The evolution of the student pod
Nkosi Johnson House, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Campus
T
he star ting 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 proper ty 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 conventional concrete-framed brick and mortar structure, or an IBT prefabricated approach,” he continues, adding that STAG African is a signator y 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
Sean Kenealy, director, STAG African
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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 factor y, the key advantage of LSFBs is a major saving on construction waste – typically less than 0.1% of building bulk. That compares to some 25% for traditional brick and mortar. Being made of steel, LSFBs are also recyclable.
Facilities management However, the construction cost is just one par t of the equation. Institutional building administrators also need to know what it costs per month per bed to run student residences. When STAG African designs its projects, the future operating cost projections are incorporated into the model. That has a direct bearing on the materials and products specified during construction, as well as the energyefficient technologies employed. Examples of the latter include STAG African’s specification of alternative hot water heating systems. For recent projects, these have included heat pumps. Now, the company is investigating the potential of inline water heating, which only activates on demand, passing on electricity savings. “Including the facilities management team at the initial project planning stage is a crucial part of optimising the overall life-cycle costing,” Kenealy explains.
Stellenbosch University LSFB milestones for STAG African include
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 the development of three residences for Stellenbosch University. The most recent is Nkosi Johnson House, completed in 2017, which received an EDGE green building rating. An innovation of the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation, EDGE stands for ‘Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies’ and is a highly sought-after accolade. “Our design for Nkosi Johnson House incorporates a host of green features. These encompass the use of natural ventilation, solar energy, greywater reuse, rainwater har vesting, low-flow water fittings, and LED lighting, with the LSFB cladding panels manufactured from recycled materials,” Kenealy explains. Each self-contained pod within this three-storey building caters for eight separate, singleoccupancy bedrooms.
