Nkosi Johnson House, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Campus
The evolution of the student pod
South Africa’s backlog in student housing, estimated to be around 300 000 beds, presents new oppor tunities for innovative building technologies (IBTs) that can accelerate the process without compromising on quality and the living experience. Spearheading the change is STAG African, a multidisciplinar y leader in student accommodation. By Alastair Currie
T
he starting point for any student housing project is the cost of construction and how much clients can afford to spend. Other key considerations include the future operational and facilities maintenance expenses, plus the return on investment for property owners.
“We don’t introduce a product or building system without first researching what the market can afford,” explains Sean Kenealy, director and professional architect, STAG African. “Our starting and end point is to ensure absolute efficiency in terms of the design, technology and methodology, whether the client opts for a
FIGURE 1 Permeate flow per element
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IMIESA November/December 2020
Sean Kenealy, director, STAG African
conventional concrete-framed brick and mortar structure, or an IBT prefabricated approach,” he continues, adding that STAG African is a signatory to the African Green Campus Initiative. Worldwide, the demand for IBT systems is growing, largely due to their lower cost and faster build times. “The scale and scope of the project will best determine the construction technique; however, in the case of both conventional and IBT, green technologies still apply,” adds Kenealy. Within the IBT space, STAG African has gained extensive experience over the past decade in executing light steel frame buildings (LSFBs). This has had a major influence on the direction of its research and development (R&D) initiatives on student pod accommodation designs. Since many components of these systems are made to order in the factory, the key advantage of LSFBs is a major saving on construction waste
