star rating. “There wasn’t an initial requirement for photovoltaic (PV) panels, so the roof design was changed to accommodate the panels at a sensible orientation, without affecting the look and feel of the building.” The initial double-pitched roof was changed to a mono-pitched one to house the 92kWp PV system with an estimated annual production of 156MWh.

Along with this, the fresh air system had to be upgraded to accommodate an increased occupancy. The design attempts to strengthen the occupants’ relationship with the outdoors, by allowing them to open windows rather than switching on the aircon. “It’s about creating a moderated environment that is comfortable for everybody. It’s about balancing temperatures and creating a comfortable environment, that people can individually adjust and modulate.” For this reason, Munnik chose not to design a completely controlled environment, he designed one where the use of natural ventilation is encouraged.

Air quality is further enhanced using low VOC materials across the board. To bring down the energy consumption of the building, lighting zoning is applied to both open-plan and individual offices, and the lighting density is lower than typical levels.

The building is conveniently situated on the edge of the city, near commercial amenities and residential buildings, and is being constructed on a site previously used as a parking lot. Along with this, the trees on the parameter of the site could be preserved. “The majority of those trees are well cultivated, and although the building is still under construction, it gives the building a presence of

You get the sense that this is a building where you would really feel welcome.

The new head office for First Capital Bank is the first in Zambia to have a 5-Star Green Star rating with GBCSA.

establishment and also offer shading” says Munnik. In the end, the landscape amounts to less than one percent of the site, meaning less water will be used for irrigation. Non-potable water will also be used for landscaping purposes, and inside flow rates are managed with water efficient fittings. To supplement municipal water, rainwater will be harvested and treated.

Sebetso says the contractors, designer and the clients have committed to a building tuning contract, which includes regular inspections of the respective services and to provide consistent reports to monitor the efficiency of the respective services. Munnik echoes this sentiment, “I am there at least once a month, and the council is very involved. More so than I have experienced in Botswana and South Africa, which I think is very positive. There’s an education process there as well.”

Everyone is talking about the use of fly ash. (Fly ash is a byproduct of coal-fired electric generating plants.)

“I don’t think anybody has used fly ash in concrete in Zambia ever before,” Munnik shares. “They thought we had rocks in our head when we said we wanted concrete mixed with as much fly ash in it as we can possibly get!”

Firsts like this are challenging, but FCB believes it helps to usher in change through the value chain, says Mutale. “Today, somebody did not know about fly ash, the next day somebody will see it as a new economic opportunity, and then it starts to expand.”

A lot of care is taken during the construction phase to ensure that the bulk earth work or whatever earth is excavated, is either re-used on the construction or at another site. The target is to divert at least 70% of the waste from landfill, and according to Sebetso, they get regular proof: “Every month or so we get pictures of what the guys are actually doing with the material or with the waste and how they are re-using it.” The design also provides facilities where clients can store waste from recycling.

“I think when people experience the building, or just

Awareness and curiosity among their new neighbours is growing, holding them accountable for their actions.

To maximise daylight and minimise heat gain, a series of vertical and horizontal elements were designed to create shading on the glass-glazed façades.

A lot of care was taken during the construction phase to ensure that the bulk earth work was re-used on the site.

the site itself – the way that we have designed the access and the way it links to the surrounding street networks, invites people to the building, and will invite people to ask questions about it as well,” says Sebetso.

Mutale also pays frequent visits to the site. “You get the sense that this is a building where you would really feel welcome. This feels like a place where the light is going to be enough.” The goal is to maximise daylight, while providing glare control. According to Sebetso, modelling was done to optimise daylight and where not too much energy is needed to cool the space from heat gains that come from daylight. This includes occupant-controlled daylight glare, and a series of vertical and horizontal elements to create shading on the glass-glazed façades. “This particular site is really well orientated,” says Munnik, “which makes it a lot easier to manage the heat gain and natural lights, and to deal with the passive shading aspect of the façades.”

A lot of thought also went into the parking space. “I know that Africa is taking a little bit longer to catch up on hybrid vehicles, but we tried to design the parking space in a way that makes people think about it for the future,” says Sebetso. The final building will have dedicated, convenient parking bays for hybrid vehicles and for those who carpool to work. A cyclist facility and showers also form part of the design, and Sebetos believes this too can usher in change. “When you walk around in Lusaka, a lot of people are walking, so I think they’re open to other

means of getting to work apart from driving. Their traffic is insane, often causing public transport to be unreliable.”

The rating includes three innovation points for financial transparency towards the GBCSA, the fact that this is the first 5-Star Green Star rated building in Zambia – and the training of the entire project team.

Mutale mentions that awareness and curiosity among their new neighbours is growing, holding them accountable for their actions now and after construction. For this to happen, the end users cannot go back to their conventional ways, and that is why a user guide has been created. “It’s a PDF document that’s not too technical,” Sebetso says, “so that anybody from any industry can understand it. It’s in basic language, and provides simple diagrams that people can understand, even if they don’t have a building or engineering background.”

It is expected that construction will be completed in the middle of the year, after which further ratings may be pursued and FCB’s employees are ready to go all the way.

“We are trailblazers,” adds Mutale, “and it is something to be proud of. It’s really to begin to derive the benefits of what this certification means to us as a business, and also for the community.”

Access to the building, and how it links with the street networks surrounding it, invites people in to the building.

After construction, preferential parking will be given to electric and hybrid vehicles as well as those using carpools to get to work.

We are trailblazers, and it is something to be proud of.

Environmental Consultants, Consulting Engineers and Project Managers

DH Engineering Consultants is a Zambian based Engineering Consultancy firm providing Engineering Design, Supervision and Project Management Services countrywide. The firm has over 20 years experience and all Engineers are Registered with the Zambian Engineers Registration Board.

The firm specialises in the design and supervision of Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Building Services, Fire Fighting Systems, and Petroleum Installations across all sectors of commerce, industry, agriculture and public infrastructure.

The firm also provides Environmental Consultancy Services such as the preparation of Environmental Impact Assessments and Site Health and Safety Audits.

iREREP

A renewable future ahead for government properties

Traditionally, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has garnered its utilities from a single source with limited demand-side interventions. With security of electricity and water supply concerns as well as pressure on waste landfills, it made sense to review the existing approach in line with South Africa’s green economy strategy.

WORDS Nicole Cameron

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) is the largest property owner in South Africa, covering 37-million square metres over more than 92 000 facilities. Annually, the Department’s property portfolio consumes 4 021 gigawatt hours of electricity and 94-million kilolitres of water and produces two-million tons of waste. This equates annually to between R14.5-billion and R19.3-billion in water, electricity and waste expenditure.

This programme, supported by the Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC), is aimed at rolling out energy efficiency (including solar geysers), water efficiency, alternative waste management and embedded solar PV as well as other renewable energy options at its property portfolio.

Called the Integrated Renewable Energy and Resource Efficiency Programme (iREREP), it will be the largest programme for the procurement of renewable energy and resource efficiency for public facilities, with up to 3 740MW of renewable energy procured per annum, attracting private sector capital investment of up to R370-billion in the period to 2050.

“The structure of the iREREP necessitates a level of collaboration in the market across various service providers to be able to deliver innovative solutions for energy supply and efficiency, water efficiency and alternative waste management,” says Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia de Lille. “The industry needs to introduce new ideas and creative solutions to meet the objectives of the iREREP.”

BENEFITS ON MANY LEVELS

One of the key objectives of the programme is socioeconomic progress, which includes job creation and skills development. Over the 30-year period, it is estimated that 503 000 green jobs will be created, along with the upskilling of more than 475 000. The targeted group will be the female youth. Key projected investments from the programme include savings and revenue worth over R401-billion by 2050, which can be reallocated to other government priorities; up to R1.3-trillion direct contribution to GDP; up to R1.3 trillion new small businesses will be developed (majority being blackowned); a reduction in energy use intensity of between 22% and 45%; a water use intensity reduction of between 30% and 55%; a reduction in waste and diversion of 50% of current waste from landfill sites, saving 12-million tons; and a reduction in CO₂ and other GHG emission by over 54.5 megatons.

ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAMME

Renewable energy and energy security. Solar PV (rooftop, carport, ground-mounted and buildingintegrated), solar thermal energy, biomass, wind energy, hydropower, geothermal energy, ocean energy, fuel cell, energy storage and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Energy efficiency. Solutions to improve thermal performances of building envelope, to progress HVAC and refrigeration system performance, reduce energy consumption to produce hot water, improve lighting system efficiency, upgrade pumps and motors efficiency, reduce electricity consumption via monitoring and

The industry needs to introduce new ideas and creative solutions to meet the objectives of the iREREP.

control systems, improve efficiency of electric systems, improve performance of steam production and steam network, improvement of general process equipment, improve energy efficiency through integrated design and utilisation of waste heat.

Water efficiency. Solutions offering leak detection, water efficiency systems and appliances, low-flow and water efficient dispenser, water harvesting, water treatment, automatic control and sensor systems, steam system retrofits, improved landscaping and irrigation. Alternative waste management. The basic principles of “reduce”, “re-use” and “recycle” will be introduced. Solutions may include awareness campaigns to reduce waste, sorting of waste, recycling, and waste-to-energy initiatives such as anaerobic digestion, composting/organic waste, pyrolysis and gasification.

The programme, which is intended to be a large contributor to the government’s National Economic Recovery Plan, is based on five key themes. These include centralised governance (implemented through centralised office in accordance with international best practice); security of supply (through lowering resource demand, improving resource efficiency and promoting alternative sources of utilities governance); budget rationalisation (reduction in government spending towards utilities); socio-economic development (contribution to small business development, job creation and GDP); and environmental sustainability (reduction of energy and water consumption intensity and emissions reduction).

FAST-TRACKED PROGRESS

Several significant milestones have already been achieved, with the completion of the Request for Proposals (RFP) paving the way for upcoming milestones such as the RFP release in the first quarter of 2023, followed by the Bidders Conference, also in the first quarter, and the announcement of the preferred bidder in the last quarter of 2023. As the projects are being procured on a publicprivate partnership basis, the private party will design, finance, construct, operate and maintain the assets throughout the entire project life cycle and transfer at the end of the contract.

“Loadshedding has elevated the importance and impact of the programme, and so its implementation has been fasttracked to contribute to load reduction, and the generation of additional capacity,” says De Lille.

“This programme presents a unique opportunity to harness the partnership between government and business to create a prosperous South Africa,” she continues. “There is an opportunity for large-scale innovation in government that not only promotes resource efficiency and saves money but is also a major effort towards protecting the planet from the devastating effects of climate change. As government, business and residents, we all need to step up and look for more ways to save water, reduce energy consumption and carbons emissions, because it is our duty to ensure we take care of the planet now for future generations,” she concludes.

This programme presents a unique opportunity to harness the partnership between government and business to create a prosperous South Africa.

50 YEARS

FORWARD Innovations and urban interventions

What are the innovations – the technologies, processes, digital tools and advancements – that will change the way we occupy and build cities 50 years into the future? Which urban interventions will contribute to the wider urban habitat and influence the way we build cities 50 years from now?

WORDS Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

BIOMIMICRY

Biological urban lighting

Light pollution will only increase as cities grow and densify, but it can have deleterious effects on surrounding wildlife, disrupting migratory patterns and creating ripple effects through ecosystems that have not yet been fully understood. Pervasive, 24-hour-a-day lighting can have negative effects on the health of humans too, such as reduced sleep quality. Another environmental issue of continuous lighting has been its electricity-dependence and resultant carbon dioxide emissions. The current solution for this has been to transition most high-pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights to light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are more energy-efficient, but emit a brilliant (and disruptive) bluish-white light.

Researchers are currently looking into the application of bioluminescence to tackle light pollution with both these objectives: creating a more wildlife- (and human-) compatible source of continuous public lighting and increasing the energy efficiency of citywide lighting in general. Bioluminescent lighting, while still in the research phase, has the potential to harness the glow of bioluminescent algae and fungi for use in daily civic life. The natural phenomenon of bioluminescence is a solarpowered, enzymatic reaction and is activated by agitating the organisms. Researchers are currently examining how to increase the lifespan of the reaction, potentially by splicing bioluminescent genes with existing natural features, such as trees.

UBIQUITOUS, VEGETATED BUILDINGS

There is increasing momentum toward using vegetation as part of the façade strategy of tall buildings, as well as an enhancement of interior and semi-enclosed spaces. This is about far more than aesthetics. If cities are to make more than a superficial impact on reducing the urban heat island effect, we will need to make sure that more of the new built surfaces we create are not hard, “mineralised” reflective materials, as they are today.

While progress to date is laudable, future cities will become noticeably greener – and quieter – as the environmental, mental and physical health benefits of vegetated skyscrapers become more evident, and more convincingly incorporated into pro-formas and other calculations of return on investment.

CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS

Printed buildings

Nearly all 3D-printed buildings are printed off-site in factories, transported and assembled as concrete sections. This process addresses neither the material resources nor supply chain issues that impact the embodied energy of buildings. Concrete and steel, the building blocks of cities, are hugely energy-intensive to manufacture, transport and build – contributing almost 10% of global carbon emissions.

Fifty years forward, buildings will be autonomously 3D printed from renewable and recyclable resources gathered

Now is the time to rethink the way cities are planned, built, lived in and maintained.

from around a site and layered into any shape, size and height. Biopolymer-fibre composites are vastly more energy- and material-efficient than concrete, are equivalent in performance, and are recyclable and biodegradable. Advancement of 3D printed in-situ resources utilisation (ISRU) technology will move us from a linear mindset of “take, make, waste” to the circular recovery and renewal of buildings – harvested from and returned to the earth.

Drone-based automated façade inspections

Using drones for construction and building inspections will increase safety and efficiency and decrease the cost required to maintain tall building façades. Drone-based construction monitoring and façade inspection services utilise industry-leading automated flight planning software to vertically scan high-rise buildings faster and safer than via traditional methods. The images and video collected can be used during quality assurance closeout or during ongoing inspections and maintenance sessions, to identify areas of interest.

Mass timber

Seemingly, not a day goes by without a new, spectacular mass-timber building project being announced. The world’s tallest all-timber building, Mjøstårnet in Norway, was completed in early 2019 at 85 metres. There are proposals for structures as high as 350 metres on the boards, but more importantly, hundreds of “average” multi-storey buildings that would, in the past, have been conventionally constructed with concrete and steel are now being planned with mass timber. This is for a very good reason. United Nations statistics show that there are one-million people moving into cities every week across the globe. Now is the time to rethink the way cities are planned, built, lived in and maintained. New products, construction methods,

technologies and innovations are vital to sustaining this growth. These innovations must also meet the growing demand for wellness, a high quality of life, connection to nature and the environment around us.

At the same time, the planet is rapidly experiencing climate change, and every indication is that there is an urgent need to slow the rate of planetary warming within less than a decade to avert catastrophic consequences, especially as concerns coastal cities (IPCC 2018). The cities we build today urgently need to achieve net-zero carbon emissions wherever possible, at both the building and urban scale. Both operational and embodied carbon emission reductions need to be a part of this equation. Timber is an excellent store of embodied carbon, and its production process is less environmentally harmful than that of concrete or steel. In the next few decades, the aesthetic and positive health benefits of wood as a material, the ease of construction, its versatility as a structural and finished interior material and its lower carbon footprint are likely to overcome current obstacles, mostly based around fire codes predicated on “stick-framed” dimensional lumber construction. For many ecologists, architects and developers, that obstacle cannot be overcome too soon.

Smart-tinting glass

Glass windows were invented to give people more natural light and a connection to the outdoors. Shades were invented to block that light. A 1 000-year struggle of having too much or not enough light ensued. With smart-tinting glass, the struggle may finally come to an end. Think of it as sunglasses for your buildings. A new type of glass automatically tints when the sun gets a little too hot or a little too bright – letting in plenty of natural light, while keeping people comfortable and making buildings more energy-efficient.

New products, construction methods, technologies and innovations are vital to sustaining urban growth.

Smart-tinting glass blocks solar heat, eliminates glare, provides privacy and reduces energy consumption by up to 20%. Every 30 seconds, the panes, inlaid with invisible intelligence, conducts a daylight analysis to determine whether to tint, and by how much. It even factors room occupancy status into its decision-making, choosing the most energy-saving tint level accordingly. Fifty years from now, we won’t remember when windows didn’t self-tint.

ENERGY

The net carbon-negative tall building

There is great potential for the built environment to move from being a major source of carbon pollution, to becoming net-carbon-neutral at minimum, and a step further, a “carbon sink.” As the architecture, engineering and construction industry embraces this challenge, new material and design innovations will fundamentally change our current thought processes on how we design, build and operate. “Skyscraper 2069,” the figural carbon-negative tall building of 50 years in the future, will be a showcase of these net-zero to carbon-positive innovations, brought together within one project, and providing a road map to a more sustainable built urban environment of the future. The innovations needed to create Skyscraper 2069 are many. But it is the details and composition of the materials with which we chose to build with will be most impactful. As the introduction of steel made the tall building a reality, the next most-influential urban intervention will be at the level of materials, fundamentally altering the building blocks we use to create the built urban environment. The Skyscraper 2069 project will include materially-efficient carbon-storing materials, including carbon-neutral steel, aggregate from the manufactured by-product of carboncapture scrubbers, carbon-positive bio-based cements, bio-based floor systems made from a composite of bamboo and concrete, carbon-capture graphene in window mullions and bio-based finish materials (carpet and wall board), all part of a “circular-economy kit of parts”. It will also engage with passive energy generation systems, embedded into the tower façade.

Reference

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2018). Global Warming of 1.50C. Geneva: IPCC.

Future cities will become noticeably greener – and quieter – as the environmental, mental and physical health benefits of vegetated skyscrapers become more evident.

The cities we build today urgently need to achieve net-zero carbon emissions wherever possible, at both the building and urban scale.

CLAYBRICKINDUSTRY

RESTORE REUSE RECYCLE

construction waste, cost and carbon footprint

RESTORE REUSE RECYCLE

Clay Brick is naturally warm in winter and cool in summer

CUT HEATING & COOLING COSTS

reduce construction waste, cost and carbon footprint environment-friendly FOECIOVEHT T H E

Adaptive reuse of brick masonry and reclaimed timber saves South African resources and energy. Genuine clay brick is the original long-life, no-hassle building material - it does not burn, rot, tarnish, fade, rust, scu , peel, erode or burn and needs minimal maintenance.

Clay Brick is naturally warm in winter and cool in summer

Go to www.claybrick.org to find out more about this sustainable walling material

Clay brick is nature’s solar battery. Brick masonry absorbs and stores heat during the day and then releases that warmth when it is needed most – at night. This keeps indoor temperatures comfortable without air-conditioning or heating. Visit www.claybrick.org to nd your nearest supplier

Sustainable Practices in the South African Clay Brick Sector

Go to www.claybrick.org to find out more about this sustainable walling material

Clay brick is nature’s solar battery. Brick masonry absorbs and stores heat during the day and then releases that warmth when it is needed most – at night. This keeps indoor temperatures comfortable without air-conditioning or heating. Visit www.claybrick.org to nd your nearest supplier

LIVING LIFE on the EDGE

Aurum Zimbali Lakes, KwaZulu-Natal’s newest development features six high-end homes that are future ready to meet the demands of the next generation. The dedication to detail in the design and construction of these homes created a catalyst for EDGE certification. Project developer, Nexxagen, discusses the process.

WORDS Dean Young IMAGES Nexxagen

PROJECT NUTSHELL

Location: Zimbali Lakes Resort, Port Zimbali, North Coast, KZN

Green Star rating: Edge Certification

Type of building: High-end Residential

Project dates: June 2021 – April 2024

Project size: 1560m²

Ballito is notorious for extreme humid summers, temperate winters and golden coastlines. The sun is the most powerful light source, and an inspiration of the name “Aurum”, which means gold and the nexus between nature and luxury. The sun is also a source of significant heat gain which is great for the temperate winter months but not during summer. Nexxagen sought to capture the benefits of the natural light for the clients’ and planet’s advantage.

Edge certification is awarded to a building if the required minimum 20% savings in operational energy, water and embodied energy in materials compared to the base case model is achieved. These efficiencies translate into a simple pass/fail system and indicate whether the building project has demonstrated the minimum efficiency.

Each stage of the certification consists of a two-round submission process to GBCSA. The Aurum project is at the preliminary certification stage and has completed round one with the EDGE auditors.

Nexxagen has inhouse EDGE experts and entered a contract with the EDGE auditor separately for the design audit (preliminary stage) and the site audit (post construction). It is recommended that a potential client uses the same EDGE auditor for both the design and site audit; however this is not a requirement.

EDGE certification begins during the design of the project (stage 0) and is subsequently brought to life by the design team.

PRELIMINARY CERTIFICATION

This process must be undertaken before the building project is complete. If the building is complete, the client should proceed directly to the EDGE certification.

The EDGE auditor reviews the design self-assessment to establish if the standard requirements have been correctly interpretated by the client.

The auditor submits a written assessment to GBCSA, which is subject to an independent quality check.

A preliminary certificate is issued by GBCSA.

POST CONSTRUCTION

A site audit is undertaken to confirm that the building project meets the EDGE standards. The site audit must take place within 12 months of the project’s completion date.

The EDGE certificate (post construction) is issued by GBCSA on recommendation from the auditor.

It is vital to select a design team that is conscious of the planet and serious about reducing carbon emissions.

Green living measures at Aurum include solar heat pumps, external retractable façades and louvers to prevent heat gain, low flow water fixtures and passive design.

The design team is briefed on the level of EDGE certification aspired to, processes, requirements and documentation required. It is vital to select a design team that is conscious of the planet and serious about reducing carbon emissions as it is, at times, daunting to meet the stringent requirements required for the standard. From this point forward, the team sets out to achieve the highest certification within the budget constraints of a successful project.

It is important to balance the lighting and ventilation benefits of glazing against the impacts of heat gain on cooling needs and/or passive heating. For example, heat is generally transmitted in the building at a higher rate through glass than through walls. The goal is to find the correct balance between the transparent (glass) and the opaque surface in the external façades helps to maximise daylight while minimising unwanted heat transfer, resulting in reduced energy consumption. Nexxagen has had a design goal to maximise illumination levels without significantly exceeding the solar heat gains in our warm summers, as well as to make the most of passive heating in temperate wintertime.

Windows are usually the weakest link in the building envelope as glass has a much lower resistance to heat flow than other building materials. Heat flows out through a glazed window 10 times faster than it does through a well-insulated wall. While glazed areas are desirable to admit solar radiation in a cold winter condition during the day, windows in warmer summer conditions can significantly increase the building’s cooling loads. With this consideration, Nexxagen’s design team selected the most balanced green measures to reduce the flow of energy between the building and surrounds.

WATER EFFICIENCY

Current technologies in the development exist to reduce water demand as well as recycle water and harvest rainwater for watering plants, swimming pools and other general purposes. There is a strong nexus between water and energy use. Energy is used to pump water, purify water to fixtures such as taps and faucets. Energy is also used to heat water. More heated water requires more energy. When efficient low flow shower heads and faucets are installed,

The benefits of owning an EDGE-certified home are enjoying lowered utility bills as well as improved occupant health, comfort and wellbeing.

there is an overall reduction in energy consumption. Water efficient fixtures and conservation measures typically have a short payback period and mitigate against the effect of climate change while future proofing the development against the impacts of water shortages and the demand on potable water. The rainwater storage systems combine captured water for later use, using rainwater reservoirs in underground tanks.

EMBODIED ENERGY

With environmental impact front of mind as well as reduction of associated carbon emissions and energy use, the design team meticulously selected sustainable materials, for example, selecting timber rather than glass for balustrading. Building lifecycle energy impacts have been considered. Currently, embodied energy is of relative insignificance, however, as energy consumption is driven down, the importance of embodied energy increases; this consideration is vital to future proof the development

for the benefit of the next generation. Design modelling and simulation have assisted in controlling the form and surface areas of the building to make the most of natural sunlight and ventilation and to reduce the embodied energy in the homes.

MEASURING THE BENEFITS

An EDGE Zero Carbon Certificate is available in the operations phase for those that wish to attain it, with the prerequisite they have an EDGE Advanced status. Clients can now enjoy the benefits of certified green buildings with incentives that allow for rebates in rates and taxes linked to the level of EDGE certification achieved over the next few years. Smart meters throughout the homes will provide homeowners with measurable indicators of energy and water usage and how best to save energy and water.

For more information, please visit www.nexxagen.com or www.aurumzimbali.co.za

THE BENEFITS

• Offset energy and water costs with the ability to sell energy into the grid

• Improved and consistent indoor air quality

• Enhanced occupant health, comfort and wellbeing

• Higher sales and rental prices (home buyers will pay more for efficient homes with lower bills)

• Increased resale values

• Quick payback period for green measures

• Less maintenance costs due to quality construction

• Better occupancy rates

• Lower utility bills which can be used to offset the ever-rising costs of levies, rates and taxes

• Green mortgages minimise upfront costs and lower interest rates

• Reduced mortgage cost can finance green measures and innovative models can be explored to install them

• Certification provides quality insurance

• Decrease greenhouse gas emissions

• Extended equipment life due to less demand on the HVAC system and other appliances

• Capex costs are lower through the passive design of EDGE certified homes

• Passive designs have negligible costs but enhance the net-positive benefits

Based on the resource-efficient design, material selection and expert construction of each innovative residence, an EDGE-certified home is being pursued on completion.

Green Building Materials and Technologies

FIVE WAYS GREEN BUILDINGS SAVE WATER

National Water Week takes place in South Africa from 20 March with the aim of educating the public and industry about their responsibility in water conservation initiatives and raising awareness around the need to protect and conserve the country’s valuable water resources.

While historically there has been a pattern of unsustainable water use in the built environment, today’s green buildings are leading the way in water conservation, as they integrate water-efficient technologies in their design, construction and living strategies. Here are some examples of green building features that can help save water:

a period, is displayed in places where people use water. This is in line with what is known as the Prius Effect, which states that when presented with information, people tend to have a greater incentive to reduce consumption. Buildings that incorporate sustainable features commonly have a display board in a central location for occupants to familiarise themselves with the purpose of the mechanisms in place and how they work to reduce carbon footprint. This knowledge is critical in creating a culture of awareness, which ultimately enables responsible citizenship.

2. Less pressure, greater water efficiency Green buildings that are fitted with water-efficient plumbing fixtures in bathrooms, kitchens and other spaces where water flows provide a range of benefits. They can produce substantial water savings (typically 40% to 60%), so that water can be saved for future consumption; they reduce wastage and bring down water and energy (for heating) costs; and they ensure that the water supply that is required throughout the building is maintained. Replacing older water fixtures with low-flow aerators and restrictors does not require any extensive design solutions, and is a

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Most green buildings have submeters to monitor and regulate water usage. These devices are particularly important in identifying any leaks, with early detection leading to potentially huge water savings. Those who oversee the maintenance of the building are responsible for tracking water data, with additional benefits available if select information, such as the amount of water used in

It has been well established that the excessive use of water drawn from both surface and underground sources, together with climate change, has led to a deficit in this precious resource which is critical for our survival.

What you measure, you can manage

WORDS Nicole Cameron

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relatively low-cost way to conserve water and save money. Pressure-reducing valves, also known as PRVs, can be set on the main water line to reduce water pressure, while still maintaining adequate flow. These valves have the added benefit of expanding the lifespan of the pipes. Many corporate green buildings have showers for employees to use if they have cycled to work; once again, the utilisation of low-flow shower heads can increase water efficiency.

are not that popular because they require the addition of a specific liquid. A low-flow urinal seems to be a better compromise at this stage.

4. A drought-proof garden

Many green buildings are leading the way with “xeriscaped” gardens – landscapes that are water-wise due to the way in which they are designed, as well as in the choice of plants used. The practice reduces maintenance costs as well as water utility bills, and has a number of other additional benefits. These include a minimised demand for fertiliser, as xeriscaping encourages the use of organic soil, which can in time reduce pollution on a wider scale. Green buildings place a big focus on incorporating nature into their spaces, due to the proven benefits of biophilia (the connection that exists between humans and nature).

Landscape architects are able to design spaces that make use of indigenous plants, which naturally require less water, while still ensuring a lush feel. Green walls and other innovative designs are helpful in “bringing the outdoors indoors”.

As many as 40% of toilets are older models with a syphonflushing system that holds between 9 litres to 15 litres of water and drains the entire cistern for each flush. Waterefficient sanitaryware, such as hold-flush toilets, can result in substantial savings, both in water and cost. Newer, more efficient models, which are used in green buildings, can reduce the number to about six litres per flush, through design changes that implement gravity and air pressure to remove waste from the toilet without having to use as much water. A hold-flush system is another water-efficient variant that lets the user control the flush volume – as soon as one lets go of the toilet handle it will stop flushing. This can save more than 50% of the flushing volume. Other options include waterless urinals, which, while viable,

5. Grey is the new black Green buildings are renowned for their rainwater harvesting techniques, as well as the use of grey water and recycled water. While these water sources are not for drinking, they can be used in a variety of ways, from flushing toilets and doing laundry, through to basin water. With the use of non-potable water, a building’s residents can reduce their dependency on municipal supply, and also get them involved in the process of learning more about water treatment, reuse, and the benefits of using treated water for daily non-consumption purposes. Provided that no harsh chemicals have gone into the water, grey water can also be effectively used to water plants and keep “living walls” alive.

While the building industry is responsible for a large percentage of water use, the fact that green buildings have invested substantially into being water-wise has had the positive impact of making these water-saving features become more mainstream. Costs have been reduced, and, most importantly, the average mindset is moving away from one where water is seen as being an eternal supply available in abundance, to the more accurate view that it needs to be carefully conserved for future generations.

When presented with information, people tend to have a greater incentive to reduce consumption.

3. Think before you flush

AFRISAM CHAMPIONS THE USE OF SLAG TO REDUCE CLINKER FACTOR

As part of its three-decade sustainability journey, AfriSam has over the years championed the use of extenders to reduce clinker content in its composite cements. Through its Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng-based slagment operation, the company has pioneered the use of blast furnace slag, a by-product of the steel industry, to promote more sustainable products in the market.

The use of extenders in AfriSam’s composite cements has over the years resulted in a substantial reduction in its clinker factor without compromising the quality of products. Blast furnace slag, a by-product of the steel industry, remains central to the company’s efforts to substitute clinker in its products.

MORE CLINKER SUBSTITUTION, LESS EMISSIONS

Since 2008, the South African cement industry has seen a year-on-year reduction in emissions per ton of cement, largely driven by the increased focus on clinker substitution. According to the Association of Cementitious Material Producers (ACMP), clinker substitution rose from 12% in 1990 to 23% in 2000 and to a substantial 41% in 2009. The industry is pressing for a 60% rise by 2030.

Over the years, AfriSam has accelerated its efforts to substitute clinker through the development of composite (extended) cements. In 2000, the company launched Project Green Cement to increase the use of extenders to promote more sustainable products. The use of extenders, says Hannes Meyer, Executive Cementitious at AfriSam, has resulted in a substantial 20% reduction in the company’s clinker factor since 1990.

Composite cements, he explains, contain not only clinker, but other cementitious materials such as pulverised fly ash

(PFA) from coal-fired power stations and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) from steel-making plants.

GGBS has been used in the manufacture of cements since the second half of the 19th century. Back then, the practice was to intergrind the blast furnace slag with clinker. However, in the 1950s, AfriSam’s slagment operation pioneered the use of separately ground slag for the construction industry.

LEADING THE WAY

The use of this product has grown steadily in South Africa, with AfriSam among the frontrunners. The company’s slagment operation plays a crucial role in the production of its composite cements. Established in 1955, the plant was previously owned by three companies, before AfriSam acquired 100% shares in 2004. The raw material is sourced from steel producer, ArcelorMittal South Africa, which is strategically located some few metres away from the plant.

Blast furnace slag has good cementitious properties, providing enhanced strength and durability. By evolving its chemical and mechanical activation methods, AfriSam has achieved a more reactive product allowing the company to progressively replace more and more clinker while retaining high cementitious quality and strength performance.

“Re-using waste products from other industries reduces the amount of limestone that we have to mine and clinker that we have to produce, thus reducing carbon emissions from those processes, as well as minimising waste to landfill,” says Meyer. “We are therefore constantly searching for new extenders and additives to further reduce our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment at large. The end result is less clinker produced per ton of each final product, resulting in less CO₂ generated from our operations.”

AfriSam’s Slagment operation was established in 1955 had has supplied product to many flagship projects such as the Gariep Dam.

AfriSam has reduced its carbon emissions by 33% since 1990.

The company was the world’s first construction materials supplier to carbon footprint all its production operations, including cement, aggregate and readymix.

Hannes Meyer, Cementitious Executive at AfriSam.

IMPLICATIONS OF INNOVATION

To reduce the Pixel Building’s embodied carbon, the design employed low-carbon concrete, coined as Pixelcrete, and recycled sustainably sourced building materials.

The recycled panels, coated with fluorocarbon paint, include aluminium skins with a non-combustible mineral filled centre. The façade is a system of perimeter planters, fixed shading louvers, double-glazed window walls and solar panel shading. Recycled colour panels provide maximised

daylight, shade, views and glare control. The building features several sustainable technologies, including wind turbines, solar panels, manoeuvrable louvers, a living roof, specialised concrete, recycled panels and smart windows. The Pixel Building scored a perfect 6-Star Green Star – Office Design v3 rating of 105 points, making it the highest possible and highest-ever awarded rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. It is currently one of the leading sustainable buildings in the world.

The Pixel Building is a future office with an iconic identity. The project is also Australia’s first carbon neutral office building, generating all its own power and water on site.

Studio505 (former dB(A))

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