SA Affordable Housing September 2013 | Issue: 41

INFRASTRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT September 2013 // Issue: 41

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SEPTEMBER 2013

ISSUE: 41

Trademax Publications

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SA Affordable Housing Infrastructure & Development Tel: 0861 727 663 Cell: 082 266 6976 Fax: 0866 991 346 www.trademax.co.za P.O. Box 37053 Chempet 7442 PUBLISHER: Billy Perrin billy@trademax.co.za 0861 727 663 EDITOR: Jennifer Rees editor@trademax.co.za

CONTENTS

0861 727 663 EDITORIAL INTERN: Tanya Paulse tanya@trademax.co.za

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16

22

28

2

EDITOR’S COMMENT

0861 727 663

4

SAHF WELCOME

ADVERTISING SALES:

6

OPINION PIECE

Gail Cupido

8

COVER STORY

0861 727 663

gail@trademax.co.za

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PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

16

CITY

20

SAHF

22

RENTAL HOUSING

28

CEMENT & CONCRETE

LAYOUT & DESIGN:

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CEMENT & CONCRETE

craig@trademax.co.za

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NEWS

38

CEMENT & CONCRETE

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SANITATION

42

BRICKS & PAVING

44

SANITATION

46

FINANCE

48

SAHF

49

SAHF COURSES

50

CEMENT & CONCRETE

52

NEWS

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SOLAR

ADVERTISING SALES: Daleen Filbey daleen@trademax.co.za 083 409 3119

Craig Patterson

SUBSCRIPTIONS & DATA: Luke Perrin luke@trademax.co.za 0861 727 663

DISCLAIMER The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of Trademax Publications. Although we have done our best to ensure the accuracy of our content, neither Trademax Publications nor SA Affordable Housing magazine will be held liable for any views expressed or information disseminated in this issue.

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SEPTEMBER 2013

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ED’S NOTE

The cost of freedom Welcome to the September issue of the SA Affordable Housing magazine. Each year, we are honoured to title our September issue the Special SAHF Conference issue, and this year bears no exception.

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he Southern African Housing Foundation’s International Conference, Exhibition and Housing Awards is a significant event on our calendar, and also an important annual gathering for all involved in the affordable housing industry. This year’s conference theme is public-private partnerships, a model or models of financial collaboration that brings together the strengths of government and the private sector in a way that is complementary and conducive to real, tangible solutions to the ever-present, and growing challenge of housing in South Africa.

Public-private partnerships, according to John Hopkins, CEO of the Southern African Housing Foundation (SAHF), “have been identified as one of the main options for facilitating infrastructure development and service delivery in South Africa.”

Western Cape Department of Human Settlements Minister Bonginkosi Madikizela states in his opinion piece on page 6, “It is quite critical and urgent for government to shift its focus from providing free subsidised housing to providing a range of housing options that both meet the needs of our people, and require some form of financial contribution from beneficiaries.” He adds, “I have always maintained that just giving away free houses is unsustainable in the long run […] The state simply cannot continue ad infinitum as a growing welfare organization.”

The irony is that a state that gives, or at least promises to give, incessantly and without addressing the fundamental responsibilities that come with giving and receiving, severely disempowers its people, slowly, but surely robs them of their dignity and reaffirms that they need not contribute to their own future or to that of their country.

Our freedom lies in being willing participants in our dayto-day lives and serial ‘investors’ in our respective futures – without striving to meet responsibilities of ‘humanhood’, we can never truly be free. South Africans are a notoriously resilient and proud people – and a downward spiralling welfare state is simply not becoming of us as a nation.

There might never be a ‘silver bullet’ solution to the problem of housing in South Africa (and elsewhere in the world), but if there is a chance for measurable, meaningful and relevant solutions to our housing crises to come about, it has to be through collaboration, playing cleverly to our many strengths and driving processes with the end result in mind: Sustainable. Human. Settlements.

In its eighth year, the SAHF International Conference, Exhibition and Housing Awards is poised to not only initiate and facilitate conversations around public-private partnerships, but to act as an impetus for change, for action, and for solid results. We are excited to be a part of that change.

Enjoy the read!

Jen Please forward any comments, suggestions, or questions to editor@trademax.co.za.

SA Affordable Housing magazine is also a media partner for the inaugural Cape Construction Expo taking place from the 31st of October to the 2nd of November. We hope to see you there!

M&CSAATCHI ABEL 6113/E Nedbank Limited Reg No 1951/000009/06, VAT Reg No 4320116074, 135 Rivonia Road, Sandown, Sandton, 2196, South Africa. We subscribe to the Code of Banking Practice of The Banking Association South Africa and, for unresolved disputes, support resolution through the Ombudsman for Banking Services. We are an authorised financial services provider. We are a registered credit provider in terms of the National Credit Act (NCR Reg No NCRCP16).

When it comes to funding affordable housing developments, we build for the future.

Watergate Estate Development | Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town | Developed by New Age Properties.

At Nedbank Corporate our tailormade funding for new affordable housing developments made us part of a community of affordable housing developers with a solid track record. Our aim is to realise our vision by providing quality affordable housing for as many South Africans as possible.

Contact Manie Annandale | 011 295 6647.

SAHF WELCOME

SAHF 8 International Conference th

and Exhibition 15-19 September 2013 Public Private Partnerships This year, the 8 th Annual SAHF International Conference, Exhibition and Housing Awards will focus on Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), which have been identified as one of the main options for facilitating infrastructure development and service delivery in South Africa.

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ow is the time for the public service to act decisively and implement Public Private Partnerships to a much greater degree in support of sustainable development of human settlements. With urban areas straining under greater pressure from the rapid growth of informal settlements, local authorities need to implement a range of housing and tenure options, which can only succeed with joint ventures.

With distressing statistics about rising cost burdens, increasing foreclosure rates, rising unemployment, falling wages, and widespread homelessness, building affordable housing is one of the most important tasks to improve the quality of life of many South Africans.

The four-day accredited, peer reviewed conference will expose delegates to the latest housing information and focus on Public Private Partnerships and will be attended by 300-400 delegates from the public and private sectors including government ministers, provincial and local authorities and private organisations involved in building a more prosperous South Africa. The conference will highlight the development of housing associations, public services, innovation and green policies, social and rental housing, the built environment, education and training.

Over the past eight years the prestigious annual SAHF International Conference and Exhibition has been attended by delegates from 27 countries around the world.

The conference programme has an interesting line-up of diverse speakers, locally and from abroad, encouraging debate on how to move forward to implement the facilitation of infrastructure development and service delivery in South Africa.

I extend a warm welcome to you to the 8th annual SAHF 2013 International Conference, Exhibition and Housing Awards.

John Hopkins SAHF CEO

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OPINION PIECE

Partnering with the private sector to create social housing opportunities It is quite critical and urgent for government to shift its focus from providing free subsidised housing to providing a range of housing options that both meet the needs of our people, and require some form of financial contribution from beneficiaries.

I

n order to do this, the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements (the Department) delivers a wide range of housing opportunities over a total of 16 programmes, some of which are fully subsidized, and others partially subsidized.

I have always maintained that just giving away free houses is unsustainable in the long run, and this has become all the more clear to me in the four years I have been in office.

One of the reasons is that free housing does not contribute to the municipal revenue streams, and the demands placed on the financial resources of the municipalities in maintaining these settlements are greater than the available financial resources. The state simply cannot continue ad infinitum as a growing welfare organization.

In order to begin to mitigate the unsustainable approach, we are placing a greater emphasis on those programs that require some contribution from the beneficiary. Rental, or social housing, which, provided it is well managed, is a sustainable method of providing affordable housing, and can be defined as “a rental or co-operative housing option for low-income households built at a level of scale which requires institutionalized management and which is provided by accredited social housing institutions (SHIs) or other delivery agents delivering approved projects in designated restructuring zones with the benefit of public funds.� Another important point is that social housing is very carefully regulated, and is controlled by the Social Housing Act and Regulations, the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA, which controls investment, accreditation and regulation), the Rental Act and other applicable legislation.

Social housing is strategically important, as while it delivers rental housing solutions to low- to middle-income households earning between R1500 and R7500 per month, it also creates sustainable settlements, as people contribute to services and running costs.

Until now, our public rental stock hasn’t been well managed, and that is why the focus of the rental strategy is to enhance the management of rental stock to improve rent collection and ensure property maintenance.

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SEPTEMBER 2013

Western Cape Minister of Human Settlements, Bonginkosi Madikizela.

Central to this is creating partnerships with the private sector to develop and manage rental stock, and we find that rent collection is much higher with private sector partners, with 98% rental collection when managed privately, compared to an average of 42% when managed by the state. On a visit to the United Kingdom, the thing that struck me the most was the extent to which they drew in partners from across different sectors to tackle all sorts of social issues using housing developments, ranging from crime and substance abuse, to unemployment and unhealthy lifestyles. In addition, the state does not provide housing in the UK: social housing associations do.

The state funds only 40% of new developments, and the associations must raise the other 60% from their own income and financing.

OPINION PIECE

The delivery of social housing in the Western Cape relies on private sector partnerships to provide rental opportunities, as the funding and subsidies available to the Department for social housing are not sufficient to cover the entire cost of the developments. This is in contrast to the fully subsidized housing options for people earning less than R3500, in which the subsidy available covers the complete cost of the housing unit. In order to make the developments successful, it’s critical that our partnerships are successful, for without the partners and their contributions, the developments would never get off the ground. The partnerships require that different sources of funding are accessed, and they are funded by public funding through the SHRA , the institutional subsidy programme, loan funding sources for SHIs, such as development finance institutions, e.g. the National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC), international financiers, and commercial banks (although very limited).

A typical breakdown would be 10% private equity, 40% from the capital restructuring grant, 25% from provincial government subsidies, and a 30% debt portion.

Developments are required to have a mix of opportunities, with 30% going to households earning below R3500 per month, and 70% to those between R3500 and R7500 per month. We have to continually work towards the development of social housing using a mixed funding model by encouraging greater private-sector investment in affordable rental accommodation for the low-income market. To underscore how seriously we take this issue, our Department has created a dedicated affordable housing directorate to build partnerships with the private sector to increase the supply of affordable housing, especially rental units. Agents of delivery of social housing projects may be SHIs, non-profit or for-profit private companies, and commercial banks play a role in financing, and on-going capacity building and cooperation with partners (including public sector) is critical.

In the Western Cape, there are six accredited social housing Institutions who receive funds from private donors. There is a social housing project pipeline linked to the National Government’s Outcome 8 for the delivery of housing, and there is a provincial steering committee comprising of representatives from the National Department of Human Settlements, my Department, the SHRA , the City of Cape Town, social housing institutions, and the private sector. The Department is the leading province for social housing in the country, having delivered 939 units through the Steenberg Phase 1 and Phase 2A, Drommedaris and Bothasig Projects, with another 720 units under construction at E-Junction, Steenberg and Scottsdene. The recently opened R55-million Bothasig Project in Milnerton provides 120 opportunities for people earning between R2200 and R7500 per month, of which 36 are for households earning less than R3500 per month. The residents come from mixed demographic and age backgrounds, creating a truly integrated settlement.

We have learnt a number of important lessons in the delivery of social housing through partnerships. For example, properties are better managed and maintained by private companies, rent collection is much higher with private sector partners, as mentioned previously and there is also focus on understanding tenant profiles and needs, with different sized units built according to differing needs. When tenants contribute through rental, they form active communities who are involved in the management and running of the developments.

Government and the private sector are also learning to work better together through reciprocal learning processes, which results in greater opportunity for future investment. Processes between the private sector and the state are increasingly streamlined, as there are different ways of doing business in place in the state and the private sector, and thus the need to find middle ground. Finally, limitations in policy or the legal framework become apparent, and thus, opportunities for amendment of legislation and new policies and regulations jointly identified by partners arise.

Looking ahead, the National funding stream for social housing is likely to continue growing. The rental strategy for the Department is in place, and involves the identification of strategic, well-located land, and partnerships with sector departments to fast-track acquisition of key sites. It also entails engagement with key role players, and to support that, multi-stakeholder working groups are in place, and there are on-going municipal engagements and support to identify opportunities.

I am happy that the work we have done in creating an affordable housing directorate, the building of strategic partnerships with the private and public sector, and our track record of success and continual improvement, will allow us to continue to work better together to produce high quality social housing solutions in the Western Cape, and it is my hope to see sustainable social housing developments, based on strategic partnerships, springing up all around the Western Cape over the coming years.

Looking into the future, we will also need to rely on public private partnerships in providing other forms of affordable housing through our various housing programs, for example, bonded houses for the gap market, for people earning between R3500 and R15000 per month. To do this, as government we will need to lower the risk for the developers, and lower the costs of development, in order to make such options attractive to investment for the private sector, and we are currently exploring ways to do this. I am confident that we will see public private partnerships bearing fruit through more programmes in the near future.

Bonginkosi Madikizela www.westerncape.gov.za

SEPTEMBER 2013

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COVER STORY

Communicare’s social housing project, Bothasig Gardens awarded for green building excellence The application of green building principles to social housing provides an indisputable benefit to the sustainability, durability and economy of this housing sector.

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he Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA) recently awarded Communicare Green Project status for the company’s new 120-unit social rental estate in Bothasig, a suburb in Cape Town. Bothasig Gardens was developed on an existing property owned by Communicare with the new development being integrated into the existing complex on the site.

Green building principles were applied to the development so to ensure sustainability, durability and economy. The reduced operating costs of each flat are a direct benefit to the tenants living in the unit, thus ensuring long-term affordability of the rental opportunity.

A green building is one that is energy- and resourceefficient and environmentally responsible. It incorporates design, construction and operational practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of development on the environment and occupants.

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SEPTEMBER 2013

COVER STORY

The primary guide for green building compliance of the Bothasig Gardens Project was the new SANS 10400 XA requirements.

Project architect for Bothasig Gardens, Grant Arendse of Boudry Architects states that the buildings met and beat the green building regulations that applied to it, and conformed to guidelines in terms of orientation and land use.

The buildings are orientated to face due north, allowing maximum sunlight into living spaces. The west and east faÇades have staircases as bookends, keeping the ingress of east/west sunlight to a minimum, and so reducing summer interior temperatures. Bathrooms and kitchens are located on the southern side of the buildings, creating a buffer in winter against the cold ingress.

Minimum requirements in terms of energy efficiency (XA) regulations that stipulate a 140mm block wall was doubled with the building featuring 280mm cavity masonry external walls. Fenestration was designed to provide a window area less than 15% of the floor space, which satisfied the XA requirement.

With a minimum roof insulation rating required by the regulation authority of 3.7, use of a plasterboard ceiling under cement tile roof contributed to the development achieving a creditable 4.1 rating.

SEPTEMBER 2013

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COVER STORY

Lighting installations also met and exceeded the standard requirements for economy and power efficiency. Solar water heating installed in the buildings exceeded the XA requirement that 50% of the hot water is supplied via alternative energy means. Every flat was provided with an integrated solar water heating system providing significant cost savings to the tenant’s monthly electrical account.

Various initiatives were also included for water conservation. Dual flush cisterns were installed for each unit. The landscaping comprises entirely of indigenous species with low water requirements for both the grassed and bedded areas. Recycled rubber material was used for the surfacing of the play areas. The material provides a soft, but durable surface for children to play on.

Bothasig Gardens is the second of two new social housing projects designed as developments destined to create a new standard for integrated human settlements.

It follows the development of Drommedaris, an apartment complex on Koeberg Road, Brooklyn that pioneered Communicare’s vision of creating integrated, sustainable communities.

Both are public-private joint funding ventures.

For more information, visit www.communicare.co.za.

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SEPTEMBER 2013

PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

Benchmark project to provide affordable workforce housing A new R1.35-billion Spring Valley Housing project that is rapidly taking shape in the heart of Mpumalanga’s coal mining belt is setting a benchmark for the provision of employer-assisted affordable housing.

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he provision of private sector supplied workforce housing could be part of the answer to squalid informal shack settlements that have sprung up due to a lack of affordable housing in South Africa.

The new Spring Valley Housing project is funded in part by International Housing Solutions’ (IHS) R1,9-billion SA Work Force Housing Fund. The fund was launched six years ago in South Africa with funding from North American and Southern African organisations, among others, including Citibank, the Development Bank of SA , the Public Investment Corporation on behalf of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).

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SEPTEMBER 2013

IHS is a global private equity investor which has pioneered the financing of numerous affordable housing projects in South Africa with a total value of almost R8-billion to date.

The Spring Valley project is located in Duvha Park in eMalahleni, also known as Witbank, and is targeted at the lower- to middle-income earners, who form part of the socalled affordable housing market, for which there remains an acute shortage of formal housing in South Africa.

To develop the project, a special purpose vehicle, Spring Valley Developments (Pty) Ltd. (SVD), was established by the shareholders, South Africa Workforce Housing Fund SA I (SAWHF SA I), which holds 62.6% and Diluculo Property Trading (Pty) Ltd., which holds 37.4%.

PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

It is situated on 220 hectares of land in Duvha Park Extensions 3 to 14 and includes the installation of required bulk and link infrastructure.

Provision has been made for schools, churches, crèches and retail developments. The development was launched in mid-2008 and all essential development approvals have been obtained.

“We are very excited about the project and the development prospects in eMalahleni,” says Rob Wesselo, Managing Partner of IHS. “There is strong demand for affordable, quality accommodation in the area and the overall Spring Valley Development will provide a wide range of options from free-standing residential dwellings housing in gated estates to the higher density sectional title units.”

IHS acts as the Investment Advisor and Asset Manager for SAWHF SA I. Bigen Africa is the project and development manager.

The Spring Valley Development consists of 2 951 residential stands for free-standing houses and six stands earmarked for the development of sectional title walk-up units.

“Bulk services for the first phase have been completed and construction has commenced on a large scale. Spring Valley is developing a very strong profile in the area as there are no other township developments of this size and scale to compete with it.”

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PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

To date, 500 stands have been sold to a development company, MDV Developments Witbank (Pty) Ltd., which specialises in affordable housing and which has already completed about 150 houses, while the balance are under construction.

Through its thermal coal division, global mining giant, Anglo American has embraced this project and has partnered with Spring Valley to make the housing affordable to its employees through the company’s home ownership scheme.

Anglo American says the scheme aims to have the majority of its workforce living in sustainable settlements located in urban centres that are within the vicinity of company mining operations. Since awareness campaigns for Anglo American employees began last year, more than 150 transactions have already been finalised.

Anglo American is one of the world’s largest mining companies and one of South Africa’s largest private sector employers. Anglo American’s Thermal Coal Division owns and operates nine mines and has a 50% interest in Mafube Colliery and Phola washing plant.

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There are already some 45 coal mines operating close to eMalahleni with at least a further four set to start operations in the near future. These mines supply coal to both export and local markets and also to electricity utility, Eskom’s five operational power stations in the area.

Another Eskom power station is under construction.

The towns of eMalahleni and neighbouring Middelburg are responsible for 43% of Mpumalanga’s GDP. The province is therefore highly reliant on the coal mining and energy generating industries in the area. The town of eMalahleni is also strategically located in the Maputo Corridor between Mozambique and the Gauteng industrial complex.

House prices in the Spring Valley Development range between R300 000 and R689 000 for a free-standing house. The prices of houses supplied to Anglo’s employees vary depending on house size and specification, but the average price is estimated to be around between R300 000 and R400 000.

RAYAL TILES SOUTH AFRICA (Pty) Ltd Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Producer Floor and Roof Tile Manufacturing FLOOR TILES The architecture is written in stone of ancient Chinese history by its artistic image expressions of the Chinese nation’s profound culture connotation, and forming the unique artistic characteristics. As we know, this is not just a kind of living condition, but also a realm. At this moment, Rayal interpretation and spread in the world of spirit and porcelain is culture to us, record and carrying our glory and dream.

FIRING AT MORE THAN 1100 ⁰C, OFFERING TWO FINISHES Nowadays, Porcelain tiles are more popular because of its unique advantages. Porcelain tiles are fully vitrified, glazed or polished and can be made using light coloured ceramic body composed of a mix of clays. They are shaped by pressing a powdered body and then fired in a high tech controlled environment.

GLAZED MATT and GLAZED POLISHED TILES Glazed porcelain tiles appeared in the second half of the 1990’s and these contributed to advancement in the overall quality of Porcelain production. The glazed tile as alternative to the matt finish can be polished to enhance the quality and aesthetics. A key practical implication is that the low porosity of porcelain tiles makes them frost resistant. In addition, the higher quality body composition and resultant surface enables the use of a minimum amount of glaze (enough to close surface pores).

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Advantages for your roof when using RAYAL TILES Thanks to the Rayal Porcelain and Ceramic Roof Tiles light weight and colour fastness, it not only minimizes the transport cost that has become a significant part of total cost, but also give confidence to the fact that it is colour fast and maintenance restricted to minimum over time. The understructure (support structure) can reduce design and material cost significantly, making it one of the most optimized roof designs available today.

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CITY

Creating efficient, liveable cities Large mixed-use developments are gaining traction globally as the property industry realises that developing efficient, liveable cities requires the all-important integration of diverse functions, such as residential accommodation with transportation and commercial opportunities.

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n this interview, Deon Pretorius, Aurecon’s Land Development Services Leader in Cape Town, describes some of the barriers to creating efficient cities, as well as current trends and the solutions and innovations Aurecon is leveraging to help our clients ‘get it right.’

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES INHERENT IN LARGE, MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS? KNEE-JERK RESPONSES TO DEVELOPMENT NEEDS: Whereas many European cities have historically followed an organic growth pattern which has occurred over a relatively long period of time, today’s cities are required to respond extremely quickly to the needs of a burgeoning population for additional housing, transportation and business premises, amongst others.

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Unfortunately, these ‘knee-jerk’ responses often occur in isolation and there is little integration in terms of function.

The concept of an ‘inter-disciplinary’ response, particularly throughout the developing world, is still fairly new and as a result, disparate development abounds.

Customers, governments and local authorities are, however, starting to notice the pitfalls of this sort of reaction to development. Within this scenario, planners are realising that a housing development with no access to economic opportunities entrenches poverty and is thus a recipe for long term socio-economic failure. Likewise, an industrial development which is inaccessible to its workforce is bound for disaster.

CITY

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VERY LITTLE CROSS-DISCIPLINARY INTEGRATION: Coupled to this is the fact that governments and local authorities tend to be very structured in terms of the different services that they provide.

This is largely due to the vastly different budget and performance requirements of different departments. Within these structures, departments seldom consider the benefits of ‘cross-faculty’ integration, i.e. the creation of more efficient developments.

LITTLE INVESTMENT IN PLANNING: Even more concerning is the fact that developers used to be able to market property developments ‘off-plan,’ which created an income stream during the early stages of property investments. The global financial crisis has resulted in an end to this ‘speculative’ development model, with stricter financial control being applied. In simple terms, this means that developers can’t easily access finance for their developments without investing ample upfront work in terms of both design and tender processes to obtain accurate construction costs.

Service agreements with authorities are also required to be in place. This requires extensive upfront planning and design work to determine future financial responsibilities. As a result, consultants are put under pressure to work ‘at risk,’ which impacts on cash flow.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST PROMINENT EMERGING TRENDS IN TERMS OF LARGE, MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS?

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INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT: It is still common for authorities to only function in a specific area of responsibility. Many public transport interchanges were developed as transport facilities only, for example, without looking at the economic opportunities that are inherent in places where footfall is concentrated.

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Today, however, there is a move amongst private sector developers toward the integration of land uses, driven by economic opportunities, and thus requiring an integrated team of multiple professionals.

Engineers who, like Aurecon, are able to offer the entire range of engineering services are preferred due to their ability to act as a single point of contact for the client, simultaneously minimising the risk and challenge of managing multiple service providers.

LARGE-SCALE SUSTAINABILITY: Sustainable infrastructure, too, is a key trend. We’re gradually moving beyond the concept of ‘green buildings’ to that of creating ‘green precincts’ in which we address sustainability in a wider context, i.e. the performance of an entire precinct. We’re starting to ask, “What about the space in-between?” and thinking of novel ways to ensure that space is protected, preserved and utilised in a way that doesn't harm the planet.

Sustainability at a city level is a major challenge, requiring visionary thinking that takes transport, infrastructure and economic aspects, as well as rapidly developing communication technologies, into consideration.

SEPTEMBER 2013

CM

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CITY

FUTURE-PROOF DESIGN: Future-proof design is also gaining traction. Consultants should be looking to understand how buildings will interact with their surroundings in future by asking questions such as “What changes are expected to occur with regard to public transport, communication and Information Technology systems?” and then designing their buildings in response.

DESIGN-WISE, WHAT SORT OF INNOVATIONS IS AURECON OFFERING ITS CLIENTS IN THIS ARENA, AND WHY ARE THESE CRUCIAL? It is vital that the services of an experienced consultant are called upon when it comes to mixed-use developments.

PROVING COMMERCIALITY: Having been involved in a wide variety of these kinds of developments globally, Aurecon understands first-hand the importance of conducting thorough pre-feasibility studies before undertaking any large-scale development.

Pre-feasibility studies offer an opportunity to test the commerciality of a development through considering variable inputs such as size, location and cost before any actual investment is made in terms of development.

EXPERT MASTER PLANNING: Master planning is where planners and engineers can add real value, including the ability to consider both current and future demand, as well as the need to accommodate a phased approach to construction which is flexible and responsive to market fluctuations.

Early investment in planning ensures that the right things are done at the right time, saving significant downstream costs and minimising unnecessary expenditure.

A great opportunity exists during the early precinct planning stages to set goals which contribute to the reduction of our carbon footprint towards achieving carbon neutral solutions, and then to implement these through the planning, design and construction stages.

A combination of strategies is to be considered at various scales of new developments. Aurecon has achieved much at individual building level with regard to energy and water efficiencies, having received various awards for the implementation of green building technologies.

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SEPTEMBER 2013

On a broader scale, Aurecon is also developing solutions at a precinct level in partnership with learning institutions.

Design and simulation tools are used to model and assess the effect of various interventions, from land use, density and typology variations, to waste generation benchmark ranges and transportation mode targets to achieve energy efficiencies as well as socio-economic benefits, all aimed at achieving sustainable development solutions.

MODELLING OF ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS TOWARDS WOLAM: There is immense value to be gained in modelling the technical solutions selected by a client using 3D software.

The ability to represent these solutions graphically offers the added advantage of not only allowing a client to ‘visualise’ technical solutions proposed and selected, but also understand and evaluate the entire life-cycle of these services with the view to successful whole of life asset management planning (WOLAM), including the operation and maintenance components of these services.

A TAILORED APPROACH: Throughout the developing world, in particular, it is common for the requirements on mixed-use developments undertaken in historically sensitive areas to require a highly tailored approach to engineering design as opposed to simply following the known blueprints, called ‘minimum standards’ or ‘best practice.’

Aurecon recently undertook work in the Lahore Walled City in Pakistan, a location known for its extremely dense population, heritage buildings with narrow transport and pedestrian alleyways. The client requested that we devise unique solutions applicable to this particular environment.

As such, Aurecon was required to produce infrastructure designs tailor-made for each individual alleyway, as well as ensure that the new infrastructure did not harm the historic fabric of the ancient city.

In terms of creating liveable cities with economic opportunities and ample access to public transport, it is key that brave decisions are taken to ensure that developments of the future are liveable and sustainable.

There is a danger in aiming to simply meet the targeted numbers set for infrastructure, but missing out on the opportunity to create sustainable developments. Never has this opportunity been as vital as it is now in South Africa and in Africa.

SAHF

SAHF 8 International Conference th

and Exhibition 15-19 September 2013 Facilitating infrastructure development and service delivery in South Africa With the focus of this year’s conference on Public Private Partnerships, a line-up of speakers will address topics related to infrastructure development and service delivery, promising to encourage interesting debate around the subject.

Minister Cornelia September National Minister of Human Settlements Minister Cornelia September, National Minister of Human Settlements will be giving a Keynote Address on Monday, 16th September. She became a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) in 1999. Her experience also includes serving as a Special Advisor in the Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs. She also served as Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry, as well as the Whip of the Committee on International Relations and Cooperation. Minister September became the first woman in the country to be elected as the second Deputy President of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in 1993. She served Cosatu with distinction until she was elected to the position of first Deputy President in 1998 and was appointed as Minister of Human Settlements in July 2013.

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Mr Paimaan Byron Laboratory Manager NHBRC The Eric Molobi Housing Innovation Hub is a result of a joint collaboration between public and private sector companies in bringing forth quality, innovative and affordable housing.

The focus of the Hub is to identify, draw in and support innovative housing systems developed locally and internationally, with the ultimate aim of providing aesthetically pleasing and affordable homes to the housing beneficiaries. It was perceived that the Hub will be able to provide beneficiaries and end-users with a wider choice of good quality affordable housing depending on the income level of the beneficiaries.

Akinola Popoola Executive Director Opelika Housing Authority United States of America Partnership between the public sector and the private sector to design, develop, finance, construct and/or operate affordable housing (and infrastructure projects) will offer solutions by taking innovation and efficiencies associated with the private sector and bringing these to bear on community-based projects. The PPP objective is to allocate responsibilities and risks to partners who are best able to manage and mitigate those risks creating a ‘win-win’ situation for both the public and private sectors – in a very broad sense.

SAHF

Mr Roger Matlock General Manager GM South Africa Foundation The GM South Africa Foundation is pioneering a unique approach to social development by directly managing innovative pilot projects in the fields of public school education and state subsidy housing. Apart from its successes in education, the Foundation has piloted and promoted the replication of a number of out-of-the-box housing models. Financial inputs are modest with almost exponential outputs.

Adelaide Steedley Data Centre Co-ordinator Centre for Affordable Housing in Africa The lower segment of the housing market in South African cities does not function well.

Levels of investment and new developments are low, information is generally poor and transactions are cumbersome. All the institutions involved complain about the inefficiency of affordable housing. There is increasing talk of partnerships between government and developers to improve and ‘normalise’ the situation, but a lack of understanding of local market conditions appears to be a significant barrier. In short, better information could facilitate collaboration to create smarter government programmes that support viable housing development projects. For example, the greatest risk to developers is prior to construction, when the prospect of sales is distant. Government support could offset some of that risk in exchange for a proportion of affordable housing in the final development. Better information could help to quantify the gaps and inform mutually agreeable solutions, such as up-front incentives, construction loan guarantees, or the provision of vacant land at discounted prices.

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RENTAL HOUSING

GPF advances its rental housing fund The Gauteng Partnership Fund was launched 10 years ago, with a focus on facilitating social housing development for households earning less than R7 500 per month (at 2002 prices). In response to the market, the GPF then expanded its mandate to include affordable housing rental, which caters for households earning less than R15 000.

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he rental programme assists private developers to procure finance at favourable terms on a project-byproject basis, thus facilitating the development of quality affordable housing.

The GPF will consider any residential rental project, as long as it falls within the affordable housing space, that is households with a monthly income of R15 000 or less. To facilitate the delivery of affordable rental housing, the GPF's modus operandi is one of risk sharing and cofunding.

A senior funder is required to provide the greater portion of the development facility; GPF then tops up the facility with a further 20% to 30% debt investment, with a loan period of 15 to 20 years. The developer is expected to contribute at least 10%, depending on their cash flow.

“The rental income of the project needs to cover the loan amount, but, if it doesn’t, then the developer will be expected to contribute additional equity,” explains Investment Officer, Sandra Ruiter. The GPF is particularly thorough in analysing and checking the potential project and in ensuring that the area is suitable, the project is feasible and there is good management in place once construction has been completed and the units fully let.

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The GPF does its homework by collecting comparative information from other rental-housing developments in the area and on their bad-debt ratios. “The GPF will assess the basic feasibility of a project, and, if the project is feasible, we appoint independent experts to conduct a due diligence assessment of the developer, the project site and its development plan,” she continues. Worth noting is that the GPF will only consider projects with an economic number of units and a total project value of not more than R250-million “What is crucial about rental projects is that the developer must demonstrate to the GPF that they either have the capabilities to deliver an affordable product within time and budget and/or that the professional team contracted has the expertise and experience to deliver the product.

Another fundamental aspect of the rental housing market is management of the finished product. Good management ensures paying tenants, and thus ensures the project income stream. Both the GPF and the independent due diligence conducted for the project include an in-depth assessment of the appointed managing agent,” says Ruiter.

THINKING OF INVESTING IN THE AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING MARKET?

CONSTRAINED BY FUNDING CHALLENGES? The Solution - The Gauteng Partnership Fund (GPF) is the ideal partner for companies seeking to develop affordable residential properties for rental to cater for households with income up to R15 000.

Who Are We - Mandated by the Gauteng Department of Local Government and Housing

to accelerate the provision of human settlements, the GPF has leveraged over R2.2 billion in private sector funding for developers and investors in the affordable housing market.

The GPF seeks to share financing risks with debt funders and developers for affordable housing projects.

Opportunity exists - To access GPF funding from a dedicated Rental Housing Fund that aims to assist rental housing developers with equity-type loans for the affordable housing rental market. The GPF equity enhances the bankability of projects to enable senior lenders to finance on favourable terms.

For more information or to apply for funding contact: Maki or Phetsile Tel: 011 685 6600 or Email: immaculates@gpf.org.za & phetsilek@gpf.org.za www.gpf.org.za

RENTAL HOUSING

“Many of the developers are first-time entrants to the rental housing game, and it’s a big learning curve for them to get their business plan together, and that’s if their proposed project site is even suitable for rental-housing development. So our projects do take a while to bear fruit, but we are there to point them in the right direction and to give advice where needed. I always warn them that property development is a five-day game, and not a oneday affair,” she remarks.

For this reason, the GPF ensures that the borrowing entity will not be the managing agent, preferring the developer to rather engage the services of a professional managing agent, which will essentially determine the income stream.

Projects in which the GPF has invested include a mix of greenfield, or brand-new, developments and brownfield projects, which entail the conversion of offices to residential units, or the refurbishment of existing, innercity residential units. “We’re particularly keen on getting involved in infill projects, that is, in projects developed in an existing environment within a suburb with amenities and infrastructure and in close proximity to businesses which could offer the tenants employment. For this reason, almost all of our projects to date are located in the city centres of Johannesburg and Pretoria, and in Kempton Park,” notes Ruiter. A new walk-up apartment typically costs between R320 000 and R350 000 to develop, while renovated apartments cost about R120 000 to R150 000 per unit, depending on the initial site-acquisition cost.

Since its inception in the 2010/2011 financial year, the GPF’s Rental Housing Fund has facilitated the development of some 2 400 rental-housing units. “We’ve had a good innings, especially when you consider that the risk appetite of the banks has dwindled in the wake of the global economic recession. Our interest rates are inexpensive compared with those of other mezzanine funders, and our loan period/term is longer compared to those of the commercial banks – making a considerable difference to a developer’s cash flow over the course of the project,” she maintains. Ruiter estimates that the GPF approves one in eight of all the projects that come through its doors.

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As for the coming year, Ruiter is intent on continuing with her efforts to increase awareness of the GPF’s Rental Housing Fund brand. In terms of project progress, she is eagerly awaiting the ground-breaking for Sondela Village, which will see the rendition of a 246-unit development in Daggafontein, in Springs. “It’s a greenfield project, located next to the Daggafontein railway station in an industrial area. The developer, Caliber, is planning to break ground in early 2013,” she points out. “Housing is one of the backbones of economic stability; it is fundamental to the growth of any kind of sustainable society. There will always be a demand for rental housing, which is essentially the first rung on the property ladder for many a young person or family. Government, in particular, appreciates the need to provide rental housing for its citizens. It is crucial that people don’t stay in this gaphousing market forever; once they are on their feet, they need to move on to the next rung in order to provide room for others to gain a foothold on the property ladder. In South Africa, there is a great need for rental housing, and we would welcome all possible partners in realising this need. Not only is there money to be made from rental housing, but, from a social and moral perspective, it’s also the right thing to do,” concludes Ruiter.

The sustained economic recession is making it harder for young people to gain a foothold on the property ladder, and so the demand for rental housing continues to boom, especially in Gauteng, South Africa’s powerhouse province which faces ever-increasing rates of migration and urbanisation.

For this reason, the Gauteng Partnership Fund is advancing its Rental Housing Fund to further help assuage the province’s housing shortage.

Sandra Ruiter - Investment Officer, Gauteng Partnership Fund.

For more information about the GPF rental housing fund, please visit www.gpf.org.za or call 011 685 6600.

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CEMENT & CONCRETE

Quality readymix completes a well built project.

Building a nation with readymix concrete Concrete is the single most important construction material in the world. In South Africa it is used to build houses, schools, hospitals and even our roads and bridges.

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hen mixed correctly it enables us to build quality structures at an affordable price. It also simplifies projects and saves valuable time while reducing the cost of projects. Another major benefit for contractors is the ability to order concrete that is mixed to exact specifications for consistent quality and guaranteed strength.

The most reliable way to ensure that only quality readymix concrete is delivered to a site is to deal directly with members of the Southern Africa Readymix Association (Sarma). The association has strict safety, health, road transport, environment and quality procedures that need to be upheld by all its members. This means that the quality of the concrete is assured, the health and safety of its workers is looked after and environmental guidelines are adhered to.

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Furthermore, they undertake high standards of road safety to look after the safety of all other road users.

WORKING TOGETHER Sarma has also extended an ongoing offer to work with the construction industry and to help contractors work more effectively with readymix concrete. According to general manager, Johan van Wyk, the association values input from contractors and plans to work even more closely with them in future.

Johan also has the following advice for contractors to ensure the effective use of concrete:

CEMENT & CONCRETE It is in place to ensure the quality of building in South Africa. Sarma members have to uphold these standards and are subject to regular audits to ensure they do.

Concrete is important in construction, therefore contractors should insist on using only properly produced products rather than cheap concrete from unregistered suppliers (you may pay a heavy price if concrete fails).

ACCEPTING A LOAD ON SITE Always take the time to properly check the delivery ticket.

Check the delivery note shows the right quantity and strength, etc. Also check the time batching took place and delivery (there should not be a long delay between). This is important, as the workability of concrete changes as time goes by. If you are unsure, perform a slump test and query it with the supplier who should be able to provide technical expertise to provide a solution.

PLACING AND COMPACTING CONCRETE

A well prepared worksite ready to accept the first concrete pour.

ADVANTAGES OF READYMIX Sarma accredited readymix suppliers have the necessary resources and skills to provide a wide range of mixes. They can meet changing requirements on site and can offer advice when needed – they also take responsibility for the quality of concrete on site. No permanent space is required and no special tools and equipment are needed on site.

High delivery rates are possible and can be made to different positions on the same site.

HOW TO ORDER READYMIX Depending on the supplier, orders usually need to be placed a day or two in advance. Special requirements need to be given so mixes can be made and tested. Information about the application and strength needs to be given at the same time. Payments need to be made and the exact location and time needs to be clearly communicated.

Remember that cancellations cannot be made on short notice.

SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALITY Readymix concrete standard SANS 878:2004 applies to the production of readymix concrete, materials used, batching, equipment, delivery, testing, quality control and record keeping.

Make sure that you have the right tools and properly trained staff to ensure concrete is correctly placed. Once hardened it is difficult to remove if mistakes are made.

Concrete should be discharged as close as possible to the worksite and evenly spread before compaction.

Compaction allows air bubbles to be removed and pushes it into all the spaces. In some instances vibrator pokers, etc. may need to be used to get concrete into tight spaces.

Remember, poorly compacted concrete can look ugly, have weak points, be susceptible to corrosion, etc.

SAMPLING AND TESTING Contractors must ensure they understand how testing and sampling is done and have agreements in place to ensure they get what they are paying for. Ensure readymix supplier performs procedurally correct tests, especially where concrete is delivered according to a set specification from the client.

PROTECTION AND CURING This is the most important consideration to ensure strength of concrete. Once the concrete has been poured it is vitally important to ensure it is protected internally and at the surface to ensure cement and aggregates bond correctly. Things like dampening the underlying soil before pouring, misting the surface with water and covering concrete with plastic will help to get a good cure. Also, in winter it needs to be protected from very cold weather.

Curing ensures strong concrete that is less likely to crack or fail.

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CEMENT & CONCRETE THINGS TO REMEMBER Always ensure the truck has easy access to the site (must not be too muddy, steep or blocked by building materials).

Ensure the right amount of labour is at hand and the right tools are on site. For example, a single truck load holds about 100 full wheelbarrow loads weighing 170kg each.

Also, make sure concrete delivery time allows enough time for final working.

CALL SARMA If you are unsure it is advisable to call Sarma for expert advice. Remember if you order Sarma approved members’ concrete you will have access to the association’s expertise and assistance.

JOHAN VAN WYK (t) 011 791 3327 (f) 086 647 8034 (e) johan@sarma.co.za (w) www.sarma.co.za

Concrete is the second most commonly used material in the world. Only water is used more often…

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On-site testing may be required to ensure specifications are met.

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CEMENT & CONCRETE

Effortless Efficiency Pump flow technology from Construction Warehouse Construction Warehouse has changed the face of mortar, plaster, screed mixing and conveying in Gauteng by providing an elegant solution to an otherwise messy affair.

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onstruction Warehouse has, since its inception in 2009, become a high-tech solution-based company providing alternative and leading solutions for everyday problems on construction and mining sites.

Construction Warehouse, the official distributor of Pump Flow Technology (PFT) equipment in Southern Africa, specialises in pump flow technology, which ensures that the dry mortar remains a smooth, high quality, homogenous mix for fast delivery and easy use in all applications from brick-laying to plastering.

Since the 1960s, PFT has actively revolutionised and improved four critical factors with which the construction industry is faced: • speed • quality • cost

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PFT boasts a versatile range of products to assist the local builder or big construction companies in both dry premixed or wet ready-mixed product applications.

Construction Warehouse equipment provides effortless efficiency in the areas of traditional self-mix products, like mortar, plaster and screed, as well as pre-mixed material for mortar, plaster and screed supplied in silo or bagged.

EQUIPMENT OFFERED: 1. CONTINUOUS MIXERS: PFT continuous mixers are used to receive and mix material for dry mortar, plasters, or screeds. The feeding process is executed directly from a silo. PFT mixers eliminate any involvement of manual labour.

CEMENT & CONCRETE

PFT SILOMAT ™

PFT LOTUS XL Daily work can begin immediately due to the efficacy of the mixing system. With the dagha/plaster delivered directly into the automatic feeder of the PFT mixers, material supply can start as soon as the start button is pressed on the PFT mixer. Production rate is two wheelbarrows per minute (95L per minute). Nonproductive time due to manual preparation is eliminated and inaccurate mixing is prevented.

ADVANTAGES OF CONTINUOUS MIXERS: • Quick and accurate mixing, providing as much or as little as needed • Not labour-intensive • Two wheelbarrows per minute production speed • Can work in any weather conditions • Requires no additional space for mixing, since it is mounted under the silo

3. DRY MATERIAL CONVEYING: The PFT Silomat™ is easily connected to any type of container or silo and a clip-on hopper is also available for manual feeding into the Silomat™. The use of a Silomat™ enables the dust-free movement of dry material from a silo or storage area over a total distance of a maximum of 140m vertically and 40m horizontally with the push of a button. The material is supplied on demand and since no material is stored in the pipes when not in use, the Silomat™ is quickly and easily installed or moved around on site.

The Silomat™ is commonly used when material needs to be conveyed into high-rise buildings or conveying is difficult due to limited access.

4. GENERATOR HIRE: Construction Warehouse also offers a variety of diesel generators, ranging from 30kvA to 70kvA. All generators are trailer-mounted for easy transportation.

2. WET MATERIAL CONVEYING: The PFT ZP 3 XXL is a powerful conveying pump that has a conveying capacity to transport material from 6L/min up to 200L/min. The conveying quantity can be controlled to best suit the speed at which the material is required. The PFT ZP 3 XXL pumps directly to the point of application plasters, masonry mortars or floor screeds. ZP 3 XXL pumps work with stator and rotor technology, ensuring that the mix that is transported is kept homogenous with low conveying pressure. All conveying pipes are flexible rubber hoses ranging between 35mm to 65mm in diameter. Conveying distance reaches, depending on the configuration of the site, between 30m vertically and 130m horizontally.

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES: Construction Warehouse equipment is easy to use and through initial training on site when installation takes place, operators are taught the essentials of optimising the use of the equipment. An additional service offered by Construction Warehouse is on-site operator assistance to manage the system as a turnkey solution to the customer.

Construction Warehouse ensures preventative maintenance of its machines on site and guarantees all call-outs are addressed within four hours, so as to reduce down-time. All equipment is available for rental and/or purchase and Construction Warehouse carries a full range of spares.

PFT ZP 3 XXL

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CEMENT & CONCRETE

For more information about Construction Warehouse equipment available, contact Riaan Alberts on 083 445 3085, or email riaan.alberts@cwhouse.co.za or visit www.cwhouse.co.za.

OFFICIAL SERVICE PROVIDER TO:

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OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR OF PUMP FLOW TECHNOLOGY (PFT) EQUIPMENT IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

Ensuring your dry mortar remains a smooth, high quality, homogenous mix for fast conveying, and easy use in all applications from brick-laying to plastering.

CONSTRUCTION WAREHOUSE EQUIPMENT TO BUY OR RENT. CONTACT Riaan Alberts on 083 445 3085 EMAIL Riaan.alberts@cwhouse.co.za OR VISIT www.cwhouse.co.za.

NEWS

Asrin launch integrated affordable housing development in Strandfontein South Breeze Residential Village, a community-based integrated housing village aimed at those in the affordable to middle income bracket, will be officially launched at the end of August 2013 by Asrin Property Developers.

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his 83-unit development is located on the corner of Dennegeur and Welgelegen avenues in Old Strandfontein.

South Breeze is a separate title residential development, which will have plots ranging from 150m² to 200m² in size. The homes will have two or three bedrooms, with a family bathroom in each. The floor areas will range from 60m² to 68m².

Finishes include granite countertops and fitted stoves and hobs in the kitchens, ceramic tiles and a choice of laminated wood flooring or carpets in the bedrooms.

Green technology initiatives such as induction water heating geysers will be introduced at South Breeze. This system uses electrical energy to create a magnetic field within the geyser to maximize the heating process which delivers the same amount of hot water as a conventional

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geyser in one third of the time, saving over 60% in power consumption. This will benefit owners by helping them reduce their electricity bills, said Shiraaz Hassan, commercial director for Asrin.

Prices of units at South Breeze range from R619 900 to R699 900, which includes all transaction costs, a considerable saving, says Hassan.

Asrin takes away the financial risk for buyers by offering a turnkey product, he said. The homes will be constructed and completed before transfer, which will assist buyers as banks will consider 100% bond finance on turnkey packages such as these. If it were a plot and plan development, the banks would possibly only consider a 70% to 80% loan to value which becomes burdensome to the purchaser in terms of securing a deposit, he said.

NEWS

Artist's impressions of South Breeze Residential Village, where two- and three-bedroom homes will be available from R619 900 to R699 900, including transaction costs.

“Furthermore, buyers also benefit here by not having to service the interest on the loan during the construction period, which, if they did, could add an additional R15 000 to the purchase cost.”

Once completed, the development will be managed by a homeowners’ association, said Hassan.

Although this housing scheme is not a gated estate (since the City of Cape Town prefers integrated development and not those that are cut off from the rest), said Hassan, it does have perimeter walling and Asrin will make provision at the entrance for a guardhouse, should the HOA decide to employ a guard service.

“We have worked to integrate the new homes into the existing community,” said Hassan, “by agreeing to refurbish the exterior of the existing library and community centre which are on the immediate boundaries of the development and by landscaping those areas. There will also be two safe public parks on either side of the development for residents and the immediate community to use. As at all Asrin developments, all the gardens and the open public space for residents will be landscaped, creating a relaxed family-based lifestyle environment.”

CEMENT & CONCRETE

One of the roads being paved with concrete block paving in Thembalihle, Phumelela.

Phumelela Municipality opts for concrete block paving Phumelela (formerly Vrede) Municipality is one of many local authorities which values the benefits of concrete block paving (CBP). It began using CBP eight years ago, paving the low-income suburb of Thembalihle. Since then 35% of the streets in and around Thembalihle have been paved with CBP and the project will continue until they are all surfaced with CBP.

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ccording to the project’s roads Resident Engineer (RE), Sibeko Bonginkosi of Flagg Consulting Engineers, CBP, rather than asphalt, was specified for several reasons: long life spans and low maintenance; the easy construction of traffic calming features; aesthetic designs and greater visual appeal; job-creation opportunities; and the fact that CBP, unlike asphalt, does not use crude oil as a raw material.

The roads are being constructed by main contractor, Ramutsa Rail, and the blocks are being laid by four subcontractors, each employing 20-30 workers, most of them Thembalihle residents. Ramutsa Rail is handling the earthworks, which in addition to grading and levelling, involves the construction of the foundation material.

Four hundred and fifty millimetres thick, the CBP foundation comprises: 150mm stabilised gravel sub-base (C4) compacted to 97% mod A ASHTO (top layer); 150mm

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selected upper sub-grade compacted to 95% mod A ASHTO density (G7) (middle layer); and 150mm in-situ road bed compacted to 90% mod A ASHTO density (G10) (bottom layer).

THESE LAYERS WERE COMPACTED TO: • Increase load-bearing capacity • Prevent soil settlement and frost damage • Provide stability • Reduce water seepage, swelling and contraction • Reduce soil settling.

Supplied by CMA (Concrete Manufacturers Association) member, Bosun Brick, the paving blocks are 80mm thick and are rated at 25MPa. Bosun also supplied the precast concrete kerbing blocks which are being used to construct open-channel drainage.

CEMENT & CONCRETE Bonginkosi comments that the road surfaces were built as flat as possible and cross falls were kept to two percent to ensure good drainage.

Comparing the maintenance costs of CBP and asphalt, Bonginkosi says that in the case of asphalt, allowance must be made for filling in cracks as soon as they occur to avoid water infiltration and further deterioration.

“Asphalt requires surface dressing to restore skidding resistance every five to seven years. Moreover, overlays must be strengthened, especially when wheel ruts reach or exceed 10mm.

“By contrast the maintenance costs for well-constructed CBP roads are generally low. Occasionally it is necessary to replace small numbers of concrete blocks. For example, those damaged by container handling operations or by the slewing of tracked vehicles. CBP is often selected where severe differential settlement is expected. This can require lifting the pavers, restoring the road-base and relaying the pavers,” says Bonginkosi.

In addition to the Thembalihle CBP project, a dual carriage-way, comprising two paved sections each measuring 480m long and five metres wide has recently been completed on Hospital Road in Phumelela. The two sections are separated by an edge beam which is filled with earth for growing flowers and shrubs. This road was built by the same professional team using the same construction methods as those used at Thembalihle.

CMA technical director, Taco Voogt says that most local governments are under severe budget constraints and in many cases are unable to maintain their existing road networks, which are largely paved with asphalt.

“We also know that CBP is essentially maintenance-free provided it is laid in compliance with best practice standards and this is why so many municipalities are opting for CBP for urban roads. What’s more, the initial capital outlay on CBP roads is only marginally greater than the asphalt equivalent. It therefore makes sense for all new urban road projects to be surfaced with CBP. The saving on maintenance is huge and quickly offsets any higher capitals spend.

“In addition, laying roads with concrete block paving is labour intensive and offers the unskilled and unemployed an opportunity of acquiring a marketable skill and earning capacity. The income earned on CBP projects has a multiplier effect, stimulating economic activity in other sectors of local communities.”

“Then there is the safety aspect. CBP offers better braking owing to its rough texture and broken surface. In addition it provides better road marking with coloured and luminous concrete pavers. And the chance of aquaplaning on wet surfaces is greatly reduced with CBP roads,” concludes Voogt.

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SANITATION

Gaining skills and improving schools

Khuthaza launches a pilot sanitation project New training initiatives and support programmes are vital in the development and safeguarding of South Africa’s construction industry.

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huthaza recently launched its first Practical Training Project, which aims to fill a significant gap in the market by providing contractors with the opportunity to gain skills and practical experience by combining classroom and on-site training on a project. The current project will, at the same time, improve the sanitation facilities for students at the Thabotona Primary School.

The classroom training contractors will receive covers construction calculations, tendering, reviewing the business aspects of similar projects, project management and associated construction skills training. Three days of on-site construction and a site visit to the factory that manufactures concrete toilet kits will also form part of the training.

The R180 000 project, which commenced on Thursday 1 August, concluded on Thursday 15 August.

Khuthaza aims to work with industry stakeholders in rolling out similar practical training projects and believes this can be a great opportunity for companies to combine Enterprise Development and Socio-economic Development objectives to leverage resources for greater impact.

Stakeholders in the project include WBHO, who contributed the use of a tipper-loader-bulldozer (TLB), Tjeka Training, who loaned Khuthaza tools for the project, Eldocrete, who will host the factory visit and oversee training on site, and Aurecon, who provided funding for the project through its Enterprise Development programme.

Diba, a woman-owned company, has provided Health & Safety services for the project.

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SANITATION

GUTTER SYSTEMS 4

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Six contractors, including five women, who completed Khuthaza’s 2012 Cornerstone Contractor Development Programme, have been selected to participate in the project, together with five locally-based builders.

Khuthaza has also included University of Johannesburg Building Science graduate and Khuthaza Bursary recipient, Rebone Kgarimetsa, in the project as an opportunity for her to gain experience.

Mokhantsho Motloung, one of the contractors participating in the sanitation project, says, “I’ve been doing small jobs since our programme last year and am really happy to have been selected for this project as it will allow me to gain new construction skills and experience."

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2

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RAINFLO D-Shape uPVC Gutter

RAINFLO Gutter Outlet Round

RAINFLO 3m Downpipe Round

RAINFLO Thermal Expansion Bracket

SEWER & DRAIN

"One of my goals is to become a certified plumber.”

Thabotona Primary School is located near Zonkizizwe in Katlehong. The school currently suffers the reality of poor sanitation facilities and a lack of running water.

Khuthaza will provide a total of 20 Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) Latrines to the school. Provision of these facilities will significantly improve health, sanitation and comfort for the students. Importantly, these toilets can be connected to bulk sewerage systems in the future. Khuthaza worked with the Shanduka Adopt-aSchool Foundation to identify the beneficiary school.

Siphokazi Mtimkulu, Khuthaza’s Project Manager on the pilot, says, “This is a new and exciting initiative for Khuthaza. Not only will we be helping the Khuthaza contractors gain experience, we’ll also be making a tangible difference to the lives of local children.”

The name Khuthaza, which means ‘encourage,’ reflects the organisation’s role in encouraging change and transformation in the industry through valuable partnerships and life-changing initiatives such as this sanitation project.

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SEPTEMBER 2013

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Member of the Dawn Group

BRICKS & PAVING

The cycle track in Durban has been paved in Coroplaza pavers in apricot and charcoal with a Corobrik nutmeg clay paver edging.

Corobrik paves the way for nonmotorised transport in Durban Durban is fast becoming a bicycle friendly city and Corobrik is proud to have its products used in the construction of the eThekwini Municipality’s new cycle route along the lower eastern section of the Greyville race course. This will form part of a route that will link the Durban Botanic Gardens with Mitchell Park via Florida Road.

C

orobrik’s Chris Mungle explained that the Coroplaza pavers are being used for the central part of the 4.5m-wide track with nutmeg clay pavers as an edge. The track between the Botanical Gardens and Mitchell Park measures 4 100 metres, while the stretch between the Greyville tunnel and Argyle Road is 1 350 metres.

He said that because these products did not have chamfers, they fitted snugly and, in the words of Brian Cadle, Area Project Manager for the eThekwini Municipality's Roads Division, were therefore extremely ‘cycle friendly.’

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Cadle explained that use of abrasion and skid-resistant Coroplaza and clay pavers laid in a flexible herringbone pattern provided for good ‘lock up’ and surface integrity, affording a smooth surface for easier riding as bicycle tyres did not stick in the joints.

Also on the practical side, Mungle said that the Corobrik products required minimal maintenance and should it be necessary for them to be uplifted for maintenance of infrastructure, such as underground water pipes or electrical cables, they could be easily unzipped and re-laid again to ensure continuity and future longevity of the pavement, he said.

BRICKS & PAVING

From a construction point of view, Mungle added that Coroplaza pavers were cost-effective and provided value.

As the two products are of the same thickness and are interchangeable they are easily laid together.

The eThekwini Municipality’s Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) Plan dates back to 2010 and applies to all forms of transport that are ‘human powered,’ including walking, cycling, animal powered transport and wheelchair travel, as well as so-called small wheeled transport, which includes skates, skateboards, push scooters and hand carts.

The city is promoting the use of non-motorised transport to optimise pedestrian safety and to encourage commuters to use alternative forms of transport that will not only alleviate traffic congestion during busy periods but cut the city’s CO² emissions. An added bonus is that improved facilities such as this will encourage residents to adopt health promoting recreational activities.

Central to the NMT is a network of pedestrian and cycle routes that extend from the beachfront promenade which was upgraded prior to the 2010 Soccer World Cup and extends to the green hub at the Blue Lagoon. A cycle route that follows the Umgeni River along Riverside Road has been completed.

This will ultimately traverse Burman Bush to connect to Mitchell Park. A route leading up K E Masinga (formerly Old Fort) Road towards the Botanical Gardens has also been completed. This will ultimately extend around the Greyville Race Course and connect with Mitchell Park.

Cadle said that the city architects had incorporated a lot of both the Coroplaza pavers and the Corobrik nutmeg pavers into the earlier design of the Blue Lagoon eco hub and said that these had formed part of the design theme that was taken forward into the stretch that led up Old Fort Road to the south side of Greyville Race Course and the Botanical Gardens. Coroplaza pavers and nutmeg clay pavers have also been used along the stretch that follows the Umgeni River along Riverside Road.

Mungle added that combining colours and textures as done with the Coroplaza charcoal and apricot colours and the nutmeg clay pavers for the edging worked really well aesthetically to present a finished pavement in sync with the natural surrounds and that was uplifting in its context.

They should be ‘well-cycled’ in time to come!

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SANITATION

Sanitation, a basic human right According to the South African Constitution, signed into law 10 December 1996, "Everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well being." However, 16 years later many South Africans’ health is in danger due to the poor water and sanitation conditions in overly populated informal settlements.

A

t least 10% of South Africa’s 44 million people live in urban informal settlements. This equates to more than 1.2 million households and an informal settlement population of over 4.4 million, where poor sanitation robs communities of their dignity and health.

One of South Africa’s Millennium Development Goals by 2015 is to ensure environmental sustainability, by halving the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water or improved sanitation facilities.

According to The Strategic Framework for Water Services (2003), a basic sanitation service is defined as: The provision of a sanitation facility (that is appropriate to the settlement conditions) which is easily accessible to a household, the sustainable operation and maintenance of the facility, including the safe removal of human waste and waste water from

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the premises where this is appropriate and necessary, and the communication of good sanitation, hygiene and related practices (to users).

According to Regulation 2 of the Compulsory National Standards, one of the minimum standards for basic sanitation services is: • A toilet which is safe, reliable, environmentally sound, easy to keep clean, provides privacy and protection against the weather, well ventilated, keeps smells to a minimum and prevents the entry and exit of flies and other disease-carrying pests.

Key points which stand out are privacy, safety, health (barriers to disease transmission) and structural soundness. South Africa compares positively with international standards, but there is still much upon which to improve.

SANITATION

“Water supply, sanitation and health are closely related,” states the World Bank website. “Poor hygiene, inadequate quantities and quality of drinking water, and lack of sanitation facilities cause millions of the world’s poorest people to die from preventable diseases each year.

Women and children are the main victims.” It goes on to state, “Diarrhoeal diseases account for 4.3% of the total global disease burden (62.5 million DALYs1)1 . An estimated 88% of this burden is attributable to unsafe drinking water supply, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene.

These risk factors are second, after malnutrition, in contributing to the global burden of disease.”

Many studies over the years have been done on the quality of sanitation in South Africa. One such study in 2007 was by the Department of Water and Forestry, who commissioned an audit of water and sanitation projects. It was called the ‘spot-check’ and drew on the Municipal Infrastructure Grant database, which listed 2 410 projects as having moved past the planning phase. Findings showed that only 41% of these projects had actually been completed, and all had the following issues: • Up to 25% of on-site toilets were inadequately designed for ventilation • Up to 68% of on-site top structures were constructed in a way which meant they cannot be moved when the pits are full • A number of facilities were found to have problems with the toilet doors (10% do not close, and 18% have no latch on the inside) • 28% had poorly designed or built toilet vent pipes • Some flush toilets were found without cisterns (23%) or pedestals (18%) • 61% had no hand-washing facility near toilet

These issues pose a huge health problem, especially when one takes into account the benefits of improved sanitation as reported by The World Health Organisation (10 Facts on Sanitation): • Improved sanitation reduces diarrhoea death rates by a third • Improved school sanitation encourages children, particularly girls, to stay in school • Improved sanitation has significant economic benefits • In Africa, 115 people die every hour from diseases linked to poor sanitation, poor hygiene and contaminated water • Hygiene education and promotion of hand washing are simple, cost-effective measures that can reduce diarrhoea cases by up to 45%.

Another possible contribution to the cases of diarrhoea is that dogs drink from the same taps that the community use. The World Bank website explains that contaminated water can result in a variety of diseases that cause diarrhoea, but also diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid. Another factor is waste water that is dumped onto the streets, which then stands still. This creates an ideal bacterial breeding ground that children play in. In extreme cases, due to the lack of privacy and space in the dwellings, people use the toilets for sexual activity and substance abuse.

It is clear that the conditions and health risks of poor sanitation, water handling and storage could use extreme improvement in some instances.

SOURCES: The Republic of South Africa. Department of Water Affairs.

2012. Report on the status of sanitation services in South Africa. [online]. Available at: <http://www.info.gov.za> [Accessed 16 August 2013].

Cape Chameleon. 2011. Water and sanitation, health risks in the townships. [online]. Available at: <http://www. capechameleon.co.za/printed-version/issue-7/health1/> [Accessed 16 August 2013].

Unicef. May 2013. Water, sanitation and hygiene. [online].

Available at: <http://www.unicef.org/wash/index_ statistics.html> [Accessed 16 August 2013].

DALYs means ‘Disability Adjusted Life Years’, which is the sum of years of potential life lost due to premature mortality and the years of productive life lost due to disability (taken from the WHO website).

1

Photos by: SuSanA Secretariat (Sustainable Sanitation Alliance).

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FINANCE

FNB’s e-learning home ownership programme takes off FNB’s Housing Finance division has taken its compulsory home ownership education programme for first time home buyers out of the classroom and onto the web with great success.

F

irst time home owners applying for a Smart Bond are expected to complete the course before registration of their bond. 75% of bond applicants are now choosing to use the e-learning system. Since its introduction of e-learning in February 2013, FNB has seen an 87% decrease in turnaround time for completion of the course from 9.8 days to an average of 1.3 days.

“Our home owners programme has always been an important aspect of the bond registration process for our customer. Good quality financial education on owning a home is vital in order to ensure that home owners understand the financial impact of their decisions and make the most of their biggest asset,” says Marius Marais, CEO of FNB Housing Finance.

The bulk of home owner or ‘borrower’ education* occurs in a traditional classroom setting with training courses falling over the weekends. “While the effectiveness of a motivated, knowledgeable trainer is undisputed, there are a few challenges that we have found using the traditional classroom method,” says Marais.

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One of the major issues is that delays in completing the training course hinder the customer’s bond application and registration at the deeds office. Traditional classroom training occurs at many different third party locations across the country and trainers need a sufficient number of provisionally approved customers assigned by the lender to start a course. This can sometimes be delayed up to a month, especially in remote areas of the country.

“A delay of even a month can make a big difference to a new home owner who has taken a big step to purchase a home,” says Marais.

Another challenge is the consistency and quality; all trainers need to cover the entire curriculum with good communication and knowledge. It is difficult to keep the standard of education consistent across the entire country.

“With the introduction of the e-learning programme many of these challenges have fallen away. Customers are now completing the course in just over a day and scoring high pass rates,” says Marais.

FINANCE

There are currently 4 000 first time home owners who have either completed or are currently completing the course through e-learning.

“We have found that there is a higher average quiz score as a result of the e-learning of 87%,” says Marais. “This is directly due to the engaging and interactive nature of the web-based learning.”

“We have also seen a sharp increase in participation rate with an average of 75% of new home owners opting to do the course via e-learning since February this year. With 83% participation rate in May, we are expecting this number to continue to rise,” says Marais.

The course covers all aspects of home ownership, such as the impact of longer loan terms, preparing to sign mortgage documents and other personal finance issues, such as managing credit.

Once a customer’s application is approved, they receive an SMS or email directly with a log-in for the e-learning site.

Customers can then complete the programme, which includes high definition education videos clips, graphs and a multiple choice questionnaire that needs to be completed before the home owner is certified to have completed the course.

“E-learning, with good quality information and quick turnaround times seems to be the way in which to spread consumer education,” says Marais. “Obviously, we will still cater for those that are unable or unwilling to learn via the FNB e-learning programme, however, for the vast majority of our customers, this is a good interactive way in which to engage and we are delighted with its success.”

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SAHF

Mission Statement The Southern African Housing Foundation, a private sector initiative, is the catalyst for networking, conferencing and workshops for Africa, bringing housing professionals together and supporting the development of sustainable communities.

T

he SAHF aims to promote, facilitate, monitor and evaluate the creation of sustainable housing environments by housing practitioners and contribute to housing policy debates and policy formulation.

The SAHF offers a wide range of services to the public and private sectors, namely international conferences, workshops, education and training programmes, study tours and international employment exchange programmes.

The foundation is actively involved in information dissemination through monthly electronic publications and the recognition of excellence through its annual awards. The SAHF promotes the science and art of housing by creating international ties and contacts throughout the world.

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THE SAHF HAS FORMAL LINKS WITH: National Association of Housing Redevelopment Officials United States of America

Chartered Institute of Housing United Kingdom

Provincial Government of the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements

HWA HSIA Institute of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan

THE SAHF IS ENDORSED BY: Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development, Republic of Namibia

SAHF COURSES

SAHF Education & Training 4 DAY INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW NATIONAL BUILDING REGULATIONS & CONSTRUCTION COURSE The course is designed to introduce delegates to the effective application of building standards and regulations relating to SANS10400 to achieve quality in construction.

Participants will be introduced to the philosophy and benefits of implementing and managing building standards in the construction process. This course has been designed to allow delegates to engage with the material through both group and individual assignments. On completion of this course participants will be able to identify the building standards used in the construction process, list the key sections of the building standards application in residential developments, develop management plans to monitor the application of the relevant building standards and discuss the impact of building standards on health and safety in the construction process.

The four-day workshop/course will include presentations by professionals in the field of construction development. Up-todate information will be presented by the Concrete Manufacturers Association and the NHBRC.

4 DAY INTRODUCTORY HUMAN SETTLEMENTS COURSE SAHF Education & Training offers the opportunity to enrol for an SAHF accredited four-day Human Settlements Certificate Course for housing professionals, local authority officials and town planning staff. The course is designed to introduce people to the philosophy and benefits of implementing sustainable human settlements and delegates’ attention is drawn to two main subjects, namely land and housing development, in particular the development of virgin land and the methods of its continuous upgrading, including the latest designs in green urban layout and mixed land use.

The four-day workshop/course will include presentations by professionals in the field of human settlements. Up-to-date information will be presented by the Social Housing Regulatory Authority and the NHBRC. The course lectures are co-ordinated and presented by Dr Toni Lamont, a qualified Town and Regional Planner and Sociologist with vast experience on the dynamics of human settlements development, over four decades of tertiary education and housing experience, social consultancy and research.

3 DAY COLLABORATIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT COURSE Government everywhere finds it very difficult to achieve real and lasting success in low-income housing without involving communities and other stakeholders in the process.

Community-based organisations have also found it difficult to become successful developers without a strong association with government and other sectors. However, the greatest challenge for either party has been to reach out and create the collaborations across sectors that are so essential. Development professionals have been trained to serve their paymasters, not to enable collaborations. Although collaboration is so important it is invariably a last resort, by which time much goodwill and resources have been dissipated.

This 3-day course explores the nature of successful collaborations, the necessary ingredients, the required processes, the pitfalls to be anticipated and the skills that must be acquired. The course will be interactive and designed to help delegates apply the subject matter to their own circumstances.

The course lectures are co-ordinated and presented by Gerry Adlard, a Development Consultant who has facilitated a variety of collaborative responses to the housing needs of the poor since 1984, most notably by coordinating the ‘iSLP’, the state's R1.2 billion flagship integrated development project from 1992 to 2005.

For further information, please call the SAHF at 021 987 7950 or e-mail education@sahf.org.za

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CEMENT & CONCRETE

Fiori DB460 self loading mixer.

PMSA to reveal new technology at 2013 bauma Africa Trade Fair Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA) will consolidate its reputation for being the largest supplier of a full range of concrete equipment, including concrete brick, block and paving making machinery and technology in Africa, by exhibiting internationally recognised IMER concrete batching and mixing equipment technology at the bauma Africa Trade Fair, taking place in September 2013.

P

MSA marketing and sales manager, Quintin Booysen, points out that the company was officially named as the South African distributor for European-based IMER in July 2013. "The most notable advantage of this new partnership is the fact IMER will be bringing new technological advancements to the PMSA range of concrete batching plants, which will enable local customers to purchase world-class mixing and batching plants that are capable of producing up to 300mÂł of concrete per hour."

Booysen reveals that PMSA has put significant preparation into its outdoor and indoor exhibition space, which boasts a total exhibition area of 300m².

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"The outdoor stand has been designed to be a demonstration area to showcase the capabilities of a comprehensive range of PMSA machinery, including the Fiori self-loading concrete batching vehicle, the automated RE600 concrete brick and block making machines, in addition to a wide range of HTC floor grinding and polishing machinery and accessories with live polishing and grinding demonstrations."

"PMSA will also host all of its international suppliers at its indoor stand, in order to provide expert advice and insight to visiting guests," he continues.

CEMENT & CONCRETE

SPS 714 Concrete roof tile extrusion machine.

The bauma Trade Fair is hosted in Germany, and is renowned for being the largest and most influential construction expo worldwide. This is the first time that the event is being hosted in Africa, and it will bring together more than 500 exhibitors and 15 000 visitors to the 60 000m² exhibition area located at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

Booysen believes that bauma Africa serves as the ideal platform for PMSA to showcase itself as a leading concrete equipment and services provider to the rapidly expanding construction industry in Africa. "bauma is globally recognised as a premier construction show, and by hosting the event in South Africa, it provides local audiences with the opportunity to experience the new technical offerings and products from companies that would traditionally be out of reach, due to the fact that the event in Germany is costly to travel to for most companies based in Africa."

With this in mind, Booysen adds that PMSA manufactures and supplies a wide range of world-class equipment, and represents several European concrete equipment manufacturers to complement the company's own extensive concrete equipment range. "Equipment that is manufactured in Europe to the highest standards has been selected by PMSA to suit the harsh African climate and terrain. This equipment is backed up with dedicated aftersales and technical support, which has made PMSA a tried and trusted name in the industry.”

Booysen notes that the biggest challenge facing the African concrete industry is the skills shortage, and he states that more training facilities need to be established through joint partnerships in the construction sector in order to nurture the growth of the skills base in the industry. "The skills shortage is prevalent across the industry and continent, and PMSA is committed to providing in-house training and technical support that will make employees a more valuable asset to the company."

Looking to the future, Booysen believes that there will be a significant increase in demand for PMSA’s concrete equipment and technology across Sub-Saharan Africa, as trade and investment increase across Africa. “PMSA prides itself on assisting its customers in being successful in every aspect of their business, by consistently delivering on its promises. With strong economic growth forecast for Sub-Saharan Africa in particular, PMSA plans to be at the grassroots of that development by supplying all associated concrete equipment, technology and solutions to the various projects through the PMSA Group of Companies,” he concludes.

PMSA will be displaying the capabilities of its product range at Stands D26 and H5.111 throughout the entire duration of the bauma Africa Trade Fair, which is being held from 18 September to 21 September 2013.

For more information visit www.pmsa.com.

SEPTEMBER 2013

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NEWS

You’ve got our number – it’s 8 JoJo Tanks is proud to announce an extension on its warranty period from five years to eight years.

Rod Cairns, MD JoJo Tanks (Pty) Ltd.

“Based on the strength of several years of research and development, backed up by laboratory and in field trials,” explains JoJo Tanks managing director, Rod Cairns, “we can confidently add years to our warranty − another first for JoJo Tanks in the rotomoulded industry.”

The 60% increase in the JoJo Tanks warranty period became effective on 1st July 2013. All JoJo Tanks purchased from that date will be guaranteed for a period of eight years in terms of material, workmanship and UV degradation.

“Research has shown that confidence in the durability and life cycle of a tank is a huge consumer requirement and this increased warranty will reinforce consumer trust and confidence in our brand.”

Concludes Cairns, “Our extended industry leading eightyear warranty mirrors our commitment to and confidence in our products."

In 2010, JoJo Tanks proudly announced that it was awarded the Agrément South Africa certification for its full range of vertical and horizontal tanks, a first for the South African rotomoulding industry.

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"Our customers can trust in our technology and share our confidence in our product. As the market leader in the rotomoulded tank market, we will continue to invest in research and development in an on-going effort to improve the quality and durability of our products and services.”

Be water smart not water short As we constantly face new water challenges such as rising water bills and municipal water outages, harvesting rain, our free source of water, can be a brilliant idea.

A rainwater tank is easy to install and maintain and harvested rainwater

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SOLAR

New legislation and rising electricity costs force increase in solar thermal usage across South Africa The South African economy is very sensitive towards the topic of energy, mostly owing to the price of electricity, the scarcity of electricity, climate change and a focus on sustainable living.

I

n a bid to not only combat the electricity shortage issue, but to force a movement towards an increase in sustainable living, late last year a new legislation was passed whereby at least half of all hot water supply in all new buildings, residential or commercial, is to be produced by means other than electrical resistance heating (i.e. Eskom). According to the new legislation (SANS10400XA), “A minimum of 50% by volume of the annual average hot water heating requirement shall be provided by means other than electrical resistance heating including but not limited to solar heating, heat pump and heat recovery from other systems or processes.”

“Due to South Africa’s historic electricity supply issues, resulting in unannounced load shedding, the market has been forced to become more educated and reliant on solar thermal energy and its benefits,” continues Ori.

The result is that builders, contractors and even architects must change the way in which they plan and construct all new buildings to ensure that the new laws are met.

Statistics identify the support of the new legislation, showing that the use of solar water heating in both residential and commercial buildings is now climbing swiftly, and has been doing so since the new legislation was passed.

However, according to Saban, South Africa saw a drop in sales over the last year, primarily as a result of inferior quality of product being imported and introduced into the market.

According to Ori Saban of leading solar water heating product supplier and installation company, AGS Solar, ''As a result of the new building regulations, homeowners and companies are becoming more aware of the need to invest in solar thermal energy and more predominantly solar water heating (SWH). The bottom line is that this new legislation has now remoulded the way in which properties are designed, as architects/engineers now need to implement the new standards and requirements to ensure they meet the new legislation. The building industry has become even stricter, and if the regulations are not adhered to, it will result in plans not being passed.”

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In 2008, Eskom introduced the Solar Water Heating Rebate Programme to the market to facilitate the transfer to solar water heating. Nersa had provided Eskom with R1 068bn to fund the rebate programme. However, in that year fewer than 200 solar water heating systems were installed per month. This figure increased to an average of over 6 000 units per month, showing a huge increase in demand.

''The inferior products, as well as uneducated and illexperienced companies installing the incorrect or poor quality systems for specific homes or environments, have attributed to a large decline in consumer confidence and the installation of solar water heating systems."

"This affects the entire industry and consumers became less confident in solar power. These poor quality products are being filtered out, but again it is important that consumers do their research when making such solar thermal decisions. Poor management of the rebate programme in the past was a factor that also attributed to its uncertainty, which is why we take over and manage this procedure on behalf of our customers.”

SOLAR AGS uses a product called Chromagen, the current market leader in Israel with over 50 years of experience in specialised designs to ensure top of the line manufacturing and long-life warranties (Israel is currently the global leader in terms of solar heating installations per capita). Israel has had a SWH building regulation in place since 1980, and 95% of households in Israel now use SWHs. Educating consumers is the key to ensuring the new legislation is adhered to and the numerous benefits of solar water heating are realised. ''Due to our (South Africa's) geographic location, we have an abundance of sunshine with some provinces receiving over 300 days of sunshine per annum.

This high level of solar radiation allows solar water heating to be the most beneficial and cost-efficient form of energy and ensures that even during winter there is ample supply of sun for heating. South Africa is amongst the countries with the highest winter solar radiation in the world, and as such, the solar geyser will continue to operate during diminishing sunlight hours. Even without sunshine, a solar geyser is more efficient in terms of electricity usage than a regular geyser. This is due to its insulation qualities as it retains heat more effectively and the fact that its electrical heating element has, in general, a rating of 1kW / per hour less than a standard electrical geyser.

ADDENDUM A

ADDENDUM B

ADDENDUM A and B Sourced from: Solar Heat Worldwide, Markets and Contribution to the energy supply 2010, Edition 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Werner Weiss and Franz Mauthner.

SEPTEMBER 2013

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SOLAR

''At the end of the day, such units reduce electricity costs drastically via the lower power usage and at the same time lower the environmental impact of a building or home. By installing a SWH one can save up to 40%-60% on electricity from day one over a 12 month period.”

ADDENDUM C Energy usage in a typical household.

“The new legislation is in fact doing homeowners a big favour. We continue to receive an increasing number of queries from homeowners and those in the trade alike, as they realise the new laws which need be adhered to, not to mention the financial benefits of moving to to solar thermal.'' AGS Solar has recently undertaken two large projects in Randfontein and Mafikeng in the affordable housing sector."

“Due to the challenges faced by many in the affordable housing market in terms of poor quality products, installations and maintenance, we gear ourselves towards providing an exceptional quality product with great service. AGS has successfully installed 146 solar water heaters in Oasis Palms in Randfontein and 84 in Morena Manor, Mafikeng recently."

"We are logistically capable of rolling out large quantities in a short space of time nationally, including the transport to site, training and supervision of the installations."

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"We even train local plumbers within the area of installations to install our products and once satisfied we certify them as official AGS installers,” concludes MD, Ori Saban.

For more information please contact AGS Solar on 0861 205 206 or email info@agssolar.co.za. Alternatively visit our website on www.agssolar.co.za.

ELEMATIC SA PTY LTD Tel: +27 (0) 11 423 2700

|

Fax: +27 (0) 11 423 2717

|

PO Box 17261 Benoni West, 1503 www.elematic.co.za

Email: info@elematic.co.za