Issue 20 - Mar - Jun 2017 by Media Xpose

To Build Handbook

Plan, Design, Build, Interior & Exterior Décor

Cover Story: MiTek Construction Industry Trends 2017 Dark City Rises Gorgeous Green House issue 20 | March – June 2017

Water – A Basic Human Right Issue 20 • Mar – Jun 2017

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foreword

Paolo Trinchero Chief Executive Officer

A new year brings time for reflection, especially after three years at the helm as CEO of the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC). It has been really tough for all of us to watch our industry experience ongoing challenges, with seemingly no end in sight. To move forward, however, we need to be critical of what we are doing and whether or not we are making progress to reverse the situation. From the SAISC perspective we need to ensure the industry has people who can navigate these uncertain times. That means that ongoing skills development is a top priority. This does not always need to be an expensive or time-consuming activity. The SAISC is offering several half-day courses and shortening lecture time on others, but increasing projects and assignments. A full schedule of our courses for the year is available on our website www.saisc.co.za A great source of inspiration for our members is the annual SAISC Steel Awards. Currently in its 36th year, the SAISC Steel Awards is an ideal opportunity for stakeholders in the built environment to draw inspiration, celebrate excellence and showcase their achievements to current and potential clients. Steel Awards 2017 takes place in Gauteng, KZN and the Western Cape on 13 September 2017, and is likely to be attended by over 1000 delegates.

Who can nominate a project? Clients, developers, architects, main contractors, project managers, structural engineers, fabricators, merchants, steelwork contractors, steel detailers, cladding suppliers, cladding contractors … or any other project team members.

What criteria do the judges consider? Only structures in which Southern African steelwork contractors played a significant role will be considered. There are several factors that are considered when judging. These include: the importance of steel as a structural component of the project, benefits achieved by using steel construction, aesthetic appeal, environmental and sustainability considerations, engineering expertise, exceptional quality of workmanship, innovation and architectural finish. In short, the primary criterion for Steel Awards is: Does the project illustrate what can be achieved with steel? The awards have already secured respected industry stalwarts as sponsors, including AVENG Trident Steel (main sponsor), Macsteel Service Centers (popular vote sponsor), and CADEX Systems SA (photo competition sponsor). Although the judges decide on the categories and winners based on the actual entries received, the following awards and categories are confirmed and have been made possible thanks to this year’s sponsors: the AVENG Trident Steel Awards 2017 Overall Winner, The ASTPM Tubular Category, the MiTek Light Steel Framing Category, the Global Roofing Solutions Metal Cladding Category, the Safintra Factory and Warehouse Category and a new category - the SAFAL Innovation Category. NJR Steel and BSi Steel have also been confirmed as partner sponsors for this year’s awards. Entries close on 31 March 2017 and I’d like to encourage you to consider entering! For a detailed guide on the project nomination process and fee, contact Denise Sherman on +27 (0)11 726 6111, or denise@saisc.co.za. SAISC W www.saisc.co.za

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Publisher

Media XPOSE excellence in exposure Plan, Design, Build, Interior & Exterior Décor

/tobuildpublication

Tel: +27 21 424 3625 | Fax: +27 86 516 7277 PO Box 15165, Vlaeberg, 8018

www.tobuild.co.za Editor Gareth Griffiths editor@tobuild.co.za SUB EDITOR Tessa O’Hara tessa.ohara@gmail.com

To Build Handbook

Project Manager Elroy van Heerden elroy@tobuild.co.za Plan, Design, Build, Interior & Exterior Décor

Cover Story: MiTek Construction Industry Trends 2017 Dark City Rises Gorgeous Green House issue 20 | March – June 2017

Water – A Basic Human Right Issue 20 • Mar – Jun 2017

COVER ART: MITEK

Editorial Contributors Neil Cameron Johann Dreyer Adv. BC Hack Gareth Griffiths Imaging Vaughan Harris Chen Sagnelli John Tarboton, SASSDA Jan Venter, SAPPMA DESIGN & LAYOUT CDC Design carla@cdcdesign.co.za ADVERTISING SALES Rene van Heerden rene@tobuild.co.za Marketing & Online Advertising Maurisha Niewenhuys marketing@mediaxpose.co.za Content manager Melanie Taylor artwork@mediaxpose.co.za Financial director Shaun Mays shaun@mediaxpose.co.za Distribution and subscriptions Janine Mays distribution@mediaxpose.co.za

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.

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contents issue20 March-June 2017

Foreword 2 Editor’s Note 10 Cover Story: MiTek 12, 13 Lead Story 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 News & Views Editor’s Choice 31, 32 Out & About 152, 153 154, 155 Students Notes Page 157 Advertisers’ Index 159

Roofing

Automation 99 Structure 102 Walls & Cladding

104

MATERIALS Product Education

106

Adhesives 112 115

Opinion 118

PROFESSIONS

Timber & Decking

Architects 34 42 Construction & Contractors Health & Safety 45 48 Interior Designers Developers 52 Engineering 60 Landscape Architects & Landscaping 62 Legal 64 66 Quantity Surveying

123

SERVICES Plumbing & Reticulation

126

Ground Engineering

129

Air Conditioning

132

GREENBUILDING Greenovate Awards

136

GBCSA awards 6 Stars to V&A

137

Retail 140

BUILDING SYSTEMS Bathrooms 72 Ceilings & Partitions 74 Doors & Windows 76 Floors 79

Lighting 85

Cement & Concrete

Divisions

Kitchens 80

Opinion 142 Litter 144 HVAC 146 Waterfall City

150

58 95

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· We assist and advise in project selection and, with the help of our proprietary software, perform a detailed evaluation of the underlying roof structure or ground site chosen for the solar project.

To find out more what RENpower can do for you please contact Marius Bekker, mbekker@renpower.co.za CONTACT DETAILS:

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Tel: 021 035 0345 E-mail: mbekker@renpower.co.za

Address: 10A Carpe Diem Offi ce Park, Quantum Street,Techno Park, Stellenbosch

Web: www.renpower.co.za

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contents issue20 March-June 2017

Ultra-roof for Global Leadership Academy......................................................12 Seven awards and four commendations.34 Sagnelli Associate Architects.......................37 Major geo-tech project completed...........42 Health benefits programme launched......45 Stylish redesign for property people...........48 Expanding retail footprint in KZN.................52 The Club Advocates’ Chambers................54 A secure upmarket investment in green..........................................................56 SA digital design & construction – do we lag?.................................................60 Massive concrete retaining block walls.....62

Reducing the glare........................................97 Profile of Global Success..............................99 Light steel framing update.........................102 Unusual cladding for high temperatures..............................................104 Adhering to safe systems............................112 Thuthukisa Sanitation Initiative...................115 Construction industry trends 2017.............118 Significantly improving energy efficiency.....................................................120 Warning against non-compliant timber imports.............................................123

Water – a basic human right........................64

Sustainable waste water treatment.........126

Global Mentor of the Year...........................66

Geogrid provides sub-grade stabilisation..................................................129

Bathroom spa with minimal fuss..................72 Sound solutions for restaurants.....................74

Intelligent connections................................132

Trends for 2017................................................76

Greenovate awards in their second year................................................136

Visionary new design centre........................79

GBCSA awards 6 Stars to V&A...................137

Kitchens Specialists’ Association keeps consumers up to date.....................80

Greening the difference.............................140

Chilling in the kitchen....................................82

Designing for water conservation.............142

Don’t get stuck in the dark...........................85

Cleaning up your act..................................144

‘Largest ever’ chandeliers commissioned..............................................87

Modernising at the DoE Braamfontein.....146

Ensure your roof warranty meets standards to keep it valid...........................90

Case history – House Chaplin......................94

Entrenching a new business as usual.......150 V&A Canal District smoking hot................152

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ed’s letter Dem bones dem bones …

Just as in the words of the famous song, our built environment is inextricably connected to the rest of South Africa’s economy. No less so is our infrastructure, in particular our usage of energy and water, connected to the wellbeing of state enterprise, Eskom. A rash of happenings at high level ever since the infamous load shedding episode of 2015 has shattered the faith of many built environment practitioners in Eskom’s commitment to renewable energy. These include the resignation of a former CEO and the apparent volte face of the corporation’s commitment to the purchase of renewable energy from certain independent power producers. Since the turnaround in Eskom’s ability to meet the country’s immediate power needs, and the end of load shedding, the country has much to consider. One would think that the multiple businesses that were seeded in the drive to boost the supply of renewable energy (solar, wind and water) would receive high level support, both in the public and private sectors, and that the opportunities they represent would have been seen by government and society as key to: • seeding business development in South Africa, in bringing a measure of economic development to resource-starved areas such as the Northern Cape and creating employment opportunities with the prospect of skills development, and • South Africa, the most carbon-hungry country in Africa, meeting its commitments to the agreements made at COP21 and other global platforms.

Is the country nuclear hell-bound? However, it seems as if the Eskom institutional memory is very short. No sooner than Eskom’s former CEO had restored the country’s power balance (excuse the pun) to supply-positive, the support of independent power producers of renewable energy became rhetoric of the past. The question that this editor asks, is whether it is purely the economics of the situation, driven by short-term modelling by bean counters, or whether there is truth in the rather more sinister assertion that the country is nuclear hell-bound because of the economic ambitions of a cluster of individuals in high places? The simple facts are that this nation cannot allow itself the luxury of 1980’s thinking that assumed that we, with impunity, can take as much out of the ground as possible and burn it, or subject it to nuclear fission. At some stage, humankind must pay the price for this lack of vision and the time is now. We are seeing the effects of global warming worldwide. Maybe it is time for professionals who claim allegiance to the principles of green building to interrogate this matter more closely. What is the right thing to do?

Regards 10

Gareth Griffiths editor@tobuild.co.za www.tobuild.co.za

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COVER STORY MITEK

Ultra-roof for Global Leadership Academy A recent project in Jeffrey’s Bay by leading supplier, MiTek, our prestigious Cover Story advertiser in To Build 20, is a fine case history of what can be achieved with the supplier’s expertise and products. When confronted with the challenge of establishing a world-class education facility on a shoe-string budget, roofing truss fabricator, Build IT in Jeffrey’s Bay and associates, had the perfect solution. Build IT Jeffrey’s Bay took on the job just months after opening their truss plant, displaying true prowess and ingenuity in working with wide-span steel structures. Tony Ward, owner of Build IT in Jeffrey’s Bay, has a long association and experience with MiTek and this gave him the advantage in securing this large-scale contract.

Initial planning The designers thought to specify two 19m hotrolled steel girders to support the three types of trusses, spanning traditionally perpendicular to the supports. However, this solution had constraints and a disadvantage in that hot-rolled girders are not cost effective over such a long clear span. The erection of

these girders would have also been impractical due to limited working space on site, involving an expensive crane to lift the heavy weight girders over a long reach.

Subsequent planning and input from MiTek The recommendation was to span all trusses parallel to the traditional supports, essentially producing enlarged rafter/purlin type trusses. Ultra-Span girders were created at the ends to support short-span trusses to comply with the required minimum ceiling height. This idea was also adopted in the middle section of the roof to act as stability braces for the window panels.

Window panels Window panels were manufactured with MiTek’s wall framing product to allow for very specific window sizes and to provide flat surfaces for fixing the windows. These window panels are manufactured in several parts to make installation easier.

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MITEK COVER STORY

Preassembled Ultra-Span trusses In typical large-span, Ultra-Span style, the 19m trusses were preassembled in braced pairs and then lifted into their final position on the roof to ensure fast erection of the roof structure skeleton and enabling other installation works to continue on a stable platform.

Innovative solutions hailed ‘With the design and construction of the new school buildings for Global Leadership Academy in Jeffrey’s Bay, we were confronted with the challenge of establishing a world-class education facility on a shoe-string budget,’ says customer, Stefan Kleyn from the Global Leadership Academy. ‘This required our architect, Jacobus Scott, to come up with innovative solutions. One of the problems was that we wanted a multi-use gathering area, which required an ultra-long span roof design. There was just no other cost-effective option but to make use of the MiTek Ultra-Span system,’ he adds. ‘Brian and the rest of the MiTek team designed and installed a cost-effective solution that not only looks impressive, but also effectively solved many design and engineering problems that we just couldn’t have overcome with a traditional

roofing system. We applaud the entire MiTek team, especially Brian for guiding us through this process,’ Kleyn says.

Project parameters Owner: Stefan Kleyn, Global Leadership Academy Project: GLA school hall, Jeffrey’s Bay Fabricator: Build IT, Jeffrey’s Bay – Tony Ward Architect: Jacobus Scott Approximate mass: 10 tons Maximum clear span: 19m Project duration: Six weeks

MiTek South Africa T +27 (0)11 237 8700 E marketing@mitek.co.za W www.mitek.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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WATER LEAD STORY

Water woes

To Build asked Councillor Xanthea Limberg, Mayoral Committee (Mayco)member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services and Energy at the City of Cape Town about water losses in the pipeline upstream of the consumer. ‘The City of Cape Town, which has more than 11 000km of water mains and associated infrastructure (reservoirs, pump stations, water meters, valves and hydrants), has established itself as a national leader in reducing water losses - as well as user demand through its Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Programme,’ says Limberg. ‘Water losses, which includes losses through leaks and bursts, as well as water lost through meter tampering, general metering inaccuracies and administrative errors, for the overall systems have been reduced from around 25% in 2009 to below 15% according to the latest data,’ she adds. Limberg explained that this reduction in water loss is because of various interventions, including extensive water pipe replacements, extensive pressure management of the water supply system and improved response times. These interventions

Consumption per category for period 01.07.2015 – 30.06.2016

Photos by Gareth Griffiths Imaging

The Western Cape is in the middle of its most serious water shortage in decades and other provinces are not far behind. To Build put some questions to various of the key role players involved.

Leaky pipes

have also reduced the burst rate from 63,9 bursts per 100km of piping in the 2010/2011 financial year, to 31 bursts per 100km, saving millions of litres of water in the process. While it is not possible to precisely delineate how much water was lost to theft and meter tampering issues as opposed to how much was lost to pipe bursts, estimates are that approximately 8,6% of total water fed into the City’s reticulation network is lost through leaks, bursts and to a much less significant degree, overflows on storage tanks.

Houses Flats & Complexes Informal Settlements Retail and Offices Industry CCT Departments Other

Consumers of Cape Town’s potable water supply – Graphic supplied by the City of Cape Town

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LEAD STORY WATER National losses

Efforts recognised

The apparent optimism of the City of Cape Town’s Mayco member regarding losses of water through pipelines is not shared by many industry leaders, at least as far as the national picture is concerned. In stark contrast to Cape Town’s estimates of 8.6%, national water loss averages have been estimated to be as high as 25% in some instances, according to a recent Engineering News report quoting. South African Institute of Civil Engineering President, Dr Chris Herold. The South African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) Chairman, Jan Venter, said in 2015 that pipelines lie at the heart of South Africa’s infrastructure and should be replaced before they fail. ‘The Water Research Commission completed a survey of 132 municipalities in South Africa a few months ago. Their findings revealed that water lost through leakage, incorrect metering and unauthorized consumption averaged around 37% of our country’s available water supply. This amounts to a financial loss of around R7.2 billion per year. Australia, another water-scarce country, loses less than 10%. South Africa simply cannot afford to continue losing so much treated water,” says Venter.

Cape Town’s water management efforts have been recognised internationally when City of Cape Town’s Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Programme was announced as the winner in the Adaptation Implementation Category at the 2015 C40 Cities Awards in Paris.

Materials of older buried water systems not known Most South Africa’s pipelines were installed in the early 1950s and 1960s and were manufactured from our country’s existing pipelines made of cement, asbestos or steel. Although the exact materials used in the buried water systems in this country is not known, cast iron pipes were used from 18701930, cement-lined cast iron from 1930-70, asbestos cement from 1950-70, ductile iron pipes from 1960 on and PVC from 1970 onwards. ‘The old cement and steel pipes that were installed do not have an economic lifespan of longer than 50 years. The fact that they have been corroded by now can be seen from all the water leaks that are springing up everywhere, as well as disrupted water supplies,’ says Venter. ‘Kilolitres of treated water is lost every year around the country as a result. If the local municipalities only spent the money allocated in their budgets to upgrade and replace old and failing water infrastructure, we would be able to save enough purified water to significantly reduce the impact and long-term effects of the below average rainfall,’ he adds.

Tightening up on steel According to the Southern Africa Stainless Steel Development Association (SASSDA), the importance of tightening up South Africa’s water supply infrastructure comes into sharp focus when one considers statistics cited in a Timeslive.co.za report. This stated that up to 40% of Johannesburg’s water goes unaccounted for annually, costing the city R1.16 billion in the year (ending 30 June 2015). Of that about R851 million worth of water was lost to leaks. These high losses have been identified in part to the use of inferior or inappropriate metals in pipe joints and other fittings used by municipalities, including flanges, tee-pieces, reducers, and bolts and nuts all bearing short lifespans. This is further compounded by high pressure systems and high corrosion levels in South African soils and resultant challenges in leak detection. ‘There is high value potential in using stainless steel material for service piping and all fittings, predominately manufactured using grade 316 stainless steel in the service delivery of municipal water. This can potentially save millions of Rands currently lost in leakage and filtration costs as well as see a reduction in the usage of water per capita,’ says SASSDA Executive Director, John Tarboton.

Some winners The Drakenstein Municipality in the Western Cape is just one of a handful of municipalities which has had the wisdom to ensure its water-wise future. When asked why his municipality is a frontrunner in the use of stainless steel applications, Drakenstein Municipality Senior Engineer: Water Services, Andre Kowaleski, who has 33 years’ experience as a technical official in the municipality says: ‘Since 2002 we have applied grade 316 stainless steel in all the metal we use in our underground network, or grade 304 in above-ground applications. ‘We also use stainless steel in all our refurbishments, including the recent refurbishment of the Meulwater Reservoir, Paarl Mountain and Van

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WATER LEAD STORY Blerk Reservoir in Wellington. This stems from the fact that when it comes to replacement maintenance, it would be unwise to put a pipe in the ground that has an operating life of between 50 and 100 years and then have to replace fittings, such as T-pieces and connection saddles that corrode and rust away, after just a few years. There’s no logic in that. You must use material with a life span of 50-100 years,’ he explains. ‘So even though the initial cost of stainless steel installations is considerably higher than other available materials, we are reaping the rewards of our long-term approach and currently have a 13.4%

water loss figure, as compared to other municipalities’ average water loss of 39%. Our figure will only improve as we continue replacing inferior fittings over the years,’ he adds.

Inclusive approach needed Food for thought indeed. While there is much blaming of the consumers for current water consumption levels at present (formal residential properties use 65% of the City of Cape Town’s water supply), municipalities should perhaps adopt less of the blame-and-complain approach and approach the problem at both ends, including their distribution infrastructures.

Photos by Gareth Griffiths Imaging

Sources • Councillor Xanthea Limberg – City of Cape Town, www.capetown.gov.za/thinkwater • Jan Venter - Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturer’s Association, www.sappma.co.za • John Tarboton - Southern Africa Stainless Steel Development Association, www.sassda.co.za

Above: Here black water arising from sewers and wine farming activities in the Franschhoek area is treated using the Nerida process and pumped back in to the river. Left: The Berg River Water Scheme was a named project in the 2014 Cape Town World Design Capital.

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URBANISATION LEAD STORY

Dark City rises – but so do places in the sun Photo by Gareth Griffiths Imaging

Urbanisation is a fact of modern existence. According to global consulting firm, ARUP, every week for the next 30 years, the equivalent of a new I million population city is needed to accommodate the doubling of the urban population of developing countries, including South Africa, from 2 billion to 4 billion. However, urbanisation brings with it the spectre of uncontrolled urbanisation and consequent urban decay. ‘The absence of effective governance structures results in a lack of planning, development control and infrastructure provision. Allowing settlements to develop spontaneously can result in problems. This tends to take place at the periphery of cities and it is rarely possible to retro-fit effective public transport, so workers face long, inconvenient and congested journeys,’ according to ARUP in its presentation “Drivers of change: Urbanisation”. In addition, the well-known trend of urban decay and consequential movement of businesses and the formally employed to new secure areas has led to the virtual abandonment of many inner city areas. These have become virtual wildernesses where displaced

indigent people co-exist side by side but barely acknowledge each other.

Seemingly impermeable cycles According to researcher, architect Harry (Hariwe) Johnson, his project, based on downtown Johannesburg revealed ‘a seemingly impermeable cycle of occupation, violence and abandonment within the inner-city, whose roots stretch back over the past 130 years. The cycle has culminated, at the present time, in the “writing off” of a number of inner-city buildings as “bad buildings” not fit for habitation or study and yet, remains an epidemic that threatens to destabilise so many South African cities.’ The Dark City is a thought-provoking exhibition that was staged at the CIRCA Gallery in Rosebank. Sponsored by PPC, the exhibition is about an

Contemplating: Dark City media tour December 2016

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LEAD STORY URBANISATION extremely blighted city block consisting of “bad buildings” in a once-thriving business district of the former City of Gold. At the heart of this blighted space is an old, 13-storey linen factory building. The building is beyond sick. It is a standing wasteland of which several levels are no-go areas flooded with water, litter and human waste.

Corobrik Award for the thesis and received the highest architectural thesis mark in the country for the project. Photographer, Jono Wood, and cinematographer, Dirk Chalmers, have collaborated with Hariwe in presented an awe-inspiring exhibition that ran from 24 November 2016 – 15 January 2017 in Rosebank. To Build attended as a guest of co-sponsor, PPC.

New developments point the way

A full floor level of litter and other waste at the exhibition.

The project, established by Hariwe in 2014, focusses on this one particular building known as “Dark City” in Doornfontein described by Hariwe as a ‘crumbling, windowless structure with no electricity, no toilets, no refuse removal, one water pipe, two storeys flooded with water, three storeys high of trash – and almost 250 inhabitants.’ The concept of the Dark City was the basis of a Master’s thesis in architecture by Hariwe at the University of Johannesburg in 2014. He was awarded the

But, as Dark City Exhibition co-sponsor, PPC, points out, there is potential light at the end of the tunnel. An encouraging development by Calgro M3 is taking place south of Johannesburg. Under development on reclaimed mine dump land between Florida and Orlando, the Fleurhof ‘city’ project is encompassing and impressive. According to the Calgro M3 website, Fleurhof is a 440ha privately owned property in the process of being developed in partnership with the City of Johannesburg and as one of South Africa’s premier integrated residential projects. Fleurhof’s 10 411 housing units are situated south-west of Johannesburg next to the existing Fleurhof residential township. It is set to be one of the largest integrated housing developments in Gauteng. What is exciting about this project is that it is being rapidly adopted by buyers and is close to employment for most residents. It is served by modern public transport. Housing opportunities are available for all income groups and schools. There is even a private school belonging to the Future Nation Schools group. According to Adrian Ford of Calgro M3, who late last year conducted a media tour on behalf of the

Fleurhof – A place of hope in the sun

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URBANISATION LEAD STORY

Former mine hostel with new apartment units in background.

developer, housing opportunities are broadly split into three categories: • Owned properties, subject to bond finance, on a basis of title deed • GAP and other social housing and rental endeavours, and • BNG (Breaking New Ground) housing, paid for by the government.

informal residents, most of the people living in shacks have now been relocated to BNG housing close by. There is impressive restoration of Fleurhof dam’s water course which drains from Lake Florida in the south west. Once completed, this dam could serve the recreational needs of the inhabitants of Fleurhof ‘city’. According to Ford, the basic apartment is a two-bedroom 40m2 unit. Recipients of governmentsponsored housing ‘giveaway units’ will receive units equipped with the basic amenities. These units will co-exist with sectional title and social housing units, under the control of bodies corporate. In doing this, it is hope that the bodies corporate will provide leadership to ‘put pressure on giveaway home owners to keep properties clean and orderly’. GAP housing and freestanding units have also been developed and many are already occupied. The development is unquestionably high-density. However, with more former mining land being cleared for development by government, perhaps this will point to a working solution for the country to address its enormous housing backlog.

Adrian Ford, CalgroM3

Further housing The company owns a further mine dump area to the west, which once given a clearance by the City authorities, will result in a further 5 000 housing units becoming available. What is very encouraging is the rapid progress being made on the ground. Whilst the former mine hostel building was until recently still occupied by

Information W www.calgrom3.com/index.php/fleurhof W www.hellojoburg.co.za/event/the-dark-city/ W www.ppc.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE MARKETPLACE

Echo floors relocates

The Echo Floors factory, which has manufactured reinforced hollow-core floor slabs since 1982, will continue to operate from Muldersdrift, with a full administrative and management staff complement. Echo Group sales and marketing director, Melinda Esterhuizen, explains that incorporating Echo Floors’ sales and technology arms into Echo’s headquarter structure means that Echo Floors’ clients will enjoy improved levels of technical input and quicker turnarounds. ‘Echo Floors’ project enquiries are now being channelled through our HQ engineering department

Photo by Echo Group

The sales and marketing, engineering and accounting arms of Echo Floors have been relocated to the Echo Group’s headquarter premises in Chloorkop, Gauteng.

Echo factory, Muldersdrift

which means we are better able to advise which product or combination of products is best suited to each project,’ she explains. ‘Merging the engineering function of Echo Floors into the Echo Group structure has made it easier for us to provide input on the design, engineering and construction phases of our Echo Floor clients through what we call our Total Solutions approach,’ she adds.

Echo Group T +27 (0)11 589 8800

Concrete achievement Southern Africa Readymix Association (SARMA) General Manager, Johan van Wyk, has been awarded the Concrete Society of Southern Africa’s Inland Branch Concrete Achiever of the Year for 2016.

Photo by SARMA

Presented at the Branch Chairman’s breakfast, Inland Branch Chairman, Roelof Jacobs, commended Van Wyk for his invaluable contribution to the growth of readymix concrete, as well as promotion of concrete and the Concrete Society. He added that it was a fitting award considering that Van Wyk will take over the reigns as Inland Chairman in March next year. ‘For me it’s a humbling experience to be counted among some of the real concrete heavyweights who have been awarded the honour in the past. Concrete is the most used construction material and I am passionate about concrete being done right the first time. Education and training is a passion of mine and I live to transfer skills to everybody that has quality concrete in mind,’ said Van Wyk.

Johan van Wyk, Concrete Society of Southern Africa’s Inland Branch Concrete Achiever of the Year for 2016

‘Readymix is a perfect way to use concrete as it provides a more structured way to achieve quality concrete; and that’s why I think regulation of the readymix industry will give us better, more affordable concrete and structures in future,’ he added.

Southern African Readymix Association T +27 (0)11 791 3327 E johan@sarma.co.za W www.sarma.co.za

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Photo by Pam Golding Properties

FROM THE MARKETPLACE NEWS & VIEWS

Dullstroom project gains momentum Construction of homes is now well under way in the 774ha Highland Gate Golf and Trout Estate on the edge of the Steenkampsberg plateau, some 14km from the scenic town of Dullstroom in Mpumalanga. When completed, only 40% of the footprint will be developed, with 445 homes in total – and the only estate in the area which offers a golf course. Strategically well positioned on the Highlands Meander and on the main route from Johannesburg to the Kruger National Park, Dullstroom is renowned for its fly-fishing and tranquil scenery reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands, making it popular among domestic and international tourists. ‘The estate is fully fenced and gated, services installed, roads and clubhouse completed and the Ernie Els-designed golf course fully operational, already extremely popular and almost fully booked throughout the week. Currently 25 homes are completed with another eight in the process of being built,’ says Anton Greeff, area principal in Dullstroom for Pam Golding Properties.

‘Since July 2016 the demand for properties in Highland Gate has increased and in recent months we concluded the sale of 12 stands for re-sale,’ he adds. After being taken over by well-established developers Century21, who brought the 640ha Waterfall Country Estate & Village adjacent to Waterfall City to market, the estate has gone from strength to strength. Highland Gate has also recently been rated by New World Wealth as one of the top 10 estates in the country.

Pam Golding Properties T +27 (0)13 254 0205 E dullstroom@pamgolding.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE MARKETPLACE

Photo by Hilton

Hilton in Morocco Construction on the first Hilton hotel in Casablanca, Garden Inn Sidi Maarouf, will begin in 2018. Hilton has signed a management agreement with Group Sadiki (www.GroupSadiki.com) to open its first hotel in Casablanca. This follows the conclusion of a landmark year for Hilton in Morocco which saw it re-establish a presence in the country in March 2016, with the opening of Hilton Garden Inn in Tangier city centre. The mid-scale Hilton Garden Inn brand (www. HGI.com) will soon be represented in Morocco’s largest city, with construction set to begin this year. Hilton Garden Inn Casablanca Sidi Maarouf will consist of an initial 118 guest rooms with space available on site for further expansion. The hotel forms part of a mixed-use development with a 550m2 ballroom

and a Moroccan-oriental restaurant also to be built in the vicinity. The Hilton Garden Inn will contain three dining options on the property, in addition to another 300m2 of event space. It is forecast that the hotel may welcome its first guests in 2021. The construction site of Hilton Garden Inn Sidi Maarouf will be near the interchange between three main highways, the N11, A7 and A5, making it an ideal choice for travellers with interest both in Casablanca and in greater Morocco.

Hilton Worldwide W www.Hilton.com

Green Building Convention 2017 The annual Green Building Convention is returning to its roots in Cape Town, where it originated nine years ago. The Green Building Convention is the definitive event on the sustainability calendar and will take place from 9–11 October 2017 in Cape Town. With the theme “Do you dare to lead”, delegates will hear from top global experts and innovators and specialists will debate key issues facing the industry. Tours are offered to some of the top-rated green buildings in Cape Town.

Green Building Council of South Africa | W www.gbcsaconvention.org.za

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FROM THE MARKETPLACE NEWS & VIEWS

2017 Vision in Energy event Appetite for LPGas in South Africa and the region is growing. South African households see LPGas as a reliable and affordable energy source. With a national per capita consumption of LPGas still five times lower than the global average, the scope for growth in the market is immense. ‘The potential is evident, but today’s leading oil and gas executives in Africa will need to stay on top of emerging challenges and opportunities to remain competitive in the nascent industry,’ states PWC Report The Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Association of Southern Africa (LPGSASA) is a non-profit organisation that represents companies which are involved in the installation, distribution, hardware and retailing of LPGas and gas appliances. The 2017 Vision in Energy (VIE) LPG event, in collaboration with the LPGSASA, is designed to provide a platform for discussion, debate and tangible outcomes that will help unlock the true potential of LPGas in the region. The VIE workshop programme, in collaboration with the LPGSASA, addresses industry challenges, ensuring regional participation through integrated

learning sessions, networking opportunities and exposure to international and local exhibitors. The 2017 VIE LPG event is set to play a crucial role in shaping the landscape of market development for the sub-Saharan Africa region. ‘Stakeholders from the entire value chain – government, corporates, NGOs, SMMEs, suppliers, retailers and consumers – are expertly brought together to produce meaningful outputs that will shape the destiny of the LPGas industry,’ says a spokesperson for the organisers. • Attendance fees start from R2 100. • Montecasino • 9 - 11 May 2017

Vision in Energy W www.visioninenergy.co.za

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NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE MARKETPLACE

Ace up the sleeve Polokwane based road construction specialist, Hillary Construction, has adopted the latest smart compaction technology to assist in its efforts to build roads of the highest possible standard.

TO ADVERTISE IN THE To Build Handbook

ior Décor

Cover Story: MiTek Construction Industry Trends 2017 Rises City k Dar

– June 2017 issue 20 | March

Gorgeous Green House Water – A Basic Human Right

Issue 20 • Mar – Jun

2017

are done in real time it ensures that compaction is achieved more quickly and evenly – regardless of underfoot conditions.

ELB Equipment T +27 (0)11 306 0804 W www.elbequipment.com

Plan, Design, Build, Interior & Exterior Décor

, Interior & Exter

Plan, Design, Build

Photo by ELB Equipment

With the high tech Ammann AcePro (ASC110D) smart compactor from Southern African Distributors, ELB Equipment, the company is able to precisely build and compact each layer of a road to specifications without the risk of variances occurring when geological or underfoot conditions change. Precise compaction of under-layers and surface running courses, also translates directly to significantly extended lifespans of roads, as well as safer, more comfortable driving surfaces for vehicles. According to Trevor Freestone, operations director of Hillary Construction, this is as a result of the machine’s inbuilt system which relies on an array of sensors to accurately measure ground conditions up to 350mm deep. Onboard software automatically adjusts the frequency of the vibrations and the amplitude (or up-down movement) of the drum to penetrate the ground and provide exactly the right type of compaction required. Because adjustments

JULY-OCTOBER 2017 EDITION

CONTACT Rene van Heerden T +27 (0)21 424 3625 M +27 (0)82 504 3944 E rene@tobuild.co.za

www.tobuild.co.za

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FROM THE MARKETPLACE NEWS & VIEWS

PE School wins clean-up Kabega Primary School in Port Elizabeth has emerged victorious as a group of learners committed to sustainability and cleaning up their environment, by winning the Plastics|SA’s annual Clean-Up and Recycle Competition. The school received as its prize an award certificate and a bench made of recycled plastic which was placed in the Grade 1 area of the school, in order to make the little ones aware of the school’s green emphasis. Vaalpark Primary came second in the Primary School Category, and Louise Van Tonder was named the winner in the Organisation Category. ‘We were once again unbelievably impressed with how industrious, creative and motivated the young people can be when it comes to bringing about real and lasting change in their environments. We wish to extend our congratulations and compliments to every entrant on their exceptional effort and look forward to next year’s entries,’ Lightfoot concluded.

Plastics|SA W www.plasticsinfo.co.za

Photo by Kabega School

According to Jacques Lightfoot, Sustainability Manager at Plastics|SA, the aim of this yearly competition is to encourage schools, organisations and the public to involve their friends, family and communities in a clean-up or recycling activity. ‘We required the entrants to supply us with a short report and photographs of their initiatives as part of our Clean-Up and Recycle SA Week activities,’ he said. This event was sponsored by Plastics|SA’s Sustainability Council, Pioneer Plastics and Tufflex. Entries for this year’s competition came from schools around South Africa. ‘We judged the entries based on how many participants were involved in their respective projects and whether they managed to involve their community. Kabega Primary was a clear winner and stood out for us because of the amount of recycling and other environmental and sustainability work it does. It is an amazing school that is clearly dedicated to making a difference in their environment as they organized clean-ups in Baakens River Valley, Willows and Seaview,’ said Lightfoot.

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PROMISING PRODUCTS EDITOR’S CHOICE

Instant water the way you want it

The supplier promises instant sparkling water for the home or office, including the following benefits: • Zip HydroTap Sparkling filters out impurities as tiny as one-fifth of a thousandth of a millimetre • Provides sparkling water that is crystal clear and tastes great alone, or mixed with spirits, wines, cordials or juices • Zip HydroTap Sparkling models include boiling/ chilled/sparkling systems for residential kitchens, and larger-capacity boiling/chilled/sparkling systems for commercial and industrial applications • Can be installed on a sink – or any location away from the sink, using an optional ‘font’ accessory • Significant reduction in power costs with smart technology features, including sleep mode, hibernation mode and a 24/7 timer • The revolutionary Zip HydroTap® promises to save money and time in the kitchen by supplying filtered, chilled, boiling and now sparkling water instantly straight from the tap – from a single appliance • A host of clever safety features, extra fine water filtering system and sleek contemporary design – an invaluable addition to any home or office

Photo by Franke

The new Zip HydroTap® G4 BCS gives instant filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling water all from one tap! Ideal for any home, office or boardroom – boil it, chill it, fizz it, blanch it, rinse it – all with Zip It.

• The Hydrotap’s advanced technology maintains hot water more precisely, within 0.2°C.

Healthier water and safety

The Zip’s 0.2-micron filters reduce any unpleasant chlorine taste and are to 25 times finer than the norm. This means it is designed to filter out undesirable germs such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia cysts, providing healthy drinking water. The Hydrotap comes with a discreet light that flashes when a filter change is needed. A unique safety lock prevents hot water from being accidentally released, plus you can turn the boiling water feature off entirely. Alternately, flick the red lever up for 5-15 seconds of hands-free boiling water, preventing accidental steam scalding.

Franke South Africa (Pty) Ltd T +27 (0)861 372 653 W www.zipsa.co.za

New catalogue available Elquip Solutions is an established Southern African provider of quality global electrical, automation, mechanical and consumable products as well as capital equipment. One of the company’s key overseas principals is the Hoffman Group. Every year the Hoffman Group issues a catalogue of the tools it can offer and the 2017 version is now available. Contact Elquip for information.

Elquip Solutions | W www.elquip.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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EDITOR’S CHOICE PROMISING PRODUCTS

The sitting machine A bespoke designer unveils its next iteration in ‘sitting machines’. Photo by Herman Miller

Available in South Africa via All Office, an upmarket new chair from global manufacturer Herman Miller Inc, promises to be a vital tool for users around the globe and holds a rightful place in popular culture. The Aeron chair first launched in 1994 and was unlike any chair the world had ever seen. Instead of a padded throne, designers Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick did away with foam and fabric to create a true machine for sitting. The new Aeron retains its distinctive silhouette, but every component of the design has been updated to raise the bar for performance seating. Herman

Miller has enhanced the chair by combining the latest insights in anthropometrics and ergonomics with two decades of advancement in materials, manufacturing, and technology.

All Office W www.alloffice.co.za

New telehandlers launched

Bobcat now offers a choice of 11 new telehandler models for the construction and rental markets covering maximum lifting capacities between 2.6 and 4.1 tonne, with lifting heights from 6m to 18m. The telehandlers are designated using a new naming system showing lifting capacity and lifting height performance at a glance: • The TL26.60 and TL30.60 compact telescopic loaders • The TL35.70, T35.105, T35.105L and T36.120SL middle lift telehandlers • The T35.130S and T35.140S rental industryoriented telehandlers • The T35.130SLP, T41.140SLP and T40.180SLP high lift telehandlers

Photo by Bobcat

Backed by a three-year warranty as standard, a new range of rigid frame telehandlers has been launched by Bobcat for the construction and rental industries.

Bobcat W www.bobcat.com

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Plan, Design, Build, Interior & Exterior DÃ©cor

PROFESSIONS ARCHITECTS..............................................34 CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS..... 42 HEALTH & SAFETY.....................................45 INTERIOR DESIGNERS............................... 48 DEVELOPERS.............................................52 ENGINEERING........................................... 60 LANDSCAPING ARCHITECTS & LANDSCAPING..................................... 62 LEGAL.........................................................64 QUANTITY SURVEYING............................. 66

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PROFESSIONS SAIA Awards

Seven awards and four commendations Seven awards and four commended projects were announced in the 2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation at the gala event in Cape Town late in 2016. To Build was there to report on proceedings. The 11 projects chosen by the award adjudicators were among a total of 22 final qualifying entries selected from a record number of eligible submissions earlier this year. ‘The awarded and commended projects amply demonstrate the three main criteria that the adjudicating panel was looking at – regeneration, reconciliation and restoration,’ commented Richard Tomes from AfriSam. ‘These projects all make the world a better place by minimising their impact on the environment. They also bear the hallmarks of great architectural and social design. Together they represent the very best in sustainable architecture and innovation,’ he added. The increasing importance of sustainable and innovative design practice in the South African built environment was confirmed across all four categories of the 2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation.

Category A - Sustainable Architecture, saw three Awarded projects – the DEA Building by Boogertman+Partners Architects, Gorgeous Green House by Sagnelli Associate Architects and Oudebosch

Otto Cottage in Maun, Botswana

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Photo by buildCollectiveNPO

SAIA Awards PROFESSIONS

The community driven project ‘Bridging Mzamba’, originated in the urgent need for a safe crossing of the Mzamba River in rural Eastern Cape.

Photo by Michael Schmucker

Above: The Department of Environmental Affairs in the City of Tshwane – awarded in category A.

Camp, Kogelberg by Architecture Coop. These were joined by four Commended projects - Earthworld Architects’ iCat Eco Factory, Local Studio’s Outreach Foundation Community Centre, Daffonchio & Associate Architects’ Maboneng Precinct and WWF SA Braamfontein by Alive Architecture. Category B - The Award for Research in Sustainability went to Designing Hope for Pathways to Regenerative Sustainability, a book by Chrisna Du Plessis Category C Sustainable Product/Technology went to Paul Marais’ Otto Cottage.

Category D - Sustainable Social Programme - There were two Awarded Projects in this category - buildCollectiveNPO with Carinthia University of Applied Science’s Bridging Mzamba and Architecture for a Change’s Malawi School.

Outstanding ceremony and venue It was indeed impressive and worthy of the projects on display. The 2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation took place in a unique space adjacent to the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, a project supported by AfriSam. It was attended by representatives of leading architectural practices, construction companies, social businesses, thought-leaders in the country and the media. ‘The awards are a resounding endorsement of sustainable and innovative design practice in the South African built environment’, said Kevin Bingham, Awards Convenor and SAIA Vice- President. ‘We have entered a new era in which sustainable design is becoming a non-negotiable, integral part of the building industry. Alongside significantly impacting the lives of those who use them, the Awarded and Commended projects provide fantastic inspiration for architects, and indeed everyone playing a part in our built environment,’ he added The adjudicators of the 2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation were Kevin Bingham (convener), Daniel Irurah, Llewellyn van Wyk, Sebasti Badenhorst , Eric Noir and Richard Stretton.

Photos by Paul Marais

AfriSam and the South African Institute of Architects W www.sustainabledesign.co.za W www.saia.org.za W www.afrisam.com issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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Project photos by Grant Pitcher

ARCHITECTS PROFESSIONS

Sagnelli Associate Architects Passionate architect, Vincenzo (Chen) Sagnelli spoke to To Build about his practice, his SAIA Sustainable Architecture Award winning project and life in general in Kwa-Zulu Natal, where he is based. Chen started his adult life in true Durban style. He was a surfing champion and devoted considerable time and energy to this passion, interrupting his architectural studies at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN)to surf the big league. Significantly, he is an architect who has walked on fire – literally. During his years of study and to help pay the rent, he was a fireman with the Durban Fire Department for eight years, rather than being conscripted into the South African Defence Force. Subsequently, he was able to pay off his student loan and in the process became a registered fire engineer. ‘I consulted to many of the architects I studied with, as a fire consultant, whilst working and then UKZN employed me as a staff member to teach third-,

fourth- and fifth-year students about the fire bylaws and their application to design’, he says. Later, Chen returned to UKZN, repeating the studies he had missed and his sixth year in 1990. Following his passion for water sports, his thesis in 1990 was about the creation of an ‘Ocean Sports Centre’ in Durban for all wave-riding sports. ‘This turned out to be the first and only UKZN architect’s thesis projects of its kind to be built in KZN thus far. Finally, in 1994 and 1995, the Ocean Sports centre was built on the Durban beachfront and became the hub of wave-riding sports and development,’ he adds. Certainly this is an achievement to be proud of. Sagnelli Associate Architects’ staff complement of eight represents a blend of high tech and traditional

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PROFESSIONS ARCHITECTS

Photo by Gareth Griffiths Imaging

At the SAIA Awards, Jane Troughton and Greg Courtney with Chen Sagnelli

architectural skills. Chen’s son-in-law, Gareth, is a design software buff who renders all their projects once they have been conceptualised. The design of upmarket houses, such as the one featured below is not all that drives the Sagnelli practice. There is a genuine interest in housing opportunities in the informal sector and in maximising the potential of “township boxes” and other facilities that reach the underdeveloped sector of our population. Be it designs and concepts for

a childcare centre, or the optimal arrangement of government-sponsored square box houses that are so ubiquitous, Chen has assisted or has ideas that could assist in all of these. His interventions to help the residents of the KwaMashu township serve as a case in point.

The Gorgeous Green House project Referred to in its SAIA Sustainable Architecture Awards citation as a “poster-child” for sustainable

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ARCHITECTS PROFESSIONS seen at various times of the day and night,’ he replies.

green living, the Gorgeous Green House in Durban North and incorporates numerous state-of-the-art green features indoors and out – it literally has it all. The meeting of Chen with owners Jane Troughton and Greg Courtney was a professional match made in heaven. ‘Jane Troughton is a horticulturalist and she was actively involved in researching and implementing various sustainable features,’ says Chen. ‘So, the client brief to me was “let’s make a green architecture building stylish, refined and contemporary, so that the building is subservient to the amazing environment in which it sits”. She also said: Why shouldn’t a green architecture building be an amazing piece of art?’ The Greenhouse is truly unique. Did the architects base Chen’s design on any international case histories or models, we asked? ‘No, I really explored the time, moment, space and circumstances in which we found ourselves. We chose to reuse all the materials from the old home and to minimise going beyond the footprint of the original house. We created a place where the multitude of bird life, including owls, and butterflies could live as freely as they would do had this just been natural indigenous vegetation. And believe you me, there are all kinds of animals here that have been

Top five sustainable features

According to Chen, the top five sustainable features of the Greenhouse include: 1. Large overhangs, creating shade which helps to cool cross ventilation throughout the house, 2. Use of existing building materials and new recycled materials, 3. Capitalizing on solar radiation to create electricity, 4. Capturing fresh rain water and recycling existing grey water for reuse, and 5. Blending and integrating the built form into an already indigenous garden that was established 50-60 years ago. The SAIA awards citation is quite descriptive and reads ‘A client-driven green research project, the Gorgeous Green House encapsulates all green and eco gadgetry there is within the market. This project shows just how strong the client’s voice was with decision making on a sustainable level. Special thought, consideration and research by the client allowed the design of the house to incorporate many sustainable features, from rooftop gardens, green walls, evaporative cooling ponds, water harvesting,

Photo by Gareth Griffiths Imaging

Awards evening. Stephan Olivier, CEO of AfriSam, presents the Sustainable Architecture Award to Jane. To her left, Chen and on the right Kevin Bingham, Awards Convenor.

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PROFESSIONS ARCHITECTS

Project photos by Grant Pitcher

storage and recycling, and solar energy, to name a few. The property also incorporates sustainable and environmentally-friendly materials from bamboo, recycled carpets and kitchen countertops. It also boasts an incredibly integrated eco-system of bee hives, kitchens, veggie garden and a natural swimming pool with fish, all of which attract over 40 species of birds, insects and wildlife to the property. This house is the “poster-child” for sustainable green living.”

Sagnelli Associate Architects T +27 (0)31 536 8160 M +27 (0)82 772 4426 E chen@sagnelli.com W www.sagnelli.com

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PROFESSIONS CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS

Major geo-tech project completed The completion of an R80 million slope stabilisation engineering project in Nelson Mandela Bay has saved Africa’s automotive manufacturing capital from power black-outs, says the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL). The instability of the R75 on-ramp into Uitenhage was undermining the structural integrity of pylons carrying overhead electrical cables supplying large areas of Uitenhage with power. It has been a source of concern for authorities and industry since 2012 when a part of the slope was washed away by heavy rains. ‘Sloughing or erosion problems began in the mid1980s due to the lack of maintenance. This, in turn, allowed moisture to seep into the slope. Previous methods of stabilisation were not effective as they only dealt with close-to-surface water or moisture contained within the slope,’ says Michelle Ah Shene, spokesperson for SANRAL. The R75 was declared a national route in 2011 and was being investigated by SANRAL when the failure occurred. Each time that instability occurred the failure zone encroached on the power pylons, undermining the stability of the foundations.

Slope stabilisation programme Later, extensive slope landmass movements were triggered by heavy rains during October 2012 in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro. The rains created a 50m-wide and 300- long slip along the R75 on-ramp, resulting in the movement of soil to the lower parts of the slope along the failure zone, further exacerbating the risk of damage to the cables and a potential power black-out of Uitenhage. SANRAL told To Build that it completed a slope stabilisation programme of the R75 on-ramp and that stability of pylon foundations will no longer be at risk. The programme entailed the excavation of 112 000m³ of soil, the construction of 5 700m³ of gabions in three continuous walls along the R75 on-ramp, inclusive of grouted soil nails, construction drains at the top of the walls and the installation drains conveying storm water run-off down the slope to the existing drainage system.

Photos by SANRAL

Michele Ah Shene, SANRAL, on site

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CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTORS PROFESSIONS

Slope stabilised – power lines secure

The project also included the construction of an earth catch water bank at the summit of the slope to prevent overland flow from the summit flowing down the cut face.

Challenges overcome SANRAL managed to overcome two engineering challenges on the project. The first challenge encountered was the excavated face beneath the southern pylon; if completely excavated to its full height it would have been approximately 10m high. ‘When it had been partly excavated to between 6 and7 metres, it was prudent to install a system of temporary grouted soil nails plus geotextile and steel mesh to prevent the slope from collapsing. Had the temporary measures not been installed there would have been a danger of the collapse endangering the lives of any person working below and could have, quite possibly, brought about the collapse of the electricity pylon standing at the top of the face,’ explains Ah Shene. Secondly, during construction where the excavations opened the face of the cut slope, a geological fault in the material was exposed, with considerable amounts of groundwater seepage from the fault.

The fault could have led to further sloughing of the existing cut face onto the R75 on-ramp. Additional stabilisation works in the form of gabions, soil nails, slope rehabilitation measures (top soiling and grassing) and trapezoidal drains were authorised.

Learning from pioneers Geotechnical engineering is one of the fastest growing fields of engineering, albeit a relatively young one. Many pioneers within the field have carved a path for those that follow to help fill in the gaps in our knowledge about the fascinating world that lies beneath the earth’s surface. Ah Shene explains that most engineering projects deal with near-surface challenges, and solutions are effectively engineered, whereas slope stabilisation projects deals with more unknown challenges. The project created 216 employment opportunities for 13 SMME’s over a 15-month period. SMME training in tendering and pricing, safety, health and environment aspects, concrete skills and first aid were also provided.

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HEALTH & SAFETY PROFESSIONS

Health benefits programme launched Local engineering firm, TDS Projects recently launched an employee occupational health benefits programme aimed at improving the lives of their staff. The initiative, administered by OCSACare, aims to help support employee wellness for TDS employees working on sites in remote areas. Lack of access to healthcare at fault According to Lorrette Coetzee, who headed up implementation of the programme, TDS started noticing a trend in sick leave spiking at certain times of the year. ‘We found that lack of access to adequate healthcare and medical benefits affected our employees’ ability to perform and in some cases, lead to absenteeism,’ explains Coetzee. ‘OCSACare offered us the ideal solution. They negotiated with local doctors, dentists and pharmacists to ensure that staff in remote areas would have access to affordable healthcare that they were previously deprived of due to cost,’ she explains. Some of TDS’s staff members were already on the cheapest medical aid options, but still had trouble in accessing medical care because of the restrictions that these medical aids funds imposed on both the members, as well as on the service providers. In seeking help, TDS turned to Rudolf de Bruyn of Optivest Health Solutions which is responsible for administering TDS’s staff medical aid programme. ‘We enquired about the availability of affordable products for blue collar workers and found that there was very little choice. We were adamant that we wanted an affordable product that provided good service and quality products to our staff. Optivest provided various options and among them was OCSACare which provided the ideal solution as it is not a medical aid, but rather an occupational health product,’ says Coetzee. Evidence shows that workplace health programmes can be highly effective in promoting healthy behaviours and ensuring employers offer South Africans a healthy and safe working environment. Recent media reports indicate that medical aid contributions will be increasing drastically, which for TDS management indicates the worrying prospect that private medical care is set to become a luxury that few can afford.

‘We value our staff and it is disheartening that statistically only around 20% of all employees can afford private healthcare,’ Coetzee says.

Basic medical care added ‘With OCSACare, the aim is for our staff is to get access to respectable, basic medical care, prevent and manage sickness and disease timeously, provide access to local medical service providers in remote areas, thus eliminating the additional travel costs, achieving an improved work-life and removing the elitist stigma around medical care by providing everyone with the same benefits,” Coetzee explains. TDS will now contribute fully to OCSACare’s programme on behalf of all their employees. To compliment the services that employees will have access to and to ensure that employee wellness is addressed holistically, OCSACare held an information session with the staff and TDS has implemented a monthly health and safety campaign. All of this is now offered to TDS employees alongside their current medical aid and pension fund benefits offered to permanent staff. Coetzee says that these benefits will only be offered to employees who are the main member and most likely the family breadwinner. However, she hopes to find an affordable option to extend care to family members in the future. ‘Helping our employees, and eventually their families too, creates a win-win situation. We are able to improve the general state of health of our employees and TDS benefits by managing sick leave and limiting absenteeism which has an undesirable effect on productivity,’ she adds.

TDS Projects T +27 (0)12 345 3632 W www.tdsprojects.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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PROFESSIONS INTERIOR DESIGNERS

Stylish redesign for property people The client’s brief to the designer was to recreate the style of a luxurious New York corporate management office. A Cape Town headquartered firm of brand architects gave it their best shot. For a taste of New York in the Mother City, the fresh, sophisticated new offices of Urban Lime are a good example. Inhouse Brand Architects has unveiled a stylish redesign for the Cape Town branch of this international property management company. The commission was the second from Urban Lime; Inhouse previously refurbished the upper floors and common areas throughout the same building and because of the success of this initial project, was the inevitable choice to fulfil the client’s latest aspirations for the first and second floors.

The client’s brief to Inhouse stressed the importance of steering away from the stark character of Urban Lime’s previous offices.

First floor – luxurious with flexible spaces The first floor of the Urban Lime building is dedicated to client-facing activities and functions as an informal meeting area. The Inhouse design team, led by Creative Director Aidan Hart and Associate Director Moiisha Visagie, introduced more luxurious elements into this area to reflect the importance of its

Photos by Inhouse Brand Architects

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INTERIOR DESIGNERS PROFESSIONS

function. Inhouse made the space more flexible by incorporating moveable furniture that could easily be adapted to accommodate groups of different sizes.

Second floor – functional yet contemporary elements The second floor houses the company’s different departments and offices. Inhouse incorporated luxurious touches here and there, but introduced functional yet contemporary elements to reflect the operational nature of these offices.

Unique challenges While the result appears seamless and successfully meets the client’s expectations, the building site and construction process presented unique challenges that required the Inhouse team’s full arsenal of problem-solving skills. With no easy access point to the offices, larger furniture pieces had to be reduced in size, or otherwise built on site, while other pieces had to be lifted by crane into the building. Glass that was too high to fit through the building’s main entrance was installed using external scaffolding. Spatial dimensions presented another challenge that affected the design process as the offices are not overly large. The selected design scheme called for the inclusion of a deep, dark palette to create an air of sophistication. These elements were introduced via the wooden flooring, wall panelling and furniture used throughout. However, the Inhouse team was concerned that the dark scheme would make the offices look

smaller. In response, Inhouse specified different forms of lighting to create a more generous sense of space, while managing to retain the deep palette. This was achieved through track lighting which was used to highlight certain standout features of the office, such as the artworks. A pendant light fitting was incorporated to illuminate and add impact to the reception area. Downlights were added to the meeting rooms and office areas, which already offered a decent amount of natural light due to the large windows.

Taking shape As soon as these few challenges had been resolved, the offices began to take shape. The last and final touch was the installation of carefully selected artworks throughout the space. This adds a burst of creativity and an element of edginess to the sleek, modern offices. The client has expressed delight at the completed design. Inhouse has made best use of the play of light and shadow to maximize the limited space available. Now, not only do Urban Lime’s staff members have a comfortable, contemporary workspace, but the company’s client-facing zones and meeting areas successfully reflect the world-class development work that has established Urban Lime as a leader in their field.

Inhouse Brand Architects T +27 (0)21 488 2400 W www.inhouse.ws issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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“Creating a Sense of Place through innovative Contemporary Design Solutions, integrating Interior and Exterior spaces to incorporate Sustainable, Green Interiorscapes”

Heidi Jäger I n te r i o r

Mobile: +27 (83) 269 5087 E-mail: heidij@mweb.co.za Website: www.heidijager.co.za Facebook: heidijagerinteriordesignconsultants Cape Town, South Africa

D esi g n

Professional Member of the IID and African Brand Link.

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PROFESSIONS DEVELOPERS

Photographic rendering by Ballito Junction

Expanding retail footprint in KZN Ballito Junction Regional Mall is a major expansion of an existing 10 000m2 shopping centre to a massive 80 000m2 of contemporary retail space with over 200 shops, restaurants and services. The mall is north of the King Shaka International Airport. Owned and developed by the consortium of Menlyn Maine Investment Holdings and Flanagan & Gerard Property Development & Investment, Ballito Junction Regional Mall is an extraordinarily intricate development in many ways, and especially because of the layout of the land it is being built on. ‘It takes a unique vision to transform the complexity of this project into an opportunity that both harnesses and enhances its surroundings to create an unmatched platform for an exceptional shopping and leisure experience,” says Carl Jankowitz, director at Menlyn Maine.

Eatery is the most distinct example of the mall’s unrivalled vision The Ballito Junction Urban Eatery is perhaps the most distinct example of the mall’s unrivalled vision. Going beyond the neon-lit and brashly-coloured food courts found in malls worldwide, Ballito Junction Urban Eatery opens a whole new world of sensory experiences in a refreshingly different setting. Its innovative design by award-winning MDS Architecture, creates an extraordinary sense of openness, with fresh, airy spaces dappled in natural light from above and around. The magnificent area features exposed raw wood in elements, such as roof trusses. From its magnificent 6m-high feature window, Ballito Junction’s Urban Eatery looks out to the north over the undeveloped green parklands of Simbithi Eco-Estate and beyond that, on a clear day, to the beautiful Indian Ocean. ‘Over and above its uniquely refreshing setting, Ballito Junction Urban Eatery will offer a compelling

array of extraordinary experiences. It is packed full of new names, unique attractions, retail firsts for its region and flagship offerings,’ reports Pat Flanagan, co-chairman of Flanagan & Gerard. The restaurant node within the Urban Eatery expresses the ethos of openness beautifully. Its full-frontage window view has very few line-of-sight barriers to contend with, with no shopfronts, very few walls and each shop’s security and doors mostly invisible to patrons.

Host of other establishments The Urban Eatery is one of numerous outstanding line-ups for dining. Added to this is healthy food from Tree Natural Concepts and a one-of-a-kind Exclusive Books coffee shop inside its flagship store, as well as a Woolies Café. The café is part of the 6 500m2 Woolworths store which spans two levels. It offers front-row seats to the most spectacular views from a sweeping 12m-tall exterior glass window. The Ballito Junction offers entertainment for the entire family too. ‘In the same way that Ballito Junction Urban Eatery takes the mall food court to breath-taking new heights, Ballito Junction takes movies far beyond the average cinema experience into mind-blowing realms,’ notes Jankowitz. Ballito Junction will open officially in March 2017, managed by The Broll Property group.

Ballito Junction T +27 (0)32 586 1130 W www.ballitojunctionshopping.co.za

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PROFESSIONS DEVELOPERS

The Club Advocates’ Chambers A vibrant new base for South Africa’s legal community is being developed in Pretoria. Sectional title In a trailblazing move, Atterbury is giving the advocates the option of sectional title ownership of their own offices. Construction has already started on the prominent new office development at the landmark The Club, with the fourth of five buildings that will ultimately comprise the prestigious precinct. The precinct is already home to 14 400m2 retail, restaurant and office space in Club Retail and Club One. The 5 200m2 Club Two is also under development and will house a Planet Fitness gym and offices. ‘We are pleased to work with Pretoria’s legal community for this innovative project to develop the esteemed new The Club Advocates’ Chambers in Club Three. In addition, the demand-driven development of the 10 000m2 Club Three will also include a medical clinic of around 4 000m2. The Club Advocates’ Chambers will welcome it first clients from February 2018,’ say Atterbury’s Development Manager, Wiehan Strydom. An advocate of the Pretoria Bar, Ilse VermaakHay is one of the advocates who will move to The Club Advocates’ Chambers. She has been an important part of creating this opportunity for the legal community. ‘We wanted an alternative for chambers outside the CBD that also provided the opportunity for advocates to own their offices. While we found many rental-only options, there were no suitable offices available for

Good investment opportunity ‘It represents a good investment proposition in a great location with easy access to the High Court in the Pretoria CBD, as well as Brooklyn, Groenkloof, Menlyn and surrounds. It is an excellent environment in which to work and a good area for our clientele to visit. It is an address that makes a positive impression, with quality offices served by generous parking within a sought-after modern mixed-use environment,’ notes Vermaak-Hay. The new chambers will benefit greatly from their mixed-use environment. Benefits include a better work-life balance for the attorneys and their teams, with The Club’s growing number of retail, medical and health amenities, as well as enjoying working lunches or coffee meetings at a selection of on-site restaurants.

Atterbury Property Fund W www.atterbury.co.za Photo by Atterbury

The Club Advocates Chambers under construction.

purchase. After considering another new development project that came to nothing, Advocate Etienne Coetzee SC approached Atterbury and the idea for The Club Advocates’ Chambers was born,’ says Vermaak-Hay. The new advocates chambers, with its prime position in Hazelwood, is an excellent opportunity for the legal community and is well positioned to serve the many successful and reputable legal practices nearby.

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A secure upmarket investment in green Cape Town-based Rawson Developers are making a bold statement with the launch of a new luxury development in the leafy suburb of Rondebosch – the Rondebosch Oval. The Rondebosch Oval is designed by leading Cape Town architectural practice, dhk. A total of 41 units are envisaged for sale, ranging in price from R6.95 million to R10.7 million. ‘Today’s discerning buyer is looking for something different’, suggests Carl Nortje, Managing Director of Rawson Developers. “Large freestanding erfs are a luxury and pose a responsibility that fewer people are able to contemplate these days. Instead, buyers are looking for the latest in comfort, easy access to work, play and shop, with 24/7 security. They also want a worthy investment, paying back over a reasonable period by way of capital growth”. ‘Our offer to purchase was accepted by the owners of prime land close to the Rondebosch Common and plans approved by the City,’ Nortje adds.

Strict design parameters prioritise healthy outdoor environment ‘The Rondebosch Oval is built on virgin soil on the grounds of a well-known suburban sports club. Our masterplan follows strict design parameters that prioritise the healthy outdoor environment. This will be achieved by means of paved streets, mature trees in abundance, indigenous landscaping and several green building features for the homes,’ he says. According to Nortje, all residents at the complex will also enjoy membership of the significantly upgraded Rondebosch Sports Club with its enhanced new facilities. These include the bowling club, the swimming pool and gym. The existing cricket pitch will

Photographic renderings by DHK / Rawson Developers

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be upgraded and will be tended by landscaping and gardening staff.

Designer finishes and green features Above all, the development offers 41 townhouses which incorporate the most modern designs and features in contemporary housing available on the market. These include multiple option designer finishes so that the buyer can make a unique statement of identity in the Oval. Green features are built into the complex to ensure a light footprint on the earth and minimise its dependence on water and energy resources from the city, as well as reduce operating cost. Several green and sustainability features include: • Optimal use of natural light indoors, minimising electricity consumption for lighting and appropriate orientation of buildings for the southern latitudes • Energy-efficient indoor features, including LED interior lights and LED street lighting • Energy-efficient water heating and insulated geysers

• Well insulated interiors to keep the occupant cool in summer and warm in winter, with optional double glazed windows that save energy and reduce noise from outside • Water-conserving fittings, including low flow and water sensitive gardens • Water-wise landscaping and plant life • Recycling and composting Security is quiet and unobtrusive using high-tech cameras, manned gates and foot patrols. With the Oval located close to the M5 and just 14km to Cape Town International Airport and even closer to Cape Town’s CBD, accessibility is another major advantage. ‘Rondebosch Oval has been designed to provide a tranquil neighbourhood feel, a luxury club and village lifestyle with cobbled streets, abundant trees and indigenous landscaping’, says Nortje.

Rawson Developers T +27 (0)21 658 7100 E info@rawson-developers.co.za W www.rawson-developers.co.za

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PROFESSIONS ENGINEERING

SA digital design & construction – do we lag?

‘A cursory glance at construction projects in our major cities would give the impression that the construction industry is widening its vision and raising its game. Buildings are more innovative, our search for natural resources is becoming more technically advanced and one would therefore think that the pace of change is such that construction projects are keeping abreast with digital technology and processes,’ says Vaughan Harris, Executive Director, BIM Institute. ‘Few would doubt that technology plays an integral part in helping the industry realise these goals by enabling enhanced design, procurement and construction. But one only needs to scratch the surface to see it is struggling to reap the full benefits of design software, data and analytics, 3D scanning, mobile solutions and automation in South Africa,’ he adds.

Lagging fundamental processes As some construction companies attempt to improve governance, health and safety, project controls and upskilling, the fundamentals of traditional engineering, construction and project management processes still seem to lag. ‘Digital technology inevitably brings disruption in its wake, at a speed that is likely to increase. However, many architectural companies remain ignorant when it comes to new and improved digital design technology,’ says Harris. The current downturn in the construction industry also does not encourage investment in upgrading systems and cash-strapped businesses continue to use their current software systems.

‘The responses reflect the industry’s conservatism towards BIM technologies, with several respondents preferring to follow trends rather than to take the lead. Unfortunately, many who have adopted a BIM technology strategy have done so in a silo approach’, reports Harris. The final report is based on 132 completed surveys and 85 incomplete surveys gathered between 12 September and 31 October 2016. Most returned questionnaires were from professionals and senior industry-wide executives, with 39% of them working for organisations with over 200 employees. It should be noted that this is not a representative survey of the entire industry, but rather a glimpse at how leading organisations in South Africa are using technology in construction and the built environment. Most respondents came from Gauteng (45%), followed by Western Cape (31%), KwaZulu-Natal (8%) and ‘other’ (15%).

Software used The software findings revealed in the survey show that 34% of designers chose to work with AutoCAD, with 28% designing in Revit, 9% ArchiCAD, 4%

AUx 2016

Photo by Gareth Griffiths

The survey The survey questioned owners, architects, engineers and construction companies on several current issues to understand whether their views on BIM are aligned or whether differences exist.

Vaughan Harris

Photos by BIM Institute

The 2016 Building Information Modelling (BIM) Institute survey shows that there is a significant lack of education in terms of digital construction and building information modelling for complex building projects in South Africa.

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ENGINEERING PROFESSIONS Respondents: • 1x asset manager

Sector response split: • 11x engineers

• construction 66%

• energy 2%

• 4x contract managers

• 11x project managers

• infrastructure 14%

• residential 0%

• 4x contractors

• 15x technical experts

• 4x IT services

• 17x quantity surveyors

• 4x planners

• 22x architects

• 9x draughtsmen

• 22x BIM managers

• 10x government Trimble, 4% Tekla and 6% Bentley. Despite brand loyalty, the survey found larger firms were more likely to use more than one software package. Of respondents, 55% said they used cloud-based document management systems (Synergy Docwize and Key360), while some smaller firms used cloudbased storage tools (Dropbox and Google Drive). Some 81% of respondents agreed that BIM in South Africa requires a mandate from the National Department of Public Works to be successful.

To Build at the Autodesk University Extension 2016 (AUx) Held in Cape Town during September 2016, this highly impressive event gave South African designers a glimpse of the power available from BIM, dubbed ‘A digital revolution transforming the competitive landscape of the construction industry’. Hosted by Autodesk, the ‘Future of Making Things’ event boasted a wide range of world-class speakers and experts, with particular emphasis on 3D technology. Major initiatives, such as Aux, can address the concerns highlighted by the BIM Institute Survey Report. Keynote guest speaker at the event, design guru and founder of Flux Trends, Dion Chang, has a slightly more positive view about the willingness of South African design professionals to embrace innovation. ‘South Africa can both lead and follow depending on the specific design trend. The main perception remains that where we follow, we lag very far behind design and technology trends compared to developed world countries,’ he says. ‘The reality is that currently our following time is not that long. We are really quick to replicate new trends after they have launched globally, which suggests that we are moving into a space where we will soon be able to compete on a global level in terms

of improving and even setting trends in design and technology, rather than following them,’ he adds. Sharing his experience with local companies who want to innovate, Chang advises: ‘It’s not a matter of “if but when” you are going to be hit by some kind of disruption. Disruption comes in many ways. A lot of companies see innovation as a different entity, a silver-bullet effect they can get to help transform the company. ‘It includes the operating system of the company, the leadership and management. In terms of the different skills sets, it takes a very different way to lead and manage a team to create innovation. Simply having an innovations hub or department will not ensure that you are successful. ‘You cannot separate the responsibility of the rest of the organisation from that thinking and process. Because innovation takes a long time you must budget for failure. Not a lot of companies want to hear this but innovation doesn’t happen overnight and you need the buy-in and commitment from senior management. People tend to pull out of progressive and disruptive projects too quickly, or they cease because someone else has succeeded in doing it faster than them,’ Chang adds.

BIM Institute M +27 (0)83 4565308 E Julia.bartonhill@biminstitute.org.za W www.biminstitute.org.za Autodesk University Extension W http://au.autodesk.com/ issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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PROFESSIONS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS & LANDSCAPING

Massive concrete retaining block walls Variable geology and sloping land presented an exceptional set of challenges in the successful execution of a project near Tunney Ext 12 in Germiston. Two huge concrete retaining block (CRB) walls were essential components in securing a bulk-fill terrace and a large post-tensioned concrete surface bed onsite. The surface bed supports a warehouse and distribution centre built for earth-moving-equipment giant, Komatsu. The CRB were specified by the project developer, Investec Property, and designed by Verdi Consulting Engineers (Verdicon) in collaboration with international consulting giant, Hatch. Local earthworks contractor, Power Construction, was engaged for the civil work and Valcal International constructed the retaining walls. Aveng Infraset’s RidgeBloks® were used in the construction of the walls The lower wall, 450m long and topping 13m, was built to face off and secure the bulk-fill terrace above, maximising the space available for development. The upper wall, 436m long and 15m high, stabilises the embankment which rises above the building platform. It was a cut-and-fill operation which involved the blasting and excavation of large quantities of rock. Verdicon MD, Trevor Green, said that besides creating additional usable space, the advantage of CRB walls is their modularity which makes them sufficiently flexible to accommodate ground movement while retaining structural integrity. ‘By contrast it takes only minimal movement for reinforced concrete or brick walls to crack while an equivalent wall in reinforced concrete is typically several times more costly,’ he says.

Aveng Infraset Landscape Products sales manager, Brennan Small, stands in front of the 13m section of the wall-in-fill.

‘As both walls exceed a height of 10m, they were constructed in a closed-face configuration for the first 3m-5m and in open-face thereafter. The lower retaining wall was built after the earthen terrace had been constructed,’ explains Green. ‘Power Construction battered the bulk earthworks platform at 45˚, while the lower wall was built at an angle of 70˚. During its construction, Valcal International benched the embankment to avoid the creation of a preferential failure plane. In addition, we specified geosynthetic reinforcing at a ratio of 70% to wall height which was installed at every third layer of RidgeBloks®,’ continues Green. The cut wall section was of rock from several different geologies and is topped by approximately 2m of soil. Global instability was not an issue, but numerous wedges (jointing) in the rock face meant that over time pieces of rock would dislodge and fall. The upper wall was built at an angle of 75˚ using a minimum of 1m geofabric and stabilised fill compacted at 150mm layers. Above the rock a more traditional geogrid installation of 50% to 60% wall height was applied. ‘This project is one of the more spectacular examples of the versatility, structural integrity and cost-effectiveness of Aveng Infraset’s RidgeBloks®,’ says Aveng Infraset Landscape Products Sales Manager, Brennan Small.

Aveng Infraset T + 27 (0)12 652 0000

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PROFESSIONS LEGAL

Water – a basic human right To Build’s legal expert writes for us about our most basic right to water, in line with our focus on that subject this edition. Writing, as I do, from Cape Town in the Western Cape, there is very little doubt that all citizens of this City are by now acutely aware of the fact that the human species is rapidly realising that water is the single most valuable commodity on earth. Our dependence on water to survive is no doubt one of the reasons why it ranks in our constitution as a fundamental human right. The Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution, Act 108 of 1996, has the following express provision in section 27: 27 Health care, food, water and social security (1) Everyone has the right to have access to(a) healthcare services, including reproductive health care; (b) sufficient food and water; and (c) social security, including, if they are unable to support themselves and their dependants, appropriate social assistance. (2) The state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of each of these rights. (3) No one may be refused emergency medical treatment.

The importance of water is recognised in the fact that it forms part of the rights dealing with essential requirements for life, namely health and social security. Four of the most important words in the above extract from the Constitution appear in sub-section (2) namely “within its available resources”. The Constitution enjoins the organs of state, including municipalities, to take measures to provide rights to water but this is, as the Act says, subject to its resources. Unlike bricks and mortar, for example, which can be manufactured to provide housing, water cannot be manufactured, or at least not in an economic manner. To start to fulfil its obligations to take reasonable legislative measures to achieve the progressive

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Importance of water

realization of the right to water, the government presented two Bills which were passed by Parliament - the Water Services Act 108 of 1997 and the National Water Act 36 of 1998. These Acts significantly changed the landscape in the field of environmental law in South African. Critically, it is no longer possible to be the owner of natural water resources. Rights to the contents of rivers ceased. The only priority uses of water are now human beings, for their daily needs and the environment.

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LEGAL PROFESSIONS Commentators have stated that this appeared to signal a “sea change” in the State’s attitude toward freshwater usage and the rights of people believing that heavy users, such as industry, would be protected less than ordinary people and the environment.

Tempered

Photo by Gareth Griffiths

This belief however has been tempered by a decision of the constitutional court: Mazibuko and Others v City of Johannesburg and Others 2010 (4) SA 1 (CC). This decision has resulted in significant comment, both in South African and internationally. The applicants resided in a very poor area of Johannesburg .They challenged the City of Johannesburg’s decision to supply six kilolitres of water per month free to every account holder in the city, but to install prepaid meters for anyone who used more than that. The applicants challenged the constitutionality of this decision on the grounds that the Constitution provides that everyone has the right of access to sufficient water. The court, however, held that the right of access to sufficient water does not require that the State provide every person, upon demand and without more, with sufficient water. Nor does the obligation confer on any

person a right to claim “sufficient water” from the State immediately. The Constitutional Court held that the provision of six kilolitres of free water per household per month was a reasonable. The court also decided that the introduction of prepaid water meters was not unlawful for any use over six kilolitres. Various commentators have opined that the court has thereby failed to recognise the social and economic realities of the fact that the majority of South Africans live in poverty and cannot afford any payment for water.

Conclusion South Africa is amongst the top 30 driest countries in the world. Changing weather patterns that have, for example, resulted in the present drought in the Western Cape, are likely to impact even more on the State’s ability to provide water and therefore the lives of the more vulnerable members of society. The point I am trying to make is that the law, be it Parliament (who make it), or the court’s (which implement or refine it) cannot be expected to solve the problem of a limited resource of water. The question is, who and when will mankind be in a position to make water economically so that the ideals of the law as set out in the Constitution can be achieved?

Adv B Hack with job shadow student, Teegan from Reddam College. • Advocate BC Hack is a practising advocate and member of the Cape Bar. He graduated from UCT and UNISA with a BA LLB, and worked for a prominent building company for a number of years before joining the Cape Bar in 1994. He was appointed an Acting Judge in the High Court, Cape Town Bench during 2016.

Bryan Hack, Advocate of the High Court, Member of the Cape Bar T +27 (0)21 4235 441 E hack@capebar.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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PROFESSIONS QUANTITY SURVEYING

Global Mentor of the Year Chartered Building Surveyor, Anil Singh Rana, associate project manager for UK-based Capital Property and Construction Consultants, was recently awarded the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Mentor of the Year 2016. Commended by RICS judges for his passion for going above and beyond to support and encourage the next generation of professionals, while maintaining development of his own successful career, Rana has helped candidates to realise their potential through mentoring and nurturing talent, imparting the values of RICS and the vast range of opportunities available to RICS professionals. Although based in the UK, Rana has managed to still effectively support candidates for the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) in his home country of Mauritius, where he previously worked as a consultant, academic and contractor, assisting RICS Africa in promoting and raising the standards of the profession.

Pinnacle of career ‘With RICS being the world’s leading professional status in land, real estate, infrastructure and construction, winning this award has marked the pinnacle of my career. I am humbled and privileged to win such a distinguished award and more importantly, to represent Mauritius and Africa on an international platform,’ says Rana. ‘The RICS qualification has enabled me to become an international volunteer mentor for RICS APC candidates across continents, using my own initiative to increase awareness and the significant benefits of being a member of RICS. I have had the opportunity to mentor APC candidates on different pathways in Australia, Mauritius and South Africa in what is today a more interconnected and globalised environment than ever before.

Anil Singh Rana is the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Mentor of the Year 2016.

[ ] My advice to young people starting out and looking for a rewarding career is that the construction industry has a place for everyone with the right attitude, interest, hard work and dedication.

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QUANTITY SURVEYING PROFESSIONS ‘In a technology-based internet society, despite the time differences, communication through various technological applications such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Viber, WebEx and Skype has never been easier as support can now be provided via instant communication. “Mentoring people through this process is extremely satisfying. Time permitting I would like to mentor more RICS APC candidates nationally and internationally, particularly where support is almost non-existent,’ he adds.

Youngest ever Fellow of RICS in Africa A passionate enthusiast of the built environment and a global ambassador for RICS for more than a decade, it was a watershed moment when in 2014 Rana became a Fellow of RICS aged 35 – at that time the youngest ever fellow in Africa. He now works for one of the fastest growing and emerging multidisciplinary practices in London, Capital Property & Construction Consultants, where he started as a graduate. ‘Never before has the profession seen clients demanding greater transparency and competency and trustworthy professionals. RICS has helped me reinforce those ethical values to ensure clients obtain the best possible advice and in the same vein, provide a service to the highest professional and technical standards,’ says Rana. ‘The industry is always evolving at an unprecedented pace and there has been a paradigm shift in increased communication, integration, innovation and efficiency, with collaboration and ethics being at the heart of this. ‘My passion for the profession, knowledge sharing and uncompromisingly giving back remains at the forefront of my surveying and project management duties. My advice to young people starting out and looking for a rewarding career is that the construction industry has a place for everyone with the right attitude, interest, hard work and dedication. ‘In addition, the construction industry is one of the best industries to be in due to its unique technical challenges and opportunities because every building or project brings its own complexities and team dynamics. The networking opportunities on a global scale are immense, particularly if you are a member of RICS. Equally, it is an opportunity to make real changes to people’s lives by shaping the environment in and around them,’ he adds.

About RICS – What surveyors do According to the association website (www.rics.org/za/the-profession/whatsurveyors-do/), surveyors strive to make lasting impact on the future. The work of our professionals benefits wider society and the environment. The profession covers a wide range of services; it is a varied career, taking people out into the world and often making a lasting impact for future generations. The surveying profession has the expertise to meet future challenges and the changing needs of the 21st century leading the growth of mega cities, connecting people through smart technology and infrastructure and managing our natural resources for generations to come. Land, property or a major infrastructure project needs to be professionally developed and managed to deliver best value for owners, investors and the end users. Our professionals manage these complex assets to a set of professional standards that guarantee the quality and ethics of their service. The standards they work to are both demanded and recognized around the world, ensuring a trusted universal approach and a set of consistent skills globally. Our professionals create value by reducing risk, managing cost and delivering returns on investment. They provide confidence in the market and ensure projects and assets are delivered safely and sustainably. They also deliver social value by operating in the public interest, to the highest ethical standards, delivering consistent standards of professionalism with trust and integrity.

RICS South Africa, TC Chetty, RICS Country Manager T + 27 (0)31 7644645 E tcchetty@rics.org issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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RICS ADVERTORIAL

RICS Africa Summit empowers women The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has placed a strong focus on the empowerment of women in the built environment sector, at the Annual RICS Africa Summit which took place in Sandton, Johannesburg, on 22 and 23 February 2017. As part of an expanded event, this year’s RICS Africa Summit held a joint mentoring workshop with the Women’s Property Network (WPN) on the first day of the summit. RICS President, Amanda Clack, hosted the workshop luncheon together with WPN leaders and women working in various levels of the broader property industry. ‘This is an exciting initiative for us as the workshop was part of a pilot women’s mentorship and empowerment programme that RICS has started under the presidency of Amanda Clack. It provides a valuable opportunity for female property professionals in South Africa to share experiences and learn from their counterparts in the UK,’ says TC Chetty, RICS Country Manager for South Africa. ‘Through this mentorship programme, RICS aims to provide support to women surveyors and property professionals in South Africa, and to develop a pipeline of talent for women surveyors to remain and prosper in the profession. Both mentors and mentees will gain new skills, networks and benefit from a culture of support and sharing best practice within RICS internationally, explains Chetty.

Empowerment programme gaining momentum President of RICS, Clack said that she was particularly pleased that RICS’ women’s mentorship and empowerment programme is gaining momentum. ‘Mentoring and empowering women is high on the agenda of RICS through this pilot programme, which we hope to extend worldwide in the future,’ she says. ‘In the increasing war for talent we need to attract, retain and support more women in the profession. Mentorship is a key support mechanism with both mentee and mentor gaining much from this special relationship. For me, it is important as you climb the ladder you bring someone with you. Thus, the RICS programme speaks to this agenda,’ she adds.

Lee-Anne Bac, a WPN Gauteng committee member and Director of Real Estate and Construction at Grant Thornton, has been leading the effort from WPN’s side on the joint women’s mentorship initiative with RICS in South Africa. ‘It all started as a conversation between WPN and RICS last year at the RICS Africa Summit on the need to empower women in the industry through mentorship. I’m glad it has become an official pilot programme between RICS in the UK and WPN in South Africa aimed for the benefit of women in the sector,’ she says. ‘I am passionate about women’s empowerment and this is great cross-border collaboration between WPN and RICS. It’s an association that we are proud of, with this mentorship initiative having the potential to grow so that it is accessible to more women,’ Bac continues.

More about RICS London-based RICS is a global professional body that promotes and enforces the highest qualifications and standards in the areas of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. As a public benefit organisation, it operates in all the world’s major financial hubs in delivering international standards and policy influence.

RICS T +27 (0)11 467 2857 M +27 (0)83 288 6998 E handrews@rics.org W www.rics.org issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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Plan, Design, Build, Interior & Exterior DÃ©cor

BUILDING SYSTEMS BATHROOMS.......................................72 CEILINGS & PARTITIONS......................74 DOORS & WINDOWS..........................76 FLOORS................................................79 KITCHENS.............................................80 LIGHTING.............................................85 ROOFING.............................................90 AUTOMATION......................................99 STRUCTURE.........................................102 WALLS & CLADDING........................104

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Building Systems Bathrooms

Bathroom spa with minimal fuss A recent innovation promises to turn an ordinary shower into a spa-like retreat within an afternoon – without the expense and trouble of a major bathroom makeover. Respected United States supplier, Kohler, entered the African market in 2014, setting up its base in Johannesburg from where it services the sub-Saharan African market. The company’s new HydroRail® shower columns have made shower conversions possible using a simplified installation that mounts to existing plumbing, which means that no existing tiling needs to be removed. There are three HydroRail® options, making it easier to find the perfect fit for any bathroom. The benefits of the new system are: • Easy installation HydroRail® shower columns drastically cut installation times by using the existing water supply, eliminating the need to go behind the wall or alter plumbing. Just measure, drill four holes, install the mounting brackets and secure the rail.

After

Before Photos by Kohler

• Comfort The HydroRail®-R shower column, with its patent rain-heads with Katalyst® spray, infuse air into the shower stream to deliver large, full • The HydroRail®-S shower column Retaining the showerhead and adding a hand shower expands the range of showering experiences. Kohler offers a range of showerheads, including indulgent and invigorating options. Switching between the showerhead and hand shower is easy with a diverter valve conveniently located at the bottom of the column.

Kohler Africa (Pty) Ltd T +27 (0)11 050 9000 E africa@kohler.com

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Building Systems CEILINGS & PARTITIONS

Sound solutions for restaurants An established supplier of ceiling and walling features shares some advice with owners and designers of restaurants and other establishments. Modernist and minimalist décor trends calling for industrial-type exposed ceilings and hard bare surfaces, actually increase the level of noise in restaurants, says Denise Gould of Pelican Systems, distributor of Knauf AMF products in South Africa. Here’s why, the sound reverberates and reflects, as opposed to being absorbed. If there are limited acoustic products or sound absorbing finishes used, the harshness of the sound reverberating around the room can be extremely unpleasant for patrons. It is unfortunate that it is often only after construction ends, when the restaurant is open for business, that the sound quality of the room is really put to the test and experienced as positive or negative. At this stage, it is often more expensive and more difficult to find workable solutions to correct the noise problems. The balance is critical, no-one wants to be in an extremely quiet restaurant either, but being able to have a conversation at the table and to have the right

level of comfortable noise goes a long way towards creating an atmosphere in a restaurant that keeps customers coming back. ‘Pelican Systems highly recommends discussing the matter of sound and acoustics upfront with the professional team, including the architect and interior designers. Understanding sound is complex and consulting an acoustician would be money very well spent,’ says Gould. If possible, a suspended ceiling with a mineral fibre acoustic ceiling tile is ideal. These products have a tested noise reduction coefficient (NRC) value that can be relied on. ‘The NRC is the representation of the amount of sound energy absorbed when sound strikes a particular surface. Zero (0) means all sound is reflected and 1 indicates all sound is absorbed’, explains Gould. But what are the various remedies and approaches recommended by the experts in approaching the matter?

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CEILINGS & PARTITIONS Building Systems Solutions using acoustic tiles

Solutions using wall sound absorbers

Using acoustic tiles can often provide a solution. These days it is possible to print any design onto acoustic tiles, making it possible to make a statement with your ceiling. ‘Explore Knauf AMF’s full range of acoustic mineral fibre ceiling tiles’, suggests Gould. ‘If a suspended ceiling is not possible due to the design criteria, or if a corrective solution is required, we recommend using ceiling rafts suspended at intermittent intervals. These can be easily retrofitted and provide an excellent option to reduce noise and improve sound absorption in the room.’

Another solution that can be used is wall sound absorbers. These can either be designed to be part of a fitted panel (AMF Thermatex Line Modern) or hung on the wall, much like a painting or canvas (AMF Line style). Here again the idea is to print onto the special acoustic fleece, customising the wall absorber to a specific interior design so that the sound solution adds value and enhances the overall look and feel of the restaurant. ‘As most of these retrospective fit solutions are best customised and need to be imported from AMF

Solutions using ceiling rafts

in Germany, it is not a quick fix. It is best to start with sound and acoustics in your initial design brief. It really is important to create the ambience your restaurant needs to be enjoyed by your clients,’ says Gould.

Knauf AMF has an extensive range of ceiling rafts which include: • Thermatex Sonic Arc – concave and convex elements where different colours can create interesting contrasts and design features • Thermatex Sonic Element – a frameless shaped ceiling raft which gives an impression of a floating cloud • Thermatex Sonic Modern – a ceiling raft with an aluminium frame to create a modern element which can be printed in colour

Pelican Systems T +27 (0)31 563 7307 E info@pelican.co.za W www.pelican.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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Building Systems Doors & Windows

Trends for 2017 2017 started with renewed promises to think positively, achieve more and eat less carbs on a personal level! However, to achieve our resolutions at a business level, we asked the chairman of a leading windows and doors manufacturer to share some of his insights with us. Jurie Hanekom, chairman of Swartland, a successful family-owned enterprise, offered a view as to what he believes are our top business trends for 2017.

Focus on millennials

Start prepping for Generation Z Generation Z, also known as the iGeneration, is a specific demographic that were born between the mid-1990s and the early-2000s. The first members

Jurie Hanekom

Photos by Swartland

Millennials, also known as Generation Y, are a demographic segment that were born between the early ‘80s and late ‘90s. With their older members now entering their late 30s, the millennial generation is reinventing the way business is done and how people are managed. ‘Millennials insist on all-inclusive leadership and opportunities for growth in every position they fill. As such, business ethics such as transparency, collaboration and a healthy work-life balance are vital for any business looking to attract the best and the brightest employees going forward, as well as loyal future customers,’ says Hanekom. A major millennial-inspired trend is that more and more businesses are hiring freelance or virtual employees, notes Hanekom: ‘Today, many companies are turning to a virtual employee model, or they are hiring freelancers where they can, due to the numerous perks it provides both the business and the employee. The benefits for business include saving money, expanding your pool of applicants, increasing productivity and improving employee retention. ‘For the employee, you can earn more as a freelancer or contractor and it allows you to work from anywhere you want. The latter is especially attractive for mothers with small children, or the many millennials who have chosen to reject big city living in lieu of smaller towns that offer a better quality of life,’ he adds.

of Generation Z will be graduating from university in a few years’ time and Hanekom believes that it is imperative to start planning for ways to tap into their psyches now. Although this generation haven’t started flooding the workplace just yet, it is never too early to start considering them. ‘Generation Z the world over has largely been shaped by recession and they have seen their parents suffer through it,’ Hanekom points out. ‘Generation Z think about university and job prospects very early on in high school, and they do not regard education as an experience, but rather as an investment. This new generation is far more pragmatic and a lot more prepared than their recent predecessors. This is a world view that is not something they are likely to outgrow. To attract customers and employees from Generation Z, businesses need to be able to recognise what is important to them and to start customising their offering to them,” Hanekom explains.

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Doors & Windows Building Systems Building tech for the non-technical ‘Social media, internet marketing and e-commerce all help to empower a business, allowing it to reach potential customers in untapped markets, both locally and abroad. However, although there are increasingly more people online, lots of them are not particularly well informed about, or proficient in the use of modern technology,’ says Hanekom. The need to use technology is an essential element for conducting business and competing. Hanekom believes that there will be more and more technology being developed to help the less tech-literate entrepreneurs to exist in an increasingly techswamped world. ‘Platforms like WordPress, for example, allow for easy creation and management of a website with minimal technical know-how so that even the smallest businesses can build an online presence,’ he adds.

App fever Nowadays any company worth its salt is expected to have an app or online tool. ‘Today, the trend is to ‘app-ify’ everything and it is easy to understand why – apps provide shortcuts to the things we do – from finding a taxi, helping us exercise, monitoring loyalty programmes and even health. I don’t think that app mania is merely consumer – apps have changed our lives and the way we do things and I believe that it is the key to future success,’ says Hanekom. ‘It was with this in mind that Swartland developed SpecNet – a practical, easy-to-use web-based tool that supports professionals operating in the built environment by providing free downloadable ArchiCad objects, Revit families and product information for Swartland’s range of windows and doors – making specifying and accurate design a synch,’ he explains.

Greener and greener Consumers in general are becoming increasingly conscious about what types of products they buy and are especially loyal to those products that are green and produced by companies that have an environmentally-friendly ethos. ‘Consumers are placing increasing importance on going green – in part due to the ever-increasing tariffs being charged for water and electricity, and also partly due to the growing awareness that we need to start looking after the environment if it is to keep on looking after us,’ says Hanekom. ‘Today, the green revolution has moved away from

being an intangible theory-driven fringe movement, towards something that is tactile, expected and part of our everyday lives. We turn off the sink when we brush our teeth, we turn off the water when we are

washing our hair in the shower, we choose energyefficient products whenever we can – society in general is increasingly committed to becoming ecofriendlier. The truth is that we like saving money and we like doing our bit for the environment, and we like companies that also enjoy these things,’ he adds. For the younger generations, especially, living sustainably is a fundamental value. ‘Going green is no longer simply a nice-to-have business ethos – today, it is a clearly identified megatrend. Over the past decade, environmental issues have steadily encroached on business largely due to escalating public and governmental concern about climate change, industrial pollution, food safety, and natural resource depletion, to name a few,’ says Hanekom. ‘Thus, consumers are increasingly seeking out sustainable products and services, and leaning towards supporting companies who are making genuine efforts to improve their sustainability rankings. Governments too are interceding with unprecedented levels of new regulation governing green practices and requirements. In South Africa, one example is the SANS 10400-XA National Building Regulations, covering energy usage in buildings which has had a massive impact on the building industry at large. Investors and stakeholders have a keen understanding of how important this megatrend is for business, and so, they too are paying special attention to companies with sound sustainable practices,” notes Hanekom.

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Floors Building Systems

Visionary new design centre A well-known international flooring manufacturer has opened a new design centre in the Matrix at Century City, adjacent to the Century City Conference Centre and hotel. The new centre offers something special for interior designers and architects. The world-class Belgotex Design Centre offers the public and industry professionals a creative space where they can get an inspiring look at the full Belgotex range, along with advice from the on-site team. The space will act as an inspiration hub, showcasing the brand’s flooring solutions and application possibilities in a design-led environment. It also provides a working space for professionals to meet with clients as part of the design development and specification journey. Belgotex are also developing a programme of trend talks and events for the public and industry in the space. ‘We have always prided ourselves in leading by design and being the first to introduce the latest flooring technology to South Africa,’ says Edward Colle, Executive Director of Belgotex Floors. ‘The Belgotex Design Centre is an example of this innovative, design-first thinking and is an exceptional, pioneering space in the South African flooring market. Unlike many traditional showrooms, the environment is welcoming and easy to navigate, allowing our customers to rethink the way that they see and choose flooring,’ he adds.

Contemporary design Designed by ITI, a Durban-based brand development and creative agency, the Belgotex Design Centre is just over 300m2 and includes a contemporary showroom area and elevated textile concept gallery, a coffee bar, boardroom and mezzanine office space for Belgotex’s Cape Town-based professional team. Architects, interior designers and other creative professionals are encouraged to either explore the space alone or meet with their clients at the centre – where they can choose between the informal coffee bar or the boardroom, for more formal meetings. ‘The idea behind the new showroom was to put flooring first. It’s such an integral aspect of any space and it is often overlooked until the end of the design process,’ adds Colle. ‘Flooring has such a huge impact on the aesthetic and sensory impression of a space, that starting with it first is a more human, tactile approach.’

The space is inspired by life lived close to the ground, as in Japanese culture. The design concept is characterised by horizontal planes and facets, flooring is elevated and honoured for its integrity. The showroom has been conceived of as a public space, where you can pause and spend time being inspired, rather than just transacting. Products are displayed in a way that they can be appreciated and can spark creativity – from the gallery approach to textile concepts, to the bespoke plinth display.

Process is seamless for both professionals and public Once people have been informed and inspired by their experience at the centre, the Belgotex team will refer customers to the best fitter for their needs. This makes the fulfilment process seamless for both professionals and the public, and removes the guess work of finding vetted suppliers. Existing Belgotex stockists can also bring their customers to the Design Centre to choose the perfect products for their space.

More about Belgotex Belgotex has been revered for its quality carpets and flooring solutions for over 30 years. From humble beginnings, as Natal Nylon Industries in 1983, to a member of the multinational Belgotex International Group with seven companies over four continents, Belgotex Floors has developed into the leading soft flooring manufacturer in Africa. The brand has over 80 ranges of different flooring options for indoors and out, including carpeting, vinyl, artificial grass, underlays and rubber. Design professionals can book the boardroom by contacting Renee at the Design Centre on 021 763 6900.

Belgotex Design Centre T +27 (0)21 763 6900 W www.belgotex.co.za W www.facebook.com/Belgotex issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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Building Systems Kitchens

Kitchens Specialists’ Association keeps consumers up to date A video introducing what the Kitchens Specialists’ Association (KSA) offers, the latest consumer guide, and an updated website are just some of the initiatives the KSA are undertaking this year to keep consumers informed.

KSA general manager, Stephanie Forbes, shares the latest news from her organisation with us. ‘Last year we developed a KSA video to introduce our organisation and what we offer consumers, industry professionals and potential members. This tool will be used by the KSA and members to educate and inform consumers,’ she says. The video was recently launched on YouTube at www.youtube/87qcSM7H-3A The KSA 2017 Consumer Guide has also been published, copies of which will be delivered to all KSA members over the next few weeks. The consumer guide will also be distributed at Decorex nationally. ‘The KSA Consumer Guide is filled with useful information for anyone planning a new kitchen and includes advisory articles, a handover checklist and a full list of KSA members. We will also be uploading a digital version of the guide and the link will be on the KSA website,” says Forbes. The KSA has also updated its website. ‘It is important for consumers to be able to visit our website

and not only ascertain whether a company is a KSA member or not, but also how long they have been committed to offering their clients KSA support and recourse. Each member’s profile will now reflect the date they became a KSA member,’ she adds. ‘We believe that starting the year by launching these three new additions to our profile is a very positive start to the year and although tough times may be predicted ahead, the KSA will continue to offer our members and their clients our full support, guidance and intervention should it be necessary” says Forbes.

Kitchen Specialists’ Association W www.ksa.co.za

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Building Systems Kitchens

Photos by Miele

Chilling in the kitchen According to a leading manufacturer, the next generation of refrigeration appliances have some of the coolest design and technological innovations yet. Liam Gawne from award-winning appliance manufacturer, Miele, offers the following advice: “Refrigeration appliances have come a long way since the chunky, inefficient ice boxes of the past – modern refrigeration should offer excellent energy ratings, state-of-the art cooling systems and a whole host of other convenient features that take these new models to the next level in both design and efficiency.”

range and are also designed with young families in mind. Shopping list, school timetable, and forthcoming doctors’ appointments – all readily visible in many families – stuck to the door of a refrigerator using fridge magnets. Now we offer the Blackboard Edition fridge-freezer. The door on the Blackboard Edition can be written on with school chalk or liquid chalk markers, and it is incredibly easy to clean.”

Colour and finish

Flat lines

Open-plan design, where the kitchen flows seamlessly into the living spaces is the vogue, so kitchen appliances are more displayed than ever before. So their appearance has become an important factor. Fridges are often the largest of all the kitchen appliances, and should visually blend in with the surrounding kitchen units, making a bold statement with colour or luxurious finishes. Says Liam: “Our appliances are available in Brilliant White and CleanSteel. Glossy glass surface models come in either Brilliant White or Obsidian Black. They are all straight-laced and puristic in design, and blend in seamlessly with contemporary, high-end kitchens.” Stainless steel finishes should be chosen with a finger-and-stain-resistant finish like our Clean Steel finish”.

The latest fridges come with flat lines, seamless detailing and a truly elegant, streamlined overall appeal. The absence of overly elaborate detailing makes it easier to integrate these large appliances into virtually any low-key, open-plan kitchen space. “My company has dispensed with visible handles in the K 20.000 series – visually integrating with handle-less cabinetry design. Instead of the traditional handles, a recessed handle with assisted opening action (Click2open) guarantees ease of operation, even when the door is opened several times in quick succession. The Click2open technology is great – simply push the front of the fridge or freezer door with your finger, and the door opens automatically.” “Full appliance integration is where kitchen design is taking us, and refrigeration is no different. Miele’s state-of-the-art MasterCool series for example, is a modular range that allows you to choose the ideal combination for your perfect kitchen. Designed to impress, it’s precision engineered to provide the ultimate in advanced refrigeration technology.”

Practical notice boards Blackboard models are another innovative trend: “The K 20.000 range forms part of an extensive designer

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Kitchens Building Systems Smart storage Fresh food is the key. Fruit and vegetables are best consumed when they are as crisp and fresh as when purchased. In addition to food quality at the store, the right storage conditions are also important. Says Liam: “Our PerfectFresh is a special cooling zone in Miele refrigerators that offers ideal storage conditions for a variety of foods. Many types of fruit and vegetables, meat, fish and dairy products remain fresh for considerably longer in a PerfectFresh zone than they would do in a conventional refrigerator.” As a valuable commodity, it is estimated that as much as 20% of all food purchased ends up being thrown away. Clearly technologies such as PerfectFresh can help alleviate this wastage : “The temperature in our PerfectFresh dry compartment is between 0ºC and 3ºC ensuring that food stays fresh for longer without losing its flavour. Yoghurt can, for example, to be consumed up to 3 weeks past its best before date.”

Easier controls With electronic touch-screen panels leading the way, now you can operate your fridge or freezer the same way you operate your smart phone. “Miele’s K 20.000 model series for example, features a TFT colour display and touch controls, geared to match the design of Miele’s Generation 6000 range of kitchen appliances. This display gives you easy and precise control over the temperature inside your fridge and freezer, some even allowing you to adjust up to six different zones”.

take on refrigeration lighting is borderline science fiction”. The LED lighting in Miele’s refrigeration models gradually brightens when the door is opened. This feature provides uniform and non-glare lighting with light sources along the front edge of glass shelves where they cannot be covered or obstructed. Thanks to side electrical contacts at each shelf level, glass shelves can easily be relocated, taking their light source with them as they go in order, for example, to create space for a large gateau. And the whole subject of lighting is rounded off on fridgefreezer combinations by freezer lighting. This is located along the lower edge of the refrigerator door, providing illumination for the drawers below.”

Energy efficiency Refrigeration appliances run 24/7/365 for many years. A such it is imperative to choose the most energy efficient model possible: “We have demonstrated that high performance and energy-saving can be achieved simultaneously. The majority of our refrigeration appliances exceed the A+ energy-efficiency classification. When compared to refrigeration appliances with an A rating, this offers savings of 20% on appliances with an energy-efficiency rating of A+, 40% on appliances with a rating of A++, and up to 60% on appliances with an A+++ rating. “With an appliance that is in use 24 hours a day, every day over many years, this benefit goes straight to your pocket and is kind to the environment. Make the right choice, for your home, save running costs and do good for the environment.”

Lighting the way Miele W www.miele.co.za

Photos by Miele

“Energy-saving LED lighting should be a modern day feature, he explains, so that you can clearly see what is in your fridge or freezer at any time of the day. Our

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Lighting Building Systems

Don’t get stuck in the dark Catch up with your lighting know-how with this easy-to-read overview of modern trends by a leading lighting manufacturer. Lighting is a key architectural and design element in any interior space and trends change in this fastpaced market nearly as rapidly as they do in fashion and technology. Simple upgrades that can have an impact on the environment, produce a massive saving in operating costs and enhance any living space should be viewed as an investment. Thando Dladla, Philips Lighting South Africa: Marketing and Communications Assistant, explains modern lighting trends she expects to have an impact in 2017 and why it’s so important to keep up with the sector that sees the intersection of style, innovation and basic human need.

LEDs (light-emitting diodes), or luminaires as they’re known, are available in varying sizes and can be integrated into most existing lighting systems – making it simple to switch. LEDs use up to 80% less energy than traditional incandescent lighting and can last for up to 15000 hours – equal to 15 incandescent lamps – all while producing a beautiful warm light. Not only will you have to change fewer bulbs, but there will be less waste. Switching from incandescent to new LEDs is an easy home investment where massive savings are felt well into the future.

Connected lighting The new generation of smart bulbs are the ideal place to start if you’re looking to haul your home into the connected lighting revolution. Through one easy-to-use mobile app, users can switch, dim, change colours and much more. Connected lighting allows homeowners to personalise and control the light that works for their schedule, comfort, safety and productivity. Connected lighting will completely change the way that lighting is used.

Light built to make you better Lighting is directly connected to our emotions and sense of wellbeing, and recent neurological and behavioural insights are transforming lighting

Photos by Philips

Cutting-edge and energy-saving LED is here to stay

applications in both the hospitality and health industries. This is especially important to populations that are highly sensitive to the effects of light, like the ill and elderly. Exposure to the right light also has implications for our circadian rhythms – with the right light we can do things like improve sleep patterns and increase alertness. ‘This is why we work across hospitality industries to create lighting solutions for interiors that are built to boost your wellbeing, in a subtle but meaningful way – and why we are always looking to create solutions that not only look stylish, but also improve people’s lives,’ says Dladla.

Philips Lighting T +27 (0)11 471 5000 E thando.dladla@philips.com W www.newsroom.lighting.philips.com issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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Lighting Building Systems

‘Largest ever’ chandeliers commissioned An award-winning South African lighting design company tells To Build that it has created its most impressive art chandeliers to date – an export order for the new Crown Towers in Perth, Australia. Willowlamp’s Creative Director and Founder, Adam Hoets, was commissioned by Australian-based architectural firm, Bates Smart, to design a bespoke series of four chandeliers to be featured in The Waiting Room of the hotel. These astounding pieces, each weighing 3 tonnes, were unveiled for the first time in December 2016. The project posed a new challenge for Hoets with the design and installation of four clusters on a 7m-high ceiling, and the pieces also being the largest Willowlamp has created and installed to date. The solution was to divide the clusters into modules, with hidden dropped tiers in each cluster to reduce the overall weight of the chandeliers. Each cluster of the design encompasses approximately 20 000m of ball chain, lending considerable weight. Illumination for these striking pieces comes from 150 LED G9 lamps per cluster.

The result is not only a technical triumph, it is aesthetically breathtaking too. The Crown Perth chandeliers are a customised variation of an existing Willowlamp design, the Mandala No.1 that is inspired by sacred geometric patterns. The new clusters reflect this same source of inspiration, but have a more feminine aspect with a strong Eastern influence. The profiles and tiered shapes reflect an inverted take on the archways of India’s beloved Taj Mahal. And like the muchcelebrated Taj, they are indeed a beauty to behold!

Willowlamp E clientservice@willowlamp.com W www.willowlamp.com issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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ADVERTORIAL SOLENT TRADING

Ceiling fan features and benefits There are many benefits to including a ceiling fan in your home décor that go beyond merely cooling off a room. Using ceiling fans throughout your home greatly reduces energy costs and adds to a home’s character. Here we discuss the top seven benefits of Solent ceiling fans, which include improvements in both fashion and function.

Lower energy costs Ceiling fans cool the room and they lower your electricity bill by up to 40%.

Style driven accessory Ceiling fans are available in a variety of sizes, styles and finishes to compliment any unique interior style. They are more than just functional; they can also serve as a statement piece or the focal point of a room.

Offers versatility Whether it’s a living area, bedroom, screened-in porch or kitchen, ceiling fans contribute to making an environment enjoyable. Plus, the more fans used throughout the home, the greater the savings on your energy bill.

Year-round value Many people are unaware that ceiling fans can be used to circulate warm air during the cooler months of the year. By running the blades clockwise, ceiling fans push warm air down from the ceiling without creating a draft.

Ceiling fans spares Some ceiling fans, like Solent fans, are sold as components. The benefit of this is that you will never need to replace an entire ceiling fan - ever! All parts are available and can be purchased as spares.

Warranty Ensure that your ceiling fan comes with a warranty. It’s also a bonus if it’s sold with a back-up service offered as part of the purchase. Pay attention to these factors when buying your next fan.

Lighting accessories Select a fan that is light kit compatible for greater illumination benefits as this will allow you to contribute to the layered lighting effect of your room. Design Tip: Choose a light kit that compliments the fixtures and appliances in other areas of your home. Light kits are versatile and functional.

Solent Ceiling Fans T +27 (0)31 563 4600 E info@solent.co.za W www.solent.co.za

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Building Systems ROOFING

Ensure your roof warranty meets standards to keep it valid ArcelorMittal South Africa, the supplier of a popular roofing material, advises that for absolute peace of mind, ensure that the warranty on the roof meets certain standards so that it is valid when needed. There are three easy steps. Step 1: Make sure it’s Chromadek® and Chromadek Ultim® The back of Chromadek® and Chromadek Ultim® roof-sheeting should look like the photo. This means that the warranty can be activated. If there is a concern, the safeguard is that full traceability will be able to provide positive identification and the purchase history of all Chromadek® and Chromadek Ultim®. While your roofsheeting may look like Chromadek®, it might not be if any of the markers shown in the photo are missing. Chromadek® and Chromadek Ultim® are solely produced by the manufacturer and supplied to established roofing profilers. This ensures that the steel roofing and cladding is covered by a warranty. Step 2: Do the right things first Knowledge starts with being sensible. Chromadek® derives its structural strength from its steel core, coated with a metallic zinc coating, called the galvanised layer. This layer ensures that both the structural integrity and steel core are preserved. With longevity is secured by the metallic zinc coating, it aesthetically enhanced. With 14 standard colours available in the African Heritage colour range, Chromadek® is an instantly recognised and stylish colour-coated steel roofing option. Take care if the galvanised or the colour-coated layer becomes damaged and influences the validity of the warranty. The following points will assist you to

avoid damage before applying for a warranty: • Don’t use an angle grinder to cut roof-sheeting This may generate hot sparks that embed into the painted layer. After this, rust will usually appear. Hence the affected roof-sheeting will be excluded from a warranty. • Remove all metal deposits after constructing the roof. Loose fasteners, pop-rivet mandrills and metal drillings, etc increase the risk of corrosion. • Ensure the roof pitch is correct by consulting the supplier’s datasheet C1.4. • The correct type and class of fastener must be used for a specific area and regional application. Consult datasheet C1.4 for more information. • Avoid direct contact between dissimilar metals or alloys. Consult datasheet C1.4 for more information. Step 3: Apply for a warranty Information includes: • The coil numbers used to produce the roofsheeting, and • The location of the roof-sheeting. Ensure the guidelines in datasheet C1.4 are followed as this will assist in preventing the regional misapplication of Chromadek® and Chromadek Ultim®. A regional misapplication will automatically disqualify the roof from a warranty.

ArcelorMittal South Africa T +27 (0)16 889 9111 W www.chromadek.com

Photo by ArcelorMittal

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Building Systems Roofing

Photos by LCP Roofing

Case history – House Chaplin House Chaplin, an exquisite family home in the picturesque Cornwall Hill Estate in Irene, Pretoria East, called for a specially designed farm style roof with zero margin for error. LCP Roofing, roof truss technology specialists, tells To Build that they responded with precision and attention to detail with a roof that brings country life to the heart of suburbia. Spearheaded by Vilvor Construction and headed up by Project Manager, Jacques Vorster, the client’s brief was precise and concise: They wanted an exceptional farm style roof, complete with a sloped interior ceiling as well as a special feature in the form of a small barn style hip roof tower to be built in the middle of the roof over a double volume area. ‘After reviewing the design by architects, Merida Yeatman & Associates as well as all the technical specifications, our Design Office Manager, William Long, lost no time in responding,’ says Lyndsay Cotton, LCP Roofing General Manager. ‘The specified sloped ceiling meant that some trusses had to be scissor trusses spanning well over 12 metres. And while the roof tower added

tremendous aesthetic value to the project exterior, the designer also wanted to increase the incoming light since the double volume space below has no windows,” he says.

Truss design and fabrication Once all the technical roofing elements were assessed, the roof design was completed using International Truss Systems’ Roofcon design software. Once the designs were finalised and agreed on, manufacturing of the timber roof trusses commenced. A combination of 38mm Grade 5 and Grade 7 structural timber (SA Pine), ranging from 76mm to 228mm timber depth, was used to manufacture the trusses. Using semi-autonomous electric Spida saws, and specially designed custom tables with a hydraulic 25 ton AV Birch Press, the LCP Roofing fabrication team completed fabrication of this 640m2 luxury home’s roof trusses in one day.

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Roofing Building Systems

Project details Name: House Chaplin Location: Cornwall Hill Estate, Irene, Pretoria East Completed: 2014 Architect: Merida Yeatman & Associates Main contractor: Vilvor Construction (Project Manager: Jacques Vorster) Roofing supplier & erector: LCP Roofing

Transportation and erection

Sustainable timber

Due to the sheer size of the trusses, LCP Roofing’s specialised truss trailer had to be used for the deliveries and erection of the trusses on site took four days to complete. Once the sheeting accessories and sundries were delivered to site, the sheeting work took an additional week to complete and the project was handed over to a happy and satisfied client. ‘At LCP Roofing we’ve spent a great deal of time and resources to develop the business into a fastmoving and well-oiled machine,’ notes Cotton. ‘House Chaplin’s roofing requirements stepped out of the proverbial box and called for a structure that shows rather than tells a story. It stands testament not only to the impact a roof can make on a home, but also to a rich visual narrative that can only be made possible by partnering with leaders in the trade.’

LCP Roofing only uses timber sourced from sustainable and responsibly managed timber plantations. As a building material, timber treads lightly on the environment compared to other building materials because the complete production process, from seed to construction site, consumes less energy overall.

LCP Roofing T +27 (0)861 527 7663 E lyndsay@lcproofing.co.za W www.lcproofing.co.za

Building span, roof pitch, specified covering, ceiling type and location are all factors that help in determining what grade of timber will be needed for a roof structure. In line with the National Building Regulations, only structural timber was used in this project.

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There are two kinds of light reflection - specular reflection and diffuse reflection. A specular reflection occurs when light is reflected in a concentrated mirror-like manner, resulting in a discomforting glare; whilst a diffuse reflection is a scattered and unfocussed reflection of light.

Now also available in Clean COLORBONDÂŽ AZ150 MATT

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Roofing Building Systems

Sanctuary Shopping Centre near Strand proudly wears its Clean COLORBOND® ULTRA MATT in colour Latte Matt. Note the eco-sensitive wetland area and surrounding housing estate, with Clean COLORBOND® roofing incorporating THERMATECH™ technology.

Reducing the glare Well known multi-national steel company, BlueScope, recently came up with an elegant solution to the problem of glare. At Abacus’ recently completed Sanctuary Shopping Centre project near Strand, Cape Town, it was necessary to introduce an environmentally sensitive steel roofing material that would not upset the wildlife on the vlei, or residents of the neighbouring eco residential development, De Velde. Planned around an existing water feature and waterfowl habitat, the design presented certain environmental challenges. With the launch of its new product, Clean COLORBOND® MATT steel (available in versions AZ150 or AZ200 – a.k.a. Clean COLORBOND® ULTRA MATT), BlueScope has directly addressed the problem of specular reflection.

This has been done by changing from a gloss to a matt finish, promoting diffuse reflection and reducing specular reflection. The matt finish does not affect the products’ well documented thermal performance in the infrared part of the spectrum. In fact, the SRI parameters are essentially the same.

BlueScope Steel Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd T +27 (0)21 442 5420 E arno.hanekom@bluescope.co.za W www.bluescope.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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AUTOMATION Building Systems

Profile of Global Success A South African company has become one of the most important players in the global access automation arena. it caught the eye of FAAC, S.p.a, the largest access automation manufacturer in the world. While a formal acquisition of the former by the latter company only materialised in 2016, the relationship between the two brands goes way back, as FAAC business unit director Jacopo Malacarne explains, speaking from the company’s headquarters in Bologna, Italy. ‘We recognised some time ago that, as an international company with more than 24 commercial subsidiaries worldwide and the necessity to diversify revenue generation, FAAC was not present enough on the African continent. ‘We could either have developed a tailor-made product offer for Africa and later have built a commercial presence, or we were to acquire a

Photo by Centurion Systems

Unusual for a company its size, and with as many triumphs, Centurion Systems has never succumbed to hubris, but has always stayed remarkably true to its roots. Indeed, when taking a walk through its workspace or the company’s sprawling, labyrinthine factory in North Riding, Johannesburg, the visitor experiences the feeling of a close-knit family. Despite Centurion’s endearing grassroots humility – or perhaps because of it – the company has become one of the most important players in the global access automation arena. Centurion Systems has been pioneering gate automation and access control solutions since the mid-80s, and the company’s 30-year reign as one of the country’s – if not the world’s – leading manufacturers reached new heights last year when

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Building Systems AUTOMATION

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local, successful company. Our first thought was of Centurion which, before developing into an independent manufacturer, was a customer of FAAC’s in the early ‘80s. Centurion has, since then, become the clear market leader not only in South Africa, but also on the African continent below the Saharan belt. The match was perfect, in other words.” The resultant transaction has enabled both companies to diversify their product offerings and branch out into hitherto unexplored realms of the access automation universe, to the benefit of their respective and shared markets.

Updated industrial product ranges Gate motors Gate motors are an absolute staple of access automation and remain a reliable and cost-effective means of achieving access control and the accompanying security and convenience. Centurion manufactures gate motors for both swing and sliding gates, with operators available for domestic, light-industrial and full industrial applications. Most of Centurion’s gate motors feature dependable battery backup and will continue working even during lengthy power outages. The company’s best-known industrial gate operator, the D10 slider, boasts a hardy die-cast aluminium gearbox for maximum efficiency and reliability, a powerful 24V electric motor and, most significantly, an intelligent LCD interface offering a host of selectable features, as well as easy setup and advanced diagnostics.

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The success and popularity of the D10 led to the development of a high-speed model, and in 2012 the aptly-named D10 Turbo saw the light with a lightningfast operating speed of 830mm/second. Traffic barriers and accessories Centurion’s traffic barriers are designed to handle very heavy traffic and can happily perform up to 3000 operations every single day, even during power failures. A beefy DC gearbox coupled with a tough-asnails housing and intelligent and feature-rich controller make Centurion barriers the automatic choice for access control points where vehicles enter and exit a lot. Roadway spikes and pedestrian barrier fences can also be added for a fully comprehensive access control systems. Bollards Centurion has also added parent company FAAC S.p.a’s range of highly robust and reliable bollards to its own product offering, much to the delight of security integrators. The FAAC bollard range includes solutions for vehicle traffic control in residential, commercial, industrial and urban areas and boasts FAAC’s celebrated hydraulic technology, as well as high-quality components ensuring exceptional performance and greatly simplified installation and maintenance.

Centurion T +27 (0)11 699 2400 W www.centsys.co.za

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Building Systems Structure

Light steel framing update – an environmentally-friendly and sustainable building method

The Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association (SASFA) reports that training has been fundamental to this growth. SASFA Director, John Barnard, talks about the success of the association’s training programmes in support of light steel frame building (LSFB). ‘Education is the foundation for getting the advantages of a new method understood as well as for protecting and enhancing the quality of building through the growth phases and beyond,’ he says. The latest to come on board is the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) which asked SASFA to present a five-day training course for light steel frame building contractors at the Old Fort Road Military Base in Durban. The intention was to qualify their foremen and artisans in light steel frame building, in preparation for a building project comprising five three-storey blocks of flats and offices. Plumbers, electricians, project managers and other trades at the Regional Works Unit in KZN, commanded by Captain (SAN) S Mashigo, enrolled for the course. Colonel E Jacobs coordinated arrangements for the course from the SANDF’s side. Content and other support for the course came from SASFA members Saint-Gobain, Martin and Associates, and Simpson Strong-tie. Bosch Tools presented its wide range of equipment used in the light steel frame building industry. The course was divided into two sections: Steel frame materials, components and

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Photo by John Barnard

There has been an encouraging growth in Southern Africa over the past three years of the awareness of light steel frame building as an environmentally-friendly and sustainable building method. erection, covering an introduction, the steel making process and properties of coated steel sheet, followed by sections on foundations, manufacturing of light steel frames and trusses, construction tools, wall frame set-out, handling, loads, floor framing, wall framing, roof structures, planning and the installation of services, and Internal lining, external cladding and insulation, covering the properties, manufacturing and benefits of glass wool insulation, acoustics, energy efficiency, environmental issues, storage and handling of glass wool, as well as tools and installation methodology. This was followed by a section on gypsum plasterboard, covering properties, storage and handling, cutting, tools and application for walls, ceilings and finishing. Finally, fibre cement board for external cladding was addressed, including the installation of the vapour permeable membrane, sizes and availability of fibre cement boards and planks, fixing accessories, installation guidelines, and door and window frame installation. Certificates of successful completion were issued to those who passed the two tests written at the end of the course.

SASFA T +27 (0)11 726 6111 E info@sasfa.co.za W www.sasfa.co.za

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Building Systems WALLS & CLADDING

Unusual cladding for high temperatures A South African manufacturer supplied the vitreous enamel steel panels and associated brackets for three new towering totems erected outside the King Abdullah Football Stadium in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The 60 000-seater King Abdullah Football Stadium forms part of the ultra-modern Sport City complex, dubbed the “Jewel in the Desert”. The impressive project is in Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the stadium is the venue for home matches of the two local football teams, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli. Vitrex, a producer of enamel steel products for architectural applications executed an order calling for extensive custom-design and production. Cristian Cottino, Sales and Marketing Director of Boksburg-based Vitrex, says the specification by Quality Architectural Systems LLC, called for the 23m-high totems to be clad with heavy gauge Vitraclad vitreous steel panels in a special ‘Champagne’ colour to match the colour of the main stadium’s cladding. ‘Where specific colours need to be matched in vitreous enamel, this calls for a relatively intensive, trial-and-error exercise by the Vitrex in-house laboratory. In developing custom-made colours, Vitrex must ensure that the “new” colour enamel is proven stable under production conditions, that the developed vitreous enamel coating is suitable for the intended application, and that it is as close as technically possible to the required colour,’ Cottino explains. ‘The enamel formulation for the totem cladding also had to fulfil high temperature resistance requirements. As some of the panels were to be installed within three metres of exceptionally hot discharge outlets on the totems, the cladding in this zone had to be able to withstand a temperature of 500°C. The scorching diesel fumes from back-up generators, housed at the base of the totems, are discharged through these outlets,’ adds Cottino. The need for heat-resistance, however, called for even more precautions with the totem cladding. ‘The vitreous enamel ground coat is usually applied over the entire fabricated piece, with the cover or colour coats applied only to the outer, visible face of the panels. But, for this project, Vitrex had to provide full cover colour coats to both sides of the panels to ensure thermal stability. Furthermore, to protect the laminated components at the back of the

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sandwich (composite) panels, Vitrex introduced a 75mm-thick wired insulating matt, with a maximum service temperature of 620°C, to provide a cold face temperature of 72.8°C when the hot face temperature is 550°C,’ Cottino says. Vitrex’s scope of work also included determining panel deflection and whether the proposed panels would be able to withstand a design wind load of 2.2 kN/m2. ‘The structural design included determining the number of fixing points required for each panel, as well as the suitability of the fixings, bracketry and sub-structure proposed by the specialist subcontractor who carried out the installation of the totem panels and cladding system,’ Cottino adds.

Vitrex (Pty) Ltd. T +27 (0)11 826 6057 W www.vitrex.co.za

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Plan, Design, Build, Interior & Exterior DÃ©cor

MATERIALS PRODUCT EDUCATION.....................106 ADHESIVES.........................................112 CEMENT & CONCRETE.....................115 OPINION............................................118 TIMBER & DECKING...........................123

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EDITORIAL PRODUCT EDUCATION

Den Braven Hybriflex-540 The professional, versatile sealant Hybriflex-540 is a versatile expansion joint sealer which can be used to seal all types of external or internal faĂ§ade joints, expansion, construction joints and joints in precast elements. It can also be used for external walling and cladding joints, infill panel joints, curtain walling, window and door frame sealing and many other applications. It has excellent movement capability and requires minimum surface preparation. Conforming to the South African Green Building Council standards, Hybriflex-540 is a one-component, moisture-curing, low-modulus sealant and adhesive, free from isocyanates and silicones and with a low VOC content, making it environmentally-friendly. It is also chemical and tear resistant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an important criterion if one considers the chemicals and detergents used to keep floors sanitised. The product does not bubble or yellow and has high resistant to UV degradation and weathering. It is ideal for use with polyethylene backing cord, available from Den Braven. It is available in 290ml cartridges as well as 600ml foil packs in white, grey and beige.

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PRODUCT EDUCATION EDITORIAL

Above: Make sure the nozzle tip is cut at a 90° degree angle – not at 60° degrees, as for other nozzles. Right: Wet on Wet was put to the test by the trade, at a hands-on workshop.

Den Braven Wet on Wet the instantly paintable sealant Den Braven’s time-saving, Wet on Wet instantly paintable sealant has been developed to be over-painted shortly after application while still wet, with water-based and synthetic paints. It saves a huge amount of time, normally taken up by waiting for the sealant to dry prior to painting. It is a high-quality emulsion based sealant which does not discolour the paint layer, prevents cracking and remains flexible after curing. Wet on Wet’s compatibility with paint is ensured by Den Braven’s proven Unique Compatibility Additives (UCA) technology. It was developed by selecting specialised additives and raw materials through dedicated research and development, before undergoing stringent technical testing at Den Braven’s Centre of Excellence in Holland. Wet on Wet is ideal for connecting joints which require quick over-painting, such as between internal stairs, walls, ceilings, cornices, skirting boards, windowsills and wooden window frames. Den Braven’s Wet on Wet is available in white in a 310ml cartridge.

Den Braven T +27 (0)11 792 3830 +27 (0)31 579 2375 +27 (0)21 552 9674 E sales@denbraven.co.za W www.denbraven.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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product catalogue Den Braven Sealants

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product catalogue Den Braven Sealants

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MATERIALS ADHESIVES

Application of Carbodur S 1012

Adhering to safe systems By identifying high-density activity nodes, named urban cores, the City of Tshwane’s Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework aims to restructure the city to promote economic development and growth.

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Since 2000, when it was recognised as one such urban core, the area around Mabopane Station has already undergone several massive upgrade programmes, including access roads, 45 000m2 of retail facilities, as well as a bus and taxi rank. Pretoria’s Mabopane Station is the third busiest railway station in South Africa, serving approximately 115 000 commuters each day. In 2016, it was the turn of the station itself to receive refurbishment. An acclaimed structural strengthening system from globally active specialty chemicals company, Sika, was chosen for the refurbishment of the Mabopane Station. Commissioned by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) as part of its National Station Upgrade Programme, MMA Posten Engineers SA wasted no time in specifying Sika CarboDur S1012 plates SikaWrap-300 C, SikaWrap-600 C and adhesives, Sikadur-30 and Sikadur-330. Sika’s Peter van Eden was the Technical Sales Consultant advising onsite.

CarboDur plates were bonded onto the station walls as external reinforcement. Although these non-corrosive, pultruded laminates are extremely strong and durable, they are supplied in lightweight rolls allowing for easy transportation and installation. Sika CarboDur plates can be used in a variety of applications, including increasing serviceability and durability, increasing load bearing capacity, or even for repairs to structural elements after earthquake damage. Extensive testing and approvals of this product are available from numerous countries worldwide.

Bonded onto station walls

Walls wrapped

Specialist construction company, Freyssinet, was appointed to apply the Sika system. Manufactured from carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFPR), Sika

Constant dust from construction and earthworks in the vicinity hampered the project, while moving scaffolding around the busy station proved a further

Adhesive used Sikadur-30 (800 kits), a thixotropic, structural two-part adhesive based on a combination of epoxy resins and special filler, was used to bond a total of 10 420m of Sika CarboDur S1012 plates. Easy to mix and apply, Sikadur-30 provides excellent adhesion, hardens without shrinkage and is impervious to liquids and water vapour.

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ADHESIVES MATERIALS

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challenge for the contractor. As part of the specified structural strengthening system, SikaWrap-300 C (800m) and SikaWrap-600 C (1200m) were applied to the station walls. Manufactured from unidirectional, woven, carbon fibre fabric with mid-range strengths, both products are low density for minimal additional weight and are used in many different strengthening applications to Applying Sikadur 30 to Carbodur plates. increase flexural and shear Easy to mix and apply, it provides good adhesion to loading capacity on reinforced concrete, masonry, many substrates and requires no separate primer. brickwork or timber. Structurally strengthened by such state-of-the-art While SikaWrap-300 C is designed for installation products, Mabopane Station is destined to stand using either a wet or dry application process, proudly for many years to come as the hub of this SikaWrap-600 C is designed for only a wet application important urban core, while the highly progressive process. Since the carbon fibre fabric is flexible it is City of Tshwane Municipality is a step closer to particularly suitable for application on different surface realising its ambition of becoming an African Capital planes and geometry. In comparison to traditional City of Excellence. strengthening techniques, SikaWrap-300 C and SikaWrap-600 C are extremely cost effective. Sika South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Sikadur-330 (869 kits), a two-part, thixotropic, T +27 (0)31 792 6500 epoxy-based impregnation resin and adhesive was used as a bonding agent for the SikaWrap products. W www.sika.co.za

New steel structure on top which necessitated the slab strengthening

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CEMENT & CONCRETE MATERIALS

Thuthukisa Sanitation Initiative The Rocla Thuthukisa Sanitation Initiative (TSI) has launched its Community Cast system which has been established to empower local communities, entrepreneurs, contractors and SMME’s to become manufacturers and suppliers of the most innovative and highest quality concrete toilet structures in Africa. ‘The communities that urgently require toilet units are often found in the rural and outlying areas of the country. Access to such areas by delivery trucks and bakkies carrying traditionally manufactured precast toilet units is extremely difficult, whilst the high cost and lack of concentrated volumes affect the viability of establishing traditional manufacturing facilities,’ says Andre Labuschagne, Product Development Manager at Rocla. ‘Many of these areas also have no infrastructure or access to electricity. Therefore, Rocla developed the unique TSI to overcome these obstacles, while at the same time creating community empowerment.’

capability that requires only a small piece of land with no infrastructure needed. This unique process simply involves casting one item on top of another in frameless single-use moulds of a similar size in a planar form. The product requires stiffening on the edges by forming an angle or adding a stiffening rib. The panels are continuously cast one on top of another until full stacks of four toilets or twelve pit covers are reached. The product is left to cure for two weeks, but new castings can continue to be made during this curing process at other locations, using the same tools.

Sharing

Planar panels

“Thuthukisa” means “to share” and it is with this philosophy in mind that Rocla developed the Community Cast toilet unit that can be easily manufactured by local community entrepreneurs or SMME’s and be ready for use within two weeks. The resulting waste material can be recycled into practical items for everyday use.

Taking the factory to the people

Photos by Rocla

Experimentation with a concept called “pancake casting” led Rocla to offer an on-site manufacturing

Rocla’s patented textile sandwich concrete is used in the planar panels, giving the lightweight panels a hard-wearing strength and finish. The stiffening columns also serve as vent columns or service conduits. These are tied together using Rocla’s G Lock system that uses proprietary “shoulder head screws” that fit into specially made receiving sliders. Vertical jointing is achieved using the Rocla H-strips which allow the attachment of various bathroom related items. The final toilet structure can accommodate an aluminium-zinc or polyethylene door, fitted with Rocla’s renowned heavy duty lock system. This simple process enables community members or SMME’s to manufacture concrete toilet units exactly where they are needed. They are lightweight enough to be easily transported to their final site placement, or can be manufactured right where they will be erected. ‘This unique process also removes the capital requirement usually associated with a manufacturing facility, no matter the project size,’ says Labuschagne.

Local capacity building ‘We believe that communities thrive when they are empowered. Removing obstacles such as finance, the need for factory facilities, or a high-skill base all

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MATERIALS CEMENT & CONCRETE

Photo by Rocla

contributes not only to the provision of much needed high quality toilet units to a vast number of communities, but also develops skills, localised manufacturing capability and increased local employment, all necessities for growing and incentivising communities to help themselves and their colleagues,’ Labuschagne adds. The Community Cast project was recently demonstrated in Qumbu, the OR Tambo DM, Jane Furse in the Sekhukhune DM, Thornhill in the Chris Hani DM and at Mooiplaas in the Amathole DM. In all instances the communities were surprised and then elated when they realised that with this system, once trained, the community would be truly empowered to independently manufacture their own high quality toilet units. The benefits within the community are broad-based, without compromising product quality. ‘For local entrepreneurs and SMME’s it is compatible with the Expanded Public Works programmes. The transferring of skills and skills upliftment opportunities are second to none due to the simple methodology. We will partner with municipalities and communities to erect local factories for very large projects, no matter whether the need is centralised or dispersed over a large area,” explains Labuschagne.

Recycling the waste After the moulds have been stripped and cleaned, the waste can be recycled into useful items such as

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bean bags, pillows, blankets or duvet covers. Each Community Cast unit comes with a free bean bag shell that will accommodate the recycled waste.

About Rocla Rocla is ISO9001/2008 certified and has the applicable SANS certification, as well as following the SABS guidelines for product quality and manufacture. The company is part of the IS Group. ‘Since 2012, Rocla has been investigating how we can share our vast wealth of experience and knowledge with communities, entrepreneurs and SMME’s, that will not only uplift health and hygiene facilities within communities, but can economically benefit all,’’ says Labuschagne. ‘We believe our TSI Community Cast sanitation product is an ideal, practical initiative with applications not only in South Africa, but Africa at large. We have developed0, refined and conducted trials on our Community Cast units. Now we can jointly identify, train and develop the skills required by the communities and accredit those skilled on a recognised sliding scale. We are literally encouraging the “pop-up factory” and giving the factory to the people.’

The IS Group T +27 (0)11 670 7733 E Guinevere.Thomas@isgroup.co.za

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MATERIALS OPINION

Construction industry trends 2017 2016 was a year of unexpected developments across the globe. These included Brexit, the election of an unexpected candidate as the 45th President of the United States, falling commodity prices and waning GDP growth across Africa. There are now diverse global realities impacting the African continent and Southern Africa’s construction industry specifically. Soren du Preez, Programme Director of the African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo, highlights the top trends to watch that will impact Southern Africa’s construction industry in 2017.

1. Spatial transformation South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) identifies spatial transformation as one of its key objectives and neighbouring countries are following suit. At a technical level, changes in regulation and the introduction of many new building, planning and environmental regulations require expert technical and scientific input at the early stages of architectural design. The project design process is moving towards a cyclic and iterative, rather than a linear model, which will translate into the spatial transformation of the built environment in the medium to long term.

2. Building information modelling (BIM) Building information modelling is an innovative technology and process that is transforming the way buildings are designed, analysed, constructed and managed across the globe. ‘The time for us to rethink our quality control systems is now and for us all to benefit from information technology that is constructed and developed efficiently for a construction environment,’ says Vaughan Harris, Executive Director of the BIM Institute in South Africa. 3D modelling is just part of the BIM process and will only drive transformation if it’s combined with wider and deeper support from the industry, including behaviour, culture, transparency and processes.

of construction activities through the substitution of cementitious industrial wastes, such as fly ash from coal-fired power plants and slag from the steel and iron processing industry, as a replacement for traditional cement. The Southern African construction industry is a growing market offering attractive business opportunities. Demand for ‘green’ cement in Africa will provide an increasingly lucrative market over the next few years due to growing trends in sustainability and energy efficiency for both buildings and infrastructure. 2017 will witness an increased demand from local African marketplaces for more sustainable products in the local built environment.

4. Totally Concrete Expo provides access The 5th annual African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo takes place from 23–24 May 2017 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, and will provide access to the African built environment.

3. Demand for ‘green’ cement The global market for ‘green’ cement is expected to grow to US$38.1 billion by 2024 from US$14.8 billion in 2015. ‘Green’ cement reduces the carbon footprint

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Totally Concrete Expo W www.totallyconcrete.co.za

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ADVERTORIAL SAINT-GOBAIN ISOVER

Significantly improving energy efficiency Buildings typically account for 40% of all energy consumed in countries. By insulating with glass wool, it is possible to significantly improve the energy efficiency and comfort of buildings. The South African building regulations (SANS10400XA) prescribe that all new homes must have a certain level of insulation in their roofs to meet specific performance requirements based on certain climatic zones. Rising costs have also forced a need to conserve energy and reduce electricity usage. Saint-Gobain ISOVER manufactures thermal and acoustic insulation solutions from glass wool, mineral wool and expanded polystyrene that support the design of energy efficient construction, providing comfort for users while helping to protect the environment.

Glass wool Glass wool is made from silica sand to which recycled glass (cullet) and fluxing agents are added. Glass wool insulation products can be used in multiple areas of a building. It is most commonly used for insulation in ceilings of residential buildings, but we also offer products for use in drywall systems, HVAC and air-conditioning systems, pipe insulation, over purlin and commercial roof insulation, suspended ceilings, high temperature insulations and high performance soundproofing products. Glass wool products are packaged in rolls, batts, pipe form and ceiling tiles.

Mineral wool ULTIMATE mineral wool is produced from finely ground and blended batch materials which are melted at 1500°C in an electric furnace and then conditioned in a gas-fired fore-hearth. Our unique patented technology is used to produce ULTIMATE mineral fibres. ULTIMATE products are non-combustible and cover the entire range of operating temperatures, from 300°C to 660°C required for industrial applications. Typical applications include insulation in large ducts, vessels, boilers, power generation, petro chemical and industrial equipment, as well as larger curved surfaces or irregular shaped surfaces. ULTIMATE mineral wool products are packaged in rolls, batts and in pipe form.

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Expanded polystyrene EPS (expanded polystyrene) is a lightweight, rigid, plastic foam insulation material produced from solid beads of polystyrene. It contains no CFC’s and is considered ozone-friendly. EPS products are ideal for operating temperatures from -110°C to 70°C. The use of EPS for thermal insulation results in significant energy savings, drastically decreasing the emission of polluting gasses which contributes to reducing the greenhouse gas effect. With applications ranging from flat roofs, to household appliances and even swimming pools and basement walls, EPS is a highly versatile and economic insulation solution.

Saint-Gobain ISOVER W www.isover.co.za

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TIMBER & DECKING MATERIALS

Warning against non-compliant timber imports As the South African construction market experiences a shortage of structural timber, imports of the material have become necessary and are on the rise. Considering this, the Institute for Timber Construction South Africa (ITC-SA) stresses that all structural timber destined for, and employed by, the South African market must be compliant with local legislation. National Building Regulations require that all structural timber is compliant with SANS 1783, which covers sawn softwood timber. Both national and international manufacturers of structural timber supplied to the South African market are expected to be certified by a South African-based ISO 17065-accredited certification body. This also applies to South Africa’s neighbouring countries, like Swaziland and Zimbabwe, for example. ‘Even so, it is not uncommon for non-compliant structural timber to be imported and supplied to the local market, including to formal roof truss manufacturers, without there being any knowledge of the integrity of the finger joints, adhesive used, or the grading of the timber,’ remarks Abe Stears, Managing Director of the South African Technical Auditing Services (SATAS). ‘Worse so, when a batch of non-compliant imported timber is rejected by a buyer, it is commonplace for that timber to simply be sold on to another unsuspecting buyer. In this way, non-compliant imported timber for structural applications may still find its way into the South African market,’ he says.

[ ] Presently, only SATAS and the South Africa Bureau of Standards (SABS) are accredited to certify manufacturers of products in compliance with SANS 1783.

The ITC-SA says that all imported structural timber should comply with local legislation.

‘It is unfair and unacceptable to expect local manufacturers to comply at a cost with the requirements to ensure that a quality product is supplied to the end user, while non-compliant imported timber can be used in structural components,’ Stears says. ‘Even though South Africa is experiencing a shortage of structural timber that necessitates the use of imports, we must ensure that the same rules apply to this timber and that all timber coming into the South African structural timber market is in compliance with SANS 1783,” he adds. ‘All industry professionals who make use of structural timber are urged not only to be aware of national legislation around the use of structural timber, but to not make use of any imported, or locally produced for that matter, timber that does not comply with South African standards and requirements,’ Stears concludes.

The Institute for Timber Construction South Africa T +27 (0)11 974 1061 E enquiries@itc-sa.org W www.itc-sa.org issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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SERVICES PLUMBING & RETICULATION............126 GROUND ENGINEERING .................129 AIR CONDITIONING..........................132

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SERVICES PLUMBING & RETICULATION

Sustainable waste water treatment A local company with international expertise in providing biological waste water treatment solutions to all sectors, shares with readers its experiences in the treatment of waste water throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in the SADC region. By making use of the latest advancements in sustainable waste water treatment, combined with the creation of their own bacterial strains developed in-house, SewTreat is helping homeowners to add an eco-friendly solution for recycling of black and grey water to both new and existing homes with efficient, affordable and eco-friendly waste water treatment solutions.

grey water can be as high as 50% of the water bill,” Coetzer explains. SewTreat’s approach is based on return activated sludge technology, incorporating submersed aeration media. This enhanced bacterial action ensures a highly effective treatment process boasting a very low carbon footprint, minimal capital input and low maintenance requirements.

Treating nature with nature

Waste water option for small applications

‘Our approach is to treat nature with nature through sustainable engineering solutions that are evident in our superior proprietary biological technology. The modular design of our treatment plants mean that they can be installed in any home easily and efficiently,’ says SewTreat spokesman, Theunis Coetzer ‘Many people assume that green solutions for the home – beyond the water and electricity-saving measures that one can do in your day to day life – would include amenities and architectural features that are costly to install and difficult to maintain. One way to tackle waste water management is via easy-to-install plants that are highly cost effective. This provides a way for homeowners to incorporate a sensible and practical green feature into their home and recycle 100% of previously discarded water. The savings realised through recycling the black and

In terms of the South African scenario, clean drinking water is purchased from a municipality. Around 80% of this water ends up in the municipal sewer, with the consumer also charged for the discarded water by the municipality. Homeowners pay twice for the same water. ‘By installing a SewTreat DIY wastewater treatment system, the discard cost is eliminated and all the water that is treated can be reused for irrigation, washing your car and other non-potable uses around the house’, says Coetzer. SewTreat’s DIY plants are a cost-effective alternative solution to septic tanks and soakaways, allowing the final effluent to be reused. ‘These plants are designed for small applications such as households and lodges. They are so easy to install that clients can do it themselves, which creates even more cost saving, although we can do the installations for them as well,” Coetzer explains.

Photos by SewTreat

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PLUMBING & RETICULATION SERVICES through this we are providing large bank of water that previously may not have been considered as safe for the environment or community,’ Coetzer adds.

Two types of DIY waste water systems

Biological waste water treatment is an accepted practice worldwide The process involves confining naturally occurring bacteria at a very high concentration in the treatment process. From here the bacteria, together with some protozoa and other microbes (collectively referred to as activated sludge), are treated in an anaerobic and an aerobic process. They are then returned to the anaerobic phase to eliminate sludge accumulation and waste generation. ‘In a nutshell, the bacteria digest all impurities and the waste water is then cleaned. The treated waste water or effluent can then be discharged, or used for irrigation, flushing of toilets or general non-potable uses,’ explains Coetzer. ‘SewTreat has developed a highly effective multiple strain bacteria range that gets added to our plants. This specifically bred bacteria feed on the complex substances in the waste water, converting them into simpler substances, improving final effluent on a reduced footprint,’ he adds. Coetzer notes that globally, the composition of effluents discharged to receiving waters is regulated by national environment agencies. The legislation is concerned with the prevention of pollution and therefore sets concentration limits on dissolved organic carbon (as BOD or COD), nitrogen, phosphates and other compounds which cause eutrophication in receiving waters. Legislation also attempts to limit the discharge of known toxic chemicals by setting allowable concentration limits in the effluent. ‘If we consider that 100% of the effluent can be recycled, if done properly, there is no doubt that

SewTreat offers two types of DIY systems; aboveground installation or belowground installation. Both systems are commissioned, constructed and fully tested off-site at SewTreat’s 5000m² manufacturing facility. The above-ground system is the most costeffective and can be installed with minimal excavation and construction. The below-ground installation is more aesthetically pleasing but requires excavation and civil works which makes it more expensive. The modular construction of the systems means that expanding them in the future is easy. All mechanical equipment is installed with easy access. SewTreat employs civil and process engineers, microbiologists, project planners and a network of distributors with over 35 years’ experience in the field. Together they can offer turnkey services which incorporate consultation, design, manufacturing, installation, construction and operational support to clients which meet all legal and industry related compliance. Although recently launched, SewTreat is already credited with international expertise in providing quality products and services to all sectors throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Coetzer suggests this is because homeowners are becoming more educated when it comes to the installation of eco-friendly products in their home. ‘We are dealing with an educated public who can differentiate between “feel-good green” and “practical green”. Our product represents the practical green measures that can be taken by providing an eco-friendly waste water solution that is also highly energy-efficient.’ He says.

SewTreat W www.sewtreat.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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GROUND ENGINEERING SERVICES

Geogrid provides sub-grade stabilisation

Photos by Kaytech

During construction of Kusile Power Station, situated in Ogies near Witbank in Mpumalanga, engineers from Black & Veatch discovered that the sub-grade, on which extra-heavy haul and lifting machinery was to operate, was of poor load bearing capacity.

Above: 1st layer of Triax 160 2 500m2 Right: Minimum of 500mm G5 material as cover layer

The use of a unique geogrid supplied by Kaytech has, in extensive trafficking trials, outperformed all other conventional geogrids. In consultation with Tensar UK’s design office, Kaytech’s Riaan Rademeyer offered an application recommendation to use TriAx 160 to effectively provide the best possible sub-grade stabilisation for the loading platform. The rigid polypropylene triangular geometry of TriAx is a revolutionary geogrid design, creating a significantly different structure that provides near uniform stiffness through 360o. Compared to bi-axial geogrids, these unique characteristics enable greater reduction in aggregate layer thickness, reducing the quantity of natural aggregates required, as well as the volume of material to be excavated. When combined with a suitable aggregate, TriAx geogrid produces a mechanically stabilised layer with exceptional performance.

After simply unrolling this unique geogrid onsite, the main contractor, Stefanutti & Bressan, easily installed 35 000m2 of TriAx 160 over the loading platform area. The economic advantages of using TriAx 160 for this project greatly assisted engineers in meeting sustainability objectives and saved Eskom significantly higher costs. A truly multi-directional product with near isotropic properties, TriAx 160 was by far the best solution to increase the load bearing capacity of the poor subgrade. Once Kusile Power Station’s six generating units are in full production, generating 4800 megawatts of electricity, it will become one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the world.

Kaytech W www.kaytech.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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SERVICES AIR CONDITIONING

Intelligent connections New ‘internet of things’ (IoT) systems aim to connect chillers in a way that will not only save building owners maintenance downtime and costs, but also extend the lifespan of equipment.

How to connect In the case of Johnson Controls’ high-end chillers, the equipment is manufactured with the microprocessors needed to relay performance data. All that is needed is the interface. Johnson Controls provides a router and opens a gateway into the “cloud” to connect with its own database. All data traffic is free. Reporting and alerting is automated, providing ongoing updates on performance and potential challenges. The client can view data remotely on any device and can connect to the Johnson Controls’ database for troubleshooting and to view performance history.

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Photo by Johnsons Controls

‘Digital technologies are seeing scheduled and breakfix maintenance models replaced with conditionbased maintenance. This matches Johnson Controls’ philosophy to increase the uptime and lifespan of its chillers,’ says Neil Cameron, Area General Manager, Building Efficiency, Africa at Johnson Control. ‘Our Connected Maintenance offering targets sophisticated high-end chillers – air and water cooled chillers above 800kW – providing the technology to connect them to Johnson Controls’ database. By monitoring their performance in real-time, we know when they are functioning beyond or below standard specifications. The database will then report the anomaly to the client, providing insight into potential problems,’ he explains. Having the right fault information on hand is critical. It means a maintenance team can be dispatched to the site with the right parts, tools and expertise to address the problem immediately. ‘This saves a lot of critical downtime. A small repair in time can also save the extremely high costs of a major failure,’ adds Cameron. ‘Quite often, minor problems escalate rapidly to a crisis. For example, a simple oil leak that is not identified and repaired in time can lead to the replacement of a compressor. In older machines, the cost of that replacement is high enough to merit purchasing a new machine.’

Neil Cameron, Area General Manager, Building Efficiency, Africa at Johnson Control.

‘In effect, Connected Maintenance makes it easier, faster and cheaper to maintain our clients’ chillers,’ says Cameron. ‘It extends the lifespan of the chillers and increases their reliability. Our clients can optimise their investment and we get to provide them with excellent service. It’s a win for everyone.’’ ‘We are making it easy for our clients by proving a free connection of our chillers to the “cloud”. In fact, we are matching that with another incentive - clients that adopt this solution can expect a discount on their service contract with Johnson Controls,” he adds. This solution demonstrates the value that the “internet of things” can add in a very practical way. It’s a simple, effortless solution using proven technology that can save costs and deliver significant benefits. ‘Get connected, it’s a small thing that can make a big difference,’ says Cameron.

Johnson Controls T +27 (0)11 921 7141 W www.johnsoncontrols.com

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GREEN BUILDING GREENOVATE AWARDS...................136 GBCSA AWARDS 6 STARS TO V&A..137 RETAIL.................................................140 OPINION............................................142 LITTER..................................................144 HVAC.................................................146 WATERFALL CITY................................150

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GREEN BUILDING Greenovate Awards

Greenovate awards in their second year Now in its second year, the Growthpoint Greenovate Awards programme is an exciting initiative by the sponsor in association with the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA). The awards recognise innovative solutions for the property industry to environmental challenges. It was young environmental visionaries from the University of Cape Town, for the second consecutive year, that took first place in the 2016 Greenovate Awards. The 2016 participants were from the University of Cape Town, University of the Witwatersrand and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Students were challenged to create ideas for any property-related project that makes the way we live greener and our environmental footprint lighter. ‘The Greenovate Awards are producing pioneering student projects that show new ways to drive green building thinking forward, to ensure a better, greener future. We proudly collaborate with GBCSA, the universities, and their students to provide this platform,’ says Werner van Antwerpen, head of sustainability at Growthpoint Properties. Van Antwerpen was part of the judging panel that comprised some of SA’s top green minds, including Thulani Kuzwayo, Managing Executive: Public Sector at Green Building Council South Africa; Evan Rice, Business Development Manager for Tesla; Martin

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Growthpoint Properties Limited T +27 (0)11 944 6598 W www.growthpoint.co.za

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Werner van Antwerpen (left) with winning students Cédric Fournier and Priscilla Nthai and Manfred Braune from the GBCSA

Smith, Technical Director of Buildings at Aurecon, and Mike Aldous, Associate: Green Building & Sustainability Services and BIM Champion at Mott MacDonald. Van Antwerpen says the awards programme will eventually be made available to all universities in the country who have appropriate built environment faculties. In 2017, it will be adapted and expanded to other faculties too. • See our Student Projects section at the end of the book for a detailed report on the students concerned.

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GREEN STAR GREEN BUILDING

GBCSA awards 6 Stars to V&A The multi-tenanted office building, No. 5 Silo, has become the second development at the V&A Waterfront to be awarded a prestigious 6-Star Design Rating by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), in recognition of its industry-leading and environmentally sustainable design. ‘Sustainable development and green operations are fundamental to the V&A Waterfront’s overall development strategy,’ said V&A Waterfront CEO David Green. ‘We are committed to ensuring our environmental and sustainability measures and initiatives are at the forefront of all our business practices. We are honoured to receive this recognition of our efforts.’ A further award came off the back of the local but internationally recognised GBCSA 6-star Design rating for No. 5 Silo, a building within the Silo District which is illustrative of why the district received the Green GOOD Design Award.

6-Star Design Rating 6-Star Design Ratings are awarded by the GBCSA to buildings that not only incorporate sustainable principles in their design, but can also offer proof that these design principles work in practice long after construction is complete. All design principles considered in the rating are subjected to rigorous testing, as was the case with the V&A Waterfront’s No. 5 Silo. Extensive commissioning was done on No. 5 Silo during the development and construction stage, all under the guidance of an independent commissioning agent, to ensure that both during construction and once complete, the building would operate at optimum efficiency. This required a strong focus on training and raising the general awareness amongst professionals and contractors involved in the building’s construction.

Arup appointed as sustainability consultants Having worked on previous V&A Waterfront projects, including the award-winning No. 1 Silo (Allan Gray) building, technical engineering consultants Arup were appointed to consult on the construction of No. 5 Silo. Acting as sustainability consultants and façade, wet services and structural engineers, Arup’s input was crucial in making a reality the V&A Waterfront’s vision of a top-notch sustainable building that functions in line with international sustainability best practice.

Among No. 5 Silo’s most notable green features are the building’s high-performance façade that ensures optimal use of natural lighting, a landscaped roof with photo voltaics and an advanced sea water heating and cooling system that uses cold Atlantic seawater to heat and cool the building. The building’s lighting system has been designed to reduce unnatural light pollution on the night sky.

Air tightness test conducted To test the implementation of some of No. 5 Silo’s sustainability features, the contracting team conducted an air tightness test, one of only a few ever conducted in South Africa. This test was used to ensure that the building envelope was sufficiently sealed to prevent loss of energy through the façade and therefore improve the overall efficiency of the building. Finding the right ‘green materials’ was also a challenge, and in the end, No. 5 Silo was built using sustainable timber, 40% less cement than a building of the same size built according to ‘business as usual’ practices, and more than 70% of all waste generated on-site was recycled. The construction team worked hard to ensure minimal use of virgin steel during development. Once fully tenanted, the V&A Waterfront further aims to achieve a high ‘As Built’ rating for No. 5 Silo. ‘As Built’ ratings recognise buildings that are designed to be environmentally friendly and follow-through and function in practice as their design proposals indicate they should.

Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) T +27 (0)11 339 1152 W www.gbcsa.org.za V&A Waterfront W www.waterfront.co.za issue 20 www.tobuild.co.za

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GREEN BUILDING RETAIL

Greening the difference

Graeme Richards (Expresso TV), Justin Smith (Woolworths) and Ryan Duimpies, (store manager) with Manfred Braune, Chief Technical Officer of the GBCSA

The Woolworths Palmyra store in Claremont, Cape Town, has become the first retail outlet in South Africa to achieve a 5-star rating certified by the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), using the Green Star SA – Existing Building Performance Custom Tenant rating tool. Since opening its doors in 2010, the food market store has always been ground-breaking when it comes to advanced green building features. The Palmyra store set the benchmark within the Woolworths property portfolio, meeting the requirements for a platinum rating of the Woolworths SA Real Estate Division’s own green assessment programme. This is an internal rating system that is independently audited by Ernst & Young (EY) each year. It is now also ratified by the GBCSA.

South Africa’s greenest retail tenant environment This means that the group’s Palmyra store stands as South Africa’s greenest retail tenant environment. It has a long list of sustainability features, including automated doors that help maintain the interior temperature, reclaimed heat from the refrigeration system and air conditioning that is used for underfloor heating, harvested rainwater that is used to flush the toilets, a CO2 refrigeration system, skylights that optimise natural light and fully automated lighting that guarantees no energy is wasted on lighting when natural light is available. ‘This is not just about doing the right thing, which is to address the country’s environmental challenges,’

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Photo by Woolworths

The South African Green Star programme is taking root across many different sectors of commerce. Here, a well-known retailer receives the first Green Star SA 5-Star rating for an existing building tenant rating.

says Manfred Braune, Chief Technical Officer of the GBCSA. ‘It also makes good business sense to be investing in renewable energy, water harvesting and using innovative energy and water saving practices. We look forward to seeing more green transformation in the retail industry in South Africa.’

South African excellence The Palmyra store was assessed using the GBCSA’s Green Star SA – Existing Building Performance Custom Tenant Rating Tool v1 and achieved a 5-star rating, which classifies the project as “South African Excellence”. The rating tool is a measure of the store’s environmental performance over a period of 12 months’ operation and is valid for three years before it expires. The Green Star submission to the GBCSA was prepared by the Terramanzi Group. The evaluation considered nine impact categories: Management, indoor environment quality, energy, transport, water, materials, land-use and ecology, emissions and innovation. ‘The store has become an important blueprint and we use it as a model in our ongoing efforts to develop greener retail environments across the Group,’ says Justin Smith, Woolworths’ Group Head of Sustainability. ‘As part of our Green Building Programme, we also made our biggest single investment in sustainability last year with the installation of an R16.8 million solar PV system at our Midrand Distribution Centre.’

Woolworths W www.woolworths.co.za

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We specialize in the following: • Rock fall Protection measures • Sprayed Concrete Solutions • Lateral Support Systems

Penny-Farthing Engineering SA (Pty)Ltd • Tel: 041 3721708 • e-mail: info@pfsa.co.za

• Rock Drilling at Heights • Stabilized earth walls • Installation of soil anchors • Barring down of unstable rock

Guncrete Geotechnical (Pty) Ltd • Tel: 011 4938270 • e-mail: admin@guncrete.co.za

www.pfsa.co.za www.guncrete.co.za

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GREEN BUILDING OPINION

Designing for water conservation By Johann Dreyer, Direct Group Africa

It is now a given that water is becoming an increasingly scarce and valuable commodity. This provides an opportunity for developers of residential complexes, hotels, commercial and industrial parks to differentiate themselves by designing for water conservation, capturing and recycling. At Direct Group Africa, our objective is to use technology to make buildings water-efficient. Our philosophy is also to treat the water only to the point where it is fit-for-purpose as this keeps the costs down and reduces the complexity of the system. We start with capturing rain water and dewfall – and not only off roofs. Water falling on hard surfaces such as roads and paving need not be lost if the areas are designed to channel run-off into tanks. However, bright green rain tanks do not add to the architectural appeal of most buildings, but there is plenty of space for tanks under the roads and paving. If the site plan and design allows for them, then there is minimal additional cost compared to installing above-ground storage tanks and there is no wastage of space or visual impact on the design. This water is treated and bottled or distributed through a dedicated line to households for human consumption and cooking. This water can usually be used untreated for watering the gardens, water features, washing, cooling machines or generating steam in manufacturing processes and a large range of other applications. Filtration systems are available to make it fit for human consumption – which becomes costeffective in locations where there is no reliable potable water supply. Our next step is to analyse what is going down the drain – typically around 65% of the water used in domestic, office and commercial applications is used to flush the toilets. In some manufacturing processes the percentage will be higher. Here it is important to separate the grey water from the black water.

Grey and black water Grey water comes from baths, showers, sinks and washing machines. It is channelled into tanks, treated and then used for specific purposes dependent on

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the level of cleaning. This water can be made suitable for irrigating crops and will support urban farming operations. Black water is gathered through a closed loop toilet sewage system. The waste is treated on site using sustainable natural methodologies. Once the water is processed, it is channelled back into the toilet system for re-use and only topped up as and when required. Where possible, we prefer to make use of biodigestors which are self-contained and do not require a black water system. An alternative is a modular stand-alone sewage treatment plant to which the Direct Group has the South African rights.

Thinking conservation Having systems in place to collect and treat water is just the start – users still must conserve this valuable resource. Consumption is carefully monitored, with penalties (and rewards) built into the body corporate constitution or lease. The system would typically still be connected to the municipal main to provide back-up and for consumers to receive their allocated amount of free water if they

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OPINION GREEN BUILDING meet the beneficiary requirements. We believe that water conservation is needed for developments at all levels of society. Our focus on water conservation and efficient energy use have led us to the use of hot water. There can be significant savings for the owners of homes, offices and shops if they do not have to install heaters. It is far more efficient to heat water in bulk at a central point and to distribute it through a closedloop system. Water can be heated using several technologies, including solar, heat pumps, the burning of waste, gas and electric power. The insulated pipes used to distribute the hot water lose only two degrees of heat every 10 kilometres. Municipalities also benefit from developments with closed-loop systems. Although there may be

some loss in revenue from the sale of water and the provision of sewage services, this will in most cases be offset by the savings on infrastructure development. There is no need to provide large-scale water and waste connections. Another benefit is that investment is speeded up because there are no delays while waiting for the municipal infrastructure to be upgraded.

Direct Group Africa (Pty) Ltd T +27 (0)41 583 2009 C +27 (0)76 547 8580 W www.directgroupafrica.co.za W www.eezigroupafrica.co.za

Scarce resources such as water dams in catchment areas should be used only for potable water purposes, argues our writer.

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GREEN BUILDING LITTER

Cleaning up your act A global plastics industry effort to combat marine litter has grown during 2016 and is of relevance to the built environment which consumes or uses multiple plastic materials. In South Africa alone, the nation consumes approximately 1783 million tons per annum – 1 490 million tons of which is virgin material and 293 000 tons recycled material. There is much work to be done. The Declaration of the Global Plastics Associations for Solutions on Marine Litter was launched in March 2011 at the 5th International Marine Debris Conference. Today, the Declaration has been signed by 69 plastics associations from regions across the globe. Seven new signatories were added to Global Declaration, also informally known as the “Joint Declaration” in 2016. New participants include the American Fibre Manufacturers Association (AFMA), the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BPGMEA), the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), the Ghanaian Plastics Manufacturers Association (GPMA), the Myanmar Plastics Industries Association (MPIA), the Indonesian Olefins, Aromatics and Plastics Association (INAPLA) and the Vietnam Plastics Association (VPA). Recognising their important role in fighting marine litter, these plastics associations have launched and are supporting projects in six key areas aimed at contributing to sustainable solutions. The six focus areas of the Global Declaration are education, research, public policy, sharing best practices, plastics recycling and recovery, and plastic pellet containment.

In May 2016, leaders from plastics organisations across the globe announced that there were approximately 260 projects planned, underway or completed. Plastics|SA has been a signatory of the Joint Declaration since 2011 and Packaging SA signed the Declaration in 2015. Douw Steyn, Director Sustainability, represents Plastics|SA’s Sustainability Council on various GPA task teams, including advocacy, marketing and research, is the chairman of the subgroup Stakeholder Engagement and attends GPA meetings on an annual basis. The Sustainability Council’s marine activities are in line with the six focus areas of the joint Declaration with a focus on providing strategic leadership to the industry on sustainability issues. Steyn is also a member of the leading team on Plastics Waste Management, led by Dr Jurgen Bruder, IK Germany, as nominated in Hanoi in 2016.

Plastics|SA Douw Steyn T + 27 (0)11 314 4021 E Douw.Steyn@plasticssa.co.za

Photo by Plastics|SA

Members of the Plastics Waste Management team under the guidance of Dr Jurgen Bruder (far right)

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GREEN BUILDING HVAC

Aerial view of the new Samsung DVM S units

Modernising at the DoE Braamfontein When the old chiller system in the Department of Education (DoE) building in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, started showing its age, a brand-new energyefficient system was specified. HVAC specialists, Fourways Air Conditioning advised the DoE to modernise with Samsung DVM. ‘Samsung’s Dual Smart Inverter with vapour injection is setting new standards for efficiency in the HVAC industry. With fully-variable compressor, enhanced wireless commissioning with S Checker, heat recovery

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system and world-class capacity in a highly compact package, Samsung’s DVM system is ever-increasingly specified by South Africa’s top consulting engineers,’ says Vicki Murray of Fourways Air Conditioning.

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Photos by Fourways Air Conditioning

The DoE building is old and therefore it was important that the new system installation could use existing ceiling space and piping shafts. The building had only used one main chiller which meant that when the chiller was not functioning, the entire building was without cool ventilation. A total of 20 outdoor DVM S units of 504kW capacity were installed on the roof of the building, supplying 577 kW of indoor capacity via 83 Samsung 4-way cassettes, totalling 114% average combination ratio. This will allow flexibility for future tenants of the building if the Department relocates in future. Not only is the DVM S system economically viable, it does not spoil the exterior appearance of the building, as some split-type air conditioners can do. The project began in March 2016 and was completed by September. The new VRF DVM S system has individual floor control â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at worst if one outdoor unit shuts down unexpectedly, only that floor will be affected and the HVAC system will continue to function throughout the rest of the building. The new DVM system is also a heat recovery system and is zoned to maximise the benefits of the north and south heat exchange. The heat recovery system supports more agile operation through simultaneous, continuous operation in both cooling and heating mode.

Fourways Air Conditioning T +27 (0)11 704 6320 E sales@fourwaysaircon.co.za W www.fourwaysaircon.co.za

Department of Education building, located in Braamfontein - DVM units placed on roof.

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GREEN BUILDING Waterfall City

Entrenching a new business as usual Two new green buildings have recently been developed in Waterfall, Midrand, both setting new benchmarks for sustainable development in the area. Waterfall City is a rapidly developing new commercial hub which also boasts the largest shopping mall on the continent – the Mall of Africa. Developed by Attacq, two new commercial premises are destined for green credentials following successful submissions by consultants, Solid Green Consulting.

P-Grade offices - target LEED Gold With approximately 15,000m² of lettable area, three basement levels of parking and four office levels above ground, the Schneider Electric building was designed as a perimeter building with a central, enclosed, quadruple-volume atrium at its heart. ‘Our intention was to deliver a world-class building on an extremely visible site. We aim to be at the forefront of sustainable development to provide offerings that attract multinational tenants,’ says Morné Whitehead of Attacq. Luke Chandler, design architect from Aevitas Group, notes that attention was paid to all edges of the site to ensure that the building is integrated into the urban fabric. ‘All five sides of the site are visible and had to be treated accordingly, with four sides facing onto roads and pedestrian entrances leading onto public open spaces.’ To avoid excessive excavation, a podium was created to deal with the site’s slope, which also elevates the building and gives it a strong presence and sense of entrance. The star-shape generated by

the five-sided site defined the shape of the atrium, which is enclosed with internal shopfronts between the tenant spaces and atrium itself to control the temperature and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of the tenant spaces more effectively. Large skylights flood the atrium with natural light, which result in a reduced need for artificial light but increased heat gain – so the performance, positioning and ratio of skylight glass were all carefully considered. The atrium has also been landscaped with feature planters that double-up as public seating. The building has been designed with maximum flexibility in mind, with a single vertical circulation and services core for each of the northern and southern wings. These centrally located cores, together with internal walkways linking every level, ensure easy sub-division of space. A full energy model of the building was carried out to analyse thermal loads on the building. Accordingly, the façades are either single glazed, double glazed or clad in insulated aluminium panels to optimise façade performance. ‘The building has been optimised in terms of systems and building elements, such as performance glazing, insulation, high SRI roof coatings, and lighting controls, to reduce energy consumption by 54% compared

Rendering of Schneider Electric Allandale

Renderings by Aevitas Group

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Photos by Peter Hassal

Waterfall City GREEN BUILDING

Waterfall Public Transport Holding Facility

to baseline. A solar PV installation on the roof also provides 21% (by cost) of the building’s energy needs,” explains Solid Green’s Gavin Westbrook. Other sustainability features include low flow fittings to reduce water consumption by over 30%; efficient drip irrigation systems that reduce water consumption by 55%; landscaping and light coloured paving to reduce the urban heat island effect; and the specification of low VOC paints, floor finishes and adhesives in the interior to improve indoor environmental quality and occupant health. Detailed waste management and site pollution plans were also implemented during construction to reduce the amount of waste to landfill. A third-party commissioning agent, Ecolution, was appointed to optimise the design and ensure that commissioning of the renewable energy, hot water, lighting control, BMS, daylighting control and HVAC systems was carried out according to ASHRAE guidelines. Of the LEED process used on this building, Whitehead says: ‘The LEED system is rigorous in ensuring that actual performance objectives are met in the commissioning stage. It focuses on construction as well as the result. It’s a reliable system in terms of ensuring quality control, a superior product and is appropriate for this type of building.’

5-Star taxi holding facility The developers were required by local government to build a public transport holding facility as a base for various modes of transport. Located on the east side of the N1, the development consists of offices, a canteen area, an ablution area, a refuse area and a transport facility parking area. Sean Pillan of Empowered Spaces Architects, says that different zones were designed to accommodate the different functions required, and each building was oriented to create visual security around a central courtyard which functions as a rest and meeting area for drivers. The area is private, shaded and offers cell phone charging facilities.

The complex’s zones include a canteen building that acts as a barrier to the adjacent site, with six informal shops that supply drivers with food. The site manager’s office overlooks the courtyard. A dedicated refuse area includes a sorting facility for street recyclers. Posters are displayed to encourage and educate users on what materials can be reused and recycled. Large overhangs on the building blur the distinction between interior and exterior spaces. Hardscape surfaces and roofing material with qualifying Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) values were chosen to minimise the urban heat island effect; and robust materials such as sheeting, steel and facebrick were chosen for easy maintenance. Clearvu fencing has been used on the ablution block and canteen for security, cross ventilation and natural lighting. The building is off-grid, with a solar PV installation providing power for the offices, canteen and refuse area. Annelidé Sherratt of Solid Green says that this produces up to 6177kWh of electricity - a net positive building. A horizontal building also eliminates the need for vertical circulation and water heating facilities, saving energy. Water-efficient sanitary fittings are fitted. Water and energy consumption results available from energy and water sub-meters are publically displayed. All sustainable building features have been incorporated to educate building users on how the sustainability initiatives function, as well as their associated environmental benefits. A building users’ guide informs visitors and staff in the building of relevant building operations that affect them; providing information on management systems that optimise the building’s environmental performance and to ensure that all future alterations, additions and programme changes conform. These two buildings demonstrate that green building is becoming the new ‘business as usual’.

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OUT & ABOUT EDITOR AT LARGE

V&A Canal District smoking hot The first phase of the V&A Waterfront’s R700-million investment in its new Canal District reached completion late last year, with the head office of British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) taking up residence in the new Waterway House. To Build’s Editor was there to record the event.

David Green hands symbolic key to Waterway House to Soraya Zoueihid

Speaking at the launch of the company’s new headquarters, the company’s Managing Director, Soraya Zoueihid, said: ‘Stellenbosch has been home to the company since formation. Our move to the V&A Waterfront is more than geography: it is an important part of introducing a new, modern culture to the company. The move is an opportunity for us to be in the heart of a dynamic and rapidly growing city that holds its own with the best in the world.’

V&A Waterfront CEO David Green, was on hand to welcome the new arrival. ‘Our initial plan for the Canal District was to create a seamless link to Cape Town’s CBD and the CTICC, and as with our other developments, to create a holistic space in which people can live, work and play. “We are delighted that a multinational of the scale of BATSA has selected the Waterfront as the preferred destination for the relocation of its head office. This is significant and speaks to the popularity of the Waterfront’s development initiatives and its positioning as a prime destination for business’, he said. Indeed, the company is the second largest company listed on the JSE and the first corporate to relocate its head office to the V&A Waterfront. BATSA will occupy 8 000m2 in the south wing of Waterway House, the first building in the 7.6-hectare Canal District. Boasting a canal at its heart, the building is the first one that visitors encounter on entering the Waterfront from the city. As with all other V&A Waterfront developments, Waterway House has been designed according to

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Photos by Gareth Griffiths

Waterway House

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EDITOR AT LARGE OUT & ABOUT best practice green design principles and has achieved a 5-star Green Rating using the Green Star SA Office Design VI rating tool. An As Built rating is anticipated on completion of the north block in April next year. The minimum threshold for a 5-star design is 60 Green Star points, while Waterway House targeted and achieved 70 points. Internationally rated environmentally sustainable features have been used throughout.

Abundant Flow of fresh air

More about the new building Standout features: • The new offices will allow an abundant flow of fresh air to keep the building cool in hot summer months. • Offices have been designed to make the most of natural daylight and to maximise the wraparound scenic views. • The built-in acoustic control achieves a reduction in noise levels • Interior design by Inhouse Brand Architects

Flags of the nations – where the brands are active

Atrium area serves as arena area for staff meetings

Environmental features: • Solar roof panels • Rainwater harvesting across the site in a special 210m3 storage facility • Low-flow fittings that will greatly reduce consumption of potable water • The facades have been specially designed to reduce the amount of heat ingress by shading the windows with a saw tooth facade design that incorporates performance double glazing.

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STUDENTS PROJECTS

Photo by Growthpoint

Saul Nurick (UCT supervisor), Cédric Fournier and Priscilla Nthai (UCT winners) and Abby Street (supervisor) proudly display the team’s winnings.

‘Visionary’ students honoured For the second year running, two University of Cape Town students, both from the Department of Construction Economics and Management, took first place in the 2016 Greenovate Awards. Cédric Fournier and Priscilla Nthai, with supervisors Saul Nurick and Abby Street, were named the winners of the Greenovate Awards 2016. They focused on the perceptions of occupants in office buildings that contain green building features and initiatives (GBFIs).

The winning project Multiple-case study analysis was conducted over three buildings containing GBFIs. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted beforehand with experts in the property industry to gain a preliminary understanding of GBFIs present in each case study. The GBFIs comprised thermal comfort, lighting, acoustics, personal control over building features, building aesthetics, outdoor space, recycling initiatives, office layout and furniture. Occupants also identified the following non-green essential

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building features (EBFs): security, operating cost, maintenance, location and parking. The research revealed that awareness also played a role regarding occupants’ perception. It was established that a link between awareness, comfort, satisfaction and expectation existed, which all together impacted on the perception of the occupants in office buildings containing GBFIs. Both Fournier, originally from Mauritius, and Nthai, now working for a leading Johannesburg property company, graduated at the end of 2016 with B.Sc. (Hons) Property Studies. This team of outstanding young green innovators took home R30 000 in prize money. They were also funded to attend the GBCSA’s Green Building Convention in Cape Town later this year where they will present their research to local and international property professionals and green leaders.

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PROJECTS STUDENTS The runners-up The University of the Witwatersrand’s team of Nthabiseng Makgabo and Bongiwe Dlamini, supervised by Samuel Azasu, walked away with second place with their comparative analysis of the factors that influence the choice between green and conventional buildings in selected nodes in Gauteng. The team earned a prize of R15 000 for their insightful project and tickets to GBCSA’s Green Building Convention later this year. Third placed was young green thinker Lungela Gcwabaza, supervised by Gerrit Crafford, from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. He investigated the obstacles to effective implementation of strategy within quantity surveying firms as a method for enhancing business sustainability in the long term. Gcwabaza won R10 000 and tickets to the Green Building Convention.

innovators in South Africa,’ says Brian Wilkinson, CEO of the GBCSA. ‘They are set to change the way the world is designed, built and operated in the future.’ The GBCSA has offered discounted accredited professional training at universities since 2013. This has consistently grown each year, expanding from one university and 45 property studies students in 2013, to five universities and over 250 students in property, construction management, architecture, interior design and quantity surveying in 2016.’ ‘The Greenovate Awards have added to the motivation to attend the programme. Much of the growth has occurred in the last two years and we expect this will grow even further in 2017. This year we will have over 250 graduates enter the job marketplace,’ says Donné Atkinson, Education and Training Manager at GBCSA.

Comment from the GBCSA. ‘The prestigious Greenovate student awards recognise and reward some of South Africa’s top students who are the future green leaders and

Greenovate Awards W www.growthpoint.co.za/Pages/Greenovate.aspx

[ ] ‘The prestigious Greenovate student awards recognise and reward some of South Africa’s top students who are the future green leaders and innovators in South Africa,’ says Brian Wilkinson, CEO of the GBCSA. ‘They are set to change the way the world is designed, built and operated in the future.’

Brian Wilkinson, outgoing CEO of the GBCSA.

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advertisersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; index issue20 March-June 2017 AMS...................................................................133,134 Arcelor Mittal.......................................92, 93, 160

Plumblink.............................................................128 Polymers Waterproofing.............................145

BBF Safety Group (Pty) Ltd..........14, 44, 55, 158 Bluescope Steel SA............................................96 Boomgate Systems (Pty) Ltd...........................59 Centurion Systems..........................................101

Power & Electricity Expo...............................41 Ren Power...............................................................7 Rentokil..................................................................18

Claybrick Association........................................1 D & D Roof Insulations....................................121

Reynaers Aluminium.........................................103

Decorex..................................................................51

Royal Institute of Chartered

Den Braven...................................108, 109, 110, 111 Eagle Lighting......................................................84

Surveyors.....................................................68, 69 Sagnelli Associate Architects.......................9

Enumerate Consulting.....................................70 Eurolux..................................................................86

Saint Gobain Isover......................................... 119

Federated Mutual Employers Fund Company...............................................22, 23

Sika (Pty) Ltd..........................................................30

Fourways Airconditioning....................148, 149

Silicone & Technical Products................... 114

Franke Kitchens..................................................81

Solent Trading .............................................88, 89

Geberit SA...................................................... 11, 165 Heidi Jager Interior Design............................50 Institute for Timber Construction South Africa.....................................................122 Khanda Seating....................................................53

South African Institute of Steel Construction.......................................................36 South African Wood Preserves Association.........................................................124

L & G Tools...............................................................5 Mapei..............................................................138, 139 Mitek Industries..................................................98 MS Timbers...............................................................3

Stihl........................................................... 63, 91, 117 Style DĂŠcor....................................................46, 47 Swartland.............................................................78

Numatic International......................................57 Pelican Systems..................................................73 Penny Farthing Engineering........................141

Totally Concrete.............................................156 Uretek...........................................................130, 131

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