ICRC builds regional Office in Nairobi

Construction projects have a tendency to be hazardous to the environment. Yet for some developers, protecting the environment is often elevated to the centre stage of project implementation. This emanates from the understanding that the built environment can catalyze opportunities for addressing a wide array of local and global challenges including climate change, land use, demographic shifts, water and other resource scarcities.

In fact, for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), protecting the environment has been an underlying theme in the construction of the Nairobi office building of the ICRC Regional Delegation. Notably, it started from the basics – preserving as many indigenous trees as possible.

When the ICRC purchased the 8.2 acres in Spring Valley on the outskirts of Nairobi, the notable attribute of the land was its green aspect with many trees and a quiet, serene environment that is largely residential with near-zero high-rise buildings. Immediately a decision was made that the architecture of the building must take into account maintaining the green aspect of the land by saving as many trees as possible. With the basics right, even the building itself had to adhere to the concept of sustainability in all aspects ranging from energy use, greenhouse gases emissions and water use to waste management and noise pollution, among others. “As ICRC we believe in sustainability and this building brings out the best in green projects,” says Alexandra Vangelius, the Construction Project Manager.

The Nairobi office is important for ICRC. It is a regional hub overseeing the operations of the humanitarian organization in three African countries namely Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania and providing support to other countries in Africa and worldwide. It will also host some of the workforce of the Somalia operations.

According to Olivier Dubois, ICRC Head of Regional Delegation, the need for the Nairobi office was informed by the fact that ICRC wanted to have its own permanent facility to reinforce the strategic anchoring of Nairobi in its wider Africa regional strategic framework. This will be critical in terms of Nairobi becoming the repository of appropriate resources both for thematic engagement, institutional learning and also for operational responses. It will also see ICRC delocalize training considering the Nairobi office will have the largest training centre outside of the organization’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

“We want to delocalize some of our functions and we felt Nairobi is ideal as a regional hub,” he explains. He adds the office is strategic for ICRC in responding to the needs of migrants and refugees as well as supporting the enhancement of regional peace and security. It will also serve to enhance close collaboration with its counterparts at the Kenya Red Cross to promote humanitarian activities and response in the areas along the Kenyan coastline and in Carissa.

Kenya is host to numerous international bodies owing to the country’s strategic importance in the wider eastern Africa region. Apart from the global organizations, the country hosts one of the largest logistics centres for the ICRC. The centre is responsible for coordinating relief support to several countries in Africa and beyond by sending out supplies like medical, food and non-food items, and machinery by road, sea, air or rail to other ICRC operations. More importantly, the country is host to a great pool of human resource expertise ranging from water and habitat engineers, medical, learning and development, IT and data, experts in protection work and others.

For ICRC, having a regional hub is critical in the effective undertaking of its mandates of protecting the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflicts and other situations of violence by providing them with assistance. The organization works in over 100 countries around the world. The largest operations are in Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Iraq and Nigeria.

Construction work is proceeding at a fast pace

served by the Nairobi regional office are majorly peaceful. However, they are surrounded by neighbours facing protracted conflict from the Great Lakes in the form of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan or emerging humanitarian crises in Ethiopia and Mozambique which have the effect of spilling over into these countries. “It is therefore strategic for the ICRC in responding to the needs of migrants and refugees as well as supporting the enhancement of regional peace and security,” Dubois.

As an organization spearheading the wellbeing of people, ICRC had to project its benevolent face in the Nairobi building whose construction started in August last year and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of next year. This was evident from the design stage of the project that encompasses offices, meeting rooms, conference room, canteen, gate houses, power house, recycling building, maintenance warehouses, parking lot including charging ports for electrical cars and parking for bicycles, water treatment plant and solar panels. Cumulatively, the building’s footprint is 5,890 m2; the floor area including parking and external circulation is 15,970 m2. Additional areas have also been reserved for future expansion.

In the design stage, the consortium of architects led by Pharos Architects Kenya Ltd had to ensure the building adhered to the principles of sustainability. This involved saving as many indigenous trees as possible, enhancing energy efficiency, water reuse, renewable energy and use of local materials among others. Other features of the building included a clean, practical noncommercial look; conducive environment of shared offices and common workspaces; flexible workspace design; accessibility to people with disabilities, watertight security and safety features. These features were crucial considering the building’s occupancy population is approximately 500.

Sustainability is an important component of the project. This is because one of the institutional priorities for ICRC in the coming years is the incorporation of sustainable and environmental aspects in all its operations and activities. Indeed ICRC is determined to ensure the building attains the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification (LEED).

For this to happen, several sustainable elements have been integrated into the design. They include traditional and eco-friendly construction materials; flora conservation; water management (reuse of treated water and rainwater collection); temperature management by orientation of the buildings; natural cross ventilation and insulation. Others include minimum energy performance by investing in energy efficient devices and LED lights, renewable energy in the form of solar power and solar water heaters.

Putting sustainability at the heart of the project has had remarkable ripple effects particularly in the area of aesthetics. When completed, the entire ICRC Regional Delegation office will radiate a natural and modest look, open internal and external spaces, circulation space, garden and courtyards. Also conspicuous will be the big window openings for natural light and ventilation as well as green areas integrated with nature and the neighborhood. “The design of the new building reflects our current and future needs,” avers Lucia Rodriguez, the Delegation’s Head of Support.

To ensure that every objective of the new office building was met, the ICRC was deliberate in putting in place a project team that was selected through a competitive tender process. This led to the appointment of Pharos Architects who were responsible for design and site supervision and also selection of the main contractor responsible for the execution of the works, Ark Construction Ltd.

According to Vangelius, ICRC has developed institutional guidelines for the management of complex construction projects. The guidelines are contained in the Protocol for the Management of Construction Projects whose objective is to enhance management of the projects by outlining and explaining each stage of project development and by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder. It also aims to reduce the potential for confrontation and adversarial

Pharos Architects’ Director and Senior Architect Jasraj Sehmi (left) with ICRC Head of Regional Delegation Olivier Dubois at the site

Technical Manager of the Project/Senior Civil Engineer Vicente Cabrera Brito (left), Head of Support Lucia Rodriguez with Pharos Architects’ Director and Senior Architect Jasraj Sehmi

Construction Project Manager/Senior Civil Engineer & Architect Alexandra Vangelius (left) explains a point to our writer

ICRC PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM:

Head of Regional Delegation: Olivier Dubois Head of Support: Lucia Rodriguez Finance & Administration Manager: Amare Getachew Belachew Construction Project Manager: Alexandra Vangelius Technical Manager of the Project: Vicente Cabrera Brito relationships during the project construction stage and to ensure that projects are carried out in a spirit of joint endeavor, partnership and accomplishment.

“This project is being implemented adhering to very high standards,” she explains. She adds that key decisions were made under the supervision of the ICRC Water and Habitat Unit that provides engineering and architectural support to the field set-up and operations. The unit has broad expertise in many technical areas including civil and structural engineering, hydraulics, electro mechanics, electrical and energy as well as other relevant fields such as architecture, hydrogeology, public health engineering and environment.

Adherence to high standards has been critical in ensuring that apart from externally instigated challenges, implementation of the project has largely been seamless. The main challenges were obtaining the building permit and the Covid-19 pandemic. In Kenya, ICRC came face to face with the bureaucratic processes that developers must endure in getting building and construction approvals and permits. “We encountered challenges in obtaining the building permit which has caused some delays in the project,” notes Dubois.

The project has also endured Covid-19 related challenges considering the pandemic hit during the tendering process and has also had to contend with weather related challenges. Despite these challenges, the team is determined to complete the project on time and within budget. With the Kenyan hub, ICRC will be more equipped to respond to humanitarian crises considering conflicts are on the rise in the region.

CONSTRUCTION SITE SETUP:

ICRC / Client representative on site: ICRC Construction Management Team: Construction Project Manager (Senior Civil Engineer & Architect): Alexandra Vangelius Technical Manager of the Project (Senior Civil Engineer): Vicente Cabrera Brito Site supervisor (Architect): Collins Omollo Obare

PHAROS ARCHITECTS CONSORTIUM:

Director Senior Architect: Jasraj Sehmi Architect/Project Manager: Consolata Mueni Quantity Surveyor: Quantimax Consultants Civil Structural Engineer: Abba & Wandu Engineers Structural Engineer: Abba & Wandu Engineers Electrical Engineer: Elemech Consultants MEP Engineer: Elemech Consultants ICT Engineer: Elemech Consultants

CONTRACTORS:

Main Contractor: Ark Construction Ltd Ark Construction / Director: Kurji Kerai Ark Construction / Project Manager: Alphonce Oluoko Electrical Subcontractor: Masterpower Systems Ltd Plumbing & Drainage Subcontractor: Trident Plumbers Ltd Landscaping Subcontractor: Greenersol Landscape Ltd BMS Subcontractor: Glosec HVAC Subcontractor: Universal Engineering Systems Ltd Lift Subcontractor: Schindler Kitchen Subcontractor: Kitchen Professionals Solar Investor/Installer: Enkai/Illumina Africa

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• Building construction and associated civil works • Office and shop fit-out • Metal and timber fabrication • General renovation works • Landscaping

P.O. Box 21073-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.Tel: 0721/0734 720975 Email: info@arkconstruction.co.ke Website: www.arkconstruction.co.ke

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