Volume 9 - Issue 2 July-October 2019 by Media Xpose

volume issue22 volume 99l|issue July October July -–October 19 19

To Build Handbook volume 9 | issue 2 / July – October 2019

To Build’s Women Achievers 2019 Women have a key role to play in stabilising climate change Copper in architecture & interior design An engineer’s perspective: securing the future COVER STORY: ALLBRO’S INNOVATION FOR THE SECURITY INDUSTRY

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NEW Inverter Light

The advantages of an inverter, at an affordable price.

Samsung Wind-Free cassette: a revolution in draught-free airconditioning People don’t like sitting in draughts. Fact. But it has taken the genius of Samsung’s R&D engineers to finally solve this decades-old airconditioning problem. Samsung’s new first rapidly cool a room with FastLight. Cooling mode. Thereafter, they Samsung is Wind-Free thrilledcassettes to introduce the new Inverter switch automatically to Wind-Free mode, maintaining constant pre-set temperature by gently and quietly

With a new sleek design,ofbigger fan motor and increased air dispersing air and through thousands tiny micro-holes. intake, the Samsung Inverter Light maximises energy efficiency Result? Draught-free airconditioning. And thanks to Samsung’s advanced Digital Inverter technology, Windwith unrivalled unitEnergy performance. Free models are rated Efficiency Class A/A+, saving up to 55% on electricity.

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Backed by the nationwide might of Fourways Airconditioning, it’s no wonder that sales of Samsung WindFree models are taking off in upmarket homes and offices....like the wind.

Contact your local distributor for more information.

For more information on Samsung Wind-Free units, please contact Fourways Airconditioning. Kwa-Zulu Natal E.Cape W. & N. Cape Pretoria Gauteng & Central region JHB & Central: (011) 704-6320 Pretoria: (012) 643-0445 Cape Town: (021) 556-8292 Samair (082 Port380 Elizabeth) ( Cape Town) George: Fourways (Jhb) Fourways Airconditioning Kwa-ZuluAirconditioning Natal: (031) 579-1895 Port Elizabeth:(Pta) (041) Samair 484-6413 0708 Fourways Aircondidtioning ( KZN) (031) 579-1895 (041)London: 484 – 6413 (021) 556 8292 (011) 704-6320 083 381 0074 (012) 643-0445 Bloemfontein: Helderberg: (021) 854-5233 East (043) 722-0671 w w w. four waysairco n .co .za

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Industry-wide shift towards energy efficiency gains momentum Samsung DVM units meet clients’ stringent energy requirements in KZN developments, including Umhlanga’s recently completely Park Square, Pran Boulevard and OceanDune Sibaya. Pran Boulevard: States Brett Kauffman of Dunair who handled the HVAC installation at the Pran Boulevard in Umhlanga Rocks Drive: “There’s no doubt today that consultants are trending towards maximum energy efficiency in buildings. The client’s requirements for Pran Boulevard were high energy efficiencies, technologicallyadvanced equipment, guarantees on product and a cost that fell within budget. Samsung ‘s DVM units met these requirements perfectly, with the design being done by Mahesh Khoosal Consulting Engineers. Fourways Airconditioning KZN supplied the equipment.” A total of 24 DVM condensing units were installed in two separate buildings that make up the Boulevard, servicing 134 MSP ducted indoors as well as 4 AHU units. OceanDune Sibaya “More and more consultants are requesting ecofriendliness,” remarks managing director Craig Scott of C.S. Airconditioning. “To meet this requirement at OceanDune Sibaya, which has 260 luxury units, we installed a combination of 210 Samsung Free Joint Multi and Eco DVM outdoors linked to over 500 indoor units, predominantly 1-Way Cassettes. In addition, we used Samsung’s stylish new 360 Cassettes. The result has been a comfortable environment for the occupants along with excellent energy efficiency.” Sales director Tracey Jelf of Fourways Airconditioning made frequent site visits to OceanDune Sibaya, ensuring that all units were delivered on time.

Gauteng: Pretoria: Bloemfontein:

(011) 704-6320 (012) 643-0445 083 381 0074

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Cape Town: KZN: Port Elizabeth:

Park Square Yet another major airconditioning project in Umhlanga is Park Square. Consulting engineers ARUP did the selection of units and installation was done by Luft Technik. Fourways Airconditioning KZN was selected as supplier, having completed a previous successful project with the installer and also being able to provide all the necessary energy-efficient units. Samsung DVM S Heat Pumps comprised 90% of the outdoor unit installations, with the remaining 10% being DVM Eco Heat Pumps. All indoor units were ducteds, with AHU Kits supplying fresh air. The project was completed in February 2019, and client is reported to be ‘very satisfied’ with the outcome. With 9 South African branches, Fourways Airconditioning provides nationwide sales and support for Samsung and Alliance airconditioning equipment, along with on-the-spot technical and design assistance. For all your energy-efficient airconditioning requirements, please contact your nearest branch.

(021) 556-8292 (031) 579-1895 (041) 484-6413

Helderberg: East London: George:

(021) 854-5233 (043) 722-0671 082 380 0708

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foreword

Construction industry an important strategic research area for NIOH Statistics South Africa reports that at least 16.5 million South Africans were employed in the formal and informal economy in the last quarter of 2018. About 1.48 million of these workers were in the construction industry which contributed about 3.4% of the gross domestic product in 2018.

Dr Muzimkhulu Zungu

The construction industry is typically one of three industries with the highest rate of work-related injury risk. Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS) in the construction industry is associated with traumatic injuries, chemical, physical, biological, ergonomics and psycho-social occupational hazard exposure. These occupational exposures can cause occupational and workrelated diseases and injuries - the main contributors to the suffering experienced by many workers in the sector. The National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH) and other construction industry stakeholders, such as the Department of Labour (DoL) and Construction Industry Development Board (CIBD), have acknowledged poor OEHS, particularly ill health, in the construction industry. This is a global phenomenon and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that 60 000 fatalities occur at construction sites annually across the globe. This is tantamount to one death every ten minutes. One important strategic focal area for research for the NIOH is the construction industry. Each year the institute hosts a consultative workshop that is a platform for knowledge-sharing and to pave a way forward to improve the OEHS for construction workers in South Africa. Unfortunately, South Africa and the African region lack up-to-date OEHS data and data sources for occupational diseases and injuries, particularly data on occupational diseases. This means we are unable to quantify occupational diseases or the financial burden and social impact on workers, enterprises and communities. Thus the need for a concerted effort by the NIOH and other construction industry stakeholders to highlight occupational diseases and other ill-health conditions. Some occupational and non-occupational diseases contributing to ill health in the construction industry which need attention, include: • Silica dust-related diseases • Asbestos-related diseases • Diseases associated with exhaust emissions from diesel • Painting exposure diseases • Dermatological conditions • Musculoskeletal disorders • Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) • Mental health disorders

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Voice of SAIA

Above: Riaan Huiskens, Corobrik Student Award Winner Left: SAIA President – Dr Luyanda Mpahlwa (left) with appointed SAIA Members of the 5th Term Council: Letsabisa Shongwe; Kevin Bingham; Karuni Naidoo and Charles Ntsindiso Nduku.

Better times ahead for the construction industry 2019 holds promise for better times ahead for the architectural profession and construction industry generally. With the country’s elections behind us, there is the prospect of improved confidence in the economy which in turn holds great potential for industry development with associated improvement in the state of the architectural profession. In May 2019, the Minister of Public Works, the Honourable Thulas Nxesi, announced the appointment of the 5th Term Council of the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). The new Council comprises seven architectural professionals, two architectural professionals representing the National Department of Public Works and two persons representing the public. Charles Ntsindiso Nduku, professional architect and a member of the South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) is the elected President of the Council. SAIA wishes the 5th Term Council every success in its endeavours to support the profession during its four-year term of office. In the same month, adjudication of the Corobrik (Architectural) Student Award for 2018 took place. There were eight regional finalists from universities across the country. Riaan Huiskens from the Nelson Mandela University was adjudged the winner of the Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Award. The excellent quality of the student work presented shows that the future of the architectural profession is good hands. On the topic of awards, the 2019 round of the SAIA Regional Awards programme is under way. SAIA regions have called for entries country wide. We wish all entrants every success and look forward to some of the award-wining projects being featured in future editions of TO BUILD. SAIA continues to participate in the affairs of the International Union of Architects (UIA). SAIA past President, Kevin Bingham, is SAIA’s representative on the Council and Nadia Tromp, current President of the Gauteng Institute for Architecture (GIfA), is the Director, UIA Work Progamme: Community Architecture and Human Rights (CA+HR). The 2019 SAIA Honorary Office Bearers are: • Luyanda Mpahlwa, President • Kate Otten, Vice-President • Jan Ras, Treasurer • Cecilia Janse van Rensburg, Deputy Treasurer A busy time for the rest of 2019 lies ahead for our board, office bearers and committees.

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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edâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter At the time of writing, South Africa had recently completed its 6th general elections and hopes were being expressed by business leaders in the construction and property development sectors and also the built environment professions, that this newfound stability will stimulate the economy to the point where the downturn can be reversed.

Gareth Griffiths

There is a huge demand for infrastructure in South Africa and it makes no sense that this demand is not stimulated by a government leading the way towards economic confidence; by investing in housing, buildings and infrastructure development. The energy economy, of course, presents a huge challenge such as it is with Eskom running on borrowed funds to keep very expensive open-cycle turbine generators running 24/7 to make up the shortfall from mainstream power stations and a shaky legacy structure. Of course, if the country had implemented its renewable energy strategy with more vigour some years back, the threat of more extreme levels of loadshedding would not have hung over our heads Damocles-like. However, government seems to be mired in the mud while the entire country waits for the release of the updated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), a document which outlines the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future energy planning. Experts have roundly labelled this as political interference which has caused the plan to be re-written several times. We wonder what will come out finally and whether it will be in time to save the situation? Meantime, in this edition, several of our contributors discuss the implications of renewable energy in the light of various considerations. These include, not only solar power, but considerations of the use of organic waste in the generation of power. To Build has also approached other topics in this July edition in the hope of stimulating the debate around several issues, especially the status of women with Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Month looming in August. We spotlight the status of women in the built infrastructure and the contribution they can make towards reversing global warming away from its business-as-usual trajectory. We look at several women achievers from various aspects of the built environment: academic, professional, system suppliers and industry associations. Enjoy the read.

Kind Regards Editor Gareth Griffiths

editor@tobuild.co.za www.tobuild.co.za

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Publisher

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volume issue22 volume 99l|issue July October July -–October 19 19

Ad Traffic Controller Melanie Taylor artwork@mediaxpose.co.za

To Build Handbook

Editor’s Assistant Wadoeda Adams wadoeda@mediaxpose.co.za Editorial Contributors Adv BC Hack Adam Hoets Alicestine October Amanuel Gebremeskel Bagus Putra Muljadi Gareth Griffiths Imaging Orlando Luis Terry Billson Vanessa Ronald DESIGN & LAYOUT CDC Design carla@cdcdesign.co.za

volume 9 | issue 2 / July – October 2019

Cover Art: ALLBRO

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or its agents. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information published, the publisher does not accept responsibility for any error or omission contained herein. Consequently, no person connected with the publication of this journal will be liable for any loss or damage sustained by any reader as a result of action following statements or opinions expressed herein. The publisher will give consideration to all material submitted, but does not take responsibility for damage or its safe return.

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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CONTENTS

volume 9 | issue 2 July-October 19

Foreword.................................................................................................. 2 Voice of SAIA........................................................................................... 4 Editor’s Note............................................................................................ 6 Cover Story............................................................................................ 14 Lead Story.............................................................................................. 18 News & Views..................................................................................20 -26 Editor’s Choice..................................................................................29-30 Student Designs.................................................................................. 150 Out & About........................................................................................ 152 Notes Page.......................................................................................... 156 Advertisers Index................................................................................. 158

Divisions Professions

Architects............................................................................................... 32 Construction & Contractors.................................................................. 38 Interior Design....................................................................................... 52 Construction Health & Safety................................................................ 56 Developers............................................................................................. 58 Engineering........................................................................................... 60 Legal...................................................................................................... 70

Building Systems

Bathrooms.............................................................................................. 76 Doors & Windows................................................................................. 80 Electrical................................................................................................. 84 Floors..................................................................................................... 88 Kitchens................................................................................................. 90 Lighting.................................................................................................. 92 Roofing.................................................................................................. 94 Roofing & Cladding............................................................................... 96 Steel Fabrication.................................................................................. 102 Safety & Security.................................................................................. 105

Materials

Adhesives............................................................................................. 108 Bricks & Paving.................................................................................... 114 Cement & Concrete............................................................................ 118 Coatings & Paint.................................................................................. 122 Metals.................................................................................................. 125 Insulation.............................................................................................. 128 Timber & Decking............................................................................... 130

Services

Furniture............................................................................................... 132 Ground Engineering............................................................................ 134 Plumbing & Reticulation...................................................................... 136

Green Building

Opinion................................................................................................ 140 Biomimicry........................................................................................... 142 Energy.................................................................................................. 145 HVAC................................................................................................... 148

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CONTENTS

volume 9 | issue 2 July-October 19

Women have a key role to play in stabilizing climate change..................18 New chapter of creativity...........................................................................32 A giant box for boxes with boxes..............................................................36 New SANParks safari lodge shines............................................................38 Power Tools: ABC for contractors..............................................................41 Advertorial: AIF - Do you need to maximise your B-BBEE points..........46 Getting rid of used oil from site.................................................................49 Local flair in wood......................................................................................52 Accolades for CT-based designers............................................................54 John Rabie launches in Lisbon...................................................................58 An engineer’s perspective: securing the future.........................................60 A unique solution for an environmental issue – Kazungula Bridge project.........................................................................63 Bridging the gap: Steel in bridge design..................................................66 Advertorial: RICS - Mediation is the future..............................................68 Women’s rights: A legal opinion................................................................70 Rooftop PV: Legal groundwork..................................................................72 Warm, bright and steam-free bathrooms..................................................76 Making good on their promise..................................................................80 Plug and socket standards evolve.............................................................84 Generators: Buy or rent?............................................................................86 Revolutionary non-slip tech........................................................................88 Milano: Switched on to 2019.....................................................................92 Local authorities key enforcers...................................................................94 Discovery’s new HQ: A roofing triumph....................................................96 Lighting the roof.........................................................................................98 Advertorial: Mitek - Rational thinking....................................................100 Multi-storey steel frame buildings...........................................................102 Safety clothing and problems for women...............................................105 Aesthetically pleasing jointing.................................................................108 Kempton Park reservoir............................................................................110 Choosing the right grout..........................................................................112 Architect-inspired pavers..........................................................................116 Slagment: Addressing carbon concerns?................................................118 Laboratory audits for quarries..................................................................120 Golden yellow beats winter chills............................................................122 Copper in architecture & interior design.................................................125 Advertorial: Tecron Water Heating – Copper is top choice for hot water cylinders........................................127 SAQA accreditation renewed..................................................................130 Fist task chair with automatic tilt..............................................................132 Case history: Cornwall Hill College.........................................................134 Leaking pipes cured.................................................................................136 Step up in the fight...................................................................................140 Biomimicry – lessons from nature............................................................142 Waste to energy: Pooling the resource...................................................145 Advertorial: WiSolar – Your neighbourhood solar electricity company................................................................................147 Chilling waters..........................................................................................148 To Build Women Achievers 2019: Architects: Sarah Patterson - DHK Architects..........................................34 Construction & Contractors: Julia Petla – Amedzo Trading and Projects..................................................................44 Construction Health & Safety: Dr Claire Deacon – Claire Deacon & Associates.....................................................................56 Quantity Surveyors: Professor Kathy Michell – University of Cape Town...........................................................................74 Ceilings & Partitions: Denise Gould – Pelican Systems..........................78 Kitchens: Stephanie Forbes – Kitchen Specialist Association.................90 Bricks & Paving: Mariana Lamont – Clay Brick Association of South Africa........................................................................................114 Insulation: Lisa Reynolds – Green Building Design Group....................128 Plumbing & Reticulation: Karyn Korner – Vortex Sanitaryware............138

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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SABS_General B5 Advert_240x163.pdf

2019/06/20

16:24

SABS - WORKING WITH AND FOR INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENT

The South African Bureau of Standards supports the industrialisation effort of the Department of Trade and Industry. SABS is a founding member of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). SABS has an established network of national, regional and international partners that develop technical solutions adopted as South African National Standards (SANS), this in return enables business and government to:

CMY

Improve the quality of products and services Enhance competitiveness and access to markets Ensure that procurement of products and services meet quality standards Improve the delivery of services underpinned by best practice Support the attainment of policy and regulatory objectives

SABS_genad_ToBuild_06/2019

SABS provides services to assist the implementation of best practice solutions and achievement of quality products and services: More than 7000 South African National Standards Testing services for a diverse range of products of companies to management system standards of products and the application of the SABS Mark Scheme Training of management and employees on implementation of SANS Consignment Inspection Services to local content requirements SABS a trusted partner in delivering quality assurance. Contact SABS to establish support for your standardisation aspirations.

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Tel.: + 27 (0)861 277 227 E-mail: info@sabs.co.za Website: www.sabs.co.za

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COVER STORY ALLBRO

Allbro’s Ekurhuleni factory.

More than a box Cover advertiser of this edition, Allbro, is 100% South African. It employs more than 700 people, designing and manufacturing its products in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg. Its business includes not only the manufacture of products, but also the design and manufacture of the actual tools that are used to mould the various parts. ‘Rapid advances in Camera and CCTV technology have left the supporting physical infrastructure, including the enclosures, in what seems like the dark ages’, says a company spokesperson. ‘Most installers must grapple with general purpose electrical boxes in an attempt to create a mounting or connection setup that is respectable’. Allbro says it has solved this problem with the launch of the very first camera enclosure of its kind. Designed and made in South Africa, the product is patented worldwide and addresses the unique challenges of this application in a manner that has never been done before.

The new concept – a Camera Nest

Upon first seeing the company’s new Camera Nest it becomes difficult to even call the new invention a camera box. The first major difference is the way that the installer works with the box. Mounting A small mounting bracket is easily bracket. installed with two screws. The camera is mounted to the Camera Nest and then the entire assembly is mounted to the bracket with one screw. The open connection housing on the side is now available for cabling and also for testing with the camera in place. This has many advantages, but the primary one is that a test harness can be used to align the camera as the leads remain accessible.

Camera Nest.

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ALLBRO COVER STORY

Camera Nest is not made from ordinary plastic. Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) is the material of choice that Allbro has been using for 40 years. This resin-based fibreglass material lasts for decades in direct exposure and will last for multiple generations of cameras. The ingress protection (IP) level of the enclosure is IP55 which means that it will keep dust and water out. The way that the unit is mounted means that this IP level is not compromised when mounting the screws. The company believes that the concept is a breakthrough idea that will forever change the way cameras are installed.

Allbro is in almost every South African home with their outdoor weather-proof socket boxes known by the trade as PSO1 and PSO2.

PSO1 – Stealth

Whilst Camera Nest is the latest arrival for Allbro, the product is only one of a host of new innovations that Allbro has brought to the market over the past 40 years.

ing t. Stealth.

“Allbro is one of the companies in South Africa that is proving worldclass innovation and manufacturing is still very much alive in SA.”

Stealth.

A few months back, Allbro launched the PSO1Stealth. Whilst the product serves the same function as its famous predecessor, it has dramatically improved performance and design. The same durable GRP material is used in the construction so the expected lifespan of this new range of product will also be measured in decades. One of the most appreciated features of the new socket outlet box is that it is designed to be installed into the wall.

Slab Box

Launched early in 2018, the new Slab Box by Allbro is the first new product to be introduced for this application since the inception of downlighters. The old method of using traditional galvanised steel boxes has never changed and the contractor community has found ways to adjust for the alignment and installation challenges that came with installing downlighters in poured concrete slabs.

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COVER STORY ALLBRO

in electrical installations where a faulty cable connection can create temperatures much higher than any LED lamp ever could. The Slab Box.

Stand-up pool box

A challenge that every pool owner is familiar with is the setting of the pool timer. While the complexity of the timer device is well within the grasp of a technology savvy populace, the difficulty in making eye contact with the timer is the main challenge. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Allbro has solved this problem with the Stand-up pool box,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; says the spokesperson.

The Stand-up pool box.

On-site manufacture

Allbro says it has solved this problem. The new concept uses the same GRP material as the other products but for a different reason. Obviously, these boxes are not exposed to UV sunlight. They are, however, exposed to vast temperature range fluctuations as they house a variety of LED lamps. GRP does not burn or melt like normal plastic and is also safe for use

Allbro compounds its GRP material on-site and the enhanced development of the characteristics of this material is a core achievement of the company. More than 70% of what the company invents and does today has come about in the last six years, so the focus on innovation is proven. The company continues to invest a tremendous amount of its resources in making things to address what is often a challenging environment. These solutions are being recognised in more and more countries around the world. Allbro is one of the companies in South Africa that is proving that worldclass innovation and manufacturing is still very much alive in SA.

Allbro T +27 (0)11 894 8341 E sales@allbro.com W www.allbro.com

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DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED IN SOUTH AFRICA

INTRODUCING THE CAMERA-NEST

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Mounts most camera types with a foot size of up to D:90mm

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Step 2: Mount bracket on the wall.

Tel: (011) 894 8341

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Step 3: Hook unit on the

bracket and test /adjust the camera with a tester. All Connections accessible remain.

Email: new@allbro.com

Step 4: Connect camera wires and close the unit with the cap. Waterproof -IP55 UV Life -25 years.

www.allbro.com 2019/06/25 4:36 PM

LEAD STORY WOMEN

Women have a key role to play in stabilising climate change By Gareth Griffiths

August is Women’s Month in South Africa. Events are held, not only in South Africa, but elsewhere in the world to shed light on the rights of women and the way these rights are being applied – or not – as the case may be. To Build chose to make our July edition all about women’s rights by focusing on the construction world, built environment and the effects of climate change. Whilst the celebration of the day starts on 9 August, the message of Women’s Day and its implications for the built environment and associated global issues, such as global warming, are omnipresent. It was recently reported in an article in The Conversation that, in the wake of the destruction of towns and the environment caused by Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, women were expected to trade sex for food by local community leaders distributing emergency aid. The issue represents one of the more extreme sides of the attitudes towards women that is reflected differently, depending on the degree of levels of education and wealth of the people involved. Sadly, the attitudes and differences are manifest in the built environment and construction industry – but at a more subtle level. In the July edition of this magazine, Advocate Bryan Cecil Hack (currently an Acting Judge in the High Court, Cape Town Bench) reminds us of a chilling case recently heard in the High Court involving a gruesome spousal murder that took place against the backdrop of a conference of property industry professionals held in the winelands in 2016. Specifically, Hack makes the observation: ‘While (the matter is) in the context of South African criminal law, it is nevertheless an indictment of a view that persists in South Africa that women, whilst equal, must still “know their place”. Equality for women is not simply something enshrined in the Constitution but must equally be founded on an honest recognition of the true contribution women already make and can make further in the business world as equals to men. With specific reference to the building industry, what is needed is an

environment in which women can play a role and fulfil their destinies completely and not merely to limits that men are prepared to tolerate’. Kristin Bergtora Sandvik, reports in The Conversation that sexual exploitation must be recognised as a real and widespread problem. ‘There must be staff and management accountability. Transgressions must be sanctioned through disciplinary or penal measures. But there are also major dilemmas that need to be understood and tackled by governments, agencies and, most importantly, local communities,’ she writes. This mirrors the comment by Hack that although equality for women is enshrined in our Constitution, we need regulations and an honest recognition of their contribution. Whilst Sandvik’s article focused on the plight of female professional aid workers in the context of the ravages of natural disasters, the other end of this nexus is the increasing impact of climate change and the role of the built environment in mitigating this. Frankly speaking, we need “all hands on deck” in addressing this massive challenge to our existence. So, is there an approach that addresses both ends of this nexus? The obvious irony of the plight of women in the face of increased climate-related events is that a possible solution to climate change lies in “upping the game” about achieving full and genuine equality for women in society.

Key lies in education of women

In a seminal book, Drawdown: The most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming, [Hawken et al, 2017], the authors argue that educating girls globally to a level commensurate with their male counterparts can have the sixth greatest role in drawing down greenhouse gas by the year 2050, a massive 59.6

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WOMEN LEAD STORY

gigatons to be exact. And more so, family planning involving women and girls is number seven on the list – the potential to draw down 59.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide by the year 2050.

of knowing to observe, understand, re-evaluate and take action to sustain themselves and those who depend on them’.

Why is this so? The argument is that the proper education of women provides a ‘powerful lever for breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty while mitigating (carbon) emission by curbing population growth’.

But the important role of women in reversing the effect of greenhouse gas does not stop there. The Drawdown researchers also considered the great number of women and girls involved in informal or smallholding agriculture in certain parts of the world. They need ownership rights, development and support. In fact, it is number 62 on the list of the actions most likely to reduce global warming by the year 2050 and can introduce huge savings in the cost of implementing more drastic measures to combat global warming, should the world continue on a business as usual trajectory – in fact, an amount of $90 billion at today’s currency value. When agricultural plots and smallholdings do well, there is less threat of hunger and disease. In fact, it has been shown that where woman small farmers have the same access to resources as men do, their outputs surpass those of men by 7 to 23%. [Source: Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations]. Ultimately this reduces pressure on deforestation for additional ground and where regenerative practices introduced by savvy famers replace the chemical-intensive ones, soil becomes a carbon storehouse, suggests the book. Finally, it is proven that when educated women take part in cooperatives for growth, they achieve economies of scale and tend to pool their influence, to the benefit of all, more so then their male counterparts.

Why is this a problem? In many of the world’s largest countries, women are not regarded as being worthy of education. They are expected to stay home, to farm and to carry water. In Southern Africa, one need not look farther than the country areas in some of our provinces and then most of the other countries including Mozambique. It represents patriarchy of the worst kind that needs no further explanation in this article. With the massive global migration of ruralbased people to cities, the ways that these cities respond to these challenges are of absolute critical importance. Furthermore, the approach to drawing down greenhouse gas, by way of the inclusive education and empowerment of girls and women, is also presented as the most cost-effective way of abating carbon emissions – at ‘perhaps just $10 per ton of carbon dioxide’.

“Educated women, faced with manifest climate change events can marshal multiple ways of knowing, to observe, understand, re-evaluate and take action to sustain themselves and those wo depend on them.” The researchers go on to argue that ‘education also shores up resilience in terms of climate change impacts – something the world needs as warming mounts. Across low income countries, there is a strong link between women and natural systems at the heart of family and community life. Women often play roles as stewards and managers of food, soil, trees and water. As educated girls become educated women, they can fuse inherited traditional knowledge with new information accessed through the written word’. Hence, educated women, faced with manifest climate change events can ‘marshal multiple ways

Women in food cultivation

The built environment: Bringing it home to the city

So why is this important in the context of the built environment? With the rapid migration of work forces and rural folk towards cities being a global phenomenon, there is great pressure on cities to supply urban farming spaces of high yield and sustainability – a huge challenge for city planners and developers. And the development of urban farming initiatives is a mainstream part of the green building movement which strives to address global warming in cities and the built infrastructure (think urban heat island mitigation). It’s vital not only to help to curb climate change but also feed the rapidly growing urbanising population of the world. Food for thought? volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE MARKETPLACE

Cape Town Homemakers Expo

Homemakers Expo 2018.

WIN WIN WIN

Themed Raw Comfort, the expo strives to enable visitors to ‘see, touch and feel the very latest in home décor, design and lifestyle trends you will come to love’. ‘Packed with inspirational ideas and exciting features, the 2019 Cape Town Homemakers Expo will offer visitors the perfect opportunity to explore, consider and purchase all the things one needs for office, home and garden design projects,’ says Sandy Edwards, Homemakers Expo organiser. Be treated to a comprehensive display of the top brands and local craftsmanship, all under one roof. Show highlights include interior spaces, d’vine life, truly artisan, outside, the home | tuis theatre, the concrete workshop, the AV emporium, the kitchen as well as the design, art and textile design competition (which benefits animal rescue). For information visit www.homemakersonline. co.za/expo/cape-town.

Photo supplied by Homemakers Expo

This year’s Cape Town Homemakers Expo, from 29 August to 1 September at the CTICC, is all about raw comfort for the home.

Win tickets to the Cape Town Homemakers Expo 2019

An increasingly popular expo that will easily keep you and your companions occupied for four to five hours, tickets are available on sale at R90 on Quicket and at the door. However, you can also win tickets with To Build! The first 20 of our readers who respond will get free tickets for two visitors to the show.

Here’s what you must do to enter: Send an email to info@purplepine.co.za with the name To Build in the subject line, your contact details and the email address that the e-voucher should be sent to. Tickets will be sent electronically to the winners before the show.

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE MARKETPLACE

Annual congress to reveal award winners The South African Council of Shopping Centres’ (SACSC) 23rd Annual Congress, the largest retail property event on the continent at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 16-18 October, will also reveal the award winners of the SACSC’s Retail Design and Development Awards (RDDAs) 2019.

The aim of the RDDA is to identify and award exceptional shopping centre developments and retail store design within the South African property industry. Entries in the category closed in June this year. Award categories include best new large, medium and small shopping centre developments; best renovation or expansion for large, medium and small centres; best retail design for a store or restaurant; and best new international development. All aspects of the shopping centre and store or restaurant design and development will be taken into account, including the retail mix; development costs and returns; design and innovation; the centre’s appropriateness to the market; materials and techniques used in the construction and design; sustainability and green innovation and effectiveness.

Photo supplied by SACSC

The Whale Coast Mall, 2018’s overall Spectrum Award winner.

‘As the market-leading financier of retail, commercial, industrial and residential developments in the country, Nedbank CIB is proud to again be the principal sponsor of this year’s awards,’ says Gary Garrett, managing executive for property finance at Nedbank CIB. ‘We believe that cutting-edge shopping centre design and economic success are deserving of recognition.’ As part of the RDDA, an overall winner is chosen from the category winners for the coveted Spectrum Award. Last year the overall Spectrum Award winner was the Western Cape’s Whale Coast Mall, developed by Dorpstraat DMS (Pty) Ltd and Hosken Consolidated Investments (Pty) Ltd. Bentel Associates International/JLD designed the Whale Coast Mall. For more information or to enter the 2019 Retail Design and Development Awards, visit www.sacsc.co.za/rdda

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FROM THE MARKETPLACE NEWS & VIEWS

Emira adds to US portfolio This furthers Emira’s growing US investment strategy through a portfolio of eight value-focused retail centre assets in thriving states of the world’s largest economy. ‘Our latest acquisitions strengthen the value and quality of Emira’s equity in its US retail portfolio and takes its value to US$61-millon, or more than R850-million,’ says Geoff Jennett, CEO of Emira. Emira’s US retail property exposure is now almost 6% of its total portfolio. The JSE-listed REIT co-invests in the US with its incountry partners, the Rainier Group of Companies. ‘Both retail assets further our US investment strategy and are true to Emira’s criteria of investing in open-air, value-orientated retail centres with grocery stores as anchors or shadow-anchors,’ notes Jennett.

Photo by Emira

Emira Property Fund has made two further equity investments into grocery-anchored dominant shopping centres in the USA, in the state of Texas.

Geoff Jennett, CEO of Emira Property Fund.

SAVA launches initiatives The Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) used the occasion of its recent Annual General Meeting held in April, to launch two important initiatives. SAVA chief executive officer, Adri Spangenberg, said that worldwide the plastics industry has come under threat and scrutiny. ‘This should not in any way diminish the important role plastics plays in our modern lives. PVC plastic is used in a wide variety of different shapes, forms and applications to improve, protect and save lives,’ she said. Whilst the largest majority of the market (approximately 50%) belongs to the PVC pipe industry, various other applications and uses for PVC have also been developed, such as cabling (17 %), profiles (9 %), conduits and accessories (6 %) and film (6 %). According to keynote speaker at the AGM, Sian Cohen of the Green Building Council of SA (GBCSA), resource scarcity, rapid urbanisation and technology are three of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing societies around the world today. However, vinyl products such as flooring, windows and doors, piping and wiring continue to

be widely used in building and construction projects have and have an ever-important role to play in creating sustainable societies in the years to come. Concerted efforts by SAVA and its members to phase out of hazardous heavy metals and potentially dangerous compounds from the PVC production has resulted in the GBCSA withdrawing the Mat-7 PVC minimisation credit from the Green Star SA rating system 2011, recognising the value and significant benefits PVC products can offer to modern buildings and communities. SAVA members who are able to prove that they comply with the association’s Product Stewardship Commitment (PSC) are awarded the new Vinyl-dot (Vinyl.) logo, which they are encouraged to display on their marketing material. Proving compliance must be repeated annually and the logo updated accordingly. SAVA has also launched a PVC Clingfilm Compliance Framework. volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE MARKETPLACE

Inspired by the world’s largest urban forest Tree Tops Houghton is a newly launched luxury apartment block planned for a site nestled between the suburbs of Houghton and Rosebank in Johannesburg. Designed by dhk Architects for property developers Tricolt, the complex will be perched on top of a two-storey parking podium overlooking the city’s lush canopy - providing an idyllic, leafy setting whilst remaining a mere 10-minute walk from public transport and the vibrancy of Rosebank. Comprising 131 upmarket one-, two- and threebedroom units as well as penthouse suites, the apartments will be positioned around a central landscaped garden, including a clubhouse and lap pool. Referencing the world’s largest urban forest, the facade of the building was inspired by light observed through trees and the way it is filtered in between branches and tree trunks. This also influenced the introduction of warm white walls enriched with dark accents and subtle textures, from stone cladding to metal screens. All elements have been carefully crafted to create sophisticated and welcoming living spaces. The spacious apartments feature premium finishes, walkin wardrobes and private patios, and are defined by a timeless colour palette, clean lines and exceptional detailing throughout. Additional amenities include an entertainment area, gym and state-of-the-art security.

Renderings by dhk

The Tree Tops concept.

The apartment sizes range from 55m2 onebedroom units to 236m2 penthouse suites. The deluxe three-bedroom apartments and penthouses each boast a separate entertainment room, study and wrap-around balcony. ‘Timeless design elements fuse with a distinctly modern suite of materials to present a facade that, while complementing the existing street fabric, brings the beauty of the streetscape within homes,’ says Aram Lello, associate director and lead architect on the project. ‘Tree Tops encompasses a collection of 131 generously proportioned apartments with free-flowing living spaces, spacious courtyards and wide balconies along with secure parking and lift access.’ A sophisticated and contemporary addition to the area, Tree Tops is expected to be complete in 2020.

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48892/E

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CO LO UR ASS I S TAN CE Let us assist you to make the right colour choices for your project and help you visualise the end result. Your colours will be accurately colour matched by our colour technicians, who will supply A4 reference brush-outs and samples for application on-site.

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QU A L I T Y M AN AG EM EN T Before the first brush stroke, a selected reference area will be prepared and painted, paying careful attention to moisture levels, weather conditions, wet film thickness, surface preparation and over-coating times – all to reduce deviations from the agreed specification. Once the painting commences, you’ll have regular site visits from Plascon representatives to track the project progress and workmanship before giving you a comprehensive site report. In addition, Plascon provides on-site training as required on projects above R100 000 paint value.

GUARANTEE & MAINTENANCE The paint has dried, but our job isn’t over just yet. Once the snag list is sorted and the final site inspection is done, you’ll receive product quality and assurance guarantees. Only Plascon Preferred Applicators will be considered for assurance guaranteed projects. An optional annual maintenance programme is also available for the specified coatings life-cycle, saving you money, extending the coatings’ life expectancy and making your life easier.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: PLASCON ADVISORY SERVICE ON 0860 20 40 60

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE MARKETPLACE

Embracing innovation Riaan Graham, sales director for Ruckus Networks and Kate Stubbs, director of business development and marketing at Interwaste, have called on the SA energy sector to embrace innovation. In a joint statement, the pair states that South Africa is experiencing an energy crisis that requires the public and private sectors, along with households to work together. ‘With the number of connected devices expected to top more than 75 billion worldwide by 2025, the Internet of Things (IoT) can be considered an important tool in reaching this goal. Already, connected devices can be used to deliver smart energy that sees a more optimal use of resources,’ says Graham. This approach relies on a smart grid of connected sensors pointing to areas where energy is wasted. In turn, the supply to these points can be allocated to higher priority areas resulting in a better use of resources. Aiding this drive towards connected devices is government pushing towards the establishment of smart cities. These cities require a technological infrastructure built around various sensors connected

to the internet to not only generate data, but control things as diverse as traffic lights, street lamps, and other electrical devices. ‘These smart cities enable lighting to be automatically switched off when not needed. Sensors on the connected devices will detect when people are on the street and turn it off or on accordingly. What might seem like a novelty, can make a massive difference in reducing energy waste,’ Graham says. According to Stubbs, IoT is just part of how technology can be used to create a more efficient environment. ‘South Africa produces an average 108 million tons of waste annually. Of this, only 10% is recycled. There is significant potential to use this waste and convert it to energy. This is more than just the traditional way of viewing recycling. Instead, it is using technology to extract value out of waste through initiatives like refuse and waste-derived fuel,’ she adds.

Growth despite challenging environment Construction chemical major, Sika, has continued its growth trajectory with a successful start to the 2019 business year, reporting a new sales record of CHF 1 644.8 million in the first quarter. This equates to an increase of 7.1% in local currencies. A negative currency effect (-1.3%) led to robust sales growth in Swiss francs of 5.8%. ‘In a commercially challenging environment we have delivered sales growth of 7.1%, which represents a strong start to the new business year. The acquisition of Parex, which is expected to complete in the second quarter, will provide us with a first-class growth platform. Our organisation is set up for the next level of growth, and we anticipate sales to exceed CHF 8 billion for the first time in 2019 as a whole,’ said Paul Schuler, chief executive officer. In the first quarter of 2019, sales in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa) increased by

8.2% (previous year 10.2%). Business developed well in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH area). The countries of Eastern Europe and Africa posted double-digit growth rates. In Africa, the new national subsidiaries in particular significantly contributed to the strong growth. At the start of 2019, Sika acquired Belineco, a polyurethane foam systems manufacturer based in Belarus. The takeover will further improve access to the East European market. In addition, Sika has invested in a mortar production facility in Senegal.

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for complimentary trade access to all 3 shows

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DESIGNING FOR AFRICA

7 - 11 AUGUST 2019 GALLAGHER CONVENTION CENTRE

7 - 11 AUGUST HALL 1

7 - 9 AUGUST HALL 6

For more information or to book your stand visit www.decorex.co.za

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PROMISING PRODUCTS EDITOR’S CHOICE

Safe and stable roofing insulation During the manufacture of the product, recycled paper from commercial waste streams is milled to a specific density and treated with environmentally friendly fire retardant. ‘Our product is a truly green insulation product available to property owners, specifiers and contractors seeking performance with a 100% local recycled material option. It is a renewable, South African-produced product which does not consume significant quantities of energy during manufacture,’ says a spokesperson for Eco-Insulation. [Ref: www. eco-insulation.co.za] Eco-Insulation aims to transform any property into a comfortable and cosy living or working space reducing energy bills while helping to keep occupants cool in summer and warm in winter.

Photo by Eco-Insulation

Use of cellulose-based thermal insulating material, Eco-Insulation, means actioning a genuine environmental responsibility and contributing positively to sustainable building methods.

Eco-Insulation – hand-friendly thermal and acoustic roofing insulation.

It remains inert in situ, retaining its fire-retardant performance over many years and is SABS approved.

Triangular lower section gives name The name DELTA is taken from triangular form of the lower section of the table. Delta communicates strong geometrics that oppose and co-exist.

Photos by Adam Court & Niel Vosloo

‘As with many OKHA products, the range of materials is kept narrow and is grounded in a selection of natural finishes, in this case larch timber, marble and granite with the option of glass or metal triangle sections,’ says designer, Adam Court. [Ref: www.okha.com]

The Delta side tables by Okha.

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EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHOICE PROMISING PRODUCTS

Hacksaw blade now #1

For example, in terms of development, the distinctive ground tooth profile of the Eclipse Bimetal blade produces a faster and more aggressive cutting action that requires less effort and is more efficient. Their ergonomic design also makes them a pleasure to use. Eclipse is now firmly established as the number one hacksaw brand in South Africa. Whatever the application or the metal that needs to be cut, Eclipse will have exactly the right blade in its range. First Cut is based in Benrose, Gauteng, but has a national footprint and distribution facilities across South Africa.

Photo by First Cut

Represented in South Africa by First Cut, and with a proud history of hacksaw frame and blade manufacture stretching back nearly 100 years, Eclipse hacksaw blades and frames have become synonymous with engineering excellence and continuous product development.

The Eclipse hacksaw.

Introducing the Makuti Located on the main road between the Harare and Chirundu border post, the sleepy village of Makuti is close to Kariba and shares its rugged beauty. The Woodbender design team drew inspiration from both the similarities and contrasts between the two towns when conceptualising the Makuti. [Ref: www.woodbender.co.za]

The Makuti range.

The Makuti dining chair and bar stool answers a market demand for dining room and bar area seating that is easy to get in and out of. Because the Makuti is crafted with few parts and therefore few joins, it is robust and durable, making it ideal for busy hospitality areas. It can also be neatly tucked underneath a dining room table and bar counter so that it takes up less floor space. A sloped, shallow backrest offers users a comfortable yet supportive place to lean back and relax while they enjoy a meal around the table or a drink at the bar. It is available at a competitive price.

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Plan, Design, Build, Interior & Exterior DĂŠcor

WOMEN ACHIEVERS 2019

Caryn Korner

Claire Deacon

Denise Gould

Kathy Michell

Julia Petla

Lisa Reynolds

Mariana Lamont

Sarah Patterson

Stephanie Forbes

In this edition, we feature the status of women in the built infrastructure and the contribution they can make towards solving the challenges facing the built environment. To Build looks at several women achievers from various aspects of the industry: academic, professional, system suppliers and industry associations.

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PROFESSIONS ARCHITECTS

New chapter of creativity Images and renderings by Acer/YouTube

Staying on top of technology is one of the professional architect or designer’s biggest challenges, given the light speed progress of hardware and application upgrades required. For our creative readers, we review a new range of desktops, notebooks and monitors for those aficionados and serious users of the PC. The new range, called ConceptD, is Acer’s new brand of desktops, notebooks and monitors which the manufacturer says marks a new chapter for creativity. The recently launched ConceptD range is optimised for graphic designers, filmmakers, engineers, architects, developers and other creators. ConceptD enables designers to get immersed in the creative process and build remarkable things.

Giving creatives the tools of focus

‘The ConceptD product portfolio was conceived to give creators the tools to focus on the creative process and make beautiful things,’ said Jerry Kao, co-COO, Acer Inc. ‘As the foundation of a full

line of creator products, we’ve designed PCs with high-performance processors and graphics that can handle extreme workloads and put them inside quiet, minimalist designs to inspire creators to unleash their creativity.’ ‘Intel continues to champion the needs of creators in their PCs by delivering the premium performance and platform technologies needed to speed workflows and enable their best,’ said Chris Walker, vice president and general manager, Client Computing Group, Intel. ‘Across notebook and desktop form factors and capability from 9th Gen Intel Core i7 and i9, along with Intel Xeon processors, ConceptD from Acer is a prime example of combining design, features and peripherals to deliver PCs to meet the highest demands for content creation at all levels.’ The manufacturers say that the new range will shortly be available in South Africa.

Top end specs • Timeless design language, silenced processing and extremely colour-accurate displays distinguish these PCs and monitors. • The ConceptD 900 is a high-performance desktop with dual Intel® Xeon® Gold 6148 processor with 40 cores and 80 threads, as well as NVIDIA® Quadro RTX™ 6000[i] graphics. • The ConceptD 500 high-end desktop has an 8-core and 16-thread 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-9900K processor that hits up to 5.0GHZ, and up to NVIDIA Quadro® RTX 4000 GPUs. • ConceptD notebooks feature elevated colour accuracy, silent processing and come in three different form factors. • ConceptD monitors round out the package for a total product portfolio. Acer South Africa, Country manager, Paul Collins W www.acer.com

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ConceptD 5

Go Create Graphic design is quick and easy on the new ConceptD 5 laptop. Fine tune images with professional precision with its PANTONE® Validated 4K display with Delta E <2 color accuracy, 100% Adobe® RGB color gamut, a powerful 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor and Radeon™ RX Vega M GL graphics. Work on the go with this slim, lightweight device and draw admirers with its timeless design.

www.acer.com

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TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER

PROFESSIONS Architects

Sarah Patterson, in the dhk studio.

Balancing innovation with realities in commercial practice Photos and renderings by dhk Architects and Juerg Thuli

To Build asked a large firm of architects to nominate a staff member who they consider to be a leading young female achiever in the field of architecture, and one who works for the status of women in the profession. 34

According to Sarah Patterson, an associate director at dhk Architects, Cape Town, there are many upsides to practicing architecture. ‘One of the most satisfying aspects of being involved in shaping the built environment is the engagement it necessitates with so many aspects of life. With each project comes a myriad of factors to consider. I find my job is constantly about the challenge of balancing conceptual narratives with hard realities,’ she shares. Sarah graduated at both undergraduate and post graduate level from the University of Cape Town. She spent her first five working years at Vivid Architects, learning the rigours of commercial practice and gaining a solid foundation as an architect. Thereafter, her career took off. Sarah explains: ‘in 2011, I got an opportunity to practice urban design at Jakupa Architects and Urban Designers with a focus on public sector projects and participated in several conferences and workshops. From there I moved to dhk where I segued back into architecture. My career at dhk has also seen me rise in the leadership and assist with business development at the company.’ She confesses to be an active person who enjoys hiking, running, swimming and travel. ‘I paint, draw, and watch films in my spare time. I also love a lively evening of debate with friends and good music.’

Education projects

More recently, Sarah has been developing a focus on education projects. She tells To Build: ‘My current focus lies in the education sector; with both new builds and adaptive reuse of existing structures. ‘With the advent of technology in teaching aids as well as changing pedagogical approaches, we are seeing significant shifts in the various education models on offer in South Africa and abroad. I think it’s imperative that architects investigate

I think it’s imperative that architects investigate how buildings might adapt to educational shifts, whilst also acknowledging the need for sound design principles.

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Architects

PROFESSIONS

TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER

Parklands College.

how learning environments might be adapted to accommodate these shifts whilst maintaining sound design principles. The challenge of the disparity of wealth and quality of teaching at our schools makes the challenge in South Africa especially great,’ she adds.

‘I think it’s unfortunate that we women seem to need to perform twice as hard as our male counterparts to gain an equal level of recognition.’ Women architects are sometimes overlooked on their technical knowledge and understanding of construction issues. It kind of feeds into “the fragility myth” that women aren’t cut out for construction site environments. I have found that all you need in order to be competent on site is exposure to the practicalities, common sense, and problem-solving abilities. ‘Mentorship is also a big issue – so many young women in the industry are citing a lack of guidance and support,’ she says. Young women architects often lack role models. ‘I am interested in finding ways to daylight and normalise accomplished female architects doing extraordinary work so that it becomes just as commonplace to equate brilliance in our field with women as it is with men’, Sarah says.

Photo by Juerg Thuli

On being female in a tough professional world

Sarah Patterson on site.

Current career interests and projects?

Sarah is currently involved with an initiative called the Ignite Collective which, together with the Cape Institute for Architecture, the initiative aims to launch a platform which seeks to mobilise the ideas and voices of various disparate projects in addressing transformation in the built environment disciplines, particularly when it comes to the position of marginalised women in the industry. volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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PROFESSIONS ARCHITECTURE

A giant box for boxes with boxes Photos by Anton van Straaten

Not many buildings can be summed up in just one sentence, but that doesn’t stop Kuba Granicki from Johannesburg-based Architects Of Justice (AOJ) from trying: ‘It’s a giant box for boxes, which are filled with boxes of people’s stuff’, he says. perception of space’. Hence, Storage King has consolidated its operation in one easily accessible ‘super facility’. The idea of space as an asset is expressed in the large reception and area beyond. The overall design of the building was dictated by form and proportion, a requirement by the client and tenant for the building to attract attention. An extremely large angled glass façade and a playful entrance balance the otherwise stark and striking brick elevation.

The so-called box is Storage King’s new head office, comprising 10 800m2 under roof, and despite an oversimplified description, it is actually an incredible vision brought to life by a dedicated professional team aligned to the project. Notably, the building also features the largest black brick façade attempted to date.

“Notably, the building also features the largest black brick façade made to date.” The site at Boundary Park Industrial Park was chosen for its street frontage along the busy Malibongwe Drive and easy accessibility for northern suburbs clientele. The architects designed the office off the warehouse end, which exposes a portion of the warehouse and creates a longer street frontage for minimal expense to allow the client to ‘sell the

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ARCHITECTURE PROFESSIONS

‘Under the directive of the client, we designed a sleek building with minimal difficulty – a developer’s dream,’ notes Granicki. ‘It is essentially a doublestorey office on a basement attached to a large warehouse.’ The offices are 550m2 and the office component is shifted off the end of the warehouse to extend the Malibongwe façade and reveal a translucent end to the warehouse which is primed for a digital display. The warehouse is designed for high level racking and supersedes the tenant’s current needs, while the height of the warehouse pushed the office section several courses higher than is typically seen in industrial parks. ‘When clients enter, they need to feel as if their belongings are going to be safe, secure, watertight and accessible,’ say the partners at AOJ. ‘We managed to deliver a facility which meets all those functions and beyond.’ A monochromatic palette with lots of black, grey and white is used in conjunction with high gloss materials, while large floor tiles – 1200mm x 600mm – reinforce the idea of space. A nononsense, raw, industrial chic look is predominant in the office space with exposed ceilings and services punctuated by glass partitions and hanging bulkheads at the work areas. In the large volume space of the entrance lobby, AOJ have hung a storage container with a lit-up infographic so that the building can help answer the clients’ obvious questions. ‘This was a case of architecture and the business merging, so understanding their business was essential. We save time for each live salesperson and over the lifetime of the business, we are saving much more time,’ he says.

‘We wanted to create something new with facebrick, therefore, to keep the shadow lines and maintain the darkness of the façade, a decision was made to use tile adhesive as the mortar,’ he explains. Brick is timeless, of low maintenance and facilitates skills development within the labour force from the local community To have a striking façade that would be built correctly, the architects simplified the brick bonds to allow the ‘material to do its own talking’. A good contracting job (by the developers, Orpen), ensured that no rectification was required. A total of 40 000 bricks were used in the façade, while 180 000 were used for the warehouse walls. The brick cavity was insulated.

A striking façade

The offices feature the largest black brick façade built to date, and as AOJ note, the intention is to illuminate the facade and give the client an opportunity to brand the company in several ways, including the possibility of animation. ‘Early in the project, the developers, Orpen Group, suggested using facebrick as they have experience with the long-term benefits regarding maintenance on their existing facebrick buildings. Thus, from the design concept we knew that these would be industrial buildings and that brick would be the best option,’ says Granicki. Fabiano Cellini from the Orpen Group notes that the eye-catching black brick (by Corobrik) was chosen because of its originality.

Essentially, Storage King is a well-orientated building, built by a great team with a well-defined plan. ‘Architecturally, the most difficult thing to get around was how sentimental people are about material objects. It was an interesting project and once we got to understand the user and how best to provide for their needs, we were able to design a facility which caters for not just their basic needs, but all the possible needs which a storage facility should and can provide. We have provided a physical manifestation, brought to life by architects, of what a facility such as this can offer the user,’ concludes Granicki. volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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PROFESSIONS CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS

New SANParks safari lodge shines Photos by Concor

Developed by South African National Parks (SANParks), an exciting new 3-star lodge offering adds an extra dimension to the Kruger Park experience, slotting in between the traditional camp accommodation and the top-end private lodges. Planned and constructed as a green building, Skukuza Safari Lodge boasts 128 units, including 87 standard rooms, 20 family rooms and 13 universal rooms with easy access for wheelchairs. Facilities at the lodge include a restaurant, bar, meeting rooms, gym, pool and laundry, as well as overnight accommodation for 16 staff. With a focus on environmental care, the lodge has been designed to combine the design principles of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards as well as typical standards of the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA). This meant that targets for lower energy usage as well as water savings were built into the planning. Work began when the Concor Buildings’ team moved onto site in February 2017. Practical completion was reached in October 2018 and the team plans to leave site at the end of March 2019. According to Concor Buildings’ site agent, Christopher Martin, the environmental focus was taken on board by the team and applied with commitment in various ways.

Environmental focus was important

‘There were over 50 existing trees on the site, including two iconic baobabs in pristine condition,’ says Martin. ‘We worked hard to accommodate important natural resources like these, even

A view from the reception looking to the famous baobab tree.

The western terrace overlooking the function area.

redesigning the parking areas and moving one of the buildings to be more sensitive to the existing landscape.’ In line with green building requirements, the twolevel structure does not protrude above tree level, minimising its visual impact. Advances in lightning protection have been harnessed, with integrated protectors being used in place of the traditional lightning poles that are very tall and generally unsightly. Even the provision of lighting is designed in a way that reduces light pollution. Water efficiency is prioritised through rainwater harvesting, grey water treatment and a dual-flush system in toilets which use recycled water. Low-e coatings on windows allow guests to enjoy unimpeded views of the natural beauty from indoors, while keeping out the heat. This, in turn, improves the energy efficiency of the building, reducing the power required for air conditioning. Innovative design also ensures that windows do not face direct sunlight. Architectural timber is a prominent feature of the lodge, with laminate saligna beams used for longspan trusses. Thatched roofing and grass ceilings add to the natural ambience, along with design

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CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS PROFESSIONS

Picture perfect views of the famous baobab tree planted by the first warden of the Kruger National Park, James Stevenson-Hamilton.

elements from local cultures. While making every effort to be non-intrusive, the lodge is a substantial construction with 5 200m2 of decking. Over 3 600m3 of concrete has been poured over 150 tons of reinforced bar, and 1.8 million bricks have been laid. The coverage of roof thatching measures over 3 600m2, while 5 000m2 of sheeting has been used. In recognition of the authentically wild surroundings of the lodge, an important use of the concrete was for bases of the game fence. The fence has been built all around the lodge, with substantial bases measuring in size from 1m by 1m to 1.5m by 1.5m.

Outdated infrastructure presented a few challenges

The site itself presented a few challenges, with much of the infrastructure dating back many decades and not all precisely recorded in terms of location. Further investigation through radar technology and even global positioning systems (GPS) was sometimes necessary to identify underground services. Most services such as fresh water, grey water and sewage had to be rerouted in line with the needs of the new structures. ‘Waste was carefully managed on site, with the assistance of a contracted specialist to help us sort and recycle waste,’ Martin says. ‘As the project progressed, we were also able to contribute towards restoring and rehabilitating some of the old borrow pits in the area.’ An ongoing challenge was the distance between the site and the towns from which products and services were sourced. Being two hours from Nelspruit, for instance, added to the logistical burden and lengthened lead times, especially considering the road speed restrictions within the Kruger Park. ‘Transporting readymix concrete from the

batching plant in Hazyview was a particular challenge,’ says Martin. ‘The distance factor was compounded by the high ambient day-time temperatures, which could reach 45 degrees Celsius during our building phase. Adding a retarding admixture allowed us to extend the concrete’s workability window to two hours.’ The movement of workers between their homes and work was also an onerous process that required careful management. While Concor Buildings exceeded the client’s brief by employing 100% general labour from local communities, those communities could still be up to 150km from site. Training was an important part of the project, upskilling local workers in terms of safety practice, concrete work, bricklaying, plastering and plumbing. To combat rhino poaching, security measures in the Kruger Park have had to be stepped up. These stringent measures affect the movement of everyone in the park, including construction workers. The necessary checks and procedures added to transportation cycle times but simply had to be managed by the team in a responsible way. Despite the remote location, the project was able to promote local suppliers by spending more than the required 30% of procurement value within 150km of the site, using vendors with B-BBEE Level 3 or higher. ‘Given the importance of community participation, we engaged a community liaison officer from the local area to work with us on our various initiatives,’ Martin says. ‘In addition to facilitating employment, he also assisted with community development interventions such as the donation of salvaged building materials, school sports events, an anti-poaching campaign and soccer kit donations for a local tournament.’ Hats-off to Concor Buildings. It sounds magnificent – Ed. volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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2019/05/17 2019/06/25 4:50 12:33 PM

CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS PROFESSIONS

Power tools: ABC for contractors By Orlando Luis

The CEO of Brights Hardware, a family-owned chain of hardware stores in the Western Cape, tells To Build that the market for “smart tools” in South Africa has been slow on the uptake. However, he believes they will grow in popularity as contractors begin to realise their worth. Here he offers us some insights into five current power tool trends. Did you know that the first-ever power tool was a hand-powered lathe that was created by the ancient Egyptians? Then in 1859, the modern power tool was created when an electric motor was combined with a manual drill – and revolutionised the industry. Over the years, power tools have continued to evolve and advance and we are seeing several trends emerging.

Smart tools have arrived

There really is an app for everything – tools included! Dewalt and Metabo have developed

Bluetooth batteries and power tools that can be tracked and monitored remotely through an app. This app allows you to see how often the machine is working in a day and lets you activate and deactivate the tool – such as in a case of theft.

User-friendly tools

In response to a growing trend towards DIY home maintenance and repairs, tool manufacturers are making power tools more and more user-friendly so that they are accessible for the average person to operate.

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PROFESSIONS CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS

In South Africa, we are definitely seeing consumers embrace DIY. Tougher economic times mean that people can often not afford a contractor to do home repairs or maintenance. This has stimulated growth in the “do-it-yourself” market and user-friendliness will remain a key focus in the development of power tools going forward. Examples of user-friendly tools include any power tool that is cordless, those that can operate for longer because of extended battery life, and power tools that require less maintenance because they do not have carbon brushes. In addition, any power tool with additional operator safety features would be considered user-friendly.

Going wireless: Cordless power tools

Just about everything is available in a wireless format and power tools are part of that list. Globally, corded tools are still selling well, but there has been a substantial shift to the cordless market. Cordless tools are used for cutting, welding, sanding, metalworking and more. Other advancements in the market mean that modern cordless tools are able to last much longer than they used to as well. In South Africa our power tool purchase trends currently show 40% cordless versus 60% corded; compared to 75% cordless/25% corded in the USA or Europe. However, we expect to see these numbers change in South Africa as more cordless power tools are developed. Examples of power tools in a cordless format include battery-powered circular saws, band saws, drills, hammer drills, impact drivers, screwdrivers and more. There is even a cordless heated jacket that has been developed which keeps the wearer warm in extreme climates.

Battery life gets a charge

Battery manufacturers are constantly dealing with the challenge of making batteries that last longer and produce more power. The advancement of lithium-ion batteries means that manufacturers have new ways to increase battery life and power. A big trend we have seen in SA is the adoption of a single battery system or platform that fits all tools (with the most popular battery voltage system being the 18V/36V brands). Therefore, if you are buying cordless tools opt for 18V systems in lithiumion technology – then as you grow your range of machines your battery systems will fit in all the different power tools – this will allow you to rotate

batteries to ensure no down time while waiting for the other one to charge. Also, choose a brand that has intelligent chargers that can charge a battery in under 30 minutes. Makita has the most comprehensive range of longer-lasting 18V batteries, with over 80 different machines that can operate off one battery platform. Metabo, Bosch, Dewalt, Ryobi, Festool, Ingco, Hitachi and Black & Decker all also have 18V battery options.

Time to tool up: Innovative new power tools

As well as sales increasing for current power tools and batteries, exciting new products are being developed all the time; research, and development departments are working hard to not only boost tool strength and life span but to offer new, innovative power tools. For example, German tool manufacturer Metabo recently released a new collection of flat head grinders that are made to work within small spaces and narrow angles. It makes metalworking at a tight angle safer than the previous generation of flat head grinder models. Although not power tools per se, a new range of LPG gas-driven garden tools, compressors, pumps, generators and engines have been developed which replace petrol powered units, and which are more eco-friendly, require less maintenance and are more cost effective to run. Robotic power tools are also coming. You will be able to enter a command and there will be no operator needed - you will just sit back and watch to see the finished product. The modern tool market is all about going cordless, increasing battery life and becoming smarter and more user-friendly. My company, Brights, recommends that in the face of all these developments, consumers stick with reputable brands that offer back up spares and repair services. The next few years will see many no-name brands disappear, but brands like Makita, Bosch, Ryobi, Metabo, Dewalt, Festool, Hitachi and Ingco are here to stay. Luis advises that Brights Hardware [Ref www.brights.co.za.] have on-site experts in all of their stores to provide advice and guidance on any tools you may be thinking of buying. Whatever you may be interested in finding out more about, Brights’ knowledgeable staff members can provide you with all the product insights and information that you need.

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TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER

PROFESSIONS CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS

Businesses need to be solution-oriented.

Julia Petla, founder and managing director of Amedzo Trading and Projects.

Julia Petla – construction doyen To Build’s construction personality for this edition is Nkgomeleng Julia Petla, who we proudly feature in our special construction industry women’s focus. Julia Petla is the founder and managing director of Amedzo Trading and Projects cc, established in 2009 to provide turnkey solutions to the construction fraternity in South Africa and neighbouring countries. She considers being an entrepreneur in a growing economy like South Africa to be a noble profession. ‘Being in the infrastructure development space has made me realise that our contribution, regardless of capacity, is significant,” she tells To Build. ‘Businesses need to be solution-oriented. South Africa is a developing economy that requires many gaps to be filled, from infrastructure development to

technology, educational, health and food security solutions. Businesses at whatever level need to participate as part of a grand ecosystem that exists to develop South Africa.’ Julia was awarded her Master’s Degree in Business Leadership (MBL) at the School of Business Leadership at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in 2014. Prior to this, she gained in-depth knowledge in project and strategic management and experience though working on various projects at UNISA before moving to the United Kingdom (UK). There she worked as a language practitioner in various government departments, returning to SA in 2009. Not being able to find suitable employment to meet her salary expectation at the time, she saw an opportunity to deal with the employment creation challenge. As a female black entrepreneur, she felt inspired to start Amedzo Trading and Projects as a company offering the full spectrum of building solutions in the construction fraternity. Over the past 10 years, her company has grown into a sustainable business of standing, compared to the average of most growing businesses that fail to survive beyond three years due to sustainability issues. ‘It is a milestone that energises me to keep looking for more opportunities for growth and partnerships that will take the business to a new level,’ she admits. Amedzo has good references and the business aims to surpass clients’ expectations through quality service delivery, service excellence and the ability to offer sustainable solutions.

Substation 23, completed and handed over to Venetia mine.

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CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS

Julia Petla’s business mantra

• Quality as a lifestyle. • Cost management and containment is critical to ensure profitability. • Working capital management is important to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in handling projects. • Professionalism is required to build goodwill and credibility. • Human resource management ensures that we keep the best talent and teams who can deliver. • Great leadership skills are required and this involves situational leadership, flexibility and emotional intelligence. • Entrepreneurs need to know their macroenvironment and adhere to compliance regulations.

Surface infrastructure - Venetia Mine Underground Project.

her causes, a Global Impact Leadership Award and an international commendation in the State of Georgia, USA. Most recently, she received the Global Impact Leadership Award (Construction industry, Gold category) in New York following a special invitation to the Global Impact Leadership Award & Induction into the Inaugural Global Amazons Network held 19–21 March 2019. Here she was unanimously endorsed and conferred the award for having a proven record of entrepreneurial accomplishments as a female business leader in a male-dominated construction industry. ‘This recognises my commitment to professionalism, excellence in service delivery, innovation, business integrity, resilience and hard work and having thrived in a male-dominated industry, contributing to people development and job creation in the country,’ she concludes.

Amedzo clients

Amedzo’s clients include DeBeers, SASSETA, SARS, Denel Aviation, ROAL Construction, Eskom Academy, Growthpoint, Transnet and a number of other high profile companies. The company’s most recent project is a surface construction project at De Beers Venetia Mine. Julia tells us that the project entails supplying and installing building works as scoped and all other relevant items entailing brickwork for surface infrastructure at the Underground Project at Venetia Mine. The brickwork is for six sites: workshop, production shaft winderhouse, service shaft and three substations. Amedzo Trading and Projects cc W www.amedzo.co.za volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER

‘This is confirmed by the completion certificates from our customers. We have a big project currently on going in Limpopo and on completion; the company will be upgraded to CIBD Grade 7. This means that Amedzo will have the capacity to tender for big projects where the competing space is less congested and more value can be unlocked in the respective space,’ says Julia. ‘Amedzo has outstanding and professional leadership which is energetic and determined to unlock more opportunities and this, along with other competitive advantages and strengths, make us confident that we are a construction company of the future in terms of scalability and employment creation. ‘The mentorship programmes we have enrolled into ensure that the business is always up-to-date in terms of skiils, and our checks and balances ensure that we run a scalable business.’ According to Julia, she is ‘playing part in contributing to the economic well-being of South Africa through my passion for construction’. ‘I am contributing positively in the lives of young women by coaching them. I come alive when I am training young women and up-and-coming entrepreneurs,’ she adds. Julia aims to inspire people as a motivational speaker and keynote speaker, telling the Amedzo story. She has an impressive list of civic achievements under her belt; academic accolades at a senior level, professional accolades, a media profile, is a published author, industry involvements that further

PROFESSIONS

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CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS PROFESSIONS

Getting rid of used oil from site Photos by the ROSE Foundation

The ROSE Foundation (Recycling Oil Saves the Environment) offers the following advice to operators about what to do with their used oil from lubricant changes and spills on site. [Ref: www.rosefoundation.org.za] The Waste Act, 2008, is cleaning up the environment by systematically making industry sectors responsible for managing the waste they produce, and the construction industry is no exception. Besides building and demolition waste, the construction industry needs to take responsibility for other waste streams, such as used oil. Used lubricant oil, a common by-product of mechanised processes in the construction and earth moving industry, contains harmful compounds and carcinogens and is regarded as hazardous waste. One litre of used oil can contaminate one million litres of water. It is classified as a hazardous waste and is strictly governed by environmental laws contained in the Waste Act.

The proper collection and storage of used oil

Used oil finds its way into our water table through disposal in drains and storm water drains and by being poured directly onto the ground as either a dust suppressant or as a means of disposal.

To prevent this, insist that anyone who services, or repairs construction machinery, drains the used oil into a clean container with a tight-fitting lid, such as a reusable combination drain pan or storage container. Use a specially designed plastic “Sumpy” or container to collect and store your used oil. Ensure that used oil is stored in a clearly marked container with a secure lid to prevent leaking or water getting into the container. Empty oil containers and drums make effective makeshift storage vessels for used oil, however, NOT containers that previously held chemicals, such as cleaners, solvents, fuels, paint or bleach. Ensure that used oil is not mixed with other fluids such as antifreeze, transmission fluid, petrol or diesel as mixing them may make them non-recyclable as well as hazardous and flammable. These containers must be kept in a place that can be accessed by a ROSE registered used oil collector and the surrounding area must be kept clear and clean – ideally stored under cover (also protects them from rainwater) and away from heat or sources of ignition.

Operator handling used site oil.

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PROFESSIONS CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS

Build a bund wall [Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Bunding] around your bulk used oil storage tanks so that in the event of a spill or leak, the used oil will be contained. In the event of an oil spill, contact your used oil collector.

The removal of used oil for responsible recycling

‘Once properly gathered and stored, used oil generators are urged to contact a ROSE-registered oil collector who will come and remove the oil and take it away to be recycled in an environmentally compliant and safe manner. Your collector must always issue you with a safe disposal certificate which is now required by law under the Waste Act,’ says Bubele Nyiba, CEO of ROSE.

The Hazardous Waste Manifest and how to register on SAWIS: A total of 20kg used lubrication oil per day must be registered on SAWIS. ‘In short, if you generate more than 20kg of used oil per day, you must register on the South African Waste Information System (SAWIS). Once registered, the generators (of used lube oil or diesel) need to submit their figures every 90 days (quarterly) into the SAWIS. The information needs to be based on actual volumes and not estimates. The following information needs to be submitted and retained by the waste generator for five years, to be produced for inspection when required: • the month and year to which the information applies • category of waste; HW07 Waste Oils 01 Waste oil • source from which waste comes • the quantity of waste reported in tons. Ref: http://sawic.environment.gov.za/

“The safe disposal certificate issued by ROSE-registered collectors also acts as a Hazardous Waste Manifest, thereby fulfilling the requirements of reporting by law.”

‘This safe disposal certificate issued by ROSEregistered collectors also acts as a Hazardous Waste Manifest, thereby fulfilling the requirements of reporting by law. The same information can be used on SAWIS,’ adds Nyiba.

Hazardous waste generators required to have a waste manifest with every load

As used oil is a hazardous waste, generators are required to maintain the information below on a Hazardous Waste Manifest (HWM), a document that will track the used oil from cradle to grave and offer a clear snapshot of how it has been managed. • A unique consignment identification number in the form of a bar code. • The generator’s contact details, including the contact person, physical and postal address, phone and fax number and email address. • The physical address of the site where the waste was generated. • An emergency contact number. • The source of the waste (how it was generated). • A description of the waste (waste classification and waste category). • The physical nature and consistency of the waste (liquid, solid, sludge; pump-able, non-pump-able). • The quantity of waste. • Packaging (bulk, small containers, tank). • Transport type (tanker, truck, container). • Special handling instructions. • The date of collection or dispatch. • The intended receiver (waste manager). The safe disposal certificate issued by ROSEregistered collectors acts as an HWM, thereby fulfilling the requirements of reporting by law.

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PROFESSIONS INTERIOR DESIGN

Local flair in wood Photos by Gareth Griffiths and Kino

The 100% Design South Africa concept held in tandem with Decorex is stimulating the best in local design. That is clear. To Build reports. As recipients of Best Furniture Design at the 2018 100% Design South Africa, held alongside Decorex in Joburg, Cape Town-based design duo Kino made an impression on the public and its peers with strikingly minimal pieces. Having launched Kino at 2018 100% Talent feature, Nico Hendriksz and Anton Louw walked away with ‘Best of 100% Talent’, propelling them into a year of positive forward momentum. Creative director of 100% Design South Africa, Laurence Brick believes that the show is invaluable in launching brands and products. ‘Why 100% Design South Africa is so effective is it exposes designers to the right audience, and vice versa, and facilitates productive relationships within the industry,’ adds Brick. This most recent accolade is proof of the exponential growth they’ve experienced over the last year as a result of being exposed to the industry. ‘Getting a stamp of approval from design professionals and the media is incredibly valuable to us and encourages us to continue what we love doing,’ comments Hendriksz.

At the 2019 Designing in Wood exhibit at 100% Design South Africa, featured at Decorex Cape Town, the pair created something special for the show. The Heildronk Kas (heildronk ‘to toast something’ in Afrikaans) was designed to showcase the creativity and craftsmanship inherent in working with wood as a medium and the beauty of American Walnut and Black Ash.

Heildronk Kas - the surface pattern finish is amazing.

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Hendriksz and Louw started their workshop doing odd manufacturing jobs and custom pieces. ‘It was an important time in our careers in that it allowed us to hone our skills and develop deeper material knowledge,’ explains Louw.

Kino – expressing their own design identity

But the projects weren’t rewarding enough in terms of the expression and scope they offered. Desiring a project that they could call their own and that allowed them the room to develop a range of products that expressed their own design identity, they started Kino. Balancing considered craftsmanship with contemporary lines; the pieces speak to a modern design lover who appreciates a pared-back aesthetic but not at the cost of skillful manufacturing. ‘Our products are not mass-produced in a large factory. Instead, each is made to order by a small team of skilled and passionate craftsmen,’ notes

Hendriksz. This ensures that each item is made with care from start to finish, an approach that adds value to the story of the product. Combining a traditional furniture-making medium and an up-to-date aesthetic gives the pieces they produce a fresh and current but timeless feel. ‘The beauty of working with this wonderful material is that it enables us to communicate a youthful and contemporary style through a medium that has deep roots in traditional craft,’ says Louw. Kino’s new Neut collection (Afrikaans word for ‘nut’) was inspired by using American Walnut and takes this exploration of method and medium still further – designed to celebrate the natural beauty of timber. ‘We kept the design of this range very simple, with considered details that would complement the natural grain in the timber,’ explains Hendriksz. The first range the duo has designed using wood exclusively, without combining it with other textures or contrasts in colour, Neut celebrates the material in its truest form.

The Best of Kino 2019

Heildronk kas.

Neut bedside tables.

Neut console.

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PROFESSIONS INTERIOR DESIGN

ARRCC directors, Mark Rielly, Michele Rhoda and Jon Case.

Accolades for CT-based designers ARRCC is an acclaimed studio specialising in interior architecture, interior design and décor that redefines laid-back luxury. Cape Town based; it has a global footprint. According to the company’s PR, its team ethos in a nutshell is a highly personal work ethic, ceaseless curiosity, inherent intuition and obsession with challenging boundaries - humble yet brutally honest. The studio will be featured in this year’s 23rd Volume of the Andrew Martin Interior Design Review. According to reviews and praised by The Sunday Times of the UK as “the Oscars for the Interior Design World”, the annual presents the world’s best interior designers and their stunning work. The Andrew Martin Interior Design Review by Martin Waller, features almost 100 designers and with more than 1 000 images, it takes you to amazing places and styles worldwide. [Ref: www.andrewmartin. co.uk] To date, ARRCC have been nominated five times for Interior Designer of the Year Awards. As Antoni Associates, ARRCC was featured in two volumes, including Volume 15 and 17. Since ARRCC’s rebranding in 2015, the interior design studio has been nominated three times, including Volume 19, Volume 22 and this year’s Volume 23. ‘We are humbled to be recognised on the global design stage at this level,’ says ARRCC director, Mark Rielly. ‘It is an honour to be in the company of remarkable designers, including Erin Martin,

Kelly Hoppen, Tara Bernard and Martyn Lawrence Bullard,’ comments ARCC director, Michele Rhoda. ‘ARRCC redefines laid-back luxury. Based in Cape Town, its footprint is global, as it applies its distinctly refined design sensibility to residential, hospitality and leisure interiors around the world. By producing the unexpected, ARRCC demonstrates new ways of living that are at once delightfully surprising and unmistakably innate,’ adds Rhoda.

Standout projects

City Heights On Cape Town’s mountainside stands a striking angular building by renowned Cape Town architecture firm, SAOTA. Complementing this terraced home, the interiors, by interior-design leader ARRCC, are a treasure trove of gem-like materials and custom furniture which pull together the client’s brief for ultimate comfort within highfunctioning entertainment zones. A profusion of metallic surfaces is juxtaposed with warm wood and splashes of bright colour, invoking a sense of dynamic living. ‘The walnut panelling reflects the warmth seen throughout the rest of the home, while the metal fleck ceramic by Chantal Woodman for OKHA, standing on a suspended black swing server, tells

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City Heights: Walnut panelling reflects the warmth at the entrance.

you that there’s fun to be had inside,’ says ARRCC designer, Nina Sierra Rubia, of the entrance hall. The patterns in the marble-like flooring and custom-designed geometric grey woollen rug are complemented by ceramic installation art by Hennie Meyer, each piece inviting closer inspection in its uniqueness. SAOTA designed the house with all the guest bedrooms on the lower levels to elevate the main living area and master bedroom, providing the owner with a private penthouse. Hillside View Tucked away in a leafy suburb in Cape Town stands a statement-making home; not only for the modern, glass-fronted architecture but more so for its vibrant interiors by ARRCC. ‘It was the homeowner’s affinity for colour – and a multitude of materials – that informed the creative journey. By working with the homeowner’s wide and varied art collection we were able to create spaces that allow for a dynamic dialogue between the artworks and furnishings,’ says Rielly. This is immediately apparent in the expansive, marbled entrance hall of this Jenny Mills Architecture-designed home, where the brightly

City Heights: Marble-like flooring.

coloured, geometric Emmemobili Arlequin C cabinet is complemented by a two-tone suede sofa, angular rug and organically shaped side table. The scene sets a welcome sense of repose that carries through to the rest of the home. ‘Materiality is just as much a feature in this area,’ says ARRCC designer Quintin Gilman, pointing to the architect’s vision for the staircase leading down to the basement level. ‘Crema Marfil marble, glass balustrades with brass cladding and dark-stained timber all create unique textures in this stairwell,’ he says. On the staircase wall, laser-cut, coated-steel cladding was added and then back-lit for dramatic effect. Colour is the focus in the informal lounge, where a marine-blue rug grounds the layout, while teal cushions and green ceramic side tables by Paola Navone for Baxter continue the aquamarine theme. Meanwhile, upstairs, the bedrooms are an exercise in high-energy decorating as per the homeowner’s brief. ‘The children’s bedrooms feature bold primary colours and paint-splashed walls, with playful elements such as hammocks and bucket stools adding youthful freshness,’ says ARRCC designer Sarika Jacobs.

Hillside View: Tucked away behind Lion’s Head, Cape Town.

Hillside View: Informal lounge with two-tone suede sofa, angular rug and organically shaped side table

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PROFESSIONS CONSTRUCTION HEALTH & SAFETY

‘Like many health and safety professionals, I migrated from elsewhere in industry. I moved from a career in occupational health and ergonomics into construction health and safety. Given the diverse backgrounds of many practitioners, it has been very satisfying to see the professionalisation of those practicing in health and safety, bringing credibility to the discipline,’ she says.

Photo by cd&a

Diversity of knowledge and experience

Dr Claire Deacon.

Professionalisation of health & safety practitioners adding credibility to the discipline Dr Claire Deacon is the CEO of a consultancy that specialises in construction health and safety, OCCUMED cc, trading as Claire Deacon & Associates (cd&a), with offices in Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg and Cape Town.

‘Having worked in various industries outside of the construction sector, I believe that what I bring to the table is a very broad approach that spans a multitude of knowledge areas to the benefit of my clients. All industries to date have been very challenging in their own right, from managing the occupational health service at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, to providing health and safety services to printing factories. My work is certainly not boring, and one never knows what is going to happen on a site or project from one visit to the next,’ she adds. Claire currently serves on two councils in the built environment profession, the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) and the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP), which brings a voice to the construction health & safety profession at the highest level.

Challenges and impediments

‘Health and safety is not a respected area of work and women in the construction sector even less so. In many cases I am one of the only women on the client team, if not the project, other than tally clerks, secretaries and cleaners,’ Claire admits. ‘Most of the design team and clients only want to meet the minimum health and safety criteria on the project and the only reason I would be on the project is because my quote or tender was lowest, not because I am competent. ‘There has to be more work done to convince parties you know what you are doing and can do what is needed. Because each team is different, the convincing and work is very challenging, and similar from one project to the next. ‘The professional status of the professional construction health and safety agent (PrCHSA) is still in its infancy and many of my colleagues and I am striving to raise the bar of health and safety, whether male or female. To reach PrCHSA status is not an easy feat. The same process used for the

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Numerous challenges

Claire says that it appears that the sector does not understand, or maybe doesn’t want to, the role of health and safety in terms of project risk. ‘The focus on malicious compliance, or minimal legal compliance, doesn’t serve anyone and the law cannot be applied in every aspect. Common sense also needs to be used. Lack of respect means often we are kept out of the loop by the client and their other professionals, so critical information is not addressed or considered in terms of project risk. For any serious professional, this can be very demotivating,’ says Claire.

A typical day in the life of a CH&S professional

Running her own company and with her professional affiliations, Claire advises that she attends ‘a lot of’ meetings, committees and board meetings. However, it is the activities of her company that keep her most involved in a hands-on way. ‘We have offices in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg, and rely on each of my team to cover the projects in the area and beyond. Travel is normally our biggest concern as the roads and traffic are our biggest risks. We have to often travel up to eight hours just to get to a (remote construction, civil or other) project. Accommodation in some of the areas is a real challenge, but as long as we have a bed with clean linen and a shower, we are happy. ‘We worry about payment for services rendered, as some clients (mainly in the government, she admits) have outstanding payments that are more than a year overdue. ‘Needless to say, we are always looking for work. We all know where we are from day to day and which projects are most challenging and we share issues that are of concern. When one is not available, another team member covers the projects as needed. I am very proud of my team, especially how we have grown together like a family,’ she says.

‘I have only a few years left to serve on the two councils in the built environment, but hope that at the end of the terms the landscape for health and safety will benefit my colleagues, that they don’t face the same issues, or at least less frequently,’ she concludes. The design team and clients need to be aware of the huge responsibility of the PrCHSA on their project. Indirectly, they create risk when they don’t appoint competent registered PrCHSAs.

Voluntary association work

Claire is also the Executive Director of the voluntary industry association, The Association of Construction Health and Safety Management (ACHASM).

Many of the design team and clients only want to meet the minimum health and safety criteria on the project.

‘It offers a number of seminars and workshops that the industry can attend to obtain a better understanding of what we do. Attendees are issued with CPD-hours,’ she says. [Ref: www.achasm.co.za] ‘I am proud of each of my achievements, whether it was obtaining my PhD in Construction Management, having the data and main instrument from my Master’s used by the Green Building Council for their socio-economic pilot project, and more recently, an updated instrument by the Construction Industry Development Board as part of their standards on Primary Health Care. Also being able to serve the South African construction sector and give back through the SACPCMP and the CBE has been very satisfying. Also, to see the professionalisation of those practicing in health and safety and the credibility it brings to the discipline,’ she concludes. volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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professional construction project manager (PrCPM) and professional construction manager (PrCM) is applied, with the submission of evidence and a peer review interview,’ she adds.

PROFESSIONS

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PROFESSIONS DEVELOPERS

John Rabie launches in Lisbon John Rabie, one of South Africa’s most successful property developers, recently embarked on a substantial new venture in Portugal. His Europedomiciled Neworld aims to spearhead Rabie’s residential and mixed-use developments beyond South Africa. In a joint venture with Geneva-based GMG Real Estate, Neworld is leveraging homegrown expertise to create a brand-new, €90 million (over R1,4 billion) residential and retail development in the historic heart of Lisbon, Portugal. ‘Lisbon has so much to offer. An enchanting city with a wonderful climate, zero crime and plenty available for the growing tourist market. We feel very confident that we are at the right place at the right time and that we will be able to offer our investors the capital growth and returns that they have rightfully come to expect from us over the many years we have been in the property development business,’ says Rabie. The mixed-use development, named LX Living, will comprise 151 apartments, 1 341m² of retail space with shops and restaurants, seven aboveground residential floors and 187 underground parking spaces. It will be situated in one of the most sought-after and convenient locations in Europe’s sunniest capital. Neworld’s partner GMG Real Estate, has an impressive track record of investment and value creation in urban mixed-use real estate in the UK, Switzerland, Germany and Portugal. Since inception, GMG and its partners have transacted on 29 successful developments representing a market value of approximately €2 billion. The opportunity

to joint venture with GMG Real Estate was the important trigger for establishing Neworld. ‘We have always understood the importance of identifying the right partners to work with in a project of this nature. We feel honoured to have been invited to team up with GMG on this first project. They are like-minded people with a great reputation and excellent track record,’ adds Rabie. Newman Leach, head of GMG Real Estate, comments: ‘We are thrilled to be developing this project with John Rabie and his Neworld team. LX Living is set to become the premier residential development in Lisbon.’ GMG Real Estate has enjoyed excellent support over the years from its strategic financial partner Skybound Capital - a global wealth management business, providing a diverse and unique range of investment products for family offices, private clients, advisors and institutions. ‘We have spent the last number of months getting to grips with the market in Lisbon. Our research has confirmed the opinion of reputable experts regarding the strong fundamentals that are driving the shortage of residential accommodation in Lisbon. We now understand why these experts have rated Lisbon as the number one city in all of Europe for investment in residential real estate,’ Rabie says.

Artist rendering supplied by John Rabie

New mixed-use development LX Living in Lisbon, Portugal – artists impression.

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The Earth. A fragile place.

An engineer’s perspective: securing the future Photo by Gareth Griffiths Imaging

The 2019 Earth Day theme of Protect Our Species: In nature, nothing exists alone, was intended to draw the world’s attention to accelerating rates of extinction and to those species placed on the endangered list – as well as the causes and consequences of this phenomenon, says a leading engineering professional services firm in South Africa. [Ref: www.earthday.org ] Experts from WSP in Africa recently shared their views on the need for longer-term thinking on planning, development and sustainability to relieve the impact of human activities to secure a future for all species on Earth, in the context of climate change. ‘Governments, businesses and societies across Africa are facing huge impacts from unprecedented megatrends, including urbanisation, population growth, energy and resource challenges, technological advancements, extreme weather conditions and the effects of climate change,’ says Adam Sanderson, senior associate, WSP in Africa: Land Restoration & Ground Engineering. ‘And, while it is not feasible to halt development – as this would have devastating implications across economies, markets and communities – we must start to do things differently, to mitigate the compounding effects that human activities are having on the rapid erosion and reduction of various species.’

“The are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew. - Marshall McLuhan, 1964 ”

The latest Living Planet Report by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) highlights that populations of several species of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles declined by an average of 60% between 1970 and 2014, the latest available data. And three-quarters of all land on Earth (excluding Antarctica) is under significant pressure from human activities. ‘It should be noted that much of the land that currently remains free of the human footprint is not suitable for agriculture or urban development. But,

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where there is a human footprint, many activities continue to impact upon crucial resources like air, water and soil,’ adds Sanderson. Lisa Ramsay, air quality specialist at WSP in Africa and Research Fellow at the University of KwaZuluNatal, says: ‘This presents a danger to civilisation. We depend on nature for everything from production of food and clean water, to resources used to generate power and for building our infrastructure, etc. Nature also plays a fundamental role in regulating the Earth’s climate and mitigating weather events. The natural environment and all species therefore have a fundamental role to play in helping maintain balance in ecosystems, as well as future securing species of plants and wildlife that are heavily relied on to sustain human life.’

The juxtaposition of governments and industries

Sanderson believes that there needs to be a holistic approach to address the immediate challenges and through intervention, long-term positive effects on natural environments and species that should coexist, can be achieved. ‘If we look at the water crisis that continues to affect many regions around Southern Africa, in conjunction with increased urbanisation and population growth, there is an ever-increasing reliance on groundwater resources,’ says Sanderson. ‘However, should these reservoirs become contaminated, which can result from any number of industrial or domestic activities where pollutants can enter the environment, then the water may be rendered unsuitable for use or consumption without substantial treatment. ‘Not to mention the legacy affect that certain pollutants can have on the terrain and the soil and thus potential land-use. Where rehabilitation and remediation are needed to restore the quality of the land of any given site, and if this is only acted on at the end of life of that site, this can be an expensive undertaking and may never achieve pristine conditions,’ adds Sanderson.

Environmental legislation is underscoped

In most African countries, however, environmental legislation is still under-scoped. South Africa currently has the most advanced legislation across the region in this regard. The National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) provides the underlying framework for environmental law

and linked to this, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has actively been releasing a number of amendments and accompanying pieces of regulation on, not limited to, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, contaminated land, pollution prevention plans, water services, waste management and the Carbon Tax Bill. ‘These are all certainly important. But where the evolution of environmental law and its practitioners in South Africa falls short is its tendency to focus on traditional, well-established contaminants where the laws or even accompanying guidelines have not yet been extrapolated,’ Sanderson explains. ‘In first-world markets, environmental laws are already looking at emerging contaminants that result from population growth and consumption, such as the environmental impact of antibiotics entering water resources. It’s this kind of specification that begins to further explore the full impact of the population on the environment, where remediation strategies in first-world markets are also moving from addressing only traditional, to emerging contaminants too,’ say Sanderson.

Environmental laws currently focus on potential effects on human health

Ramsay suggests that most current environmental laws are focused on preventing or reducing human health impacts. ‘If we look at the requirements of an Air Quality Impact Assessment (AQIA), for example, the bulk of the information about a site centres on the potential effects on human health, with the assumption that if human health is protected, so will ecological systems. In some cases, additional analysis of the effects on water bodies and species, for example, may be required depending on the site. We cannot discount that certain species might be more vulnerable. ‘Where disruption to natural habitats and ecosystems is caused by human activities, the power lies in humanity’s hands to make changes to how food is grown, infrastructure is built, industries operate, communities are sustained, products are developed, and waste is disposed. But it will take leaders with vision and collective human will to act now and affect positive change towards sustaining a balance between environmental protection, social desirability and economic development that will support spaces where society and species, including our own, can thrive, well into the future,’ concludes Ramsay. [Ref: www.wsp.com] volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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A unique solution for an environmental issue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kazungula Bridge project Engineering drawings and photos by Kaytech

The primary objective of building the multimillion-dollar Kazungula Bridge was to link Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana to ease tourist traffic and enhance trade and integration between the countries. Once completed, the bridge, which spans the Zambezi River at the intersection of the Chobe River, will replace the existing ferry linking Botswana and Zambia. The project presented engineers with some concerns regarding water erosion of the slopes. CCP Consulting Engineers approached a wellknown South African geo-tech specialist, to submit a design solution that was both financially plausible and technically sound.

Danie Herbst, Kaytech technical sales representative, explains the problem: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Because the approach to the bridge is built up in layers of Kalahari sand, there was an issue regarding the slopes that might be affected by erosion. Another problem was that game, especially elephants

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Above: High fill placing topsoil behind kerbs on top of locking trench for geo textiles. Above right: The river bank.

applying heavy loads when migrating from the plains to the upper swampy areas, could cause serious soil erosion when crossing the layers of Kalahari sand used to construct the approach to the bridge. We took this all into account when finding a solution to the erosion control method needed.’ Hence, Herbst decided a combination of Strataweb 330-75 geocell and Enviromat, a biodegradable erosion control blanket that would create more than adequate reinforcement for the vulnerable slopes. Manufactured from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Strataweb is a lightweight, but strong, three-dimensional honeycombshaped cellular confinement system. It is used as a foundation mat that improves load bearing capacities of weak soils and acts as an erosion control barrier for slope surfaces. Depending on site requirements, the Strataweb system can be infilled with gravel, concrete or, as in this project, topsoil. By confining and reinforcing vegetation on steep slopes, the soil’s natural resistance to erosion is increased and the root zone layer is protected during germination. The company’s biodegradable Enviromat, consisting of wood wool extracted from the alien Poplar tree and contained within an external polypropylene mesh, is used to combat soil erosion on exposed slopes. Vegetative growth is stimulated while topsoil and germinating seeds are protected from the elements. According Kaytech, no adhesives or chemicals are used in the manufacture of Enviromat.

Kaytech assigned a local citizen distributor based in Gaberone, Botswana, Road and Rail Engineering Products, to supply the materials and all the logistics for the project. As per Kaytech’s design, contractor Zhong Gan Engineering and Construction installed 16 000m2 of Strataweb 330-75 directly onto the seeded slopes, followed by a similar size layer of Enviromat. The Strataweb system will effectively transfer compressive and tensile stresses from heavy animal traffic, thus providing the embankment slopes with a significant load bearing capacity. Meanwhile, due to UV exposure and the prevailing climatic conditions, the protective layer of Enviromat will gradually degrade over a period of 12 -36 months, leaving behind well-established vegetated slopes. Importantly for this project taking place outside South Africa, Enviromat is a sterile product that does not import unpredictable organic materials or unwanted seeds onto site. Due for completion by 2020, the Kazungula Bridge will open one of the busiest corridors in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, helping to link landlocked countries to the export and import hub in the port of Durban. By combining Strataweb and Enviromat, typically used as individual erosion control products, Kaytech provided a unique solution for an environmental problem; preventing the natural migration of grazing animals from causing serious soil erosion and possible damage to the approach embankments of the newly built Kazungula Bridge.

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The Markgraaff Pedestrian Bridge in Bloemfontein is a unique and innovative steel structure.

Bridging the gap: Steel in bridge design Photos by the SAISC

When deciding whether to build a bridge from steel or concrete, there are several factors which need to be considered. Steel offers numerous advantages, including quick construction in the field, the ability to prefabricate sections, predictable material properties, the lower weight of steel compared to that of concrete, as well as the fact that any structural damage is readily accessible for inspection. ‘Contemporary bridge designers have the choice of steel or concrete for their construction material. However, these days, bridges are often not constructed exclusively of concrete or of steel, an example being the steel-beam and concretedeck bridges we see today,’ explains Amanuel Gebremeskel, technical director of the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC). ‘Design of the bridge greatly affects its initial cost and naturally, the more efficient the design the lower the cost. A further consideration in the design of the bridge is its purpose. That is, whether it will be carrying pedestrians, motor vehicles or railway rolling stock,’ Gebremeskel explains, adding that one of the major advantages of constructing bridges from steel is the decreased weight. This means lower erection costs, since the bridge sections can be handled using lighter construction equipment. If designed soundly, the lighter weight of the steel bridge will also allow for lighter foundations. Generally, it is easier to make spans continuous for both live and dead loads and to develop composite action with steel designs rather than with concrete ones.

This elegant Sky Bridge is one of the entrants in this year’s SAISC Steel Awards.

Steel bridges are faster to complete

‘However, the major advantage in the construction of steel bridges is that they are considerably faster to complete, with fewer logistical challenges. Where a bridge is being constructed over a busy highway, for example, disruption to traffic is far less. With steel construction, the need for time-consuming and elaborate formwork is also eliminated. If necessary,

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steel sections can be prefabricated off-site and then bolted and welded together to complete the final structure,’ Gebremeskel comments. In terms of maintenance, historically, decks are the most vulnerable part of the bridge. To replace a concrete bridge deck requires removal of the entire section at one time; whereas steel bridge decks can be replaced one lane at a time, allowing for uninterrupted, albeit reduced, traffic flow. Where bridges cross other infrastructure or (particularly in Africa with the often-rugged terrain) geographical features such as a deep ravines or rivers, steel has the advantage that the section of the completed bridge can be shallower than its concrete counterpart.

Environmental considerations favour steel ‘Over and above these considerations, not just locally but globally, environmental considerations are also an important factor in the use of steel,’ he adds. In this respect, today, the raw material used to construct bridges is often scrap steel. In a White Paper, the (American) National Steel Bridge Alliances states that new steel bridge construction in the US annually consumes about 350 000 tons of scrap metal. And, when a steel bridge has reached its allotted lifespan, the raw material can be recycled. Although not a perfect example, the steel from the World Trade Centre has now been recycled into other products. When bridges have to be constructed in environmentally sensitive areas, the fact that steel spans can be longer than their concrete counterparts minimises the environmental impact as fewer piers are needed to support the bridge. In addition, high-performance “weathering” steels offer greater weather resistance and feature toughness and weldability at affordable prices. ‘This technology is readily available in South Africa,’ Gebremeskel points out. ‘Over the past two decades steel construction profiles have appeared in new forms, both internationally and locally. For example, tubular steel is now widely used and is

The Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburg is a tribute in steel to the icon.

known for its aesthetic appeal, its light weight and its superior strength. ‘Furthermore, with the advent of laser fabrication, steel tube can very quickly be processed into interlocking bridge components, thereby improving the strength, speed and efficiency of welding, resulting in stronger and more aesthetic appealing structures,’ he adds. The choice of whether to build a steel or concrete bridge is also dictated to some extent by which region of the world the bridge is being built in, as concrete is cheaper in some areas. In other areas, the ruling price and availability of steel may well make it the preferred construction option. ‘Bridges play a mostly unacknowledged yet cardinal role in all of our lives. While offering design and economic benefits, the use of steel as a construction medium for bridges also offers the more lasting appeal of design excellence. If one thinks of the internationally renowned San Francisco Golden Gate bridge, Millennium Bridge in London or the Sydney Harbour Bridge, one has excellent examples of structures that are of immense practical use, and yet at the same time are highly visually pleasing examples of superb engineering design. ‘As with many other bridges around the world, the element which has made these enduring and iconic structures possible was the versatility and excellence of steel,’ he concludes.

Steel used in the construction of the Thelle Moegoerane/Natalspruit Hospital Bridge is aesthetically pleasing.

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ADVERTORIAL Royal Institute of Chartered Acountants

Mediation is the future By Martin Burns, RICS Dispute Resolution Service

Someone once told me that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;mediation is the next big thingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. They said that, very soon, far fewer people would be going to the courts to resolve their civil disputes. Most people involved in disputes will be mediating instead. I was so persuaded I went and trained as a mediator. In 2010, around 87 000 civil claims in the UK courts settled before they went to trial. This means that 75% of cases took up an inordinate amount of preparation and actual court time, resulting in enormous administrative costs to the UK Treasury. In my view, the reason why comparatively few mediations take place in South Africa is not down to any real problem with the process. It is more to do with an inadequate appreciation of the process and what it can achieve. Most parties, who end up in litigation, have little understanding of mediation. Added to this is the probability that whilst all lawyers are trained litigators, most are not trained to be mediators. Mediation is a very useful tool for resolving disputes. When it is used, it is successful more often than not. There have been recent signs that more people are prepared to give mediation a go, and momentum seems to be building in some specialised sectors such as property and construction. But if mediation is to become a routine part of the civil dispute resolution process in South Africa, there perhaps needs to be a more concerted campaign to educate court users and highlight the real benefits of using it.

Mediation makes economic sense

Knowledge and understanding will help. There needs to be an element of pressure put on parties to mediate if it is to become more widely used. This could mean the introduction of laws that make mediation mandatory. Parties can also be persuaded to think more about the economic sense of avoiding costly litigation and the genuine prospect of finding solutions to disputes that make commercial sense. The motivations for using mediation include quicker and cheaper dispute resolution. When mediation is embedded into a countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s civil justice

system it results in fewer cases going to court unnecessarily. Disputes are resolved more rapidly at lower costs to participants. Underpinning a strategy aimed at channelling many more disputes towards mediation, should be a system that compels parties to use it. This could be done by introducing automatic referral of small claims to mediation schemes. Such schemes can be provided directly by the courts or sourced through industry bodies. The case for change is compelling. The emphasis should clearly be on getting disputes resolved, rather than on an idealistic pursuit of justice which can often see parties spend disproportionate time and money on litigation. In many instances, parties turn to the courts before even trying to resolve their differences in other less formal ways. Perhaps there will be resistance from some areas of the legal profession to making mediation the norm. In my view though, rather than perceive the push for mediation as a threat, legal professionals should look on it as a genuine opportunity. Parties who engage in mediation schemes will still need professionals to advise and represent them. Getting trained and qualified in mediation may also lead to a new area of interesting and challenging work for lawyers.

RICS Dispute Resolution Service Alexandra de Beer T +27 (0)21 975 5537 E adebeer@rics.org

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PROFESSIONS LEGAL

Women’s rights: A legal opinion By Bryan Hack, Advocate of the High Court, Member of the Cape Bar

While these views are in the context of South African criminal law, they are nevertheless an indictment of a view that persists in South Africa that women, whilst equal, must still ‘know their place’. Equality for women is not simply something enshrined in the Constitution but must equally be founded on an honest recognition of the true contribution women already make and can make further in the business world as equals to men. With specific reference to the building industry, what is needed is an environment in which women can play a role and fulfil their destinies completely and not merely to limits that men are prepared to tolerate. (Indeed, this is what To Build is striving to highlight in this edition via our deliberate focus on the status of women in the built environment, including the construction industry – Ed.) The place of women in business echoes the place of women in our society. Statistics show that our society has not yet escaped the shackles of

Photo byBryan Hack

When told that this edition would focus on the role of women in the building industry, my mind wandered, trying to recall where I had recently read a very succinct and definitive commentary on how women are still treated unequally in South African. I then remembered it was a recent judgment in a criminal matter. That this should be my source of commentary, I agree, is rather unexpected, but the words of Justice Salie-Hlophe in State v Rohde* are very deserving of widespread publication in the commercial world. The facts are familiar to most who follow the news and are not of any relevance to this article. But what is important, is the views of the judge about the treatment of women.

Adv Bryan Hack.

a patriarchal system. The origins of this feature of South African life are numerous and diverse and include traditional African culture, Western commercial traditions, mainstreams religions and even our traditions of sport and outdoors leisure activities. They have all historically promoted the role of men as the primary participants with women fulfilling a supporting role. The consequence is inevitably that women are simply not valued to the same degree as men. This has historically deprived our society of the benefit of a substantial contribution to it of the abilities of women. I think it is not unreasonable to say that even today there are those who take the view that women should be included in the business world but only on the terms dictated by men. The phenomena that women’s lives are not quite as valuable as that of men was touched on in the judgment in the Rohde trial during the sentencing stage. The judge had the following to say in considering one of the factors to be considered in sentencing, namely the interests of society: ‘With regard to the interests of society it is undeniable that we are experiencing high levels of

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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LEGAL PROFESSIONS

violent crime and with reference to this case, violent crime against women. Dr Naeemah Abrahams, Acting Director of the Gender & Health Research Unit of the South African Medical Research Council, testified in aggravation of sentence. She testified on national and international studies that she did as well as research on female murders and intimate femicides. Intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence women experience in this country. Femicide, she testified, is the killing of women and in particular her studies related to intimate femicide which is the killing of women by their intimate partners, being husbands and boyfriends. ‘Dr Abrahams set out in her report handed in as Exhibit LLLL and testified that a study that looked at women killed globally in 2013 revealed the following statistics. The data from 66 countries found globally that 39% of homicides of women are committed by an intimate partner. When comparing the global data of South Africa, the proportion of intimate homicides in our country stands at 57%. We have become the femicide capital of the world. ‘This is clearly an epidemic and an enormous social problem. According to a study set out in an article titled: “Female homicidal strangulation in urban South Africa”, by authors Suffia, Van Niekerk and Arendse, at the conclusion of their article: The prevention of female homicidal strangulation in South Africa will ultimately be strengthened by the creation of a social milieu that promotes equity, safety, health, human rights and justice. ‘It is thus important and the duty of the courts to contribute in our role as the justice system to impose appropriate sentences, particularly where women are murdered in the context of their marriages, their relationships and homes.’ The judge went on to say: ‘In the matter of S v Van Staden (KS21/2016)[2017] ZANCHC 21 the Court states at paragraph 14 thereof, the sentiments expressed therein equally to the facts of this matter: Murder committed by a man on a woman should not be treated lightly. It becomes worse where the perpetrator, as in this instance, was the deceased’s partner, who had the duty and the responsibility to protect her and not to harm her. It is killings like the one committed by the accused which necessitate the imposition of sentence to serve not only as a deterrent but also to have a retributive effect. Violence against women is rife and the community expects the courts to protect women against the commission of such crimes.’

The judge added that ‘it is pertinent to note that it is 20 years or more since the Supreme Court of Appeal so articulately stated in S v Chapman 1997 (3) SA 341 SCA at 345 A-B that: Women in this country have a legitimate claim to walk peacefully on the streets, to enjoy their shopping and their entertainment, to go and come from work and to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of their homes without the fear, the apprehension and the insecurity which constantly diminishes their quality and enjoyment of their lives’. The judge said that the accused’s counsel had argued that the crime was not committed for financial gain but was a crime of passion which ought to be viewed as a mitigating factor. It was argued that the accused’s wife had pursued his infidelity with proactiveness and with interrogation and so it was implied by counsel that she ought to have been more subservient and accepting of the accused’s infidelity and ought to have restrained her objections and interrogations. The judge continued to summarise the argument as follows: ‘That she did not do this, resulted in the perfect storm of your quarrel and that it was in the exigencies of these events that the offences happened. She got killed, and you ought to therefore get a lesser sentence’. The judge, like any observer of this contention, was appalled at this suggestion. She went on to say ‘This is a patriarchal and antiquated viewpoint which undermines a woman and in the context of intimate femicide, a wife’s or girlfriend’s right to dignity and equality before the law. Intimate femicide clearly cannot be viewed as being conduct which is less morally reprehensible. You were her husband, the father of her children and you were required to protect her, rather than to inflict harm upon her’. That this crime was committed by an individual who was at the apex of his position in the commercial and social world of this country is quite rightly, as the judge found, a symptom of a broad value system in our society which is fundamentally wrong. Women are the equal of men and can never be expected or be treated as if they should ‘know their place’. *The judgment on sentence is available online from the Southern African Legal Information Institute website as: S v Rohde (CC43/2017) [2019] ZAWCHC 18 (27 February 2019) and the judgment on conviction is reported in the All South African Law reports as [2019] 1 All SA 740 (WCC)

T +27 (0)21 4235 441 E hack@capebar.co.za volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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PROFESSIONS LEGAL

Emma Dempster, director in projects & infrastructure at CDH Johannesburg.

Nayna Cara, director in real estate at CDH Johannesburg.

Rooftop PV: Legal groundwork To Build’s editor recently asked two senior Gauteng attorneys to comment on the legal framework regarding the installation of PV panels and going “off grid”. ‘Consent from the local municipality in terms of local by-laws must be obtained. There may be building height restrictions and zoning issues. The developer and supplier should aim to understand the local authority’s long-term planning vision for the area, and of the nature of funding that will be made available to develop and maintain the infrastructure in that area,’ advises Nayna Cara, a director in real estate at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) in Johannesburg.

Licensing

‘The regulation of the electricity supply industry in South Africa is governed by the Electricity Regulation Act, No. 4 of 2006 (ERA) and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) is the custodian and enforcer of this regulatory framework. First off, a developer must investigate whether or not it is their responsibility, or that of the consumer (user), to obtain a generation license in terms of the ERA,’ she adds. ‘Any entity that generates and distributes electricity is required to obtain a license under the ERA, unless otherwise exempt in terms of Schedule 2 to the ERA. ‘Particularly in relation to PV rooftop systems, any system that has an installed capacity in excess of 1MW (whether or not grid tied) is required to obtain a license,’ Cara adds.

Significant legal hurdles

‘There are significant legal hurdles that need to be overcome to obtain a generation license that may delay or in some instances impede the development of the project,’ cautions Emma Dempster, a fellow director in projects & infrastructure at the same firm. ‘In addition, the developer will also need to determine whether the project is cost-effective given that there are various restrictions on the tariff that the property owners are entitled to use when operating as a reseller and selling the electricity generated by the solar PV system to the tenants in the shopping mall,’ she warns.

Lease agreement - PPA

Cara further advises that a long-term lease, in the case of a C&I PPA, capable of registration at the Deeds Registry office, be negotiated with the landowner to secure tenure of the rooftop. ‘Terms of the lease should include, amongst others, a lease diagram prepared by a land surveyor; prohibition of modifications to the plant by the facility owner or the erection of other structures on the roof; permanent access to the roof area by service personnel; a non-accession clause to ensure the PV plant does not accede to the building; and adequate on-site security measures to protect the investment,’ she says.

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PROFESSIONS QUANTITY SURVEYORS

She is, in addition to her academic roles, a Professional Registered Quantity Surveyor (PrQS - SACQSP) with a doctorate awarded by the University of Salford in the UK, having completed undergraduate and master’s level studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in the 1990’s. After being awarded her first degree, she also worked in the construction industry for a spell before returning to academia at postgraduate level. ‘I worked briefly as a QS but joined UCT in January 1995 and have steadily been running the academic ultra-marathon since then,’ she shares. Undaunted by the teaching and research work, she also pursued additional business skills development, having completed short semester courses at business schools at UCT and the University of Stellenbosch as well as UNISA.

Contributing to the profession

Prof Kathy Michell.

Blazing the academic trail Associate Professor Kathleen (Kathy) Michell is head of department in the Construction Economics and Management Department within the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment at the University of Cape Town.

When To Build’s editor first met Kathy, she was filling a four-year term as president of the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (SACQSP) where she chaired the full Council and the Executive Committee, and served on the Education Standards and Research Committee, Finance Committee and Human Resource Committee of Council. She also served as a council member on the Council for the Built Environment at a similar time. We caught up with her in Cape Town to find out more about what drives a successful woman in an essentially male-dominated discipline. ‘Our urban areas face numerous challenges that need to be resolved. The built environment is key to the social and economic change we need as it is the very fabric of society - it is the space that we live in, work in and play in, that built environment professionals (BEP’s) have a responsibility to ensure are sustainable in the long term,’ she says. However, this mission is complicated by gender issues and challenges. In Kathy’s words: ‘Unconscious bias and stereotyping have probably been the biggest challenges (in her career).’ Notwithstanding this, she believes that there is a direct correlation between gender and diversity in the sector and the financial performance of companies.

Issues

A burning issue for Kathy is that of sustainable urban management in the African and broader context.

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QUANTITY SURVEYORS

PROFESSIONS

TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER Prof Michell with a group of senior students in 2016 and a UCT colleague, from left, James Myburgh, Alain Alexander, Mark Massyn (UCT), Prof Michell, Courtney Meyer and Brendan Ardagh.

Our urban areas face numerous challenges that need to be resolved. The built environment is key to the social and economic change we need as it is the very fabric of society - it is the space that we live in, work in and play in, that built environment professionals (BEP’s) have a responsibility to ensure are sustainable in the long term.

Prof Kathy Michell – academic theses

2011: Doctor of Philosophy, University of Salford, United Kingdom. Thesis title: A grounded theory approach to community- based facilities management: The context of Cape Town, South Africa. 1998: Master of Philosophy (with distinction), University of Cape Town. Thesis title: A systems-based evaluation of the process of cost planning and cost control in the design phase of the traditional building procurement process in South Africa. In addition to the above theses, she has also authored numerous papers or coauthored several full length articles in relevant publications.

‘How can we make our cities more sustainable, meaning socially, economically and environmentally, and actively undertaking research that is focused on the development of management frameworks and plans that make the city “a space for all”?’ she asks. As such, her goal for the future it to undertake ‘more real research that attempts to solve the real problems that we face in the BEP’.

The person

Despite these achievements, Prof Kathy Michell is a balanced person who enjoys family life and recreation, spending time with both children and dogs. Married to a professional golfer, with two teenage children, she has been known to swing a golf club herself and is an avid craft knitter and lace crochet worker. ‘I find working with my hands is a really good stress reliever…’, she admits. At work, she loves her research, working with her students, sharing knowledge and facilitating learning. volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Building Systems BATHROOMS

Warm, bright and steam-free bathrooms Photos by the Lighting Warehouse

Bathrooms are becoming more and more like in-home spas than ever before. But what use is it to have a bathroom that is filled to the brim with luxurious fittings and fixtures, if it remains one of the coldest rooms in the home during the winter months? ‘Bathroom heating is a must-have for any modern bathroom. It ensures that your experience is comfortable and pleasurable all year round, especially during the colder months,’ says Melissa Davidson from The Lighting Warehouse. ‘While the comfort provided by heating in the bathroom is imperative, the bathroom remains a very functional space as well, and as such, it is also important to have a good source of lighting and air circulation. An excellent solution is to install a bathroom heater-light-extractor unit, otherwise known as a 3-in-1 combo unit – a lighting, extractor and heating solution all in one. ‘The 3-in-1 combo units available from The Lighting Warehouse come with a built-in extractor fan for optimum air circulation, as well as infrared globes that supply lighting and warmth. They are rust-proof and purpose-built for steamy and wet areas, so they are safe, durable and long-lasting,’ adds Davidson.

Advantages

The user can create heat and bright light at the flick of a switch and simultaneously turn on the extractor fan to keep the bathroom clear of steam while showering. Another benefit is that these units are a streamlined, space-saving solution that requires only one installation point to perform all three functions. The company’s 3-in-1 units are purpose-built for installation in the bathroom ceiling for a streamlined and space-saving aesthetic. ‘You no longer have to install a heater on the wall, a separate light overhead, and then fit an exhaust fan in the room as well. They are perfect for small bathrooms, but they work just as well in larger bathrooms. However, as they are recessed units, they cannot be installed in cement or concrete ceilings, nor can you install them vertically on the walls,’ explains Davidson.

A 3-in-1 combo unit installed.

Other practical considerations

Bathroom 3-in-1 combo units come in two main configurations – two-light models, or four-light models. ‘If your bathroom is relatively small or you don’t require too much heat, then a two-light configuration is ideal. However, if your bathroom is quite large, or you really like things to get warm and toasty, then it is advisable to opt for a four-light model. It is worth noting that the four-light combos have the ability to turn on two lights at a time, so you don’t have to use all four at once if you don’t want to, which ensures year-round use,’ Davidson elaborates. Certain units come with a special switch that allows individual operation and control of each of the three functions. As such, the user can switch the heating, lighting or extraction on individually from one another whenever required. Three-in-one units are available from the supplier’s stores.

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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TO BUILD WOMAN Achiever

Building Systems Ceilings & Partitions

Denise Gould: General Manager, Pelican Systems.

Pelican Systems evolved out of Denise’s father, Rodney Gould’s shopfitting business, which entrenched Pelican’s understanding of what life is like on site for customers, and promoting the drive for ways of making it easier to get a good quality finish on site for the client. Denise is a Bachelor of Commerce graduate of the University of KwaZulu Natal and completed a year of fashion design at Linear Academy. Hence, she started her own clothing company called DNG Clothing on completing her studies. Later, she started at Pelican Systems in her twenties as an export assistant, and 24 years later as GM, she has responsibility for finance, marketing, procurement, IT and HR for the company. The intention is for her to succeed Rodney once he retires. ‘I am passionate about finding ways to be creative, working towards adding value and making continual improvements. I also love that every day is different and that there is such diversity in my roles within the business,’ she says. ‘It is very rewarding getting specifications and seeing the finished product installed in a completed building. I have great respect for architects, designers and the installers for the work they do to transform the interior space’, she shares.

Finishing well for clients: Denise Gould Photos by Pelican Systems

Denise Gould is the energetic General Manager of Pelican Systems, which specialises in ceilings and partitioning and the first South African specialist company to launch an online platform for customers back in 2009.

Partitions at MMI Holdings in Cornubia.

Getting a great finish for clients

‘An example of a quality finish would be the introduction of prefabricated aluminium for door frames and glazing modules, kit doors which are mortised and checked out for the faceplate, and pre-drilled trims to guide fixers with accurate and exact fixing points and assist with the speed of fixing,’ she says.

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Ceilings & Partitions Building Systems

TO BUILD WOMAN Achiever

eThekwini Water and SanitationDepot in Prospecton.

‘Product innovation, customer service, standing by our products, adding value to the building industry and looking after our employees are all key drivers in our business. For instance, the colour black seems to be ever more popular as a design feature in both drywalls and suspended ceilings, so we recently introduced a black ceiling grid to improve the lead times for black grid installations,’ Denise explains. ‘FNB, as an example, is undertaking a nationwide specification and branch refurbishment using Black Econogrid and AMF Star 600x600 SE.’ ‘We’ve migrated our website to a new platform and are again promoting online buying to our clients, really hoping that this will become a great value-add for the busy sub-contractor, who can place orders and book transport at night in preparation for the next day of work’.

What makes her proud?

‘We have been building our own brands since 2012 when our JV with Lafarge ended, and we are extremely proud to have our own JUMBO Skimming Plaster which has slowly been winning over customers and skimmers alike. Our JUMBO Skimming Plaster was specified at Park Square and the architect commented that after skimming, the ceiling looked finished,’ says Denise. ‘The initial conversion is difficult, but once successfully used on sites, our clients are very happy with the finish and the time savings.’

Aiming for acoustics – looking forward

Denise would like to encourage more widespread use of acoustic products, especially in restaurants and entertainment venues. The benefit of good acoustics is highly underrated. ‘It has been sad to see the current state of the construction industry and to see giants in our industry falter. It’s a tough business, to be sure, and the advent of forums on almost every building site is really posing a challenge for our clients. ‘We have recently opened a branch in Gauteng and are excited to be a part of the largest market in South Africa. We see this and export as our key areas for growth in what is currently a difficult economic environment. ‘We hope that our work in improving our systems for both the professional and the fixer will begin to earn respect and reflect through increased demand’, she adds.

Pelican Systems W www.pelican.co.za volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Building Systems DOORS & WINDOWS

Making good on their promise Photos supplied by Swartland

The CEO of a leading manufacturer and supplier to the building industry speaks out about the five building blocks of an effective brand promise. A brand promise is an essential part of any successfully branded business. While a strong brand evokes emotion - inspiring people to feel connected to a business – a strong brand promise assists in solidifying the relationship the business has with its customers. Hans Hanekom, from Swartland, explains: ‘A brand is a name or symbol that identifies the goods or services from a particular business as distinct from other businesses. A brand promise on the other hand, is the image or emotional feeling that people associate with a business. As such, a brand or customer promise is what helps a customer recognise a brand, even without the visual aid of a tangible product, logo or slogan.’ Swartland is a successful third-generation familyowned business that has been operating for over 67 years. In that time, it has undergone many changes, but up until now, it has never had a brand promise.

So why now?

‘Our company is built on world-class manufacturing principles and one of its fundamental pillars

Hans Hanekom from Swartland, a successful third-generation family-owned business.

is to strive for continuous improvement. Over the years, Swartland has never had a customer promise - we have stated what we do as a business, communicated about our products and the company’s expansion into products other than windows and doors,’ explains Hanekom.

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DOORS & WINDOWS Building Systems

Quality products from Swartland.

‘Now, the time has come to move the business into the world of customer promises and set expectations for our customers. This will give the company something to live by, and something that we can be held accountable for.’ The company’s new brand promise – Experience Quality – gives it a clearly distilled statement of purpose to relate to its internal and external community. ‘A brand promise should define your entire business and should enhance every aspect of your company. Swartland’s brand promise, for example, affects every single aspect of the company, both internally and externally. It represents the company’s eternal quest for achieving excellence in everything it does – from where we source our materials, to our manufacturing processes, choosing other products to add to our ranges, distribution and client service. Any time there is an interaction with Swartland, the person should walk away feeling that that was a quality experience,’ says Hanekom.

Creating a brand promise is a complex process

Creating an effective brand promise can be quite a difficult exercise, as you must distil the essence of what the company does, how it does it, and what makes it unique. However, it is an imperative part of any marketing strategy as it is the brand promise that connects your brand with your customers and your employees. ‘By ensuring that you consistently keep your brand promise, you will be able to develop a deep and

lasting positive relationship between your company, its customers and its employees,’ says Hanekom. Now that we know why it is important to develop a brand promise, he goes on to provide an outline of the five building blocks that need to be considered to create an effective brand promise: 1. Short and sweet: A brand promise is not a mission statement – it should not be long-winded, but rather short and catchy, and it should reinforce the essence of what your business stands for. 2. Credibility is essential: Creating a brand promise can be difficult but ensuring that it is consistently reinforced and present throughout every aspect of a business can be challenging. Remember, every time a customer’s experience does not live up to a brand promise, the brand will be weakened. 3. Stand out from the crowd: Don’t blend in with your competitors – discover what makes your company unique and communicate that. This will go beyond mere products and services, to the heart of the company and its employees. 4. Make it memorable: A brand promise should impact every aspect of the business, and to do this, it needs to be memorable enough for all your employees to embrace and enforce it. 5. Motivate and inspire: An effective brand promise will establish an emotional connection by inspiring and motivating people in a positive way. Never promise anything that you can’t guarantee you will be able to deliver. Swartland W www.swartland.co.za volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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QUALITY DOESN’T FEAR TIME. Swartland is a name that’s synonymous with quality. Frankly, we’re obsessed with it. And it’s thanks to this dedication to quality that all Swartland products last so long. Our windows, doors and door frames have stood the test of time since 1951. We’ve applied this same attention to detail and production excellence to our new range of products: cornices, awnings, insulation rolls and manufactured pine products. But quality doesn’t only apply to our products, it’s infused in every facet of our business. Our new customer promise is “Experience Quality” and it’s our commitment to holding ourselves to the highest standard, to ensuring that every interaction and every experience with us, is a quality one – time after time. For more information visit www.swartland.co.za or call us on 086 110 2425

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Building Systems ELECTRICAL

Plug and socket standards evolve Photo courtesy Crabtree South Africa

My Broadband internet news reports that two new standards that extend South Africa’s plug and socket specification are being added to the country’s wiring code.

According to Gianfranco Campetti, the chair of the SC23B mirror committee at the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), a new wiring code should be published by the end of 2019. The term ‘dedicated’ means a plug that can only be inserted into a specific socket. ‘Partiallydedicated’ means a plug that can be inserted into a special socket and a standard socket. An example of partially-dedicated plugs and sockets is ‘red power’, where the top of the earth pin on South Africa’s old large-pronged triangular standard is flattened. Plugs that comply with this standard are coloured red. Prior to the new standards published last year, South Africa had a standard for fully dedicated plugs and sockets. This required that the earth pin be flattened and rotated to one side. Blue plugs are rotated 53° clockwise, while black plugs are rotated 53° counter-clockwise. According to adopted practice, red plugs are safe to use and approved for electronic equipment since the red sockets are connected to a safe (stable) electrical network, independent of the standard power supply. Blue plugs and sockets indicate a connection to an uninterrupted power supply. Black sockets and plugs are for an isolated power supply with a clean earth connection, which may run through a 1:1 isolating transformer. Dedicated and partially-dedicated plugs and sockets in South Africa are based on a currently

widely used standard in SA, where three pins form a triangle.

Applied to new ZA plug standard

As reported in To Build during 2018, South Africa adopted a new international plug standard some years back, and then in 2018 the SABS approved amendments to the wiring code which made a new standard plug, the ZA Plug, mandatory for new installations. Note however that the earlier standard is still regarded as acceptable. The ZA Plug consists of three thin pins – similar in design to the two-prong Europlug that many South Africans have used for many years. Now SANS 164–2–1 and SANS 164–2–2, the two new standards are to be added to the wiring code in 2019, based on the ZA Plug. Plugs that comply with the new partiallydedicated standard, SANS 164–2–1, will be able to plug into ZA Plug sockets. While neither of the two newer standards would be mandatory, they will add to the current dedicated plug and socket system, SANS 164–4, which defines the specifications for red, blue and black plugs and sockets. The new standards also specify 12 dedicated configurations to allow for non-standard circuits, for defined and special applications. SAFEhouse is a local electrical industry association. [Ref: www.safehousesa.co.za]

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Building Systems ELECTRICAL

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Generators: Buy or rent? Photo supplied by Aggreko

An international supplier of temporary power generation equipment shares an opinion with To Build readers on the question of capital equipment rental versus purchase. Capital expenditure on equipment is one of the largest costs involved in setting up projects in any industry. It is often assumed that buying equipment is always more cost-effective than renting, however, hidden costs in purchased equipment mean that that this is not always true. According to experienced rental supplier, Aggreko, many companies choose to purchase generators when they require power for shortterm situations. However, the purchase of generators includes a host of added costs that are not immediately obvious. Spare parts for the equipment need to be purchased and stored, as well as consumable products such as oil. When generators are housed in different locations, logistical problems occur as companies attempt to

ensure that equipment is regularly serviced and that spares and consumables are readily available for all project sites. Refuelling is an additional cost which is often forgotten when the decision is made to buy equipment. In addition, a company purchasing generators must be prepared to hire and train specialised engineers to ensure that the machines are kept in good working order.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;With rental, a company need not be concerned about having the latest equipment.â&#x20AC;?

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ELECTRICAL

Building Systems

equipment, the service, mobilising, demobilising, installation, operation and maintenance is included in the rental rate. This spreads out the cost evenly over the term of the rental.

Get power quicker Services Aggreko provides turn-key service, supplying rental power and cooling at project sites all over South Africa. Its service offering comes complete with not only the equipment but supply chain, logistics, installation, operation and maintenance including the supply of spare parts, consumables and manpower to operate and maintain the plant as well as the fuel management if need be. The company advises that it can cater to a clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s requirements no matter where support is required. With a unique 24/7 callout service on 0861 244 735, Aggreko says it offers a timely and responsive service, whatever the need.

Free up capital

Another one of the major benefits of renting is that it avoids the need for large capital expenditure. When a company chooses to buy, they must pay the full cost of the asset up front or pay a large down payment for the loan out of their operating funds, which can affect available lines of credit and impact cash flow. Renting frees up working capital for more profitable uses without increasing debt ratio. A company can place their capital in more profitable investments and increase their borrowing power with a better ratio of assets to liabilities because rented equipment is not a balance-sheet liability. In some cases, where a project requires equipment according to the revenue generated by that project, having a defined weekly or monthly cost arising from renting (without the need to dispose of an asset afterwards or having to arrange for project funding up front) can be highly attractive. Additionally, when buying equipment, it is not easy to spread the cost to coincide with money coming into the business. Renting offers accurate cost control as the rental payments are fixed and guaranteed for the agreed term and are not subject to the prime interest rate increases. In many cases, the full amount for the

The decision between purchasing a power system or doing power rentals will depend largely upon the urgency of finding a solution to the power problem being faced and the length of time the power solution will be needed for. Renting allows for a quick response as the need for power arises. With minimal documentation, a company can quickly have the equipment they need in operation. If the requirement is for a short to medium term, it is more economical to rent than to buy. In some cases, renting can be the only option, such as in an emergency when there is an immediate need to cater for loss of primary power, for example. In such cases, whether to buy or rent is not the question but how quickly power can be deployed to a site to resume operations is the only consideration.

Mitigate risk and stay up to date with latest technology

In choosing to rent instead of purchase, uncertainties and risks of equipment ownership are transferred to the rental service provider, which allows the customer to concentrate on using the rented equipment as a productive part of their business. With rental, a company need not be concerned about having the latest equipment. The service provider will guarantee the availability by providing the most up-to-date and well-maintained equipment. This allows the customer to concentrate on core business knowing they can rely on the service provider for guaranteed availability. The purchase of equipment means it becomes obsolete as technology improves. Renting allows the acquisition of equipment that is needed today and the ability to use it cost effectively until it no longer meets the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs, and then upgrade without dealing with the outdated and obsolete. The customer has the freedom to change the equipment as and when their business needs change.

Aggreko W www.aggreko.com volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Building Systems FLOORS

Revolutionary non-slip tech Each year an average of 37.3 million people are seriously injured due to trips, slips and falls in both public and domestic environments. According to an international natural stone flooring specialist company, this is best put into perspective by considering that in the UK, the annual calculated cost to the National Health Service to deal with injuries caused by falls is £4.4 billion. As such, architects, interior designers and urban planners are looking at ways in which to prevent this undesirable and expensive occurrence. Several products currently exist to give surfaces more friction - from paints, tapes and coatings, to acid-etched grooving and rubber matting. While initially effective, these solutions are short term and need to be replaced or reapplied on a regular basis, especially in public spaces with heavy footfall. Now the company concerned, Neolith, has announced the launch of a pioneering treatment of slabs with an anti-slip treatment to provide a potential long-term solution to the problem. According to the company, its pioneering, proprietary anti-slip technology, NeolithSlip-NoMore, meets the demands of specifiers looking for a hard-wearing and long-life material to improve public safety and well-being. The new technology is applied to the surface of the material during production, before the sintered stone has been fired, signaling a significant difference to the standard superficial anti-slip

Neolith Phedra Silk, MALBA, Buenos Aires.

finishes available on the market which are applied as a surface finish post-process.

No maintenance

This means the slab’s anti-slip qualities will remain effective during its lifetime with no need for maintenance. Commenting on the innovation, Mar Esteve Cortes, director at Neolith, says: ‘Our research and development team is constantly exploring ways in which we can improve the composition of our surfaces and respond to the evolving requirements of our audience. ‘Specifiers are not only looking for longevity and durability in surfacing materials, but also safe, easy to install products which protect the welfare of the public, whether out and about or in the home environment. Neolith Slip-No-More allows us to offer essential assurance that the slabs they are choosing retain their anti-slip performance qualities without the need for regular maintenance,’ she adds.

Neolith Estatuario Silk, Shopping Mall, Istanbul.

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TO BUILD WOMAN Achiever

Building Systems KITCHENS

Stephanie Forbes.

Ensuring first world quality Photo supplied by Stephanie Forbes

Stephanie Forbes is the national manager of the Kitchen Specialists Association (KSA) in South Africa. The KSA is the only body that exists to regulate the kitchen industry in South Africa and offer consumers recourse from the industry. She is a Wits post-graduate with honours in developmental sociology. During 2018, she completed her certification as a mediator. Stephanie is a lively and very welcome contributor to the pages of To Build, where she polishes the image of her profession by presenting a healthy dialogue of news from the market.

‘When I left university, I started work with SBS Household Appliances which later became Smeg. I became involved with the KSA during my time with Smeg, as they were an active KSA member. When Smeg looked to open a branch in the Western Cape, I transferred to the Cape and with my colleague opened Smeg Cape Town,’ she says. ‘15 years later I changed direction for personal reasons and became involved with the KSA, which wanted to open an office in Cape Town. Hence, they approached me to be the KSA Western Cape regional representative. In 2014, I took up the newly created position of KSA national manager and from then on, the KSA’s national executive Committee and I have worked on building what has become a very successful and dynamic team that I feel adds huge value to the industry,’ she says. The role of national manager requires the coordination of the association’s national strategy to ensure the association remains industry relevant and sustainable value add to its members. Stephanie enjoys the diverse nature of the job, joking that the job keeps her humble. ‘One day you are running a large-scale mediation and the next you are in old clothes scrubbing the floor of the KSA’s Decorex stand. The job allows you to work in so many diverse areas, from sales to marketing, strategic planning and budgeting. I believe the whole KSA team feels the same way – we have all had to learn to do things that other jobs would never have presented us with. The job offers a unique platform to learn multiple disciplines while working with a diverse range of people’, she shares. Indeed, the work of kitchen specialists and suppliers is of such a profile that the quality of the build often determines the value of the home. We asked Stephanie about her experiences in a hard-core industry such as kitchen fitting. ‘As with many sectors in the building industry the kitchen industry is very male-dominated. The whole KSA team is female and we have all faced chauvinism at some point. Sometimes there is a reluctance to accept our expertise and industry knowledge, but I am happy to say this has become less and less over the years. ‘Sadly, we live in a stressful society and this does lead to us facing verbal abuse and sometimes the threat of physical violence when dealing with disputes. We have had to put procedures in place to ensure action can be taken if this occurs,’ she adds.

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KITCHENS Building Systems

Stephanie says that working for a non-profit organization (such as the KSA) brings it daily milestones. ‘Some of the simplest things were achieved through pure slog and hard work because resources are always stretched. The launch of our web site and social media platforms and the development of our Consumer Guide were all huge projects. Getting all the KSA staff certified as mediators registered with the SA Board of Mediators has also been a significant step for the association. Another huge project was ensuring all our information, documentation and procedures are legally compliant and in line with other similar associations worldwide’.

Unregulated industry

Photo by Gareth Griffiths

Being unregulated the kitchen industry faces many challenges. Stephanie shares her reality with us. ‘Foremost are the lack of skilled staff – there is no qualification for a kitchen designer or a kitchen installer in South Africa, unlike the UK and USA. This is something we are working on, but it will be a long haul to get it right. The informal sector also brings challenges to the industry. We are faced with many cases where reputational damage is done to the industry through the actions of unscrupulous players. ‘While we firmly believe in the need for entrepreneurial spirit in the kitchen industry, the lack of regulation means there is no control ensuring these businesses don’t defraud consumers. It is

also difficult to ensure that government regulations like registration with the BIBC, FIBC, Workman’s Compensation, etc, are fairly in place so that all players in the industry are operating off the same base. We also battle with a fundamental disconnect that often exists between a client’s expectations and what they are prepared to pay for. ‘Clients often underestimate the cost of a quality kitchen and expect First-World quality and precision for Third-World pricing’.

Impact of an unregulated industry

Stephanie admits that no other entity is holding operators in the industry accountable for workmanship, service or staff training. Against this backdrop, the KSA appear to be the only body in South Africa making inroads to accountability and ethics within the industry. However, KSA membership is voluntary. ‘Companies that register with us are taking an important stand by volunteering to be held accountable by an objective third party. With the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), consumer recourse without the excessive costs of legal action is vital, and the CPA actually recommends it.’ The KSA encourages all industry professionals to look above the bottom-line of price when appointing a kitchen contractor and to look for the KSA logo. ‘We have worked hard to develop a fair and amicable dispute procedure and to ensure there is real value to appointing a KSA member,’ Stephanie concludes.

TO BUILD WOMAN Achiever

Milestones

“Clients often underestimate the cost of a quality kitchen and expect first-world quality and precision for third-world pricing.”

The Cape Town Decorex KSA Team with Stephanie.

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Building Systems LIGHTING

Milano: Switched on to 2019 Photos by Adam Hoets

Lighting not only shifts to fall in line with the major new directions for homeware, it also updates according to advances in technology and materials. To Build is lucky to have a personal report back from the visit to the famed Milan Design Week, 2019 by a trend-setter professional in lighting in South Africa. Adam Hoets, creative director of chandelier and art lighting company, Willowlamp, says that to stay ahead in the game, he keeps abreast of the constantly changing face of lighting around the world. Here are his insights into a few of the functions and features that will impact the global face of lighting from now into 2020. ‘While there’s always room for variety and uniqueness, you do see certain themes coming up repeatedly,’ he says. Here are some of the standout concepts designers explored through lighting this year.

The Bird Task light.

Au naturel

A pervading theme is the influence of nature on the designs. From fanciful flowers to more obscure references, the natural world serves as inspiration. Nemo has launched a powerful LED task light called Bird, which balances on the edge of a surface. ‘It is for small desks where you don’t want big bases taking up room,’ explains Federico Palazzari, CEO of Nemo. The Madre lamp for Foscarini also captured this whimsical ode to nature with its charming blossom vase concept.

The Madre lamp.

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LIGHTING Building Systems

Less is more

On the flipside, forms have simultaneously become strikingly simple, distilled down to the barest essentials. LED comes into play here, its easy application allowing for more versatile and out-ofthe-box designs. Brands like Artemide showed just how pared back you can go with its La Linea light,

La Linea by Artemide.

Past glass

There is a big return to handblown and crafted glass designs – whether nostalgic and retro (think mid-century inspired spheres) or highly decorative. The Marcel Wanders Adonis collection for Barovier

The Marcel Wanders Adonis collection.

while the Wireline by Formafantasma for Flos is an elegant curvilinear solution, using a combination of hard and soft elements. ‘The lamp plays on the contrast between the industrial feeling of the rubber and the sophistication of glass,’ says Andrea Trimarchi of Formafantasma.

TheWireline by Formafantasma.

& Toso is everything about this move back to craft and a celebration of the ornate rolled into one. Inspired by the Dutch floral tradition, with these forms channeled through Murano glass making, the collection shows a modern interpretation of a traditional technique. Hoet’s own brand, Willowlamp, is one of the first South African lighting brands to have participated in the illustrious biannual Euroluce fair – the world’s preeminent platform for lighting designers to exhibit their work – as part of Milan Design Week. We are thankful that Hoets was there to note a few consistent threads running through the event. volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Building Systems ROOFING

Local authorities key enforcers Photo supplied by the ITC-SA

The Institute for Timber Construction South Africa (ITC-SA), the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) accredited professional body for the engineered timber construction sector in South Africa, has successfully developed an inspectorate process to assist local authorities whose role is pivotal in the enforcement of compliance with the National Building Regulations (NBR). This particularly applies to roofing there the failure of a timber structural beam can lead to catastrophic results.

A non-profit organization whose mandate it is to create and maintain standards in the engineered timber construction industry, the ITC-SA [Ref: www.itc-sa.org ] aims at all times to act in the best interests of public safety and the protection of homeowners’ and developers’ investments. To achieve this, the institute relies heavily on the local authorities to ensure regulations are adhered to. In support of local authorities’ compliance to the National Building Regulations, the institute has successfully developed the “A19 Approved Designers and Inspectorate Process”. According to Amanda Obbes, ITC-SA General Manager: ‘In terms of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act No. 103 of 1977 and the National Building Regulations SANS 10400 (SABS 0400), it is required that an approved competent person (a registered person in terms of

the Engineering Professions Act) must undertake responsibility for the design and inspection of a rationally designed structural system.’ ‘There are far too many roof structures that do not comply with the deemed-to-satisfy rules in the National Building Regulations Part L: Roofs. A rationally designed prefabricated nail-plated roof truss is part of a structural system and therefore the requirements of the regulations must apply,’ she notes. ‘We are aware of the pitfalls in the erection process of structures and it is essential that the roof structures be inspected and signed off by the approved designers, or a registered professional engineer, who, by virtue of their education and training, is competent to do so and has access to the design details and the erection documentation,’ Obbes concludes.

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Building Systems ROOFING & CLADDING

Discovery’s new HQ: A roofing triumph Photos by Megapix Digital and supplied by the project team

Architectural award category winner, the Discovery Health Head Office building in Sandton, contains some amazing roofing and cladding elements that rightly earned it kudos in 2018. The building is readily identifiable by its cantilever floating “nose”, a so-called stunning architectural feature and an engineering marvel which enables the large cantilevered six-storey building to be supported by the massive post-tensioned concrete beams at roof level’, said an award citation.

Large skylight roofs

Since the project consists of three towers with glass façades and large skylight roofs on the two larger towers, extensive steelwork support was required for the facades at roof level and between the three towers. The architects, Boogertman & Partners, responded to two key elements within the brief of the client: 1. To create an architectural statement that captured the essence of the Discovery brand and that it could be identified with going forward. In effect, this meant they wanted the building to reflect their core corporate values. 2. To improve efficiencies in the day-to-day working of the company. From a structural perspective it is, however, the massive dual skylight roofs seen from inside the working space of the building that are clearly the most iconic and interesting structures within the development and encompass an extremely innovative design concept, allowing them to convey a minimal structural expression of open space.

The design called for two large, sun-filled internal atria around which the open floor plates were arranged. The atria are enclosed by 2 800m2 of glazed roof with all pause areas and agile spaces opening into them. Connecting these atria to one another is a central concourse, within which a stack

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ROOFING & CLADDING Building Systems

of escalators links double volume bridges that stitch the floorplates together. The concourse space was conceived as a “grand central station”, a literal and figurative interchange between the company and its clients.

Glass trusses presented a challenge

According to the architects, the major construction challenge presented by the design was to effectively pre-stress the main and secondary trusses (referred to as the “glass trusses”) post installation, ensuring their bottom chords remained in tension under all loading conditions. The pre-stress was achieved by the incorporation of (so-called) light pull-down bars, which were then post-tensioned on the main support trusses after installation using purpose-made tensioning brackets and permanently installed strain gauges to ensure correct tensioning was applied. The glass trusses were post-tensioned using a much simpler nut-turning method on their pull-down bars. The bottom chords on the main support trusses plus pull-down bars are all imported high tensile KINEX Bars from China with aesthetically pleasing end connection clevises and couplers. These glass trusses use normal structural steel round bars throughout. Fabrication of such steelwork had its own challenges, particularly with respect to the main support trusses which are of tubular construction with high tensile KINEX Bar bottom chord members.

The main challenge here was in the design of the truss intersections which involved many hours with the design engineers (Pure Consulting) and careful component fabrication and fit-up in the workshop to achieve the required result.

Rooftop garden

Finally, a pergola and canopy was installed on a portion of the rooftop garden. This section of the roof is usable and also contains a jogging track for staff use. The elements were of high-class fabrication with subtle curves in plan and elevation, assembled and installed on the roof without overhead crane access. According to the awards citation, the attention to detail by the architect on these structures was exemplary and put great pressure on the projects finishing teams.

‘There was no shortcut and every curve and detail was thought of by the professional team in that these were not just secondary structures. We were expected to maintain all the quality and fabrication standards as we had done for the stairs,’ say the engineers.

Project Team Client/Developer: Growthpoint / Zenprop JV Architect: Boogertman & Partners Structural Engineer, skylight: Pure Consulting Structural Engineer, main building: Sotiralis Consulting Engineers Quantity Surveyor: RLB Pentad QS Project Manager: Morta Project Managers Main Contractor: Tiber/WBHO JV Steelwork Contractor: TASS Engineering 2nd Steelwork Contractor: Spiral Engineering 3rd Steelwork Contractor: Nancy Engineering Steelwork Erector: Onpar Steelwork Erection volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Building Systems ROOFING & CLADDING

Photos by TSRW

Franschhoek Estate project.

Lighting the roof Tony Sandell Roof Windows (TSRW), a Cape Town-based manufacturer of roof windows and skylights, positions itself as a proudly South African company with all components being manufactured locally at their Ottery factory. ‘All our frames are made from quality components, from the hardwood timber frames to the roll formed aluminium cladding and stainless-steel hinges and fixings. These units have stood the test of time and have been built to withstand the Cape’s harsh climate,’ says the company’s marketing and sales executive, Jake Vlug. Previously marketed as SOLIS, the TSRW brand has been known to most South African architects and other specifiers over the past two decades. The company is an affiliated member of the South African Skylight Association (SASA) under the AAAMSA organisation. ‘The recent upsurge in green building practices and loft conversion trends has placed the company in the fortunate position of being in the forefront of servicing the residential market,’ adds Vlug.

Benefits of roof windows

By specifying roof windows, a designer or architect may introduce natural light into an otherwise dark area, thus avoiding the use of lighting and saving on electricity. In addition, the windows allow for extra ventilation when needed. ‘You will enjoy the ideal combination of lots of daylight, fresh air and a clear view- creating the perfect environment for your home or office. Who

Roof windows brighten up roof spaces and add to the view.

can ask for more?’ asks Vlug. He further advises that the company has large range of standard sizes and can also make up special units on request. ‘Visit our website to access technical drawings available in Revit & CAD,’ he says.

Aluminium flashings

Vlug tells To Build that the company supplies mechanical aluminium flashings that have been designed for almost every roof type to ensure a watertight maintenance free installation. [Ref: www.tsrw.co.za]

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ADVERTORIAL Mitek Industries

Rational thinking Hennie Viljoen, marketing manager at MiTek Industries South Africa, talks about the required protocol when erecting a roof structure The roof of a building is considered an engineered product. A building is designed to suit the owner and the National Building Regulations (NBR) categorically state that the owner shall, where a rational design is required, appoint a competent, professional person (such as an engineer or architect) to carry out that design. Even if there is no rational design, there must still be an inspection in terms of the NBR. This leads to the definition of a rational design, namely, one that is carried out by a competent person who applies their (rational) mind to provide the solution to the questions posed by that design or, as the NBR state, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;any design involving a process of reasoning and calculation

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and may include any such design based on the use of a code of practice or other relevant technical documentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Every individual job must be subject to engineering approval of sorts. In the case of domestic housing, any structural engineer (not geotechnical, electrical, chemical and so on) can take responsibility for the roof design and act as the competent engineer, provided they are competent by way of training and expertise; that they receive a copy of the design and check it; that they go on site and inspect the completed structure (or send a competent employee); and that they are a registered professional engineer with adequate, current professional indemnity insurance.

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Mitek Industries ADVERTORIAL

MiTek experts offer engineering sign-off service

Several rules related to engineering are relevant to the roofing industry and while some are obvious, others are not. The former is usually governed by SANS 10400 and the NBR. MiTek has several experts on staff and offers the service at extremely competitive rates. Any building to which the public (including employees) has access is considered a public building. These cover all buildings categorised under the NBR Table 1, excluding classification H3 & H4 (domestic dwellings). Any dwelling used as a B&B or boarding house (H5) is also considered a public building. In terms of the required licence agreement between parties, MiTek must be the signing engineer. The owner or builder will always appoint a professional team of experts when dealing with public buildings. This team is typically headed by an architect and includes a quantity surveyor, as well as several specialist engineers (such as geotechnical, civil, structural, fire, electrical and so on). In some cases, the structural engineer will take responsibility for the roof, but only if they first obtain a MiTek certificate for design and manufacturing. When issuing or being required to issue a manufacturing certificate, it’s important to note that it differs from an engineering certificate. MiTek South Africa’s engineering department offers roof-inspection services for new and existing roof structures.

By the book

According to Regulation 11 (2) of the construction legislation (2014), it is imperative that building owners ensure that inspections of that structure are carried out periodically by competent persons to render the structure safe for continued use; that the inspections are carried out at least once every six months for the first two years and annually thereafter; and that the structure is maintained in such a manner that it remains safe for continued use. The NBR deem the owner responsible for the roof structure, regardless of the type of building (house, office, hospital, and so on). In fact, the rule is that where a rational design is used, a professional, competent person must be appointed by the owner to carry out that design. The roof inspection is an important part of the design process and therefore the engineer (or a qualified appointee) must inspect and sign off the complete design. All rationally designed roofs need an inspection by the design engineer or their competent

appointee. Roofs built in accordance with the ‘deemed-to satisfy’ rules of the NBR should be checked for compliance by the architect or owner or building inspector. No engineer is required. Simply put, all roofs need to be inspected. The owner is responsible for payment, either as part of their roof supply invoice or their fees payable to the professional team. The inspection can be conducted by the designer or their qualified appointee, provided the designer is registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa and deemed competent in terms of education and experience. (A registered lift inspector, for example, cannot inspect or sign off a roof, and neither can a registered chemical or electrical engineer.) The inspection is signed off by the engineer (not the appointed inspector) who takes full responsibility for the design and who must, in terms of the ECSA, have professional indemnity insurance. The roof should also be inspected by the fabricator – this saves time and money and it helps train the erector. They should check that the roof is erected in accordance with the design assumptions. This is an ideal situation but does not happen often. Once the fabricator is satisfied the roof is correct, they can notify the engineer to arrange the formal inspection and sign-off. Ultimately, it is the engineer who will sign off the completion certificate and be responsible for the completed roof. Often in the case of public buildings, the system engineer is not the appointed engineer, but by signing off the roof and supplying the fabricator with a certificate, they accept that the appointed engineer will look to them as being responsible should anything go wrong with the roof. For this reason, MiTek certificates always note the inspection date, and note that interference by any on-site traders will cause the certificate to be voided. Managing this is the responsibility of the appointed, overall engineer or of the owner, who retains complete responsibility.

MiTek South Africa T +27 (0)11 237 8700 W www.mitek.co.za volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Building Systems STEEL FABRICATION

Photo by SAISC

House Matthews (2018).

Multi-storey steel frame buildings The demand for multi-storey steel frame buildings globally and in South Africa has been growing substantially and has been gaining in popularity all over the world, says the South African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC). The advantages of steel frame construction are readily apparent in several iconic buildings not only locally but globally. However, even after many years of using this technique, the construction of multistorey steel-frame buildings in new and exciting ways is allowing engineers and architects to really innovate in terms of form and function. This is according to the technical director of the SAISC, Amanuel Gebremeskel, who explains that steel frame buildings are constructed in different forms and configurations – and some even use composite members comprising both steel and concrete. ‘What steel frame buildings have in common is that they are relatively light and fast to build and are also not as wasteful during construction as alternative methods,’ Gebremeskel continues. ‘These factors save on overall costs and make them “green” and popular with developers,’ he adds. Steel frame buildings are now not only found in the traditional markets of the US and UK; but also, in China, India, the Middle East, Central America and even some African countries. ‘South Africa was one of the pioneers of the use of steel frame buildings at the end of the 19th Century. In fact, the Jaggers building in Cape Town was one of the first steel frame buildings in the world (Architect: Antony de Witt, 1892 – Ed). The Johannesburg Post Office, constructed in 1890, is another example of the novel use of steel frame floor systems,’ he points out.

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Several steel frame buildings were constructed in the 20th Century too, including high-rise buildings in the Johannesburg CBD in the 1980s and 1990s. ‘Steel frame buildings are still being constructed, primarily in Johannesburg and Cape Town, notable examples being the Standard Bank, Old Mutual and Steel House buildings, which represent a few of the largest steel frame buildings in Johannesburg,’ Gebremeskel adds.

Modular office building system

‘In addition, the SAISC has developed a novel modular office building system and is presently busy with research and development work to explore the concept further. One of the main challenges with multi-storey buildings has to do with safety during accidental fires, which is a current focus of Institute research,’ he advises.

Safety and fire

In general, engineers are adequately trained to understand how buildings respond structurally to common loads. However, in some instances – such as during flooding, fires or earthquakes – this knowledge may really be put to the test. ‘For this reason, at the SAISC, we continue to train engineers and to develop SABS standards to assist where these knowledge gaps exist,’ he says. Various software programmes are used in the design of steel frame buildings. Spreadsheet and

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STEEL FABRICATION Building Systems

Standards and compliance

Steel frame buildings in South Africa must comply with SANS 10400 for general building regulations and SANS 10160 for loading. The design of the steel components must comply with SANS 10162-1 for structural steel frame buildings; and SANS 10162-2 and SANS 517 for light steel frame buildings. ‘All SANS structural standards meet the requirements of the South African Building regulations,’ Gebremeskel explains. They are continuously updated and integrated with progressive international standards in order to keep abreast of global developments. SANS standards are also frequently used in other countries because they are of high quality. In South Africa, the enforcement of compliance with building regulations is typically carried out by privately employed professionals. Gebremeskel comments: ‘Many of our municipalities may not have the capacity to ensure compliance at this time and this is a major issue which requires special attention going forward.’ Multi-storey buildings must also be able to operate as safe, energy-efficient and comfortable living and working spaces. As such, they need to be constructed to withstand various environmental factors, such as high-speed wind, earthquakes and accidental fires. In this way, the probability of collapse or loss of life due to such hazards is substantially reduced. ‘The development of steel frame building represents a massive advance in global construction techniques. ‘If anyone is contemplating designing or building a steel frame structure, they are welcome to consult the SAISC,’ Gebremeskel concludes. [Ref: www.saisc.co.za]

Photo by Jamie Thom

Photo by Roodebloem Studios

database programmes are typically used by project managers to store and display the construction programme and related finances. Engineers and architects use specialised software to design the building and present a virtual representation using drawing and BIM software. Furthermore, advanced consultants and construction firms may use sophisticated software for marketing, construction and quality control. Meanwhile, construction delays and cost overruns are very common in the construction sector. One of the most exciting recent developments – which assists in counteracting this – involves the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM). ‘This technology lends itself to the construction of multi-storey steel frame buildings because it allows all of the procurement, fabrication and erection to be modelled before the actual construction commences. This can help prevent expensive “surprises” and thus reduce delays and unanticipated costs,’ Gebremeskel comments. A further element which can assist in the reduction of construction delays and costs is the off-site fabrication of modules during building construction. According to Gebremeskel, this helps in at least three ways: Firstly, it is safer to build in the factory at ground level, than it is “at height” on site. Secondly, work done in a factory is typically of much higher quality and easier to inspect, than work done on site. ‘Finally, much time can be saved by integrating services and insulation in modular parts at the factory, when compared to completing this work by employing separate and sequential trades on site,’ he says.

Breakwater Apartments, V&A Waterfront (2015).

Standard Bank South Africa New Offices Rosebank (2013).

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Lightweight Roofing Solutions

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SAFETY & SECURITY Building Systems

Safety clothing and problems for women By VaneSSa ROnald PhOtOS SuPPlied By BBF SaFety gROuP

South Africa is seeing an increase in female workers in industrial environments as the traditional barriers of gender specific roles are being broken down. However, from a personal protective equipment (PPE) perspective, women are still pigeonholed with the expectation that they should wear either male or unisex PPE. There is a fundamental difference in the size and shape between a woman and man’s body, often creating discomfort and even potential risk for women. Furthermore, what many businesses don’t realise is that ill-fitting PPE is impacting the productivity of the female workforce in the workplace.

The hazards

The concept of personal protective equipment (PPE) is to protect the worker from the potential hazards in their working environment. When it comes to

Vanessa Ronald.

safety footwear, the hazards may include slipping, falling objects, corrosive chemicals and solvents, sharp protruding metals and shavings and anti-static charges, to name a few. PPE is supposed to protect a person from these dangers in the workplace.

One size does not fit all

The foot: A typical woman’s foot contours differently to that of a man’s in that the female foot is generally narrower. As such, a women’s size five shoe would need to be shaped differently to that of a man’s size five shoe, ensuring a comfortable and secure fit.

Woman’s conti suit.

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Building Systems SAFETY & SECURITY A man’s shoe may fit a woman’s foot from the toe to the heel, however, it would typically be too wide in breadth. As a result, her foot may oscillate within the shoe. Overtime, the oscillation puts strain on her ankle, which leads to strain on the knee and subsequently strain on her hip. What may begin as minor discomfit may result in injury as the years go by. In the case of women who have narrow heels, the potential of slipping out of the boot becomes a daily risk, thereby counteracting the purpose of wearing safety footwear in the first place. Instead of focusing on the daily task at hand, a woman is being mindful of her ill-fitting footwear, thereby decreasing her productive output. Workwear clothing: In the case of items such as conti-suits, boiler suits and other workers’ outfits, the difference between the shape of a man’s and a woman’s body is more evident. Despite this, there is still a trend to procure men’s workwear or unisex workwear for women. I believe that this is because the consequences and daily struggles of ill-fitting workwear for women are not understood. In the case of trousers, women naturally have wider hips and a more pronounced posterior. As a result, the pattern of the trousers needs to be cut differently to accommodate the difference in shape. Failure to do so can result in the trousers sitting below the belly button section.

“If you are uncomfortable in your clothing, you are not functioning at your best.” For women who have given birth through a caesarean section, there are often complaints that the button places unwanted pressure on the scarring area causing major discomfit. Furthermore, when a woman bends over – a task that is common for those wearing conti-trousers - the trouser waist band typically falls below her hip region, exposing the top half of her posterior. This not only compromises her dignity in front of her colleagues, but often results in her wearing nylon tights under her trousers. The consequences of wearing nylon tights for a prolonged period, especially in the South Africa climate, have been well-documented. The nylon material does not absorb moisture and subsequently the skin remains damp and becomes a breeding ground for fungus and bacteria. Jackets should also be different for woman who generally have a smaller back area, but a more

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pronounced chest area. There are typically two issues that arise when issuing women with men’s conti-jackets. Either, jackets are sourced to fit the waist area, hip length and arm length, causing tightness in the chest area and restricting flexibility and movement and exposing a woman’s mid-drift when raising her arms. Alternatively, the jackets are sourced to fit the pronounced chest area, resulting in a baggy, uncomfortable fit, where the arms and hip length are compromised. Further to this, the female shape varies from one woman to another. Some have a larger chest but smaller hip area, whilst others have an extended hip area but a smaller chest. In other cases, some women have proportional hip to chest areas. As a result, a misconception is that conti-suits for women can be purchased as a set (jackets and trousers together).

Lack of concentration and productivity

The point to be noted when it comes to ill-fitting workwear is that instead of focussing on the job at hand, one’s attention is being diverted through the discomfit. According to industrial psychologist, Uma Naidoo, if one is not comfortable in their attire which they wear for approximately eight hours a day, this could lead to frustration, poor concentration, increased breaks and many other debilitating effects on productivity. She confirms that if you are uncomfortable in your clothing, you are not functioning at your best.

Lack of awareness

Historically, industry was dominated by men. Manufacturers of PPE focused their time and effort producing garments that would suit the contours of a man’s body to improve comfort and increase productivity. With more and more women entering areas once deemed the preserve of men, there needs to be a shift in the way that PPE is procured for the workforce if productivity is to be maximised.

Improving performance

Much research has been spent looking into the ergonomics of a corporate space with proven results. If the same concept is applied to those wearing workwear, we can conclude that the more comfortable a worker is, the better they will perform. Vanessa Ronald is the senior brand manager at Sisi, BBF Safety Group [Ref www.sisi.co.za] that specialise in safety footwear and workwear for women of all sizes.

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CMY

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Materials ADHESIVES

Photos by Den Braven

Den Braven Crystalflex Super Transparent for invisible sealing and bonding.

Aesthetically pleasing jointing As part of its ongoing service to clients, a leading manufacturer of high tech adhesives brings this advertorial to the market. Den Braven Crystalflex Super Transparent is ideal for non-visible horizontal and vertical jointing and adhesion where aesthetics is of the utmost importance, and where varying expansions and movement of substrates is required indoors. Crystalflex Super Transparent is a one-compound, hybrid-based sealant. It is environmentally friendly, free of isocyanates and silicones and meets the Green Building Council of South Africa standards. It also conforms to Indoor Air Emissions A+, EN 15651-1: F-INT and Emicode EC1+ codes and standards. The sealant is neutral, crystal clear and almost odourless. It is also mildew resistant and has excellent resistance to ageing and weathering. It is ideal for use as either a sealant or a supple adhesive between materials with dissimilar thermal coefficients in the building and general-purpose industries, including for use in: • the glass furniture industry (sealing and adhesion) • indoor show cases • bonding of advert boards • sealing of natural stone tops • sealing around glass cubicles and showers • bonding of vivarium and terrariums.

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Den Braven Crystalflex Super Transparent is ideal for use in the signage business.

Crystalflex Super Transparent: • is crystal clear • is an excellent adhesive • allows for movement • can be used on acrylic, concrete, glass, metals, plaster, painted surfaces, enamel, selected plastic, polyester, wood and many more substrates • is odourless and environmentally friendly • is available in cartridges of 290ml • Has a shelf life of 12 months in unopened packaging at temperatures between +5ºC and 25ºC. Den Braven W www.denbraven.co.za

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Do it right… the first time Hybriﬂex-540 Hybriﬂex-540, a convenient one-component, non bubbling, moisture curing, low modulus sealant and adhesive. Free from isocyanates, silicones and solvents. Excellent adhesion to most substrates. Highly resistant to ageing and weathering. Hybriflex-540 is environmentally friendly, low VOC and easy to use. Cartridges of 300ml and 600ml foil packs. Shelf life 12 months in original unopened packaging at temperatures between +5°C and +25°C. Application As a specific sealant for expansion joints between building structures, and around uPVC window frames. For sealing joints (inside and outside) in concrete, natural stone, asbestos, wood, enamelled surfaces, steel and aluminium. For use with Polyethylene Backing Cord.

Fix-O-Chem Fix-O-Chem is a fast curing, single component, low VOC chemical fastener. It is ideal for use instead of plugs or expansion anchors. No pressure build up unlike expansion anchors. Not recommended for continuous water immersion. Temperature resistance of up to +80°C. Cartridges of 300ml Shelf life 9 months in original unopened packaging at temperatures between +5°C and +25°C. Application As a chemical anchor for wire rods and screws in massive and hollow surfaces such as concrete, aerated concrete, brickwork and hollow stones. For solid fastening of window frames, roller blinds, banisters, hinges, etc. in building constructions. Also as a synthetic repair mortar for concrete.

Silicone-NO MF/T Silicone-NO MF/T is a high quality, low VOC, neutral curing fungal resistant, durable and elastic sealant with excellent adhesion on many surfaces (without primer). Has good UV and weather resistance. Silicone-NO complies with international standards. Cartridges of 300ml Shelf life 18 months in original unopened packaging at temperatures between +5°C and +25°C. Application For sealing joints where mildew and odour is undesirable. Suitable as a perimeter and weather sealant. For sealing joints in glazing systems, buildings and general construction industry. Not suitable for use on mirrors or natural stone.

Contact us in JHB: 011 792 3830., CT: 021 552 9674, DBN: 031 579 2375 or sales@ denbraven .co.za • www.denbraven.co.za 18228-To Build.indd 11 Den Braven_fcp.indd

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Materials ADHESIVES

Photos by Sika

New reservoir in Kempton Park.

Kempton Park reservoir A high-performance joint sealing system was used in the development of a new reservoir in Kempton Park, Gauteng, as a means of supplementing the region’s current water supply infrastructure because of a continuous increase in demand. The 25-megalitre reservoir is just one of dozens of reservoirs supplying potable water to the people on the East Rand. Full on-site support was undertaken by Sika technical sales consultant, Juan Roe van Wyk, and the main contractor, WK Construction, was advised on product performance, correct application methods and technical data. The development of the new reservoir was approved by Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and the project scope included considerable work to the walls and columns for both construction and expansion joints, as well as strengthening of the reservoir floor joints. The internal joints of the reservoir also underwent a waterproofing exercise to prevent the unit from leaking. ‘Con-Solve Civils was the sub-contractor and applicator of the company’s Combiflex System, and specified Sika’s acclaimed Sikadur-Combiflex® SG Bandage System to seal the wall and floor joints in the final stages of the project,’ says Van Wyk. ‘This is a high-performance joint sealing system consisting of a flexible polyolefin waterproofing tape and Sikadur® epoxy adhesive, which was Sikadur®-31 DW in this case.’

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‘The Sikadur-Combiflex® SG bandage System is employed primarily in the construction of waterretaining structures and reservoirs. As a highly specialised waterproofing system, it is used for expansion and connection joints, as well as for cracks. When fixed to the joint, it allows for irregular and significant movement in more than one direction, whilst maintaining a high-quality seal. This system is prescribed where the use of conventional sealing techniques is not possible. Additionally, the bandage system was covered with steel plates, which were laser-cut to follow the circular shape of the structure” Van Wyk explains. On-site challenges included time constraints as a result of usual construction related pressures in urban environments. Nonetheless, the installation went smoothly, and the project was completed in September 2018. SIKA W www.zaf.sika.com

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Materials ADHESIVES

Choosing the right grout A professional-looking floor is what contractors and building professionals strive for and the right grout is essential to make ceramic, porcelain, terracotta, stone and glass mosaic floors and coatings look fabulous. First decision: Cementitious or epoxy?

Ntobela Zamaswazi, product manager ceramics for construction chemical company Mapei South Africa, says it is important to understand the different grouting requirements of different surfaces and how the surfaces are used, inside-or outside. ‘One should first differentiate if a cementitious or an epoxy grout is suitable for a specific project,’ she adds. Cementitious grouts are particularly suitable for residential use. They can be used in bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools, external façades, balconies and terraces. Cementitious grouts can also be used commercially in environments as diverse as grouting tiles in supermarkets, restaurants, airports, public and industrial buildings. Epoxy grouts are used when the grout must conform to certain hygienic requirements such as resistance to aggressive chemicals. These grouts have more superior technical characteristics than cementitious grouts. Zamaswazi elaborates on the two cementitious grout products offered by Mapei South Africa: 1. The first is Keracolor FF which is polymermodified with DropEffect® water-repellent technology. Another feature about this range is

that it is available in a variety of different colours developed by the Mapei group working closely with colour specialists internationally. 2. The second is Ultracolor Plus which is a polymermodified, fast-setting and dryable flexible grout with Bioblock technology that protects against mould and mildew. It is also available in various colours and has anti-efflorescence properties for joints from 2mm to 20mm.

Kerapoxy Design being applied to glass mosaics.

Applying Keracolor FF.

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Mapei South Africa W www.mapei.co.za

Photos by Mapei South Africa

To meet more specialist requirements, epoxy grouts are used. The Kerapoxy range has several products available in various colours. One product is Kerapoxy Design which has a decorative finish for grouting glass mosaic, ceramic tiles and stone material with an aesthetic look. It can also be used with Mapeglitter in silver or light gold, which adds a sparkle to metallic and glass tiles! Zamaswazi adds that Kerapoxy CQ, which was recently added to the epoxy family, is a waterbased, two component, bacteriostatic, acid resistant, high-performance grout that is easy to clean.

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THE

SECURE

SAVE

SUSTAIN

STYLE

Y F THE CLA

environment-friendly

CLAYBRICK.ORG

IN D U S T RY

Photograph courtesy of Makana Brick & Algoa Brick

WARM IN WINTER . COOL IN SUMMER Clay bricks are the heart of a safe and healthy family home. Brick masonry homes are low maintenance, naturally quieter and achieve maximum ﬁre ratings.

CUT HEATING & COOLING COSTS Clay Brick is naturally warm in winter and cool in summer

Go to www.claybrick.org to find your nearest clay brick supplier Clay brick is nature’s solar battery. Brick masonry absorbs and stores heat during the Promoting Inclusive Sustainable Practices in the South African Clay Brick Sector day and then releases that warmth when it is needed most – at night. This keeps The Switch Green ThisAfrica project is indoor temperatures comfortable without air-conditioning or heating. co-funded by the Project is co-funded by European Union the European Union Visit www.claybrick.org to find your nearest supplier

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TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER

Materials BRICKS & PAVING

Mariana Lamont, executive director of the Clay Brick Association of South Africa.

A hands-on industry executive PhotoS supplied by the Clay Brick Association of South Africa AND OCON BRICKS

‘Construction and built infrastructure have a huge on both the environment and on our communities; it is our responsibility to ensure that our impact is a beneficial one. I am proud to be able to play a role in the continued and steady improvement in the economic and environmental sustainability of the clay brick sector in South Africa’.

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These are the words of Mariana Lamont, the executive director of the Clay Brick Association of South Africa (CBA). The CBA is a member-based non-profit organisation that supports and builds capacity in the national clay brick supply chain. The association aims to expand knowledge and support for clay brick masonry and to maintain building standards in the use of clay bricks and pavers in construction. It also educates the clay brick industry on the latest energy-efficient, environmentally-sustainable manufacturing technologies. This is a challenging task for a marketing management graduate from the Vaal University of Technology and UNISA, who also happens to be a woman in an essentially male-dominated world. Mariana has a traditional South African back ground. ‘I’m a small-town girl – I was raised with good Christian values in a semi-rural community bordering the Vaal River between Gauteng and the Free State. It was a wonderful place to grow up, where children learned to live close to nature, to respect their elders and to work hard with integrity,’ she explains. ‘I have always found the construction industry to be very rewarding. You are helping people build their dream of a new home, a new business or a new property investment. I held a position with a leading clay stock brick manufacturer as regional sales manager and built a career with them over 14 years. In 2018, I was offered and accepted the position of executive director of the Clay Brick Association of South Africa.’ ‘The construction industry is hands-on, so if you are thinking of entering this sector, expect to get your hands dirty (often literally), learn from the bottom up and listen to advice, especially from artisans!’ she says. ‘Respect people on site as experienced and valued craftsmen and women and they will live up to your expectations. ‘Life is a learning experience and you can’t jump straight to the end. Don’t underestimate the importance of struggle and the discipline you learn by going forward step-by-step,’ she adds. But for Mariana, the work is meaningful: ‘Construction and built infrastructure have a huge impact on both the environment and on our communities; it is our responsibility to ensure that our impact is a beneficial one. I am proud to be able to play a role in the continued and steady improvement in the economic and environmental sustainability of the clay brick sector in South Africa.’

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BRICKS & PAVING Materials

Photo by Ocon Brick

TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER

Ensuring that property owners achieve long life, good value and sustained performance from brick walling.

The CBA website provides free information to aid architects, engineers, developers and property owners on how to maximise thermal comfort and energy-efficiency in the design and construction of residential and commercial buildings. IC

B EO Y F THE CLA

I N D U ST RY

THE

IC B EO Y F THE CLA

‘Clay brick making is particularly exciting right now. It’s a 2 000-year-old skill that has been transformed in the past 20 years as technology evolves,’ says Mariana. The CBA feels very strongly about the quality of housing being built in South Africa, particularly in the area of affordable housing and schools for poorer communities. ‘The motivation for both developers and public sector decision-makers is to minimise costs at any price,’ she declares. ‘The result is inferior building materials, sub-standard building methods and a lack of oversight, with dire and even dangerous consequences,’ she adds. Over the last five years, the CBA’s Energy Efficient Clay Brick Programme has resulted in a 10-15% reduction in the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions. In 2018, the CBA was commissioned to execute a three-year project co-sponsored by the European Union (EU) under the SWITCH Africa Green programme. The Switch Africa Green Project encompasses several integrated industry initiatives to support, promote and implement sustainable development in both the formal and informal sector.

All about bricks and quality

To support its principles of “building for good”, the CBA South Africa undertakes research on security, energy-efficiency, health and safety in social and residential infrastructure. It provides advice to the following boards and committees: • Minerals Council Junior and Emerging Miners Leadership Forum • SABS Building Regulatory Steering Committee • Green Building Council • Southern Africa Energy Efficiency Confederation THE

Life is a learning experience.

for good CK

environment-friendly

I N D U ST RY

Clay Brick Association of South Africa W www.claybrick.org volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Materials BRICKS & PAVERS

Architect-inspired pavers Plant-holed pavers have been launched on the local market by a CMA member company in the Western Cape. Plant holed pavers look like normal flagstone pavers, the only difference being that each paver can carry up to four or more holes. These can be filled with a variety of plant life such as mondo grass, penny royals and cacti, to name a few. Revelstone founder, Andrew Cyprianos, says the rationale for launching the holed paver is twofold. ‘In the first instance, they add an aesthetically pleasing landscaping alternative, enabling a closer and more artistic integration between the paver and its immediate surroundings, be they flower beds, loose stones or lawn. ‘Secondly, besides providing safe and durable stepping stones, holed pavers have introduced an eco-friendly dimension to the landscaped environment by allowing the ingress of water into the ground. This function ties in with Cape Town’s Urban Stormwater Impacts Policy (2009) which aims to minimise the impact of rain water on conventional stormwater drainage.” Cyprianos says he first came across holed pavers at a DIY store in London. ‘Shortly after my return, Jane Baldwin of Jane Baldwin & Associates (Pty) Ltd Architectural Design, asked us if we could produce them. Naturally we agreed because Revelstone’s reputation has always

rested on creating new and innovative products based on our clients’ individual requirements. ‘It took us four months to develop the holed paver. Jane Baldwin was very happy with the result and we now anticipate that the concept will catch on in a big way. ‘We currently offer a one-hole size of 75mm with a new size of 110mm coming soon, and landscape architects can specify the number of holes per paver as well their placement. This gives them great scope for creativity in the layout and design of garden paths and patios,’ adds Cyprianos. Samples of the new holed paving range can be viewed at the new Revelstone showroom in Lansdowne, Cape Town.

Revelstone’s recently introduced plantholed paver.

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Visit our

NEW Showroom

Our customers can enjoy a FREE Truth Coffee

TRADING HOURS: Monday–Thursday 8:30–5 pm Friday 8:30–4 pm Saturday 9–12 pm www.revelstone.co.za

New showroom situated at: Adam House, Orion road, Nerissa Estate, Lansdowne, Cape Town REVELSTONE_fcp.indd 1

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Materials CEMENT & CONCRETE

Photos by AfriSam

Left: By focusing on the beneficial use of slagment, AfriSam significantly reduces its CO2 footprint. Right: Hannes Meyer, AfriSam cementitious executive.

Slagment: Addressing carbon concerns? In this article, a leading producer of high-quality cementitious material argues that it has the products and know-how to support customers seeking to reduce their carbon footprint, while insisting on superior building material. Slag is a by-product of the steel and iron industry. For over half a century, the producer, AfriSam, has made its trade-named “slagment” from ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). The company’s cementitious executive, Hannes Meyer, says: ‘We have used this latent hydraulic binder in an extensive range of concrete applications, including major structures such as dams, bridges and roads. Indeed, it is only very specific and limited applications that today demand our cement without added slag.”

Preventing adverse reactions in concrete and promoting sustainable options

Meyer highlights that the self-cementing properties of slag can double the lifespan of buildings. One of its key benefits is to prevent sulphate attack and alkali-silica reaction in concrete, especially in applications like wastewater treatment plants, or where there is seawater or sulphate-rich soil. ‘However, there is now an added consideration in business today, as companies anticipate the impact of the new carbon tax,’ he says. ‘Slagment assumes a significance here too, as it reduces the amount of clinker in concrete and cutting the energy consumed and carbon emitted in its manufacture. The use of slagment therefore presents not just a

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technical solution but an opportunity to achieve higher environmental standards.’ The company’s dedicated slagment plant in Vanderbijlpark has the capacity to produce over 800 000 tons of slagment a year, along with over 200 000 tons of blended cementitious products. Slag sourced from the iron and steel industry is milled at the plant to a fine consistency before blending. ‘As part of AfriSam’s sustainability journey, we have implemented various strategies in response to the energy-intensity of the cement manufacturing process,’ says Meyer. ‘Slagment remains a vital part of this journey and we continue to develop innovative ways of extending its benefits to customers.’

On-site benefits

Another important capability of slagment is to reduce the thermal heat gradient generated when pouring concrete. This reduces the likelihood of micro-cracking, which may weaken the structure’s strength. Slagment can also alter the colour of concrete to near-white by replacing 50 to 70% of the concrete, giving the concrete a better appearance. In addition, it produces a smoother, more defect-free surface.

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Materials CEMENT & CONCRETE

Laboratory audits for quarries

In future, quarries belonging to ASPASA will have an option to participate in an annual audit designed to measure compliance of testing facilities, including their apparatus calibration and personnel competence against an abridged ISO 17025 format, to assist in ensuring the correct classification of products. Over time, as their systems improve, they can opt to obtain accreditation through South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) for ISO/IEC 17025 - General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. According to Barry Pearce, chairman of ASPASA’s technical committee, the audits compliment the association’s well-established environmental, as well as health and safety audit systems, which have contributed to the association’s recognition internationally as a leader in these fields.

Following procedures

‘The idea is to help ASPASA’s members to produce better graded products that are tested consistently to meet the specifications of their clients as well as national standards, where required. It entails the inspection of the laboratory, including the testing apparatus and the verification of procedures,’ he explains. ‘The audits will be simple but thorough and will leave the quarry in no doubt as to what is required. With this in place, producers can confidently supply their products without fear of material rejections in future, provided that the necessary procedures are followed. ‘It will also be tailored to the requirements of individual quarries which may range in size from a small family-owned quarry to large multi-national concerns producing aggregates and crushed

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Barry Pearce, chairman of ASPASA’s technical committee and a technical assessor with SANAS.

Photo by ASPASA

Increasing requirements for certified quality aggregates has led industry association, ASPASA, to introduce its own guidelines and auditing systems to ensure testing of aggregates and crushed granular materials is done in adherence to South African National Standards (SANS) 3001 AG and GR series test methods.

granular material for multiple uses in different markets,’ Pearce adds.

Cost effective

Any quarry can afford to have in-house laboratories. For the cost of a set of sieves, a flakiness gauge plate, some scales, a drying oven and containers, any quarry can set up the required tests to meet ISO 17025 requirements. Management systems can then be introduced at varying levels of detail depending on quarry’s requirements. Pearce concludes that the construction and civils industry has long been working towards a more accurate system of materials procurement and the new ASPASA audits will go a long way to meeting and exceeding these industries requirements, as well as improving the image of ASPASA and its members. The introduction of the technical audits is expected to reduce the rate of material rejection once delivered to site, which is expected to easily offset the cost of compliance. Pearce adds that the association would also look at participating in the National Laboratory Association – South Africa (NLA-SA) National Proficiency Testing Scheme (PTS) to assist in comparing results between the commercial facilities and ASPASA members to further reduce the disparities in the results and material rejections once the material has been delivered to site. ASPASA W www.aspasa.co.za

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Materials COATINGS & PAINT

Golden yellow beats winter chills Put a big smile on your face this winter with joyful, happy-go-lucky yellow, says a major paint manufacturer. Being in the middle of winter of different hues across the length and breadth of our land, this is heartening advice for all who seek the sunshine. Despite the short days and cold spaces, you can’t really go wrong with the colour of the sun indoors, so Plascon has offered some suggestions about beating the climate blues. Here they are. The company’s head of decorative marketing, Katlego Kondlo, says: ‘Yellow has the power to brighten a dark space and warm up a cool room. It can be overpowering, so be sure to use it in small doses for maximum effect.’ ‘Our sumptuous golden yellow Beeswax Candle, is part of the 2019 Colour Forecast Luxury colour story and offers an autumnal hue reminiscent of the mid-century period. Used in just the right amount, it’s perfect for a sunny, grown up interior,’ Kondlo adds.

Black Bean and autumnal Beeswax Candle – a refined colour clash in traditional schemes.

Plascon’s Luxury colours are rich and sophisticated, featuring grounded natural colours like aubergine, amber, tomato red and pistachio green. It’s also the home of Ravine, Plascon’s versatile neutral of the year. ‘This palette is perfect for lavish interiors. Comfort and sophistication work hand-in-hand to create calm refuges from your busy day and there’s more than one way to achieve this look,’ says Kondlo. In addition, this yellow works well with contrasting colours. For example, using Black Bean and Beeswax Candle, or keeping it grounded with deep purple Dark Antelope.

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‘This is perfect for the cooler months,’ says Kondlo.

Dramatic Burnt Horizon and gilded Beeswax Candle with red as the core colour.

For an upbeat style, try combining the colour with dramatic reds and blues. ‘Get an understated, sophisticated look by combining it with the clean, uncluttered lines of mid-century furniture and design. Use an indoor paint that gives a durable, hard wearing, luxurious finish,’ adds Kondlo. Finally, Kondlo suggests “going masculine” by using “brooding colours” such as Black Bean and enlivening with primary blue Winter Storm, Ravine and the smallest doses of Beeswax Candle. Primary blue ( Winter Storm) juxtaposed with textural dark and metallic accessories balance masculine authenticity.

The optimism and cheerfulness that yellow produces in your home is just golden and the supplier’s Beeswax Candle brings this look along with a unique sense of luxury and style.

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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METALS Materials

A beautiful copper finish in a restaurant.

Copper in architecture & interior design Photos supplied by the CDAA

Whether you are involved in a new build, adding space to an existing property or simply refreshing a property’s appearance, copper and copper alloys, the most ancient of metals, can give you cutting-edge performance, individuality and colour. So says Levine Warries, centre director of the Copper Development Association Africa (CDAA). Concerning copper

The usual grade of copper used for engineering, architectural and plumbing applications is phosphorus-deoxidised copper. It has a minimum copper content of 99.9% with a small addition of phosphorus, which allows this grade of copper to be welded and brazed. Its thermal conductivity, corrosion, heat and UV light resistance, ease of joining, high ductility, malleability, toughness and 100% recyclability (two-thirds of the copper ever mined is still in use today) make copper the standard material for these applications. Electrical grade copper also has a greater than 99.9% copper content and is readily available in many forms. ‘Copper is one of very few metals that has a particular colour, meaning it is not simply silver-grey.

Bright copper is reddish-pink, whilst oxidised copper is dark brown. Additionally when exposed to the elements, copper undergoes a change in colour, known as patination, transitioning from a reddishpink to a blue-green,’ Warries explains.

Copper alloys

‘No metal is more suited to alloying than copper, a practice dating back to the beginning of civilisation, but still very much in use in many modern-day applications. Formed by mixing various compositions of metals in the molten state, alloys are used to expand properties for specific end uses. Alloys of copper give designers and architects further choices in terms of application and colour,’ adds Warries. volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Materials METALS

Brasses are alloys of copper and zinc, and have a variety of attractive colours, ranging from red and yellow, to gold and silver. With the addition of 1% manganese, brass will patinate to a chocolatebrown colour. Nickel silvers may be considered special brasses, and although they contain no silver content, they resemble silver in appearance. Tin and phosphor bronzes are reddish-brown in colour whilst aluminium bronzes have an attractive golden colour, which will darken slightly over time. Depending on the copper content of copper-nickels, the colour of these alloys ranges from slightly pink-silver, to silver in colour, resembling the appearance of stainless steel. With over 450 approved alloys to choose from, offering a wide range of properties and attributes, it is easy to select an appropriate alloy for the application and fabrication route required. In fact, there will usually be several that meet particular design and architectural requirements. Today, copper and copper alloys are available in sheets, meshes and expanded metal, which give an air of transparency.

Copper in the home

‘The majority of us take for granted the lighting, heating, communications, running water, domestic appliances and entertainment systems in today’s homes. All of these are reliant on copper components. In addition, copper and brass are widely used in both utility and decorative items such as cookware, door fittings and furniture. Copper also supports renewable energy and plays an essential role in the solar thermal heating and cooling systems, wind turbines and photovoltaic panels that are increasingly incorporated into 21st century homes,’ Warries explains. Copper plumbing systems ensure the long lasting trouble-free and safe delivery of water for drinking, washing and heating. They are used in buildings of all types, from hotels and offices, to private houses and apartments. These buildings also remain secure thanks to locks and keys made from copper alloy components that ensure reliability, strength and freedom from corrosion. Its excellent durability means that a copper component can often outlive the product or application of which it is a part. In buildings, copper cladding, a copper roof or copper guttering and downpipes can last for hundreds of years. Over time, copper used in outdoor applications will weather, oxidise, and take on its familiar green patina. Manufacturers also now have factory

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methods that can apply oxidised or patinated surfaces straight away. Science has demonstrated the naturally antimicrobial properties of copper in the fight against potentially life threatening infections. Bacteria and viruses, including those from the influenza family such as H5N1 (bird flu) and H1N1 (swine flu), are rapidly inactivated on contact with copper. This inherent property has seen the use of antimicrobial copper surfaces dramatically increase in hospitals and food preparation areas. Copper piping also helps limit the spread of Legionnaires ’ disease, as well as combating gastro-intestinal infections by reducing the risk of water being contaminated by the Escherichia coli or Listeria bacteria.

The future – breathable buildings?

With its pores and sweat glands, human skin might be one of world’s best natural air conditioners. Biologist turned architect, Doris Kim Sung, proposed in an October 2018 TED talk, that building skins should be more similar to human skin. Considering that 30 to 40% of all primary energy consumed worldwide goes toward heating and cooling buildings, Sung’s sustainable design concept could be a more passive method for ventilating buildings. The material she has in mind is a thermobimetal strip — two thin pieces of copper and steel sandwiched together. These two metals expand and contract when heated and cooled. When it is hot the metal bends one way, conversely when it is cold, it bends the other. This means that when direct sunlight hits the bimetal strips, they would bend inwards and close together to shade the building, then when the building gets too hot, the metal could bend in such way that opens up “pores” to release heat. ‘It is unlikely that we will get to the point where we can truly be rid of air conditioning, especially in certain parts of the world, but this application would reduce the amount of air conditioning or heating used just by making buildings more cleverly designed,’ concludes Warries.

Copper Development Association Africa W www.copperalliance.org.za

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Tecron Water Heating ADVERTORIAL

Copper is top choice for hot water cylinders Tecron Water Heating (Pty) Ltd was established in 1997 in Cape Town. The company was born from the firm belief in the efficiency of copper hot water cylinders. Copper remains the global material of choice for the manufacturing of hot water cylinders because it has proven its durability and reliability over decades. Because copper is naturally corrosion- resistant and is used in its natural form for the manufacturing of electric, as well as solar electric water heaters, these geysers are known to have the longest lifespan and can outlive their alternative rivals by up to five times their lifespan. Tecron offers a 7-year guarantee against faulty workmanship and materials on all their geysers. Standard SABS-approved thermostats and elements are used in all their geysers, all locally manufactured. Tecronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s range of geysers include 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250-litre standard geysers, as well as 15-litre under basin units and 25-litre horizontal square geysers, with pressure ratings from gravity fed up to 400kpa. Tecron Water Heating can also design and supply bulk storage hot water systems in accordance with customer requirements and specifications. Storage volumes from 450 litres to 30 000 litres can be supplied, as well as in-line heaters and a complete range of industrial water heater heating spares. Because copper is naturally corrosion resistant, these geysers do not require periodic servicing, such as anode replacements, which makes them more cost-effective over a long period of time. Copper is an environmentally-friendly metal, does not deteriorate and has the highest recycling rate of any engineering metal in the world.

Copper is biostatic, preventing bacterial growth

The real benefit, however, for the modern consumer is that copper is naturally biostatic so it prevents bacterial growth on its surface, in turn leading to a far lesser chance of bacterial infection of the general system. Tests show that after seven days of immersion in water, 80% of stainless steel and 90% of plastics were coated in a biofilm where bacteria had begun to form â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is not the case with copper. Copper has the natural ability to inhibit the growth of 99.9% of bacteria such as Legionella, MRSA and Ecoli which ensures a copper-based system is inherently safer for the well-being of the consumer. Dr Bill Keevil at the Centre for Applied Microbiology & Research (CAMR) recently found that while it took 34 days for ecoli0157 to die on stainless steel and four days on brass, it took just four hours for the same bacteria to die on copper.

Tecron Water Heating (Pty) Ltd T +27 (0)21 5350137 W www.tecron.co.za volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Materials INSULATION

TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER

Lisa is currently a partner and executive director of Green Building Design Group (GreenBDG). She and her business partner founded the company to bridge gaps in the green economy. She is also the president of the SAEEC (Southern African Association of Energy Efficiency Confederation), a role she has held since 2016.

Early days and journey

Lisa Reynolds.

A lifetime of efficiency Photo by GreenBDG

In the energy efficiency and insulation sector, we proudly bring you Lisa Reynolds, a leading advocate of energy efficiency (EE).

South Africa is currently in the process of developing the energy efficiency and energy conservation sector. 128

‘I started off my career as a polymer chemist and my jobs ranged from R&D chemist to production manager until I finally got into sales. This (ultimately) led to my journey into advocacy’. ‘I started on my advocacy journey in 2004 when I was tasked to get energy efficiency for buildings regulated, serving as facilitator for the SABS Working Group for more than a decade to draft Energy Efficiency Standards For Buildings. During that journey, I became involved in green building and sustainable development. Unlike Europe, the US and Australia, South Africa had no energy efficiency regulations for buildings. I enjoyed starting something new and the sense of growing the construction industry around this newness. South Africa is currently in the process of developing the energy efficiency and energy conservation sector,’ Lisa explains. Lisa tells us that she recognised a while ago that there was a gap between all the policies and regulations and their implementation. There was a need to bridge this gap and assist in the rollout and implementation of these policies and regulations. This is now taking the form of capacity building within both the public and the private sector. She also works on water efficiency and water conservation. ‘It is still at a new level, but with lots of learnings from the energy efficiency lessons. To assist with this, I am on the path to receiving my Certified Water Efficiency Professional Certification,’ she adds. Her biggest milestone to date was when the National Building Regulation for Energy Efficiency in Buildings was promulgated late in 2011. After that, she became president of the SAEEC and in the same year received the Ian Lane Hall of Fame Award for the work she had done in EE. ‘That recognition from my peers was a great honour for me. However, saying that, I feel honoured in having received all my awards’. Lisa enjoys travelling both nationally and internationally. Her special love is to go to the bush and see wildlife. She is also an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction.

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INSULATION Materials

TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER

Every stage of my voyage in the energy efficiency and sustainability space has a new dynamic and brings new challenges. At times, this voyage does feel like it is an uphill one. Even with that, I would not swap it for anything.

Lisa is also on the board of the Thermal Insulation Products and Systems Association SA (TIPSASA). As president of the SAEEC, I suggested the SAEEC as a multidisciplinary, autonomous “home” for the newly formed TIPSASA. Being an independent division of the SAEEC has expanded the members’ interaction with the industrial and building side of energy efficiency, as well as exposing them to other government energy efficiency initiatives.’ ‘Every stage of my voyage in the energy efficiency and sustainability space has a new dynamic and brings new challenges. At times, this voyage does feel like it is an uphill one. Even with that, I would not swap it for anything.’

About being a woman professional

Lisa shares that being a woman in this “male dominated” industry was more difficult when she was younger. ‘In the late 90s and early 2000s I was regularly asked what I was hoping to contribute and what I was trying to prove. With perseverance and following my passion to make a difference environmentally, I am no longer asked these questions. I helped start an interest group within SAEEC for women - SAFEE (Southern African Females in Energy Efficiency). I believe strongly that the sustainability space is ideally suited for women and I have given a few (hopefully encouraging) talks to women regarding them marking their place in this sector,’ she adds.

Water, water everywhere?

Lisa is assisting in the drafting of water efficiency standards and would like to see these regulated and published before water shortages hit more of the country. ‘At GreenBDG, we are helping our clients to implement regulatory and voluntary sustainability needs. As I commented, we are also running capacity-building workshops covering a variety of energy efficiency and sustainability topics. Through all of these efforts, I would like to see the concept of “green jobs” become a reality. Green jobs are part of the implementation gap that I mentioned previously, and this must be tackled proactively to become a sustainable part of the sustainability industry,’ she says.

I would like to see the concept of “green jobs” become a reality. Green jobs are part of the implementation gap and this must be tackled proactively to become a sustainable part of the sustainability industry.

GreenBDG W www.greenbdg.co.za SAEEC W www.saeeconfed.org.za TIPSASA W www.tipsasa.co.za volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Materials TIMBER & DECKING

SAQA accreditation renewed The Institute for Timber Construction South Africa (ITC-SA), South Africa’s watchdog for the engineered timber construction sector, recently received renewed recognition from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as a professional body.

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and to regulate the professional conduct of its members. Where prima facie evidence confirms professional misconduct, to protect the consumer and the reputation of the industry, the ITC-SA shall apply proper sanctions,’ says the institute’s general manager, Amanda Obbes.

This highly attractive wooden bridge walkway was crafted by Cape Town based Contour Decks [ Ref: www.contourdecks.co.za ] for the Battery Park development at the V&A Waterfront, where precision and adherence to professional standards is of the highest priority.

Photo by Robin Schultz

As a prominent custodian of the timber construction industry in South Africa, the ITC-SA is empowered through its ongoing SAQA accreditation, to contribute to a healthier construction industry, support the consumer in their liaisons with the professional trade and hold its membership to a high standard [Ref: www.itc-sa.org]. According to the institute, the ITC-SA is proud to have again received recognition from SAQA as a professional body. This recognition also extends to several professional designations under its purview, including Certified Roof Erector, Certified Roof Inspector, Certified Roof Fabricator, Accredited Timber Engineer, Certified Roof Structure System Software Developer, Certified Timber Frame Builder and Certified Timber Roof Truss Designer. The ITC-SA has maintained its accreditation with the SAQA since 2013 and in this capacity must comply with all the requirements as set out in the National Qualifications Framework Act (NQF Act 67 of 2008) as amended. As such, the ITC-SA is bound to regulate and monitor its members’ individual profiles and performance with regards to training undertaken and completed for professional recognition. This training is set according the ITCSA’s criteria and approved by SAQA and is crucial for the promotion and monitoring of continuous professional development (CPD) for members to meet the relevant professional designation requirements. The ITC-SA is a South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) accredited professional body with a professional membership and therefore has to comply with the requirements as set out in the National Qualifications Framework Act (NQF Act 67 of 2008 – as amended). The ITC-SA is also a Category B Recognised Voluntary Association in terms of the Engineering Profession Act, 2000 (Act 46 of 2000). ‘The ITC-SA is there to ensure consumer protection in the use of timber engineered products in contracts entered into with its membership volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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SERVICES FURNITURE

First task chair with automatic tilt Photos by Herman Miller

An exciting Berlin-designed office chair offers an automatic tilt for those who are so reclined … Designed by Berlin-based Studio 7.5, Cosm is Herman Miller’s first task chair with an automatic tilt. It also has the industry’s first suspension armrest. Initially revealed in Milan during Salone Del Mobile 2018, the chair will be available for order worldwide later in the year. To experience Cosm is, as Studio 7.5 says, to forget gravity. And now people can have that comfort and support no matter how many settings they sit in throughout the day. As more organisations move toward shared workplaces and work points, and people enjoy the freedom to choose the setting based on the work they need to do, one thing hasn’t changed: the need for ergonomic support. Cosm offers exactly this consistency, providing unparalleled comfort and performance, making it not only great for individuals, but also the ultimate shared chair. Cosm rapidly adjusts to whomever is sitting in it using its hidden “engine”, the Auto-Harmonic Tilt™ - a culmination of two decades of design research and engineering that further deepened Herman Miller’s understanding of how people sit and work.

Auto-Harmonic TiltTM

Hidden in Cosm’s gearbox beneath the seat is the technology that gives the feeling of balance and comfort. The Auto-Harmonic Tilt instantly and automatically provides continuous support and fluid movement corresponding to the person’s body, posture and seated position. Other chairs on the market with automatic tilts achieve this simplicity by compromising the experience, relying on systems that cause the body to follow the tilt mechanism, rather than the tilt following the body. Cosm’s Auto-Harmonic Tilt can understand how

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Revolutionary new German-designed auto tilt chair.

much tension to provide based on the downward force exerted by the person and it provides the same experience for everyone, regardless of body type or seated position.

Iterations until perfect?

Perfecting the tilt mechanism to give users the seamless experience Studio 7.5 was aiming for involved years of building and testing full-scale prototypes, say the manufacturers. Studio 7.5’s iterative process was like that of famed Herman Miller designers, Charles and Ray Eames, with a contemporary twist. Studio 7.5 built and tested prototypes in-house using a new 3D-printing technology blending aluminium dust and resin to create mechanically sound components. After countless iterations of 3D printed prototypes, along with hand sculpting, tweaking, and testing, Studio 7.5 arrived at Cosm’s final form. The frame and fabric suspension work in tandem with the Auto-Harmonic Tilt. Even the continuous suspension material forms to each person’s unique contours, delivering dynamic, uninterrupted support, say the manufacturers. And the “dippedin-colour” aesthetic is unlike any other office chair. Achieving a precise colour match on the metals, plastics and fabrics that comprise the product was a technical challenge that required a great deal of colour engineering. The result? Six shades - three new saturated hues and three classic Herman Miller neutrals.

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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STRIVE Grey Elasticated Fabric Flexi Nylon Arms

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SERVICES GROUND ENGINEERING

Case history: Cornwall Hill College Photos by Tony Pappalardo

At the suggestion of the consulting engineer called to investigate settlement issues experienced at Cornwall Hill College in Irene, a local expert in ground engineering systems was tasked to provide a non-intrusive and non-destructive solution that would prevent further subsidence and provide support to the foundations without impacting the immediate surrounding area. Four corners of four separate school buildings were identified by non-disruptive ground engineering experts, Uretek, to have experienced subsidence. Cracks were visible in the face brickwork of the walls of the single-storey buildings.

The cracks in some of the walls were completely closed during the injection process and a 4mm lift was recorded by the laser level and receiver.

The problem caused by ground subsidence.

Cause of the problem and the solution

It was suspected that the proximity of the sewer lines and water mains were the contributing factors to the subsidence problem. Using dedicated mobile truck workshops parked in the designated parking areas, the Uretek technicians were able to reach the four corners of the different buildings located approximately 100m from the mobile workshop and inject the foundations.

Mobile truck workshop.

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Above: Recording foundation lift using laser. Above right: Foundations once again stabilised. Cracks have settled. See relative movement of the bricks.

The problem was solved very quickly using this legendary urethane-based injection product. To be precise, work on all four corners commenced at 09:00 and was completed by 12:00. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Uretek provided a fast and efficient solution that caused no disruption and no damage to the existing paved surfaces next to the buildings,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; says Tony Pappalardo of Uretek.

Uretek Geo-Systems (SA) (Pty) Ltd W www.uretek.co.za

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Ground Engineering Before

After

Before

After

URETEK Geo-Systems (SA) (Pty) Ltd specializes in industrial, commercial and residential applications as well as the rehabilitation of roads and highways through advanced technology characterized by superior chemistry, inventive technique, and extensive experience. URETEK Deep Injection patented technology employs high density expanding structural polymers to stabilize soils at depth and increase their bearing capacity. Once the soils at depth are addressed, then the foundations, Foor slabs or road pavements are realigned or raised as needed. Most importantly, URETEK Slab Lifting Method returns your road pavement sytems and concrete foor slabs to their original design with a stronger subbase and improved soil structure. Regardless of whether your problem is routine or complex, URETEK can draw from extensive resources to develop the best solutions for your needs. URETEK loves a challenge and an opportunity to be innovative. URETEK info@uretek.co.za 011 011238 2387154 7154 www.uretek.co.za www.uretek.co.za info@uretek.co.za

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SERVICES PLUMBING & RETICULATION

Leaking pipes cured During the lifetime of a building there will come a time when essential services piping presents problems. The answer lies in a repair, say the experts.

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pipe. It is carefully positioned to cover the problem. The bladder inside the liner is then inflated, pushing the epoxy saturated liner against the interior surface of the pipe walls. The bladder is left inflated until the epoxy has cured, then removed to leave behind a completely relined pipe. Wade says that a great example of this is where the company was called to repair two 210mm steel chiller pipes which were leaking into the Southern Sun Elangeni and Maharani hotel. One pipe carries water from a pump room in the basement to the top of the 120m high building and the second pipe carries water back down to the pump room, passing through the floor slabs on all 36 floors of the building. They were decommissioned owing to leaks. During repairs, they were re-lined from top to bottom using Nu Flow’s structural lining technology to create a new pipe within the host pipe. [Ref: www.nuflow.co.za]

Photo by Nu Flow

Traditionally leaking pipes were replaced, often resulting in down time for facilities as well as damage to structures, noise and mess. Pipe-lining experts, Nu Flow, offer a solution to this nightmare by way of an in situ process which avoids major reconstructive work and facility downtime. This is particularly relevant to the hospitality trade where time literally costs money. According to David Wade of Nu Flow, the pipe relining process can be broken down into 3 main stages: CCTV pipe inspection; pipe cleaning; and pipe relining CCTV pipe inspection cameras are used throughout the entire pipe relining process. ‘This provides our technician with eyes in the pipe. Without it, the process could not be done properly. We use a pipe inspection camera to diagnose the pipe problems prior to cleaning; and afterwards in preparation for relining, to ensure the pipe is thoroughly cleaned. Finally, the camera is used for the post-lining survey to check that the lining has been successful, prior to the job being signed off.’ Pipe cleaning beyond normal standards is an essential part of the process. If a pipe is not properly cleaned the liner will not bond to the host pipe and will allow fluid between the liner and host pipe. ‘Pipe relining assumes the shape of the host pipe so scale build-up, dirt inside the pipe or bumps not removed will be lined over, leaving those abnormalities in the pipe’s profile forever. We therefore insist that pipe cleaning be part and parcel of our contract with the client and not provided by another party prior to our coming on site. Our method not only unblocks the pipe but returns the inner surface to bare metal, especially in cases of cast iron pipes with scale build-up,’ Wade explains. During pipe relining, a roll of liner is cut to the correct length, prepared for installation, impregnated with Nu Flow’s two-part 100% solid epoxy resin and pushed and pulled through the

Elangeni and Maharani project.

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TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER

SERVICES PLUMBING & RETICULATION

Caryn Korner.

She is a complete “industrial” water baby, having started her after-school career at ISCA at the age of 18 and has been in the trade since then. She developed her career at ISCA and decided to leave the firm after 25 years. Vortex and BluTide tapware became her new baby. The Vortex company was formed with Brett Solomon as CEO and was later joined by Jason Wolff as sales director. Caryn represents the business as contract and marketing director. Together the three make a formidable team. In her own words: ‘I just love the industry – dealing with so many kinds of people from developers to plumbers, architects, interior designers and anyone who would like to buy taps’. On a personal level, Caryn and her family love travel – local travel - and she cites two destinations as her current favourites – White River and the south coast of KZN. ‘We all seem to focus on overseas trips, but we have so many beautiful places on our doorstep and the bonus is we don’t have to worry about the exchange rate’, she adds.

A well-knit community

Water provides the balance Photos by Vortex Sanitaryware

Caryn Korner is co-director along with two other partners at Vortex Sanitaryware, manufacturing marketing products under three established names in South Africa that include taps and plumbing fittings.

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‘Many of the people I deal with I have known for years and it’s great because doing my job is like visiting family and friends more often than not. I love the excitement of projects going up; seeing them from planning stage to a whole development that just mushrooms into the most beautiful housing estates or office blocks – it’s still amazing to see and awesome to be a part of’.

Personal achievements

Caryn shares with To Build that perhaps her greatest achievement is to be a working mom with two welladjusted, happy children. ‘They understand that a healthy work ethic is important to be able to achieve your dreams. My husband and I are both hard workers and we take pride in our jobs,’ she adds.

I don’t believe I as a woman have had any major issues or challenges in the marketplace.

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PLUMBING & RETICULATION

SERVICES

As a female executive in a hard business world Caryn says as an achiever: ‘I don’t believe as a woman, I have had any major issues or challenges in the marketplace. ‘I think we all have challenges at some point in our careers but we’re tough (enough) and have no option but to overcome them. ‘The only thing I can think of is there have, on occasion, been situations where I was not taken seriously enough because I am a woman in a “man’s” industry, However, there have also been times where customers have been more lenient or more understanding towards me because I am a woman – so you have to take the good with the bad, I suppose’, she suggests. ‘One of the biggest challenges in the market now is the environment. Due to SA’s economic pressures the market has shrunk and this in turn has made the market a lot more competitive. Consumers also have less disposable income, and many are looking for the cheapest possible solution. Unfortunately, this allows cheaper products of lesser quality into the

market and often products which do not comply with building regulations. Our challenge is to continue to sell the best quality and priced products.’

TO BUILD WOMAN ACHIEVER

‘However, the business achievements that make me proud are seeing the people we employ who were once jobless, hard at work and putting in the extra effort and working as a team to get the job done. ‘The economy is not great now, with many people losing their jobs. Fortunately, the staff we have on board all seem to be on the same page; working towards our long-term goals to make Vortex and the three brands we have become a household name’.

Great future, great team

‘I believe the future is great! If we focus on what we would like to achieve, we will succeed. We have an amazing team of people and some innovative and beautiful brands for South Africa. Our commitment to service excellence is not negotiable and we are proud to be part of an ever growing, ever changing South Africa’. And the same viewpoint is held by her male business partners, it seems: ‘Although Vortex sanitaryware is somewhat new to the market, the Vortex team together have over 50-years’ experience in the market. Brett Solomon, Jason Wolff and I have been working together for the better part of 18 years, so we are not new to the industry by any means. We all have the drive and passion and are excited to be involved in this venture that is scary and amazing at the same time. Your readers will be pleased to know that Vortex Sanitaryware is here to stay and ready to rise to the challenges that life throws our way,’ she adds. To Build was proud to have this energetic young company as our cover advertiser in March.

Vortex Sanitaryware (Pty) Ltd W www.vortex-za.com volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Green Building OPINION

Step up in the fight By Terry Billson

In this article, Terry Billson, the CEO of Genergy, argues that business leaders need to step up in the fight to save our planet.

The need for action is now. According to the WWF, we are the first generation to know we are destroying our planet and the last one that can do anything about it. HRH the Prince of Wales, in his role as founder and patron of Business in the Community, asked business leaders at the organisation’s Waste to Wealth Summit to use their collective resource and skills to help double the UK’s resource productivity by 2030. And as a country with abundant resources, South Africa will do well to heed his call in our own context. Hearing Prince Charles talk about the need for more significant action continues to reinforce my belief that it is business leaders who need to step up. Not just from a renewable energy perspective, my passion point, but businesses should also begin to think creatively about how to re-use waste products and significantly cut the amount of harmful waste we are all producing. As leaders in business, we have an opportunity and responsibility to do something about this. If those responsible for setting the direction of business were presented with a similarly concerning outlook on the state of their markets, the competency of their core products or the future of their customer base, they would use all the power and influence at their disposal to rethink their strategy and secure their future. Those at the fore of successful businesses are experts at responding to change, be it in consumer preferences, developments in technology or shifts in demand. Every decision we make impacts people’s lives, from employees, the communities in which we operate, to the world we build for future generations. The power of business is another resource to be harnessed. Businesses need to change their cultures and operations to ensure they have a positive impact

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Terry Billson.

on the environment. But there is an added benefit for companies that get this right: they’re helping to create a world which future generations will enjoy, and they’re building a competitive advantage that benefits their business in the long run. Being a company who cares and creates a reputation for ‘doing it right’ attracts the very best talent, the bedrock of any successful business. Increasingly, employees want to know that the place they work doesn’t just do good work. It does good. For enlightened businesses able to tackle society’s big issues they can generate this double dividend and secure the future of their businesses. Therefore, I remain optimistic.

“We are facing a global climate crisis. It is deepening. We are entering a period of consequences. – Al Gore, 2005”

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OPINION Green Building

The Genergy installation at Woodridge will generate up to 579.26 MWh and reduce its CO2 emissions by roughly 597 tons per annum.

There are many businesses, big and small, tackling these challenges in very different ways. The scale of the change they are making will vary as will the complexity of the action they take. No matter what it is, it all adds up.

How can we help? A case history

Woodridge College and Preparatory School has developed EcoSmart, an initiative that reduces the school’s impact on the environment. The school recently invested in 1,121 PV panels as part of a solution designed, installed and maintained by my company, Genergy. And on completion, will generate up to 579.26 MWh and reduce its CO2 emissions by roughly 597 tons per annum. EcoSmart is not only a great marketing tool for the school, but it is a teaching platform to educate pupils, business’ future leaders, about the environment and reducing our impact on the planet.

The challenge

Imagine if South African organisations each played their role in being more conscious in its consumption of resources. We’d be reducing our CO2 emissions, shrinking our landfills, easing the pressure on the grid and creating creative solutions to reduce the demand on our finite resources. The collective power of business, big or small, is enormous. We need more businesses to set themselves similarly ambitious targets to that of the UK’s BITC because the clock is ticking. As the UN said earlier this year, we only have 12 years to get climate change under control. If businesses step up and take on the challenge, the impact will be significant. It will be noticeable. It will inspire others and it will benefit us all. I encourage business leaders to share the same passion and urgency for change as HRH the Prince of Wales and see what we can achieve together. volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Green Building BIOMIMICRY

Biomimicry – lessons from nature Photo by Gareth Griffiths

Based on an article by Bagus Putra Muljadi

When it comes to building sustainable buildings, humans have a lot to learn from termites. A recent study that colleagues and I published in Science Advances explains how some African termites maintain cool and stable temperatures in their nests throughout the year. The answer lies in the wall of the nests, composed of tiny but highly connected pores. Today’s architects and builders are continuously seeking new and improved ways to cool buildings without using more energy. In fact, growing demand for air conditioners is one of the most critical blind spots in today’s energy debate – it has been projected that 10 new air-conditioning units will be sold every second for the next 30 years. This is where termites come in. Termites – not to be confused with their distant relatives, ants – are insects with sophisticated social structures built on hierarchies – they have kings, queens, workers and soldiers. Like humans, these cockroach cousins prefer to build their own environment rather than adapting to one. For example, some termites have mastered sustainable fungus farming which helps them digest their food. One can also find termites living in arid regions that may be hostile to their bodies. To counteract this harsh environment (and in some cases to sustain fungus farming) they build structures that are sufficiently cool and humid – these are the famous mounds, or nests. For these reasons, termite nests have been widely studied as examples of effective ventilation and temperature control. Yet, exactly how they build their constructions has until recently remained somewhat poorly understood.

Different termite, different mechanism

Some species of termites (those that do farm fungus) build towering nests that are ventilated by a complex system of tunnels and openings. These tunnels regulate the nests’ ventilation the same way chimneys and windows work in a human house. In fact, a few buildings have been inspired by termite nests, such as the Eastgate Centre in Zimbabwe which successfully uses 90% less energy than a similarly sized building next door.

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But those termites that do not grow fungus, build nests which appear smooth and have no apparent openings. Despite this, ventilation remains important for these termites. Until recently it wasn’t clear how these termites were able to keep air moving around their nests to avoid suffocating.

Structure is key to the nests’ ventilation

That’s what colleagues and I – a team of biologists, engineers, and mathematicians in France and the UK – set out to investigate. Our research found that the tiny building blocks that make up the nests are optimised for these processes to occur naturally and effectively. We focused on a non-fungus-growing species, the grass harvesting termite, and began by excavating nests we found in Senegal and Guinea in West Africa. The nests are made of soil particles mixed with water and termite saliva. Despite not having apparent openings, the walls are composed of micrometre-sized pores. We took tiny samples from the nests and put them under a micro x-ray scanner akin to that used in hospitals – but one which is capable of scanning with much finer resolution. This revealed the termites build outer walls that contain both small pores and a series of slightly larger and interconnected pores. In fact, about 99% of the pore space was linked up. Using the x-ray scans, we were able to build a digital version of the nests, much like the digital worlds that exist in computer games. We then simulated the nests in the conditions in which these termites live – dry in Senegal and wetter in Guinea. We found that the links between the big pores allows air to “percolate” through the outer wall in the same way coffee is strained through a filter. This is key to ventilation and regulating temperatures.

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BIOMIMICRY Green Building

Mick Pearce designed the Harare Eastgate Centre Delegates at the 2014 Green Building Convention, held in Cape Town, were lucky enough to hear a presentation by Mick Pearce, the architect behind the Eastgate Centre project. Harare has a temperate climate due to its altitude, so the typical daily temperature swing is 10 to 14 °C. Therefore, a passive cooling system is a viable alternative to artificial air-conditioning. In nature, termites achieve climate control by constantly opening and closing a series of heating and cooling vents throughout the mound during the day to keep the nest near a constant temperature of 30.6°C. With a system of carefully adjusted convection currents, air is sucked in at the lower part of the mound, down into enclosures with muddy walls, and up through a channel to the peak of the termite mound. At the Eastgate Centre, things work in a similar way. Built from concrete, the building has a ventilation system in which outside air that is drawn in is either warmed or cooled by the building mass, depending on which is hotter, the building concrete or the air. It is then vented into the building’s floors and offices before exiting via chimneys at the top. The complex also consists of two buildings side by side that are separated by an open space that is covered by glass and open to the local breezes. Air is continuously drawn from this open space by fans on the first floor. It is then pushed up vertical supply sections of ducts that are in the central spine of each of the two buildings. Read more about Mick Pearce and biomimicry as a tool of architecture at: http://www.mickpearce.com/ biomimicry.html

By creating tiny ventilation passages, the pores of the nests manage gas exchange in a similar way to human lungs. But where a pair of lungs deflates and inflates to drive ventilation, in these nests the air is driven in and out by differences in temperature between the inner nest and the outside world. We still don’t know whether termites create these interconnected pores following simple construction rules, or because of physical constraints resulting from the way pellets of soil are packed together. But our research does suggest that it is the structure, not the material used, that is key to ventilation. The challenge is now to derive the same design principles and scale them up for humans. Learning

“Built from concrete, the building has a ventilation system in which outside air that is drawn in is either warmed or cooled by the building mass, depending on which is hotter.”

Mike Pearce at the GBCSA.

from termites might involve creating new synthetic building materials with connected pores. It is important to remember that human ingenuity allows us to not merely copy forms found in nature, but to emulate the mechanism by which such forms emerge.

Bagus Putra Muljadi is assistant professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nottingham. His article here is reprinted under a Creative Commons Licence from The Conversation. volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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ENERGY Green Building

Waste to energy: Pooling the resource By Kate Stubbs with additional input by Gareth Griffiths

The exploration of alternative energy sources and projects has been all the “buzz” again, particularly in response to challenges that the national utility continues to face and with the looming reality of loadshedding across the country.

Dual goal: Addressing the looming waste crisis and creating energy

Current statistics highlight that South Africans reportedly generate 108 million tons of waste per annum, where only 10% of this waste is currently being recycled and the remaining 90% going to landfill sites, which are fast approaching full capacity. In efforts to not only curb the potential waste crisis, but also to institute enforceable mechanisms to drive change in behaviour, the South African Government has already released and continues to release changes to the National Environment Management: Waste Act of 2008 – aligned to the theme of diverting waste from landfills. These changes are also in line with global trends of zero waste to landfill and promoting “circular economy” thinking – which aim to challenge the status quo and encourage a mind-set change around waste and its management. A circular economy, for instance, is a reformative system in which resource input, waste, emission and energy leakage are minimised. This means eliminating unnecessary wastage and waste generation that would eventually be disposed of at a landfill site. This can be achieved by optimising resource efficiency through sustainable product designs, recovery, re-use and recycling of products, or energy production through the systematic approach of the waste hierarchy. However, as there are already some public and private sector zero waste to landfill interventions and initiatives underway across the country, there may not be enough remaining waste available

Photo by Interwaste

But, to really explore the opportunities that waste can present as an alternative fuel source for energy, it’s important to first understand the current landscape and that innovative and effective solutions for waste management are fundamental to the contribution and achievement of carbon emission reduction targets and future sustainability in the country. Kate Stubbs, director of business development and marketing at Interwaste.

to justify the spend in developing a standalone waste-to-energy micro-generation project to serve a singular site. However, there is a possible approach that can be investigated in the South African and African waste environment.

Pooling non-recyclable refuse for derived fuel micro-generation

While one site alone – for example, an industrial site such as a mine – may not produce sufficient quantities of suitable waste to make the business case for developing a waste-to-energy power project, there is perhaps a great opportunity for a collective of mines and other industrial businesses, as well as the local municipality, within a specific geographical area of operation, to potentially pool their suitable non-recyclable and recoverable (i.e. recoverable through conventional means) waste to such an end. Successfully implementing a refuse derived fuel (RDF) plant will take buy-in and collaboration between the public and private sector as well as the surrounding community; though there are several potential benefits to be gained, including, but not limited to: • Waste diverted from landfill saves landfill space and reduces negative environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Green Building ENERGY

• Energy value is derived from waste through alternative uses • RDF energy is considered green energy that yields carbon credits • Job creation through resource recovery • Lower ash content than conventional fuels (e.g. coal), reducing particulate emissions Though, again, the business case will still be very dependent on the available volumes of suitable waste to sustain production and power outputs, this model of project is perhaps more feasible for remote and isolated areas that have little access to the national power grid or enough waste removal support services. In such circumstances there may also be a business case for exploring potential biogas projects from human waste and other biodegradable food wastes. Nevertheless, the viability and tangible benefits would depend on the volume of waste generated and whether one could identify a bona fide use for the biogas generated. We are inspired every day by how perceptions of refuse and waste continue to change and evolve as worldwide governments, industries and citizens alike, are pushing the hand of the waste industry to innovate around effectively repurposing as much waste as possible into something useful. To look at it within a global perspective; the waste-to-energy market is expected to grow from US$28.4 billion in 2017 to almost US$43 billion in 2024, representing a massive economic opportunity to establish new industries and revenue streams too. It’s not surprising then that the waste–to–energy agenda in South Africa – and Africa for that matter - is one of the most prominent aspects at the forefront of waste management leadership today. It goes far beyond traditional recycling and with a

vision for integrated and sustainable solutions at the core of our business, we are proud to be able to bring advanced technology and solutions to South Africa’s shores; to ensure waste-to-energy opportunities can be realised locally.

Case study Meanwhile, a fascinating renewable energy project has been retrofitted at the N1 City Mall near Bellville in Cape Town. The Waste Transformers from the Netherlands and South Africa’s own JSE-listed international property company Growthpoint Properties, have united to help take on this challenge. They are leveraging end-of-pipeline food waste from shopping malls and adopting a decentralised approach to organic waste. An on-site, anaerobic digester has been installed at Growthpoint’s N1 City Mall in Cape Town, which processes the waste from the mall to generate clean methane gas for fuel. This methane is consumed by an internal combustion engine to produce green electricity and hot water for the shopping centre. According to Gavin Jones, Growthpoint Properties regional retail asset manager, Western Cape: ‘Shopping centres can be big food waste generators. This makes them excellent locations for waste-to-energy conversion.’ Lara van Druten, CEO of The Waste Transformers, adds: ‘This project demonstrates how companies can cooperate in a mutually inclusive way that generates energy for positive economic and social change.’

Photo by Gareth Griffiths Imaging

Waste to energy plant at Growthpoint’s N1 City Mall, Cape Town.

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WISOLAR ADVERTORIAL

Above: Wisolar USB WiFi remote monitoring system Left: WiNergy Inverter

WiSolar: Your neighbourhood solar electricity company WiSolar was born out of the pain of Africans living without electricity – the foundation of modern-day living. Our productivity has been cut short by this surmountable demon. From an electricity access point of view, Sub-Saharan Africa is dealt the worst blow, as about 600 million people are living without electricity. In fact, only seven countries – Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa- can boast that 50% of their population have access to electricity. In fact, annual outages in some countries in the region are as high as 4 600 hours. The reasons for this are the high distribution cost, which many Africans cannot afford, and the low generation capacity of the central grids. As such, we built a firm with the sole mission of providing cheaper, cleaner electricity and energy independence. We are committed to ensuring no African child has incomplete school assignments and that meals are not spoilt because of an absence of power. We want African businesses to grow without having to worry about energy costs or its availability and we are steadfastly working to fix that. WiSolar is an end-to-end customer-oriented alternative energy company, working currently in two of the largest economies on the continent: South Africa and Nigeria. Operating since 2016, we have continually ensured that every installation order received is handled with care from start to finish by a loving and courteous team. We never leave our clients without bringing a smile to their faces. Our customers deserve the best and it is in our culture to give them the best, with 101% customer service. Our teams are always on-ground and available 24/7 to respond to all inquiries. We have over 1 000 customers with 7MW generated monthly and a multitude of partners

across the continent sharing the same happiness and spirit towards our mission of electrifying Africa. Our financing options make it easy to switch to solar as we give homeowners and businesses peace of mind about affordability and reliability. Offering a multitude of energy plans, all tailored to our clients’ differing needs, we provide our customers with aesthetically pleasing solutions made just for them. We promise responsive and speedy customer service and free remote monitoring on selected packages. We are committed to our customers and their energy needs.

WiSolar T +27 (0)10 446 7671 WhatsApp 083 283 7991 W www.wisolar.co volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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Green Building HVAC

Chilling waters Photos supplied by Fourways

A leading HVAC company has recently expanded into the chilled water arena. Fourways Airconditioning, in collaboration with Imperial Airconditioning, launched MCS Chilled Water Specialists, South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest players in the chilled water business. MCS markets, sells and supports chilled water products in the market, with the main brands being Midea, Clivet and Sinko. The business not only brings the most extensive service and product offering to the market but is also a Level 2 BEE company. Leading the MCS team in the Western Cape is Mfundo Ciko, with Peter Groves in the Gauteng area. Ciko has been in the industry for 20 years and Peter Groves for 34 years. In turn, they are backed by a strong team with over 150 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in the industry.

Launch of a wide range of fan coil units

An advantage that MCS offers is one of the widest ranges of fan coil units (FCUs) available in the South African market. Due to their simplicity and flexibility, FCUs can be more economical to install than 100% ducted fresh air systems (VAV), centralised heating systems with air handling units or chilled beams.

Mfundo Ciko, Western Cape director, MCS Team.

Direct expansion, high efficiency packaged rooftop air conditioner for medium attendance areas.

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HVAC Green Building

Direct expansion, high efficiency packaged rooftop air conditioner for medium attendance areas.

A Midea centrifugal chiller.

With the above in mind, MCS Chilled Water offers a range of FCUs to suit any application with the following products: • Ducted low and medium (<150Pa ESP) fan coil units • Ducted high (>150Pa) static fan coil units and air handling units • Cassette type fan coil units including Samsung’s 360°C rounded flow

• Mid-wall type fan coil units • Universal floor and under-ceiling type fan coil units • Fan motors come either in AC or DC • Unit control can either be on or off or modulating Currently, MCS stocks large quantities of various sizes and types of our range, giving our customers peace of mind in meeting their deadlines.

MCS Chilled Water Specialists T +27 (0)82 789 1259 (CT) | +27 (0)82 554 1266 (JNB) volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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STUDENT DESIGNS

POWER

Uber(ising) solar energy: Students show how By Alicestine October for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa

A team of students from Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya, walked off as winners with R20 000 in prize money for an innovative concept to provide equitable energy access to remote villages based on, among others, “Uber(ising) solar energy”. The team was one of four university teams participating in the African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa conference and exhibition’s first-ever Initiate! Impact challenge. The 19th edition of the event gathered thousands of power, water and gas industry experts in Cape Town during the middle of May 2019.

Four universities

Student teams from Stellenbosch University, the University of Cape Town and the University of the Witwatersrand also took part in the three-day challenge sponsored by the Enel Foundation, the Innovation Hub, Lesedi Nuclear Services and the Russian Nuclear Agency, Rosatom. The Initiate! Impact challenge aimed to create a platform for students and start-ups to drive innovation and share ideas for the energy sector.

Winning team

The Strathmore University team included engineering students Ignatius Maranga, Raymond Kiyegga, Fredrick Amariati and Alex Osunga. One member of the team will also have the exclusive opportunity to join the 5th annual student factfinding mission to Russia. Maranga said the team is happy and humbled, especially because they competed against some of the top universities on the continent. He said the teams’ winning idea is rooted in real life challenges that face Kenyans in rural areas. ‘The solutions offered to date to expand energy access are not solving these problems as many are not financially viable,’ added Maranga. The team’s idea is to put a shipping container fitted with PV panels in rural villages, that will also house a clinic and a knowledge hub, like a school

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for vocational training, to teach people about the use and benefits of solar energy. It will include a shop where villagers can buy daily essentials like milk. ‘The school will help with capacity-building as villagers will see and learn the benefits of electricity and as the business grows, they will want to have electricity in their homes. When that point comes, we will have solar powered tricycles,’ Maranga explained. ‘These tricycles will carry and deliver batteries, like Uber does passengers, to villagers in more remote areas. The system is modular so we will add another container to charge batteries. These batteries are transported on trikes, so villagers in more remote areas can request a number of charged batteries on their phone.’ Maranga explained that it is commonly known that Africa is big, and many people live in remote rural villages. ‘It is not always possible to extend the power grid to these areas as it is very expensive. So, what do we do instead? Most people own a cell phone, and everyone needs electricity - so you take it to them. They cannot exactly carry a battery for two kilometres, so why then not Uber a battery?’ He said their company, Kijiji, (Swahili for village), will look at commercialising their idea, optimise it and do market tests. ‘If accepted, we want to roll it out depending on funding,’ he added. The team’s idea appealed to the judges because it was simple and easy to replicate into the rest of Africa. Other noteworthy projects submitted by the other three university teams focused on mitigating the risk of climate change and came up with ideas ranging from vertical farms to energy boxes.

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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UltraPly™ TPO

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OUT & ABOUT TO BUILD’S ROVING EDITOR

To Build’s editor at large Photos by Gareth Griffiths

To Build’s editor receives many invitations to cover events and conferences. Below are just a few of the most recent ones. Decorex Cape Town

Under the theme Botanical Office, 100% Extraordinary explores the concept of an office space that offers an antidote to the norm. ‘The botanical theme is a no-brainer for me,’ says creative director of 100% Design South Africa, Cathy O’Clery. ‘I feel people have a huge desire to connect with nature these days and I see no reason why this can’t come into a workplace.’

Botanical themed chair by David Bellamy.

Cathy O’Clery introduces ceramicist, Louise Gelderblom.

Above: Botanical Office exhibits, including bespoke ceramic vasework by Louise Gelderblom.

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To Build’s publisher, MediaXpose, was also represented at Decorex, with Rene van Heerden and Kayla van Heerden looking after our stand.

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TO BUILD’S ROVING EDITOR OUT & ABOUT

PPC Imaginarium, Cape Town Imaginarium people Left: Director of the Imaginarium, Daniel van der Merwe, shares the platform with Stephen Hobbs, curator of the exhibition.

Imbriya by Barry Ashmole Below: An abstract organic sculpture in stainless steel and carved terrazo concrete. The sculpture assumes shapes suggesting human, animal and protozoa.

Concealed power - by Bronte McDonald Above left: According to her citation: ‘There are sectors within South African society, such as the manual labour side of construction, where women are rarely seen. This abstract piece therefore aims to question why the construction industry maintains the ideals of manual labour not being seen as work for women’. A tray containing a mixture of salt water and vinegar drips onto concrete, slowly causing it to disintegrate. Inside the concrete is a steel cubed frame made from rebar which gradually gets revealed, signifying inner strength.

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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153

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notes Plan, Design, Build, Interior & Exterior Décor

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E T A G APE

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2019/06/25 6:15 PM

volume 9 | issue 2 July – October 19

A.Shak Construction............................. 154

MMA Design Studio............................. 155

Acer South Africa.....................21,33,47,83

MSASA Construction Solutions

Afrimat Limited..................................... 123 Aggreko Energy Rental South Africa..................................................... 85

advertisers’ index

AIF Business Development.................... 46

158

Allbro....................................................... 17 AMS........................................................ 27

for Africa.............................................. 151 Nu Flow South Africa............................ 137 Ondu Roofing....................................... 104 Pelican Systems...................................... 89 Plascon.................................................... 25

Bayer South Africa.................................. 11

Press Dynamik....................................... 144

Boomgate Systems................................ 73

Radiant Lighting....................................... 5

Build-It ...........................................157,159

Renico Plant Hire.................................... 43

Centurion Systems.................................. 65 Claybrick Association........................... 113 Copper Development Africa................ 124 Decorex..............................................28,40 Den Braven Sealants............................ 109 Douglas Jones........................................ 77 Eurodomica........................................... 160 Faitsch Products........................................ 7 Federated Mutual Employers Fund Company....................................... 9 Foresta Timber & Board....................... 131 Fourways Airconditioning..................1,156 Franke South Africa................................ 48 Karcher...................................................... 3 Mapei.................................................... 155

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Maxiflex ................................................ 107

Uretek South Africa............................... 135

Mitek Industries........................99,100,101

Wisolar.................................................. 147

volume 9 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za

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E T A G APE

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Minimal Windows - Building a brighter future

The minimalist sliding system rose as an answer to new architectural trends intending to combine the maximum transparency with the minimum structural sight. Their innovative design gives every architect the ultimate freedom to carry out innovative projects with unrivaled design, while ensuring excellent levels of thermal insulation and functionality. High levels of thermal insulation Central sight only 20mm for maximum transparency and unobstructed view Possibility of large, uninterrupted glass surfaces High energy efficiency with triple glass Special design for flawless scrolling and optimal weight distribution Multiple scroll guides Multi-locking mechanism for excellent safety levels Fully intergrated into floors, concealed Floor Rails Corner solutions without columns Minimal Aluminium Systems highlight the sleek, dynamic lines that combine with large glass surfaces, giving the sense of freedom and comfort. An architectural system that for the first time connects the exterior with the inside of the building, with a perimeter frame look of just 20mm in the central part between the leaves.

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Co ns ea le d Fl oo r R ai ls

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INTRODUCING DAYLIGHT! Tony Sandell Roof Windows (TSRW), established in 1988, is one of the largest manufacturers of roof windows and skylights in South Africa, with over 50 000 windows fitted nationwide. Specialising in: • Centre pivot roof windows • Skylights • Pyramids & Flush glazing • Vents & Louvres

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2019/06/26 10:02 AM