POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 0.8

IMPACT 

Official publication of the Green 

Building Council of South Africa 

0.8 

THE CONVENTION ISSUE 2020 

NEAR 

POSSIBLE 

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PROFILE 

FUTURE POSSIBLE 

Green landscaping to bridge the green divide 

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now,” 

is an old Chinese proverb. Now consider that a significant part of Johannesburg’s 

tree canopy is set to reach its full life expectancy within a decade or two. 

Let’s build value together. 

A park is an integral part of any neighbourhood. The multipurpose nature of an 

excellent green open space can provide a safe place for the community to connect and 

engage, improve property value or even act as an ecological feature. The evolution of 

parks has brought about a need for communities and municipalities to find creative 

ways to create and maintain these public spaces. 

Working together with Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, whether through a private - 

public partnership or as a Friend of a Park, we can come up with creative solutions to 

create a positive economic impact in your community or next development. 

Call 011 712 6600 to find out how you can collaborate with the City to continue to 

develop & maintain our green spaces. 

a world class African City 

WELCOME 

OUTSIDE 

www.jhbcityparks.com 

011 712 6600 

Main Johannesburg has a proud, centuriesold 

tradition of tree planting, and can 

lay claim to being the largest manmade 

urban forest. It is reported that 

the greater Johannesburg area has now more than 

10-million trees. 

Johannesburg’s trees clean the city air for residents, 

and cool the urban heat island, dampen noise, decelerate 

traffic, slow storm water run-off, rejuvenate the soil, 

and even bring the rain, studies show. 

Records show that Johannesburg’s urban forest 

was rooted in proactive, planning as far back as 1896 

when 106 kilometres of trees were planted along the 

suburb of Kensington. Starting with the end in mind, 

Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) guards and 

advances this legacy. Trees were planted across the 

City during Arbor Month 2020 to accelerate efforts 

to bridge the green-divide and mitigate the impacts 

of the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer. 

BATTLING A TREE KILLER 

Councillor Margaret Arnolds the MMC for Community 

Development joined by Councillor Mpho Moerane, the 

MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services 

in the City of Joburg, are resolute in their support of 

tree-planting efforts. 

A large portion of Joburg’s tree canopy will be 

reaching its full life expectancy in the next two to three 

decades. “The ageing tree canopy is more susceptible 

to the adverse impacts of inclement weather; pests 

and diseases such as the shot hole borer; unnecessary 

pruning and increasing urbanisation,” said Arnolds. 

The shot hole borer beetle has caused both private 

and street trees to die in various City regions. The 

ambriosa beetle is native to Southeast Asia and bores 

small “gun-shot” like holes into the trees. The beetle, 

which attacks 56 tree species, damages the vascular 

bundles ultimately resulting in die-back. Currently 

there is no effective chemical solution and biological 

treatment to control the beetle. 

NATURAL SOLUTIONS 

JCPZ has developed an action plan for the appropriate 

removal of dead wood, embarked on widespread green 

landscaping through tree planting during Arbour month 

and, an awareness campaigns to inform communities 

about the beetle and its symbiont fungi. The removal 

of deadwood operation was undertaken from August 

until October as part of Arbor month 2020 activities. 

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 0.8 

HOST TREE SPECIES 

On-going research is being undertaken in South Africa 

by leading experts to determine both reproductive or 

susceptible host trees and non-reproductive host trees. 

The commitment of the City of Johannesburg towards 

its environment, residents and investors is effectively 

portrayed in beautiful and safe public spaces. 

Green landscaping programmes were launched 

throughout the City which included planting of 

indigenous trees in Gamka Park, Riverlea. 1000 fruit 

trees were distributed to homeowners in various 

regions and 3350 indigenous trees were planted during 

Arbor Month across Johannesburg. 

Arnolds states: “The recent, steady decline in the 

City’s tree canopy requires integrated planning at 

multi-entity level to create a tree-lined Joburg in 

every part of the city.” She highlighted that while tree 

planting plans are being expedited to offset the trees 

WELCO 

that are lost, progress has been fragmented due to water 

restrictions; slow responses and space constraints 

OUTS 

that 

are guided by the wayleave process for clearance to 

plant trees in public spaces. 

SO, Let’s WHAT build CAN value WE ALL together. DO? 

“Space is limited in Joburg and we are calling on 

homeowners A park is to plant integral trees in part private of spaces. any neighbourhood. A tree, no The multipu 

matter excellent the season, green works open as space a natural can air provide sanitiser a safe that place for the commu 

keeps engage, your air improve filtered from property pollutants; value deters or even erosion; act as an ecological featu 

acts as a coolant; provides a habitat for wildlife; serves 

parks has brought about a need for communities and municipali 

as a food source; is often medically beneficial and has 

far reaching 

ways to 

implications 

create and maintain 

on mental 

these 

health,” 

public 

she said. 

spaces. 

Arnolds appealed to residents to make tree planting 

a way Working of life together commemorate with Johannesburg births, deaths City and Parks and Zoo, whether 

anniversaries. public partnership “The legacy or of as a tree Friend planted of a to Park, mark we a can come up with 

family create milestone a positive is a lifelong economic gift,” impact she adds. in your community or next deve 

As street-side trees are JCPZ’s responsibility, 

communities Call 011 712 are 6600 encouraged to find to out report how all you deadinfested 

develop trees. & maintain JCPZ is our currently green spaces. targeting the 

can collaborate with the 

removal of confirmed dead trees only, and not 

infested trees, to help preserve the existing urban 

canopy. 

a world class African City 

9 

www.jh

A view of our 

world through 

green-tinted 

glasses 

We’re committed to developing spaces where businesses, communities and 

the environment can thrive. Growthpoint places great value in green and 

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Star SA rated properties and green buildings in South Africa. 

CONTENTS 

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO 

Lisa Reynolds 

14 

17 INSIGHT 

A note from the editor, Mary Anne 

Constable 

08 PROFILE 

Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo 

18 PROFILE 

Johannesburg Development Agency 

20 

SPECIAL REPORT 

GBCSA CONVENTION 2020: 

NEAR POSSIBLE 

The GBCSA 2020 conference speakers 

articulate their perspectives on how 

to map the path to a sustainable built 

future 

32 PROFILE 

AIRPORTS COMPANY SOUTH AFRICA 

38 INDUSTRIAL 

MANUFACTURING GREEN: 

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE INDUSTRIAL 

SECTOR 

We take a look at two light industrial 

buildings that have recently been 

awarded green stars 

48 PROFILE 

EMPOWERED SPACES ARCHITECTS 

50 INDUSTRIAL 

GREEN INDUSTRIAL PARKE EDGES 

INTO GREEN STARS 

Equites Property Fund aims to deploy 

its capital in a sustainable manner 

54 PROJECT 

LIVING AND LEARNING GREEN 

The UCT Avenue Road Student 

Residence has proudly become the 

first housing project in South Africa 

to achieve a Green Star rating 

66 AFRICA 

REGIONAL PRECEDENT: A WORLD 

GREEN BUILDING CASE STUDY 

The new SABIS® International School – 

Runda in Nairobi is the first Green Star 

certified school in Kenya 

72 

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP 

INFECTION CONTROL IN THE 

COVID-19 ERA 

74 POLICY 

AMBITIOUS BUT ACHIEVABLE 

GBCSA’s new guide to developing 

net-zero carbon buildings in South 

Africa: Getting to Zero 

76 INTERIORS 

HOW COVID-19 COULD SHARPEN 

OUR OFFICES: THE WORKPLACE 

OF THE FUTURE 

Covid-19 has accelerated the evolution 

of the workplace 

82 INTERIORS 

DESIGN FOR LIFE: CUTTING CARBON 

IN THE WORKPLACE 

A look at sustainable offices worldwide 

86 ENERGY 

CAPE TOWN FUTURE ENERGY FESTIVAL: 

THE FUTURE RE-IMAGINED 

A family-friendly series of virtual 

event experiences 

90 MATERIALS 

EMBODIED CARBON: AN 

ARCHITECT’S VIEW 

Reducing the embodied carbon that 

goes into the consumption of buildings 

96 


ZUTARI’S BUILDING HEALTH 

ASSESSMENT TOOL 

98 ECONOMY 

THE CASE FOR BUILDING GREEN 

IS BECOMING BLACK AND WHITE 

The fourth Annual MSCI SA Green 

Annual Property Index points to an 

asset class that is becoming more 

resilient 

105 PROFILE 

Systemair 

106 TECHNOLOGY 

A RECIPE FOR HEALTHY INDOOR AIR 

The battle with Covid-19 has 

dramatically increased our motivation 

to manage the indoor environment 

114 

CASE STUDIES 

GREEN BUILDING SERVICES, 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES 

92 Blackcurrant Architects 

115 Sigura Water 

116 Polyflor 

116 Thermguard 

117 PAMSA 

118 Harvey Roofing Products 

119 Rigifoam 

120 Isoboard 

121 Koen & Associates Architects 


11


The official publication of GBCSA 

WINNER 

PROPERTY 

PUBLICATION 

OF THE YEAR 

2019 

Editor Mary Anne Constable 

maryanne@positive-impact.africa 

General Manager 

Danielle Solomons 

danielle@greeneconomy.media 

Head of Content Alexis Knipe 

GBCSA Editorial Advisory 

Georgina Smit 

Jenni Lombard 

Jo Anderson 

Christy Borman 

Editorial Contributors 

Mary Anne Constable 

Melinda Hardisty 

Nicole Cameron 

Georgie Chennells 

Gill Gernetsky 

Michelle Ludwig 

Martin Smith 

Lloyd Rubidge 

Production Administrator 

Melanie Taylor 

Chief Executive Officer 

Lisa Reynolds 

Chief Financial Officer 

Pardon Mutasa 

Media Sales Manager 

Thandiswa Mbijane 

thandiswa@greeneconomy.media 

Media Sales 

Gerard Jeffcote 

Munyaradzi Jani 

Vania Reyneke 

Design and Layout 

Carla Lawrence, CDC Design 

Publisher 

Gordon Brown 

gordon@greeneconomy.media 

MPeople Resourcing (Pty) Ltd t/a GreenEconomy.Media 

Reg no. 2005/003854/07 

Cover image: Rick Geenjaar 

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any way or in any form without the prior written permission of the Publisher. The opinions expressed 

herein are not necessarily those of the GBCSA or the Publisher. All editorial and advertising contributions are accepted on the understanding that the contributor either owns or has 

obtained all necessary copyrights and permissions. GBCSA and the Publisher do not endorse any claims made in the publication by or on behalf of any organisations or products. Please 

address any concerns in this regard to the Publisher. 

CALLING ALL THOUGHT LEADERS 

Positive Impact, the official publication of the GBCSA, presents thought leadership from local and international green building commentators and practitioners, 

and showcases the excellent work of GBCSA members. 

Are you a thought leader in your relevant field? GBCSA members are invited to submit stories about projects, design concepts, materials, research, and 

anything else that promotes a healthy sustainable built environment. Submit a 200-word description of your content idea with 1-2 images to: 

alexis@greeneconomy.media 

ADVERTISE WITH US 

For advertising and sponsored content contact Danielle Solomons: danielle@greeneconomy.media 

Advertising rates are discounted for GBCSA members and further discounts are available for booking multiple editions in 2020/21. 

12 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 0.8

FOREWORD BY GBCSA 

MESSAGE 

FROM 

THE CEO 

Issue 0.8 of +Impact is our Convention issue, and 

a good time to reflect on a very interesting and 

challenging year. I joined as GBCSA CEO in June, 

just as the coronavirus lockdown moved to level 

three and considering the crisis we were facing on a 

global scale, I hit the ground running. As with most 

companies and individuals, GBCSA had to navigate 

through a new normal that seemed to have happened 

overnight. The lockdown restrictions severely impacted 

the built environment, which challenged us to maintain 

our relevance during an unprecedented health crisis. 

We had to ask ourselves, how do we continue to 

deliver value to our members during the Covid-19 

pandemic? How do we partner with our members 

to drive a green recovery? Organisations like ours 

have to be adaptable. We have to be able to evolve 

our membership value proposition to respond to the 

needs and challenges of our stakeholders. We need to 

have the flexibility to do things differently, strengthen 

our resilience and continue to operate with purpose. 

Enhancing indoor air quality 

could be as effective in reducing 

aerosol transmission of viruses 

as vaccinating 50-60% 

of the population. 

Lisa Reynolds, Chief Executive Officer, GBCSA 

13 TH GREEN BUILDING 

CONVENTION 

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic challenged 

us to do things differently. So, for the first time, we 

moved our flagship annual convention online. We are 

extremely excited to welcome delegates on to the most 

immersive, interactive and hyper-realistic platform on 

the planet from 28-30 October 2020. 

Our decision to take the convention online was 

largely driven by the need to keep the momentum going 

as we transition to a sustainable built environment. 

We knew that it was critical that we get together, like 

we do every year to engage, learn, share and network. 

That is why I am very excited that we are hosting it on a 

platform that will make you feel like you are really there. 

The capabilities and features of the virtual platform 

are second to none. I encourage you to meet us in the 

clouds – we have an exceptional line-up of speakers 

and an expertly curated programme with content that 

tackles the most burning issues and latest trends in 

the built environment. 

We need to articulate green building 

outcomes, actions, targets and policy 

that will decisively transition a built 

environment in which people and 

planet thrive. 

NEAR POSSIBLE 

The theme of this year’s convention, Near Possible. 

Mapping the Path to a Sustainable Future is the 

culmination of the building blocks we put in place 

over the years. The time is now to develop a clear 

roadmap, followed by an ambitious action plan for all 

stakeholders to embrace. We need to articulate green 

building outcomes, actions, targets and policy that 

will decisively transition a built environment in which 

people and planet thrive. 

GBCSA’s Net Zero certification will award projects 

– whether they are new construction projects, fit-out 

projects or existing buildings in operation – which go 

beyond the partial reductions recognised in the current 

NET ZERO PROJECTS 

Greenfield Industrial Park (Cape Town) 

The Estuaries Plaza (Cape Town) 

Langhoogte Farm Two Dam Sustainable Trout (Cape Town) 

Vodafone Site Solution (Johannesburg) 

Vodafone Site Solution (Johannesburg) 

Net Positive – Ecology 

GBCSA tools, and have taken the initiative to reach 

the endpoint of completely neutralising or positively 

redressing their impacts. Projects can achieve net zero 

ratings in carbon, water, waste and ecology. 

Some will say that the path to Net Zero is too ahead of 

its time for South Africa to embrace. We at the GBCSA 

want to be the pathfinders to aspirational buildings. 

We want to show that it is possible and light the way 

to where we need to go. As we have seen with the 

introduction of Green Star certification in South Africa, 

Net Zero could accelerate market transformation. A 

4-Star building was quite the achievement back in 

2009, but it has now become the norm, so the time has 

come to push the envelope. 

One of the goals in the South African National 

Development Plan is that by 2030, all new buildings 

should achieve Net Zero carbon. The journey is well 

underway – a journey where buildings go from being 

consumers of energy to prosumers, where they don’t 

just consume energy but also produce it. There is a 

saying: “If you don’t know where you’re going, any path 

will take you.” But we are clearly defining the roadmap 

and taking the path to a sustainable future together. 

A GREEN RECOVERY 

If Covid-19 has taught us anything significant, it is the 

impact we have on our planet. It has also brought home 

the fact that we need to embrace a green recovery – 

meaning we have to commit to environmental, regulatory 

and fiscal reforms to recover after the pandemic. We 

owe it to ourselves, future generations and the planet 

to strengthen our resilience against climate risk and to 

build a future in which we all can thrive. 

Net Zero (Carbon) 

Net Zero (Water) 



Net Zero (Ecology) 

78 Corlett Drive – Design (Johannesburg) Net Zero (Carbon) 

Vleihuis Development (Johannesburg) 


FOREWORD BY GBCSA 

HEALTHY BUILDINGS 

It has always been our position that green buildings are healthy buildings. Now, more than ever before, indoor air 

quality (IAQ) has become top of mind. It has become a tangible asset to a building. What rolling blackouts in South 

Africa did for energy efficiency, Covid-19 is doing for IAQ and the health aspect of buildings. A recent study* showed 

that buildings can play a crucial role in minimising viral transmission. Enhancing indoor air quality could be as 

effective in reducing aerosol transmission of viruses as vaccinating 50-60% of the population. 



Net Positive – Ecology 

The District (Cape Town) 

Wild Coast Sun (Durban) 

Virgin Active Constantia (Cape Town) 


Net Zero (Ecology) 


Net Zero (Waste) 

Net Zero (Waste) 

Now that tenants are returning to their workplace, building owners can, and should, leverage a range of tools and 

strategies to give them the confidence to do so in a safe manner. Monitoring and managing air quality is a necessity 

as the demand for healthier buildings increases. 

* Smieszek, T., Lazzari, G., & Salathé, M. (2019). Assessing the dynamics and control of droplet- and aerosol-transmitted influenza using an indoor 

positioning system. Scientific Reports, 9(1) 

MDA Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd (Johannesburg) 

Lords View Industrial Park (Cape Town) 

Nieu Kanaan (Johannesburg) 

Net Positive 

House Baldwin Ragaven (Johannesburg) 




Net Postive (Waste) 

14 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 0.8 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 0.8 

15

INSIGHT 

It’s hard not to feel pulled down by the weight of the world at the moment. Many of 

us are fighting tooth and nail to keep our heads above water. But, as “sustainability’s 

godfather”, John Elkington so eloquently explains, Covid was not a “black swan”* 

event. A black swan event takes us by surprise, has an exponential impact, and is 

something we fail to properly understand afterwards, thus setting ourselves up to fail 

again. On the contrary, experts and leaders foresaw Covid before it happened, but they 

failed to act. Elkington instead suggests that Covid could be a “green swan” event. A 

green swan embraces the opportunity of a black swan event and delivers exponential 

progress instead of disaster. A green swan is a paradigm shift. It is a new mindset that 

challenges everything we know, and one that encourages us to find opportunity in chaos 

and profound difficulty. (You can read more in our convention special report on page 20 

for an expanded interview with John Elkington). 

I believe that this green swan/black swan mindset is the precipice we find ourselves 

on in the green building space. Which mindset will we choose to embrace? We can fall 

prey to the messages of impending doom, seeing the economic and social landscape 

after Covid as a wasteland – by focusing only on the extreme hardships. Or we can 

see it as a land of opportunity. These are the kinds of rugged landscapes in which all 

of the world’s early inventors and innovators have birthed discoveries. They are the 

rough terrain that the green building movement has cut its way through over the past 

few decades. And although the progress might sometimes seem slow, it is incremental, 

and the seeds planted are beginning to grow into opportunities. 

I believe that this green swan/black swan mindset is the 

precipice we find ourselves on in the green building space. 

Which mindset will we choose to embrace? 

During World Green Building Week in September 2020, GBCSA ran a webinar that 

reviewed the organisation’s past challenges and successes over the last 13 years since 

its inception in 2007. GBCSA’s CEO, Lisa Reynolds, later reflected on the shifts that 

have taken place in the green building space during that time. We all need to do a 

whole lot more to shift the status quo if we are going to achieve the world’s targets 

of net zero for all buildings by 2050 – a mere 30 years away. And it’s exciting to see 

the GBCSA ramping up their plans too with goals to launch a new single rating tool 

(which encompasses all types of buildings) to replace the current suite of rating tools. 

This new tool will require more ambitious targets to be met, to shift the green goal 

posts up several notches in the coming years. 

For now, we pause for a moment at this year’s 2020 GBCSA Convention and reflect 

on how we can continue to turn the impossible into the possible. And if not quite 

there yet, then the “near possible”. As usual, within the pages of +Impact Magazine, 

we present some projects which are already paving the way forward – from greening 

industrial buildings to universities, to imagining the office space of the future, to 

indoor air quality and healthy buildings – to name a few. We also feature inspiring 

interviews with some of Convention’s keynote speakers and a piece on the financials 

of building green. 

It is a story unfolding, an ever-growing (ever-greening) one. Incremental footsteps 

on the path to sustainability. 

Rising up 

Mary Anne Constable 

Editor 

TM 

SPECIALISED SOLUTIONS IN WATER TREATMENT 

*Nassim Nicholas Taleb introduced this concept in his 2007 book, The Black Swan. 


17

PROFILE 

WATT INTERCHANGE FOCUS 

CATALYTIC TRANSPORT PROJECT SET 

TO TRANSFORM LOUIS BOTHA 

The Johannesburg Development Agency is a wholly-owned area-based 

development agency of the City of Johannesburg with an emphasis on the 

development of resilient, sustainable and liveable urban areas in identified 

transit nodes and corridors. This means that as an area-based development 

agency, JDA is more than just a project management agency or an economic 

development agency. 

PROFILE 

The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) 

operates within the context of the spatial 

transformation of South African cities to 

correct the spatial and systemic inequalities 

created by past regimes of segregation. This is the 

foremost goal of urban development in the coming 

years. A more equitable, more just city is one that 

extends access to a range of opportunities and services 

to all of its citizens. This is aligned to the City of 

Johannesburg’s Growth and Development Strategy 

(GDS) 2040. 

One of the JDA’s strategic programmes is that 

of Accelerated Infrastructure Delivery, with a subprogramme 

titled Urban Infrastructure Delivery which 

aligns to the GDS outcome that speaks to providing 

a resilient, liveable, sustainable urban environment 

– underpinned by smart infrastructure supportive 

of a low-carbon economy. One of the development 

projects that speaks to these outcomes is the Watt 

Interchange project. 

This project forms part of the Rea Vaya Phase 1C 

programme. The scope of works entails construction of 

a Rea Vaya Bus Station for the Alexandra Community 

and the planned Watt Street Precinct Mixed-Used 

Development. The scope also entails road upgrades, 

construction of new bridges, and the upgrading of 

infrastructure services. 

Construction of the Watt Interchange project, one 

of the City of Joburg’s most significant and complex 

infrastructure developments, in terms of scope and 

scale, is changing the overall landscape of Wynberg. 

This project is located between Alexandra, an old 

township with a significant place in South Africa’s 

history, and Sandton central, reputed to be the richest 

spot in Africa, Watt Interchange is bringing about a 

major rejuvenation in the area. 

The project forms part of the City of Joburg’s Rea Vaya 

BRT Phase 1c project along the Louis Botha Corridor 

of Freedom and is currently being implemented by the 

Johannesburg Development Agency, on behalf of the 

City of Joburg’s Transport Department. 

From Arkwright Avenue to Chadwick Avenue along 

Old Pretoria Road, mass earthworks, completed columns 

and reinforced steel are some of the construction work 

which can be seen. Superstructures, concrete beams, 

lateral support piling and retaining walls can also be 

seen making the shape of what will be the most complex 

transport interchange in the Johannesburg region. 

The Watt Interchange forms part of the Rea Vaya 

Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) System, Phase 1C, which 

includes the trunk route from Sandton to Alexandra 

along Rivonia Road and Katherine Drive, and the trunk 

route from Parktown to Alexandra along Louis Botha 

Avenue. The Watt Interchange will connect, via Mini 

Bus Taxis, the greater part of Alexandra Township to 

the Rea Vaya system, important for the integration of 

the different modes of transport in the city. 

From a spatial and nodal development point of view, 

the rollout of this Phase of the Rea Vaya BRT speaks 

to the idea of bringing proximity to places of work and 

schools, easy access to public transport infrastructure 

for the citizens of Joburg. 

This project will also see the construction of new 

BRT lanes and an underground station with associated 

structures, and bulk earthworks. Construction work at 

the Watt Interchange completed so far includes the 

demolishing of the previous bridge and the interchange 

A more equitable, more just city is 

one that extends access to a range 

of opportunities and services 

to all of its citizens. 

at Watt Street, upstand concrete beams, columns 

for viaduct, allocation and relocation of services 

construction and retaining wall construction. 

Once completed, the Watt Interchange will stand as 

a high-quality integrated public transport interchange 

which will consist of the following key elements: 

• Underground basement loading and off-loading bays 

• Commuter information area 

• Designated trunk route 

• Universally accessible facility 

The scale of this development will enable 

communities of Alex, Wynberg, Sandton and adjacent 

area to experience a faster, safer, accessible and 

affordable public transport system. The construction 

of the Watt Interchange links to one of the Government 

of Local Unity’s strategic priorities to build integrated 

human settlements through the delivery of sustainable 

social and economic infrastructure projects. 

18 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 0.8 


19


GBCSA CEO, Lisa Reynolds, says the time is now to develop 

a clear roadmap and an ambitious action plan towards a 

sustainable future. In this special report, +Impact uncovers 

green building thought leadership shared by the GBCSA 

2020 conference speakers who explore and articulate their 

international perspective on how to decisively transition 

to a built environment on which people and planet thrive. 

WORDS Mary Anne Constable 

CONVENTION 2020: 

NEAR 

POSSIBLE 


POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 0.8 21



REGENERATIVE DESIGN: 

CONNECTING PEOPLE AND NATURE 

TO REVERSE CLIMATE CHANGE 

GREEN SWANS: 

MOVING FROM RESPONSIBILITY 

TO RESILIENCE AND REGENERATION 

AMANDA STURGEON 

Head of Regenerative Design, Mott MacDonald, Australia 

JOHN ELKINGTON 

Co-Founder and Chief Pollinator at Volans, United Kingdom 

What are your thoughts on developing a sustainable 

roadmap from a built environment perspective? 

AS: We have known for decades that our buildings need 

to take a different course to reduce their impact on 

climate change, biodiversity loss and the overall health 

of our planet, but we have made only small steps and our 

buildings are nowhere close to reaching the zero carbon 

targets that many cities around the world have adopted. 

A roadmap is much needed and overdue. 

What does regenerative design mean to you? 

AS: Regenerative design is about making positive 

impacts ecologically and socially with the buildings 

and communities that we design. Rather than reducing 

the impact of buildings, regenerative design is a design 

approach that starts right at the beginning of a project 

to identify how rejuvenating the ecology, culture and 

community of the specific place inform the design. 

What kind of resistance have you come up against 

the concept of regenerative design during your 

career, and how have you overcome it? 

AS: Regenerative design requires a systems-thinking 

approach that puts nature and ecology at the forefront of 

the design process. Typically, nature is not a consideration 

in the design of the project – it is ignored, or worse, 

destroyed completely. Many people have lost their 

connection to nature – they see money and economy and 

prestige as the only driving forces for creating a building 

and therefore too often economics are used as an excuse 

to not take a regenerative design approach. I also see 

pushback from design teams and clients who are only 

able to think about one issue at a time rather than the 

interconnectedness of every decision that we make, that 

is the way they have been trained to work. Connecting 

people to nature – reminding them of their childhood 

connections and the peace and tranquillity that they 

feel when immersed in nature has been successful for 

me in the past. 

What are the most significant changes and 

transformations you have seen in attitudes towards 

regenerative design in your career? 

AS: I have noticed that people are acknowledging that 

we are at a critical time in our world, with so much of our 

biodiversity extinguished and climate change impacts 

becoming even more evident, more people are looking 

for ways to scale change rapidly. They are realising that 

creating buildings the same way as we have always done 

will not work, we need a different design process to 

create the radical change we need. 

Describe a couple of examples of your work, which 

exemplify the principles of regenerative design. 

AS: My career over the past decade has focused on 

creating programmes, awareness and education around 

regenerative thinking, for example, the Living Building 

Challenge, Living Community Challenge and Living 

Product Challenge programmes. 

How have behaviours and attitudes changed during 

Covid-19? How do you think Covid-19 will mould 

things going forward? 

AS: With many people working from home, they 

have become more connected to their families, their 

communities, and have had better access to the outside 

during the day than they did in a standard office building. 

They have also had time saved from commuting and 

have been forced to slow down and face the stresses in 

their lives. I think people will want to maintain their 

connection to the outside, more time for themselves and 

their families and less travel into the future. 

Regenerative design requires a 

systems-thinking approach that puts 

nature and ecology at the forefront 

of the design process. 

How has technology influenced regenerative design? 

AS: Technology has helped us to understand the 

interconnectedness of the world’s ecosystems. We also 

have access to the science that shows how the world is 

changing – there is no excuse to be blind to it and to 

carry on business as usual. 

What is the key takeaway you would like people to 

gain from your keynote presentation? 

AS: That we need to scale a different way of creating 

our buildings urgently. 


roadmap for our society to follow? 

JE: There is no question that clear and well-supported 

roadmaps can drive change, but I am not sure that a 

lack of roadmaps is our main problem now. Our main 

problem is a lack of political will. And in a period 

of populism, even with all its increasingly obvious 

defects, science, goals and roadmaps are often treated 

as playthings, to be kicked around and discarded. To 

see populist leaders respond to the climate chaos of 

recent years (“it will get cooler”) is almost to despair 

of politics and of humanity. But you could also see 

such extremes as the last, desperate resistance of an 

old, unsustainable order that is dying. 

What are the founding principles of sustainability 

that you aspire to? 

JE: At its simplest, to leave both the planet and our 

human world better off than we found them. That was 

the message in my Triple Bottom Line (TBL) agenda 

introduced back in 1994, followed up in 1995 with 

People, Planet & Profit. Sadly, over time the sustainability 

agenda has been misinterpreted as an incremental 

change rather than a system change agenda – as a 

nice-to-have agenda rather than as an existential 

requirement. The Sustainable Development Goals 

are an exponential change agenda rather than about 

incremental change, as too many people currently 

perceive them. 

You’ve been described as the “Godfather of 

Sustainability”. What kind of resistance have 

you come up against the principles [stated 

earlier] during your career, and how have you 

overcome it? 

JE: Since I have been working in this field, I have 

come up against pretty much every form of resistance 

known to man, short of imprisonment or assassination. 

I have been sued by ICI and McDonald’s, I have been 

attacked in the media, and I have been blocked in 

boardrooms. But overall, our agenda has gone from 

strength to strength. And the way in which business 

leaders think about all this has gone from “they’re 

really Communists” to “with Walmart now committing 

to regeneration, how can we catch up – and possibly 

even overtake?” 

Please tell us about Green Swans. 

JE: All our work on corporate responsibility over the 

decades has been useful, foundational indeed but as 

our economic, social, environmental and governance 

systems begin to unravel, a process accelerated by the 

Covid-19 pandemic, resilience has shot up priority 

lists both in the public and private sectors. And the 

only way to ensure long-term resilience is to invest in 

the regeneration of such systems. This is the theme of 

my twentieth book, Green Swans: The Coming Boom 

in Regenerative Capitalism, published in April this year, 

by Fast Company Press. 



23


The first diagram in the book [shown on page 23] 

is one I had been using for a couple of years before 

Covid-19 hit arguing that the global economy’s bull 

run was masking a much deeper set of discontinuities. 

The bar at the bottom is where ordinary people 

experience the greatest confusion, fear and anger. 

If this analysis is anywhere near accurate, the era of 

populism is far from over. 

Readers will not be surprised to learn that the Green 

Swan concept was informed by the “Black Swan”, one 

of the most successful memes of the past decade. 

Introduced by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his 2007 

book, The Black Swan, the concept spotlights events 

that take us totally by surprise, that have an off-thescale 

impact, and that we fail to understand afterwards 

– setting ourselves up to fail again. Interestingly, Taleb 

says Covid-19 is not a Black Swan – because we saw 

it coming but too many leaders failed to act. 

By contrast, if most Black Swans take us exponentially 

to places we really do not want to go, my definition of a 

Green Swan embraces a profound market shift, generally 

catalysed by some combination of Black or Gray Swan 

(foreseen) challenges and changing paradigms, values, 

mindsets, politics, policies, technologies, business models, 

and other key factors. The link back to the TBL agenda is 

that a Green Swan delivers exponential progress in the form 

of economic, social, and environmental wealth creation. 

The Sustainable Development Goals 

are an exponential change agenda 

rather than about incremental 

change, as too many people 

currently perceive them. 

In the book, I also talk about “Ugly Ducklings”, drawing 

on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. These are 

early-stage concepts, mindsets, technologies, or ventures 

with the potential to drive either Black Swan (driven 

by bad exponentials) or Green Swan (driven by good 

exponentials) market trends. For me, a potential Green 

Swan is the European Commission’s growing linking of 

its recovery plan with its Green Deal objectives. 

The potential future evolution of an Ugly Duckling 

can be hard to detect early on, unless you know 

what you are looking for. Tomorrow’s breakthrough 

solutions often look seriously weird today. The net 

result is that we give them significantly less attention 

and resources than they need – or than the future of 

the 2030s and beyond would want us to, in hindsight. 

Tell us about the shift in approach from responsibility 

to resilience and regeneration. How does that look 

in society today? How would you like to see this shift 

happen and what can we do better? 

JE: The ‘3Ps’ of the Triple Bottom Line became central 

to the sustainable business debate from their launch 

in 1995. When we did the product recall of the TBL 

in 2018, we began the Tomorrow’s Capitalism Inquiry. 

One emergent framing was the ‘3Rs’, which emerged 

from the production of our new book, Green Swans: 

The Coming Boom in Regenerative Capitalism. 

When the urgency is clear enough, 

people do act – though the continuing 

unwillingness of populist leaders to 

act on the climate emergency 

is a severe test for anyone who 

believes in human rationality. 

The 3Rs are: Responsibility, Resilience and 

Regeneration. As we dug deeper, it became clear that 

almost all business effort in pursuit of sustainability 

had focused to date on the Responsibility agenda. 

• Responsibility: Typical platforms in this area 

have included the EcoVadis, GRI, IIRC, SASB and 

WBCSD. Key activities have focused on voluntary 

standards encouraging greater transparency and 

accountability, stakeholder engagement, supply 

chain management and investor engagement. 

• Resilience: Unfortunately, all this effort has 

failed to head off a growing number of “wicked 

problems”, at the outer edge of which we see the 

Black Swans spotlighted by Nassim Nicholas 

Taleb. The Covid-19 outbreak is one such Black 

Swan. Resilience activities include China’s growing 

number of “sponge cities”. Wuhan, which led in 

this field, has now signalled the need for very 

different forms of resilience. 

• Regeneration: The change agenda for Green 

Swans requires a massive shift in thinking and 

investment, towards the regeneration of our 

economies, societies and environment. Among 

the new networks emerging in this space are those 

based on The Capital Institute (whose CEO, John 

Fullerton, did the first Tomorrow’s Capitalism 

lecture at our Tomorrow’s Capitalism Forum on 10 

January 2020), Eden Project International (whose 

founder, Sir Tim Smit, won one of the first pair 

of Green Swan Awards), the Alan Savory Institute 

and The Regenerators. 



the way forward? 

JE: I chaired a conference session this autumn with 

several panellists who are CEOs of major financial 

institutions. One of them noted that things – and 

behavioural changes – that would have been unthinkable 

even last year have become possible, even inevitable, 

in 2020. When the urgency is clear enough, people do 

act – though the continuing unwillingness of populist 

leaders to act on the climate emergency in places like 

Australia, Brazil and the USA is a severe test for anyone 

who believes in human rationality. 



JE: I was originally trained as a city planner – and 

continue to find cities, urban regions and the built 

environment fascinating. And they are also where most 

of our species now lives, so putting our cities onto a 

very much more sustainable path is make-or-break 

for the future of our species – and all other species. 

DESIGN WITH LOVE: 

ARCHITECTURE FOR JUSTICE 

AND HUMAN DIGNITY 

KATIE SWENSON 

Senior Principal, MASS Design Group, United States 


roadmap from a built environment as well as an 

urban and cities’ perspective? 

KS: The last six months of the global pandemic 

have revealed how interconnected we are, and how 

difficult it is currently for people to thrive, and for 

our planet to support human life. We cannot breathe 

freely, literally. In this pandemic, we are united by our 

global interconnectedness, and this conference brings 

out the best of that – we get to share in inspiration 

and commitments, to share in ideas and to craft a 

plan together. That said, a critical part of our plan 

must involve an emphasis on the local sourcing and 

production of buildings, using local labour, artisanship 

and creativity. 

Architecture is never sustainable: it is either climate 

negative or climate positive. At MASS Design Group, in 

order to move our buildings toward climate positivity, 

we try to adopt a “Lo-Fab” building approach. Local 

Fabrication (Lo-Fab) is the practice of creating value 

through the construction process as much as the finished 

building itself. Lo-Fab is a commitment to supporting 

the local economy using local contractors and locallysourced 

materials – highlighting local innovation and 

ideas, bolstering and developing local craftsmanship, 

hiring local labour, and investing in local capacity 

building and job training. Through this focus on locallysourced 

material and labour, we can leverage the entire 

supply chain, minimising the environmental impact, 

and assuring that the majority of capital invested in 

construction flows to the community we are serving. 

A good example of our Lo-Fab process in practice 

is the design and construction of The Rwandan 

Institute of Conservation Agriculture (RICA) in 

Bugesera, Rwanda. RICA’s mission is to train the next 

generation of leaders in conservation agriculture to 

attain healthy and sustainable food independence in 

Rwanda. The campus features innovative methods of 

power generation, water use, and green infrastructure, 

and is estimated to be carbon-positive by the 2040s. It 

has begun to achieve this by reducing the embodied 

carbon of the buildings, sourcing 96% of materials by 

weight from Rwanda, installing a 100% off-grid solar 

farm, sourcing and treating all water on-site, and offsetting 

the remainder carbon by restoring parts of the 

savannah woodland and reforesting key areas within 

the campus. 

Harry Connolly 

Design 

with Love: 

At Home 

in America 

Cover 

What are the founding principles that you believe 

each design should aspire to? Please use examples 

of your work to illustrate this. 

KS: MASS Design Group is a design collective 

dedicated to delivering architecture that promotes 

justice and human dignity. We were founded on the 

idea that architecture is never neutral; it either hurts 

or it heals. 

Twelve years ago, MASS Design Group designed and 

built the Butaro District Hospital in northern Rwanda, 

an area where 400 000 people were not served by any 

medica; facility, and in an environment where many 

healthcare facilities lacked the necessary precautions 

to prevent the transmission of disease. Hospitals often 

had small, poorly ventilated waiting rooms in which a 

patient with an injury, such as a broken leg, would be 

waiting in proximity to a patient with Tuberculosis. 

Here, architecture and spatial care protocols were 

directly putting people at risk. 

Butaro is a beautiful, medically-sound facility, with 

natural light, wide hallways, courtyards, and spaces 

for families to gather, oriented to take advantage of 

the beauty of this mountainous region. Thanks to 

projects like these and other investments in health 

infrastructure in Rwanda, average life expectancy has 

gone from less than 30 years to almost 70 over the last 

three decades. 




25



Over the past six months, MASS has created a series 

of guides that suggest how we can design buildings that 

make us healthier. Like Butaro did for doctors, patients 

and visitors, we can design non-medical environments 

– housing, schools, restaurants, offices and outdoor 

spaces – to prioritise user health, but not at the expense 

of their wellbeing. 

creating a world where every person and family has a 

good home? I fear that it is a fundamental failure to 

care enough, or if we truly do care, then to turn that care 

into the policies, financial mechanisms, regulations 

and designs to make a more equitable society. Our 

systems are in fact designed, but are they designed to 

deliver the outcomes that we want? 

I came to MASS to bring these same core principles 

– that our buildings should improve our health and 

wellbeing – to the design of homes that are affordable 

to people with low incomes. And that design happens 

locally, where residents are expert in community needs 

and stakeholders can work together to create the vision 

for a project. 

The J.J. Carroll Apartments redevelopment project 

in Brighton, Mass., designed in partnership with 2Life 

Communities, a non-profit organisation dedicated to 

developing and managing safe, affordable, and dignified 

housing for older adults, is one such project. The 

current J.J. Carroll buildings, built in 1966, are a series 

of two-story brick townhouses right next door to 2Life’s 

Brighton campus buildings, with 64 units for an aging 

and disabled community. The development is now 

past its useful life and lacks the accessible design 

features required by residents with various physical 

abilities and ages. 

When MASS Design Group began work with 2Life, 

designers hosted a workshop series with current J.J. 

Carroll residents to learn how they operate, what they 

most want in the new development, and how the design 

could best support 2Life’s goal to offer older adults the 

chance to thrive in a dynamic, supportive environment. 

At the top of everyone’s list was community. Loneliness 

and social isolation are two of the top health hazards 

Iwan Baan 

Butaro District Hospital 

We were founded on the idea 

that architecture is never neutral; 

it either hurts or it heals. 

for aging adults, associated with a variety of poor 

mental and physical health outcomes and a higher risk 

of mortality overall. 

Covid-19, however, dramatically increased the 

urgency for thoughtful design to keep people safe, 

while creating opportunities for social interaction. 

People 65 years or older represent 80% of all deaths 

from Covid-19, but older adults also need to balance 

another threat to their health – social isolation. 

Building on community feedback about what was 

most loved about J.J. Carroll – its neighbourliness – the 

design team came up with an approach to maintain 

this type of intimate connection and community while 

increasing the capacity to more than double the units 

on site. We created a series of “neighbourhoods” made 

up of apartment clusters of between five to eight units 

each, allowing residents to “pod” in smaller groups, 

while also enjoying a diversity of spaces and access 

to green space, views, natural light and ventilation. 

How can one incorporate justice and human dignity 

into design and what does this really mean? 

KS: To design with dignity, and for justice, is to 

bring one’s whole self to the understand the broadest 

implications of the work at hand, to consider the 

conditions which make design needed, to understand 

the ambitions of those partnered in the design process, 

to strive for the mission of the design of the project 

to guide its process, product and long-term outcome. 

Justice and dignity must be fought for. In the U.S., 

we are confronting the power of memorials in the 

construction of public memory and identity, especially 

as we encounter the plethora of memorials dedicated 

to white supremacy. With the design of the National 

Memorial for Peace and Justice, we learned, among so 

many things, the power of truth telling, and creating 

space for truth and reconciliation to take place, in ways 

both intimate and collective. 

Our Gun Violence Memorial Project collects and 

displays personal objects of victims of gun violence 

– and with them – the personal stories by those who 

loved them. The losses are multiplied, however, and the 

memorial shows the magnitude of shared loss, made 

more striking for its specificity. Architecture, in this 

case, can be healing, spatialised. 


your design principles during your career, and how 

have you overcome it? 

KS: So many of the market-based metrics for success 

– economic profit, gentrification of neighbourhoods, 

value engineering – are organised to create maximum 

benefit for the wealthier members of our society. I try 

to advocate for prioritising investing in the quality 

of life for people with limited means, for beautifying 

historically poor neighbourhoods, for providing stable 

and beautiful homes for everyone. 

I think that resistance to these commitments is a 

failure of imagination. What is preventing us from 




KS: I am optimistic about two important collective 

realisations we are having as a result of Covid-19. 

The first is an understanding that our buildings need 

to do more to keep us healthy. At MASS, we believe 

that architecture is never neutral; it either hurts or it 

heals. We have learned that the design of buildings 

is essential to prevent the spread of infection, and 

that many of our contemporary building techniques 

which depend on mechanical ventilation can have a 

detrimental impact. We need to employ design for 

infection control principles. 

The second is the realisation of the importance of 

home. We are all depending on our homes to be not 

only the places we live with our families, but also where 

we work, go to school, work out, perform all the facets 

of our lives. I hope that with this realisation will come 

a greater emphasis on the need for high quality homes 

for all people. 



KS: As design professionals, we can do so much more 

to create a just and sustainable world. Many of the 

structures of our practice orient us to participate in 

the perpetuation of the status quo, which is clearly 

taking us in the wrong direction. Breaking free is 

hard, leadership requires rethinking our role, and 

more importantly, our approach. I urge all of us to 

understand the true mission behind our work, and 

to commit to the critical work of bringing our whole 

selves – personally and professionally – to aspire to a 

world in which poverty, homelessness and racism are 

not tolerated. 

MASS Design Group 

Gun Violence Memorial Project 

J.J. Carroll Apartments 



27


THE POST-COVID 

REVOLUTION 

IN THE WORKPLACE 

CLIVE WILKINSON 

President/Design Director, Clive Wilkinson Architects, United States 

RESPONSIBLE 

INVESTMENT: 

ENSURING A SUSTAINABLE 

AND RESILIENT FUTURE 




urban and cities perspective? 

CW: As we all know, things change very slowly in the 

world unless there are external forces like Covid-19 

pushing change. However, it begins with some small 

voices crying out, and that gains momentum over time, 

until the voices are everywhere. At that time, people 

agree to change things. We still need voices to grow 

as the world is not yet feeling the pressure of change, 

but I believe that we are heading there – to a bright 

green world – and it is just a matter of time. 


CW: I like the phrase regenerative design – it is 

poetic and brings a kind of biological character to 

design, which in essence is just the act of drawing. 

Of course, it implies an ability to reconstruct itself 

which begs the question of what internal capacity 

drives the reconstruction. In my own home, I used a 

self-healing zinc material on the exterior – which is a 

kind of regenerative act. 



of your work to illustrate this. 

CW: Great design should touch the soul. It should also 

be in service to its duration of use with an appropriate 

use of resources. This is not to say that all design 

should be durable, but simply that it should devote 

an appropriate use of resources to its intended use. 

This can occasionally be a very short duration, like the 

structures or furnishings of an event. What touches the 

soul is also something that touches the earth lightly. 




CW: The resistance we have experienced has mostly 

been a product of people undervaluing or not 

understanding the design process, which is a longstanding 

one. When we design, we need to have the 

time to mentally live in our designs, in order to develop 

and adjust them. We have had clients constantly change 

the brief on us, which is like being thrown out of bed 

every morning and sent to a different house. This 

inevitably leads to a poor outcome. A wise client once 

said to me, “you can’t take nine women and have a 

baby in one month”. He understood. 

What are the most significant changes have you seen 

in attitudes towards transformation and sustainable 

design over your career? 

CW: It is awesome to see how sustainability has moved 

from a marginal interest to a mainstream concern in 

architecture and design, including urban design. It 

is again the rise of small voices that propelled this. I 

don’t believe it has come full circle in addressing what 

we commission and construct in our cities, as there is 

still insufficient attention paid to adaptive re-use of 

the existing urban fabric. Innovative legislation could 

pave the way for truly prioritising the re-use of existing 

resources. Transformation is certainly where we are 

at this moment in time, as a combination of massive 

technological progress and a health crisis have made 

it impossible to return to the “old world”. 




CW: Covid-19 has proved something that no one could 

have proved before: that people can work productively 

from remote locations. This will change the nature of 

work irretrievably. The office will never be the same 

again. What is great is that it can finally move into the 

role of a community-shaped environment: a place for 

collective endeavours that prioritises collective work, 

while still accommodating private and focused needs. 

Hence, Covid-19 has acted as an accelerator and I think 

that is a good thing. I have always said that change does 

not happen except in a condition of stress. 

What do you think the office space of the future is 

going to look like? 

CW: Paradise. With a wealth of choice about how, 

where and with whom you work. 

How has technology influenced workplace design? 

CW: Technology is the primary driver for all change 

that has occurred in the workplace in the last two 

centuries. Most recently, the computer took over human 

routine work which led to the rise of the knowledge 

worker, and then rapid e-communications has led to 

true mobility in work. Since Covid-19 began, I have 

had some employees working remotely for long periods 

from Washington DC, Florida, Texas and Costa Rica! 

SHAMEELA SOOBRAMONEY 

Chief Sustainability Officer, Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) 


roadmap from a financial investment point of view? 

SS: A sustainable roadmap for financial investment 

is critically important. When you think about the 

adage: “Money makes the world go round”, effectively 

we’re talking about allocating capital in the right place 

when we're looking at sustainable development from a 

financial investment perspective. We need to allocate 

capital deliberately in a manner that achieves the most 

positive sustainability outcomes. We are referring to 

outcomes such as a green economy, decent jobs, and 

gender equality as examples. From a simplified peopleplanet-profit 

perspective, it’s effectively saying that 

businesses can’t survive in a society that is failing. 

So a sustainable roadmap, from a financial investment 

point of view, fits into a broader notion of responsible 

investment and being able to be more responsible 

stewards for what we actually spend money on and 

invest in, and the impact that has on the environment 

and society. 

What significant changes have you observed in the 

markets in relation to sustainability during your 

time at the JSE? 

SS: There’s certainly been a tangible uptick in 

both awareness and the allocation of capital to 

responsible investment and responsible investment 

aims. Correspondingly, there has been an increase in 

both the requirement for, and the interest in, credible 

institutions who can perform an external verification 

function – which is what the GBCSA does. This 

function brings credibility into the space and helps 

to mitigate the risk of greenwashing. 

From a simplified people-planetprofit 

perspective, it’s effectively 

saying that businesses can’t survive 

in a society that is failing. 

I have also seen an uptick in general societal 

awareness of sustainability-related matters – a 

growing acceptance that sustainability thinking is 

part of good governance – and increasing engagement 

by the investment community about bringing those 

considerations into investments. 

What opposition have you come up against 

responsible investing ideas, during your time 

working at the JSE? 

SS: In terms of sustainability, the past 15 years have seen 

a lot of changes in people’s thought processes. Some 

main oppositions have been that to be sustainable, 

you need to sacrifice return, and that there is always 

a significant upfront investment that doesn’t have an 

immediate monetary benefit. Another opposition is 

that there haven’t been regulations. 

I have seen a common overarching narrative in 

sustainability that says: “If it’s not regulated, or there's 

no law or policy about it, then why should we do it? 

If it was important enough, there would be a law or a 

policy about it”. In the meanwhile, the shift to a more 

conscious capitalism is happening and in fact, there is 

mounting evidence that ESG funds and indices have 

been outperforming traditional market benchmarks. 

Using cost as the argument without real proper backing 

is something that is changing. 

Why should we care about climate change when 

considering investing? 

SS: The issues related to climate change are systemic in 

nature and have serious economic consequences. There 

is massive human impact in relation to exacerbating 

the challenges that we already have around poverty 

and inequality. The reality is that some of the world’s 

most vulnerable will be the worst hit by the impacts of 

climate change. Largely because their ability to adapt 

to those changes is almost non-existent. 

When we consider that how we steward our money 

could either exacerbate or help mitigate some of the 

potential issues, then investing responsibly becomes 

more and more relevant. Investing in mitigation is 

showing to be more cost effective than having to bear 

the cost of the negative impacts of climate change in 



29



the longer term. investing responsibly gives us the 

opportunity to try and lessen the future impact and 

costs – many of which we don’t even know. 

How have behaviours and attitudes changed in 

the markets during Covid-19? How do you think 

Covid-19 will mould things going forward? 

SS: There was a lot of volatility particularly during the 

early stages of lockdown in South Africa, but we have 

seen the market subsequently stabilised. Emerging 

markets often have a lesser ability to respond to crises 

which results in going into more debt to deal with 

the fallout, and the cycle continues. This means they 

are often hardest hit. We’ve seen a significant decline 

in GDP as a country. But we were struggling before 

Covid-19. Going forward, I think we need to apply 

our minds to the “build back better” narrative. 

Regenerative design represents 

a sum design process that 

encompasses all views including 

positive and non-positive to 

restore a common ground. 

The reality is that some of the 

world’s most vulnerable will be the 

worst hit by the impacts of climate 

change. Largely because their 

ability to adapt to those changes 

is almost non-existent. 

What we’ve seen is that the inequalities in our 

society have been hugely exacerbated during this 

time. And it’s because historically we have not done 

enough to address those issues. If we really have 

learned anything from this, it is going to be, let’s 

tackle those gaps as a matter of urgency because the 

human impact is huge, and, as we have seen the costs 

to deal with crisis is staggering. It is the right thing 

to do. The bottom line is that we need to invest in 

creating resilience. 

What is the key takeaway you’d like people to gain 

from your keynote presentation? 

SS: The evidence shows that investing responsibly 

doesn’t mean sacrificing returns. 

THE UNPRECEDENTED 

DISPOSITION 

OF SUSTAINABILITY 

Covid-19 has brought about 

an unassuming attitude 

for listenership. 


PM: Regenerative design represents a sum design 

process that encompasses all views including positive 

and non-positive to restore a common ground. This 

further revitalises all forms of energy and materials 

under consideration. 



of your own work to illustrate this. 

PM: The founding principles of any design 

should show the embodiment of accommodating 

or responding to all possible opposing views and 

impacts thus leading to a sustainable solution. This 

is exemplified in many of our projects wherein the 

client, the commissioned practitioner and the end 

user are considered, including various stakeholders 

who have a voice during design. 




PM: The resistance we have come across, which 

of course gets ultimately resolved, is when a client 

or beneficiaries have preconceived outcomes of an 

undertaking. We have overcome this challenge by 

having extensive consultation with the relevant parties 

wherein we share a strategy that makes their desired 

outcomes realised. This process may take far too long, 

and threaten the viability of the project, but we’ll also 

recommend certain approaches and placements for 

the client, beneficiaries, and stakeholders. 

What are the most significant changes you have seen 

in attitudes towards transformation and sustainable 

design over your career? 

PM: The most significant changes in attitudes 

towards a transformative and sustainable design is 

the acceptance that most, if not all, matters need to 

be resolved or attended to at an early stage of concept 

development, no matter how long this process could 

be, even though this process could be time consuming 

with a risk of impeding on the timelines of the project. 




PM: Covid-19 has brought about varied behavioural 

and attitude changes to spaces and places that are 

meant for human beings. Covid-19 has successfully 

challenged any approaches that may have been deemed 

to be cast in stone. It has brought about an unassuming 

attitude for listenership. 

How has technology influenced sustainable design? 

PM: Technology evolves so rapidly that human attitude 

towards design solutions is also forced to adapt quickly. 

This has also created an opportunity for the designs to 

be adaptable and flexible to possible change. 

What is the key takeaway you’d like people to gain 

from your keynote presentation? 

PM: What I hope the audience will take away is that, 

until we learn and apply effective collaboration, and 

consideration of others, there will be nothing positive 

to offer future generations to come. Therefore, success 

is never achieved through singularity. 

What are three takeaways you are personally hoping 

to get by attending and networking at convention? 

PM: There are at least three takeaways that I hope for 

from this convention: 1. That humanity will learn to 

be considerate beyond financial gain. 2. That even the 

deemed to be insignificant voice should be heard for 

whatever it is worth. 3. That our voices are transformed 

into practical interventions to save planet earth. 

PHILL MASHABANE 

Co-Founder, Mashabane Rose Architects, South Africa 



urban and cities’ perspective? 

PM: The articulation of the green building outcomes, 

actions, targets and policy development can enhance 

the desired intentions, only if the roadmap is simplified 

for the benefit of all members of society including those 

that question or may not realise the impact of green 

buildings ratings in response to the unprecedented 

global warming. The edges of the envelope are being 

stretched by technical developments that would need 

to be combatted by knowledge and application thereof. 

The founding principles of any design 

should show the embodiment of 

accommodating or responding to 

all possible opposing views and 

impacts thus leading to a 

sustainable solution. 



31

PROFILE 

PROFILE 

FLYING HIGH INTO A 

GREEN FUTURE 

Airports Company South Africa has a vision to be a recognised leader in the 

implementation of energy solutions that are economically and environmentally 

sustainable to airport businesses. 

natural gas to power trigeneration plants, solar thermal 

powered absorption cooling plants, solar photovoltaic 

plants, vertical axis wind power plants, geothermal heat 

sinks as a replacement for air conditioning cooling 

towers, geyser sleeves to reduce energy consumption, 

lighting reduction and lighting control technologies, 

and air conditioning passive cooling techniques such 

as solar heat deflective paint and low emissivity glass. 

SHOOTING FOR THE (GREEN) STARS 

Environmental accreditations also form part of Airports 

Company South Africa’s long-term strategy, and in order 

to sustain the consciousness of environmental impact, 

existing terminal buildings have been earmarked for 

green building certification, which will verify that their 

operations are resource efficient, energy efficient and 

ecologically sustainable. Application will be made in 

this regard, to Green Building Council South Africa 

(GBCSA) to accredit the terminal buildings. In addition, 

the ACI Carbon Accreditation programme, which 

has the focus of reducing carbon emissions of airport 

operations, is being targeted for the various levels 

and will require that all stakeholders and users of the 

airport are compliant with environmental sustainability. 

Each airport has an optimised, 

feasible energy mix that will be 

implemented by 2030, moving the 

airport towards carbon neutrality in 

electricity consumption. 

The third category for 2030 environmental 

sustainability is about sustaining environmental 

consciousness, and this includes “green leases” for all 

tenants, with active energy management programmes 

for tenants using significant amounts of energy. “Green 

clauses” will be incorporated for project contractors, 

along with green service level agreements, which will 

be implemented during the course of the accreditations 

from the Airports Council International and the 

GBCSA. These green leases, contract clauses and 

service level agreements have the goal of closing the 

loop in bringing stakeholders and airport users along 

the journey of resource efficiency, energy efficiency and 

environmental consciousness, making all the efforts 

sustainable. 

GREEN ACHIEVEMENTS 

With the long-term vision having been established, 

Airports Company South Africa has a number of 

significant achievements under its belt. In the area of 

energy reduction, Airports Company South Africa’s 

nine airports show a reduction in energy consumption 

in excess of 10% over the last five financial years. 

This is regardless of the passenger growth, air traffic 

movements and infrastructure growth experienced 

over the past five financial years, and is equivalent to 

powering more than 70% of King Shaka International 

Airport for a period of 12 months (or powering over 

2000 average households over a 12-month period). 

This was achieved by the imperative to move towards 

LED lighting technology, the adoption of appropriate 

lighting controls and the controlling of air conditioning 

systems. Lighting and air conditioning are significant 

energy users in airports, and can make up more than 

65% of the energy bill. 

Air travel and transport has transformed 

the human experience and connected the 

planet in ways not thought possible before 

the turn of the century. It has also had an 

environmental impact on our planet, just like any other 

industry, business and even our homes. With the reality 

of climate change upon us, threatening the long-term 

sustainability of our planet, it is critical that every 

individual and role player turn to this urgent agenda, 

if they have not already done so. 

Airports Company South Africa owns and operates 

nine airports in South Africa, namely O.R. Tambo 

International Airport in Gauteng, Cape Town 

International Airport, King Shaka International Airport 

in Durban, Port Elizabeth International Airport, 

East London Airport, Bram Fischer International 

Airport in Bloemfontein, George Airport, Upington 

International Airport and Kimberley Airport. Realising 

the paramount importance of taking proactive 

steps to reduce environmental impact and promote 

sustainability, Airports Company South Africa has for 

a number of years aspired to be the most sought after 

partner in the world for the provision of sustainable 

airport management solutions; and has incorporated 

a low-carbon economy, resource efficiency, energy 

efficiency and overall significant lowered environmental 

impact of business within its business activities. 

CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2030 

Airports Company South Africa has plans in place, many 

of which have already been achieved, some are in progress, 

and others are long-term goals looking ahead to 2030. Each 

airport has an optimised, feasible energy mix that will 

be implemented by 2030, moving the airport towards 

carbon neutrality in electricity consumption. These 

energy sources will be coordinated using smart energy 

grids and will not only decrease the airports’ carbon 

footprint, but also have the potential of providing 

operational cost savings in excess of R150 million 

per annum. 

Each airport has a roadmap towards carbon neutrality 

by 2030 that consists of projects and initiatives that 

must be undertaken to achieve this goal. These include 

32 



33

PROFILE 

PROFILE 

SOLAR SAVINGS 

Renewable energy efforts and a low carbon energy mix 

have successfully achieved a carbon footprint offset at 

Airports Company South Africa’s regional airports. 

The solar PV plants collectively contribute more 

than 2% of Airports Company South Africa’s annual 

electricity requirements, which is equivalent to the 

carbon footprint of more than 200 homes, or more than 

the operation of Bram Fischer International Airport in 

Bloemfontein for a period of 12 months. The cost of 

solar PV per kWh is competitive with the electricity 

supply from the Eskom National Grid, and, using an 

average cost per KWh over the three installations in 

George, Kimberley and Upington airports, the solar 

PV yield offers an annual saving over R3,5 million: 

• George Airport had its 750kWp solar PV plant 

installed in October 2015, supplying the airport 

with about 40% of its electricity requirements 

• Kimberley Airport’s 500kWp solar PV plant, installed 

in May 2016, supplies the airport with over 56% of 

its annual electricity requirements 

• Also installed in May 2016, Upington International 

Airport’s supplies the airport with more than 52% of 

its electricity requirements through its 500kWp plant. 

• Bram Fischer International Airport had its 750kWp 

solar PV plant installed in March 2019 

• A 1MWp plant came online in July 2019 at Port 

Elizabeth International Airport. 

When it comes to other sustainability initiatives 

achieved so far, the recent drought in the Western 

Cape and the pressure to reduce potable water 

consumption led to an aggressive potable water saving 

programme, especially at Cape Town International 

Airport, which in fact reduced the airport’s water 

consumption by almost half. The initiatives adopted 

are now being considered for implementation across 

the nine airports. This includes low-flow plumbing 

Environmental accreditations also 

form part of Airports Company South 

Africa’s long-term strategy, and 

in order to sustain the consciousness 

of environmental impact, existing 

terminal buildings have been 

targeted to migrate to an “existing 

buildings” green star rating. 

and fittings, alternative cleaning regimes, awareness 

and accountability, rainwater harvesting and recycling 

at car wash bays. The use of borehole water, through 

a reverse osmosis plant, was also adopted at the 

airport. Choosing air-cooled air conditioning over 

water-cooled systems in new projects and replacement 

cycles, especially for drought-stricken or drought-prone 

regions has been established, while air conditioning 

condensate recovery systems are being designed at 

King Shaka International Airport, which will set the 

standard for those airports utilising water-cooled air 

conditioning systems. Another achieved goal has been 

the implementation of recycling, and reduction of 

waste to landfill, throughout Airports Company South 

Africa’s airports. 

SUSTAINABLE WORK-IN-PROGRESS 

Some of the energy reduction initiatives which are 

underway include a programme for each airport to 

migrate their lighting technology to LED lighting. 

This is occurring at replacement cycles, in order 

to maximise the technology’s return on investment 

through operational and maintenance cost savings. 

The incorporation of lighting control, as per the area 

utilisation and functionality, is also currently in progress. 

Each airport is also on a plan towards the migration 

of their air conditioning systems towards greater 

efficiency cycles, with the consideration of alternative 

energy systems such as thermal absorption cooling. The 

adoption of technologies and strategies that lower air 

conditioning loads such as double glazing, heat deflective 

coatings/paints, wind lobbies and other strategies have 

been identified for implementation at airports with 

refurbishment cycles and for new infrastructure. 

OFF THE GRID 

When it comes to alternative low carbon emissions 

energy sources, Airports Company South Africa has 

made a techno-economic assessment of options such 

as natural gas, solar thermal energy, geothermal energy, 

anaerobic digestion as well as wind energy, based on 

the availability and suitability of each energy source 

to the airport’s geographical location, operations, 

current infrastructure and spatial plans. These have 

Renewable energy efforts and 

a low carbon energy mix have 

successfully achieved a carbon 

footprint offset at Airports Company 

South Africa’s regional airports. 

been approved by Airports Company South Africa’s 

Technical Committee for the detailed investigation 

of airport integration. Natural Gas that can be used 

in a trigeneration plant for electricity heating and 

air conditioning needs are targeted for O.R. Tambo 

International Airport, Cape Town International Airport 

and King Shaka International Airport, and Geothermal 

Energy to be used as a heat sink for cooling towers 

are being investigated towards integration at Cape 

Town International Airport. Wind Energy has been 

investigated for Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, and 

Energy Storage technologies are being investigated 

to store surplus yield from solar PV plants at 

Kimberley, Upington and George Airports bringing 

the airports closer to carbon neutrality. Studies are 

34 



35

PROFILE 

currently underway to convert the bus vehicle fleet at 

O.R. Tambo International Airport to run on compressed 

natural gas that will reduce the carbon footprint of the 

fleet by about 60%, while electric cars are also being 

considered for the airport’s other operational vehicles. 

The introduction of e-vehicle charging facilities is also 

being assessed for airports. 

When it comes to environmental certifications 

underway, the new section of the terminal building 

in Cape Town International Airport has been 

earmarked for green building certification, and will 

target a minimum 4-star green rating under the EBP 

rating offered by Green Building Council of South 

Africa, while the new commercial office facility in 

O.R. Tambo International Airport is registered under 

the Design & As Built rating tool, and will target a 

4 star rating. Technical manuals have been drafted for 

the guidance of certification of all new developments – 

terminal buildings, retail centres and office buildings, 

and a Technical Manual is being drafted to guide the 

transition of existing terminal buildings from their 

current state to the targeted green star rating. Airports 

Company South Africa’s Carbon Accreditation status 

with Airports Council International is currently as 

follows (Level 4 is the ultimate): 

• Bram Fischer International Airport – Level 1 

• George Airport – Level 1 

• King Shaka International Airport – Level 2 

• Port Elizabeth International Airport – Level 2 

• OR Tambo International Airport – Level 2 

• Cape Town International Airport – Level 2 

All these actions, whether achieved or underway, 

form part of Airports Company South Africa’s 

overarching strategy directed towards promoting a 

healthy environment, and preserving it for the benefit 

of present and future generations. “Our concern with 

the environment goes to the heart of our focus on 

sustainability. Our approach is therefore to continue 

to entrench sound environmental management 

philosophies and business practices that will sustain 

Airport Company South Africa’s value into the future. 

This is based on the simple model of plan, develop, 

implement, audit and review…in order to ensure 

continual improvement,” concludes Airports Company 

South Africa Chief Operating Officer, Fundi Sithebe. 

CONTACT US 


INDUSTRIAL 

Manufacturing Green: 

Sustainability 

in the 

Industrial 

Sector 

Since the age of the Industrial Revolution, 

factories have been seen as noisy, dirty, 

and polluting. Smoke and waste was just an 

accepted side effect of mass production and 

mechanised manufacture, and the comfort 

and health of workers was, historically, 

barely a consideration. Recently, however, 

there has been a move to question the 

status of industrial buildings and their 

contribution to sustainability. We take a 

look at two light industrial buildings that 

have recently been awarded Green Stars. 

WORDS Melinda Hardisty 

European regulations governing work 

environments and the protection of the natural 

surroundings are already well advanced. 

Historically perhaps the conditions weren’t 

always as healthy, but they certainly prove that industry 

doesn’t have to be synonymous with pollution and 

destruction in the modern age. It is encouraging to 

see local companies rising to the challenge of pursuing 

more sustainable approaches to manufacturing their 

products. To that end, the Green Star EBP (Existing 

Building Performance) tool has been customised to 

apply to industrial buildings. To date, four South African 

buildings have successfully achieved Green Star Ratings. 

The two most recent ratings have been the Equator – 

The Belt Factory in Durban, and Growthpoint’s Serra 

Building in Germiston, Johannesburg. 



INDUSTRIAL 

Johan Pretorius 

Additional glazing and 

new skylights have been 

added to allow natural 

light into the factory 

space and offices. 

EQUATOR – THE BELT FACTORY 

Project dates: Completed in June 2018 

Green Star rating: 5-Star Green Star Custom 

Industrial (EBP V1) 

Location: New Germany, Durban 

Type of building: Light Industrial (factory, stores, 

warehouse, offices) 

Building size: 4 440m² 

Cost (interventions): R1.3mil 

Equator has been manufacturing belts since 2001. 

By 2009, they were well established in the industry 

and were authorised to manufacture belts for Levi’s, 

giving them further credibility. Leon Buhr, founder and 

director of Equator, explains that the CTFL (Clothing, 

Textile, Footwear, and Leather) supply chain is one 

of the least sustainable industries in the world. High 

consumption of products at low cost leads to economic 

imbalance and environmental destruction. 

Buhr’s passion for sustainability in his business and 

his life is contagious as he talks about Equator’s 

sustainability journey. The real impetus for change 

came when he took a 10-week sabbatical in 2016 to 

reassess his lifestyle and his business. While making 

many positive changes in his own life, he also thought 

about the business he had been building for 15 years 

and what legacy he would leave. He says: “My daughters 

(then about 13 and 11) asked me more and more about 

sustainability and I felt [that] building a business and 

then not being able to tell your children you did your 

best to do so in a sustainable (and green) manner would 

nullify all efforts to lead by example.” He decided that 

they needed to interrogate every level of the business 

and manufacturing process and see where they could 

improve. It could have seemed like an insurmountable 

problem, but Buhr decided to just take it one bit at a 

time, fixing small things one by one. 

In 2017, the company needed to move to bigger 

premises and this seemed like the perfect opportunity 


41

INDUSTRIAL 

INDUSTRIAL 


Equator - The Belt 

Factory has been 

transformed in terms of 

environmental sustainability 

and human comfort. 



Waste management systems have been 

implemented that include the reduction, 

recycling, and composting of manufacturing 

waste. Pictured (left) Nosipho Zulu, (middle) 

Thabanie Mngoma and (right) Lungani Manqele. 

to make drastic changes to their physical space and 

operations. An old textile mill in New Germany – one of 

the oldest industrial areas in Durban – was purchased 

and completely transformed in terms of environmental 

sustainability and human comfort. These factors were not 

great priorities in 1967 when the factory was first built. 

Buhr says that it was important that their 

interventions were scientific and measurable, and so 

they appointed sustainability experts, Andre Harms and 

Catherine Luyt, of Ecolution Consulting, to manage 

the Green Star certification on the client’s behalf. With 

the tag line: “A Place of Craft and a Place of Science”, 

one wouldn’t expect anything less. 

The EBP tool, which has been customised to assess 

industrial buildings, doesn’t rate the construction or 

design of a building but rather provides benchmarks 

to measure the operating performance of a building 

over time, thus a building needs to be operational for 

at least a year for its performance to be assessed. 

The tool measures performance under eight 

categories: Management (building management, 

continuous monitoring, learning resources), Indoor 

Water tanks storing harvested 

rainwater for use throughout 

Equator. Pictured (left) Rajeev Matai 

(right) and Marc Pozniac. 


The key advice for any 

business looking to embark 

on their sustainable journey 

seems to be: Just start! 

Environmental Quality (air quality, lighting comfort, 

thermal comfort, occupant survey, acoustic comfort, 

daylight views), Energy (energy consumption and 

peak demands), Water (potable water management), 

Transport (alternative transportation), Materials 

(procurement and purchasing, solid waste management), 

Land Use and Ecology (hardscape, landscape, pest 

management), and Emissions (refrigerants, legionella 

prevention, stormwater). 

There were no structural or footprint changes made 

to the existing building, but there was additional 

(double) glazing and new skylights added to allow 

natural light into the factory space and offices. A new 

break room was added for the factory staff that also 

has plenty of natural light. The office component also 

gained a new, industrial aesthetic, kitchenette-cumcoffee 

bar with access to a balcony space. Non-toxic and 

low VOC paints and finishes were used throughout, and 

most of the furniture was second hand or up-cycled. 

Rainwater harvesting systems were implemented by 

KZN Water Energy, and low-flow fittings were installed 

throughout. Treated and purified rainwater is used for 

washing, drinking, cleaning, and flushing toilets. The 

interventions are expected to save about 347 600 litres 

of water a year (when compared to the benchmark of a 

similar building) and simple payback, at today’s tariffs, 

is expected within 16 years. 

Energy savings were achieved by the use of LEDs 

and lighting control, high-performance glazing, natural 

daylighting, hyper-efficient cooling systems, and smart 

metering, amounting to a combined annual saving of 

about 285 579kWh (as compared to similar benchmarks). 

Sarah Robyn Farrell, from transparenCI, who works 

with Equator on their sustainability communications, 

says: “In 2019 the average energy consumed per belt 

[manufactured] was 0.2 kWh which is the equivalent 

energy required to make one cup of tea.” 

Waste management systems have been implemented 

that include the reduction, recycling, and composting 

of waste. Crucial to the successful and sustained 

implementation of many of these measures is the 

understanding and buy-in of the staff. Training 

and vision casting was done at the beginning of 

the project, and regular refresher discussions are 

held. The staff was generally enthusiastic and a 

green committee has been formed. Clear signage, 

in both English and isiZulu, was installed to clarify 

and remind people of processes, and the monthly 

reports on the building performance are shared with 

all staff so that they understand the impact of the 

changes they’ve made. 

Buhr regards the achievements of the building as 

only one important step towards sustainability. For 

the next step, they will be focusing on their materials, 

responsible sourcing, innovation towards greener raw 

materials, and improving their packaging and logistics. 

BELGOTEX: FORERUNNERS IN INDUSTRIAL GREEN STARS 

The Belgotex flooring factory in Pietermaritzburg developed the first Custom Industrial EBP Tool. They were 

awarded a 6-Star rating in 2017. The factory started operations in 1983 and has expanded significantly over the 

years to produce their current range of carpets and flooring. They have endeavoured to push the boundaries of 

sustainable manufacturing processes and the production of eco-friendly products since 1991. 

The 2017 accreditation recognised the measured operational performance in eight: Management, Indoor 

Environmental Quality, Energy, Water, Transport, Materials, Land Use & Ecology, and Emissions. Extra credits 

were awarded for innovative strategies implemented in the manufacturing process. 

The company has continued to pursue improved overall sustainability. Energy efficiency is continually being 

enhanced with new technologies and interventions, both in their operations and their innovative product lines. 

Their ambition is to invest further in renewable energy, with the groundwork being done over the past two years 

to obtain a NERSA licence and to reinforce the roofing of a large portion of the factory to support additional solar 

panels. In 2019, they completed a project linking the factory ablution facilities and cooling towers to a water 

harvesting dam, further reducing the overall municipal water consumption. 

42 



43

INDUSTRIAL 

MA Dlamini Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd. is an independent consulting engineering firm which 

operates in the electrical, mechanical and building services disciplines. 

The company is registered in Kingdom of Eswatini in accordance with all relevant laws and statutes. It is 

registered with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport under Electrical Engineering Professionals and 

Mechanical Engineering Professionals. For both disciplines, the company is registered as category A, which 

is the highest rating. The company is 100% owned and directed by qualified indigenous LiSwati National. The 

company has provided technical assistance to various government departments, parastatal organisations and 

private companies in these disciplines. MA Dlamini Consulting Engineers is certified with ISO 9001:2015 Quality 

Management System and is registered with Construction Industry Council (CIC). 

Serra Services 

SERRA® PARK, MEADOWBROOK ESTATE 

Project dates: March 2019 to February 2020 

Green Star rating: 5-Star Green Star Custom 

Industrial (EBP V1) 

Location: Meadowbrook, Germiston, 

Johannesburg 

Type of building: Light Industrial (manufacturing, 

offices, warehouse, laundry, 

showrooms) 

Building Size: 7 400m² 

Serra Park is an example of how 

industrial buildings are well-suited to 

being highly efficient. Warehouse roofs 

are ideally suited for solar panels, 

efficient lighting and daylighting. 



Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, the Serra® Services 

building owned by Growthpoint Properties has become 

the first building in Gauteng to have been awarded a 

5-Star Green Star rating using the Custom Industrial 

EBP tool. The success of this project depended on the 

shared vision and goals of both landlord and tenant. 

Grahame Cruickshanks, head of sustainability and 

utilities at Growthpoint, explains that the company’s 

strategy seeks to create value through sustainability. 

“All our new office developments should achieve a 

minimum 4-Star Green Star rating. As part of our 

dedication to reducing carbon emissions, Growthpoint 

made a commitment in line with COP-21 to have all 

its long-held commercial buildings attain a minimum 

4-Star Green Star rating by 2020 year-end and we are 

progressing well against this target.” 

Serra® has been manufacturing and servicing 

washroom fittings and dispensers for 35 years. Paul 

Thomaz, group marketing director, says that as 

a leading hygiene service provider and washroom 

dispenser manufacturer, “Serra® is duty-bound to 

highlight health and sustainable environmental 

practices”. Many years ago, the decision was made 

to manufacture their products in stainless steel for 

several reasons, including the material’s sustainability, 

durability, and low environmental footprint. 

(+268) 2417-1041 | frontdesk@madlamini.co.sz | www.magroup.co.sz 


45

INDUSTRIAL 


The EBP rating grades building and 

operational performance rather than 

structure, so achieving the targets is 

largely dependent on the tenant and 

how they operate in the space. 

YOU'RE AN EXPERT. 

YOU'RE OUTSTANDING IN YOUR FIELD. 

BUT IS YOUR BUSINESS 

Because the EBP rating grades building and 

operational performance rather than structure, 

achieving the targets is largely dependent on the 

tenant and how they operate in the space. Solid Green 

Consulting, in collaboration with Sow and Reap, 

and Imbue Projects, was appointed to advise on the 

sustainability aspects of the project and to develop a 

green building guide for the ongoing operation and 

maintenance of the building. 

Francois Retief of Sow and Reap, reiterates the 

particular importance of the tenant’s buy-in in an 

industrial building as opposed to offices, where the 

landlord may have more control over maintenance 

and cleaning aspects. He also says that industrial 

buildings are well-suited to being highly efficient. 

Warehouse roofs are ideally suited for solar panels, 

efficient lighting and daylighting is often easier to 

achieve, and intensive water use in processes (like in 

Serra’s laundry) can make use of non-potable water. 

130 photovoltaic panels, with a capacity of 25kWp, 

were installed on the roof. A further 110 panels are 

planned for phase 2, and the end goal of 550 panels in 

total. Three lithium-ion battery banks can provide the 

offices with 24 hours of uninterrupted power. Andy 

McKay, director of Greenwave, installed the gridtied 

solar system and the hybrid battery back-up. He 

explains that the system can sustain critical equipment 

during power outages, but also lowers the consumption 

during peak tariff periods in winter months. This not 

only saves money but lowers the building’s carbon 

footprint as well. Errol Taylor, Growthpoint’s head 

of asset management: Industrial, says that Serra® 

consumes around 16kWh/sqm/year, as opposed to the 

benchmark comparison of 106kWh/sqm/year, and the 

performance is still improving. 

Water-saving implementations, and the use of nonpotable 

water where possible, has enabled the facility 

to achieve an 88% improvement on similar sized light 

industrial complexes. 

Greenwave also designed, installed, and monitors the 

Building Management System (BMS) that tracks and 

controls all the key equipment. This state-of-the-art 

system is what allows the performance of all the services 

to be monitored and adjusted as necessary. This, along 

with regular occupant surveys and other assessments, 

allows Growthpoint and Serra® to continuously assess 

the building’s performance and push for further 

improvements wherever possible. 

The teams involved in both of these projects 

highlight the importance of the education and buyin 

of the building’s occupants as an important factor 

in sustained building performance. The key advice for 

any business looking to embark on their sustainable 

journey seems to be: Just start! 

In the words of Equator’s Leon Buhr: “More and 

more we realise there is no alternative path for any 

of us than to make more sustainable decisions each 

day; in business and personally. That sustainability 

is not a solar panel here or a Jojo tank there. It is 

especially not a ‘marketing extra’. It must become 

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think, say, and do.” 

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46 


www.thepaperarchitect.com

PROFILE 

EMPOWERED SPACES 

Empowered Spaces Architects will soon 

celebrate their 25th anniversary, having 

completed well over two hundred industrial 

facilities during that period. The company has 

become synonymous with industrial architecture and 

development in South Africa, receiving the coveted, 

South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) 

award for innovation in industrial development for six 

consecutive years from 2013 to 2019. We pride ourselves 

on consistently delivering world-class industrial 

facilities across South Africa and into Africa. 

Empowered Spaces has become the design trendsetter 

in the warehouse space, pushing the boundaries 

in steel and sheeted buildings. We are continually 

evolving our designs to keep up and ahead of the fastchanging 

logistics industry. 

In the lifespan of our business, we have had to 

develop in parallel with the prevailing technologies, 

from the founding days of fixed telephone lines and 

thermal faxes, to the present reality of smart phones, 

3D printing and BIM technology. While the Covid-19 

pandemic will no doubt accelerate the adaption and 

adoption of newer technologies and systems, we were 

already living in world where the rate of these changes 

was happening exponentially faster. 

Over the past quarter century, we have accrued 

extensive technical expertise in the sector, including 

bulk warehousing, third party logistics, manufacturing, 

food processing, pharmaceutical and production. 

Beyond this technical capacity, Empowered Spaces 

are renowned for continually pushing the boundaries 

of lightweight steel frame construction and have set 

the trend in the design of these building typologies 

for many years. 

While the body of work completed by the firm 

speaks volumes for our design experience, we have 

also invested heavily in standards, specifications and 

detailing, as well as the latest BIM-based software and 

management team, in order to allow us to offer clients 

a comprehensive, holistic solution from conception 

to completion. 

Empowered Spaces have continued with our founding 

philosophy to remain a lean, agile, solutions-based 

company, focused on delivering more value than cost 

to our clients. This constant ambition and focus enable 

us to become the preeminent architectural consultants 

in this sector, both nationally and internationally. 

Our portfolio ranges from small private owner 

occupied facilities of less than a 1000sq.m, all the 

way to global brands such as Coca-Cola, Caterpillar 

and Toyota, with facilities of over 100 000sq.m. Our 

portfolio includes South Africa’s first 5-star, green 

star rated industrial facility, Grundfos (Pty) Ltd, 

completed in 2014, as well as the country’s first net 

zero carbon rating for the Premier Foods (Pty) Ltd 

facility, completed in 2018. 

In 2020 alone, we are on site with a broad spectrum 

of projects for Toyota, Sandvik, Coca-Cola, Imperial 

Health Sciences, DHL, Altron, Torrecid, Emit Logistics, 

DSV Pharma, Digistics and Takealot, constantly 

building on the knowledge and expertise gained 

through historical projects, which include BMW, 

Cummins, John Deere and Caterpillar South Africa. 

Empowered Spaces are proud to service a broad 

spectrum of developers and funds working within the 

industrial market, with national representation and 

exposure to the vast majority of industrial/logistics 

estates in Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape 

and Kwa-Zulu Natal. We have completed building in 

Western, Central and southern African countries for 

multi-national clients 

With such comprehensive experience in the sector, 

our team has the ability to conceptualise the optimal 

planning and operations of the facility, institute the 

most cost effective details and material specifications 

for its construction, ultimately optimising the 

construction, operation and lifecycle of the buildings 

itself and importantly the business within it. 

Empowered Spaces offer unparalleled knowledge and 

expertise of the South Africa industrial sector with a 

broad perspective of the national context influencing 

clients and developers, as well as experience in 

advising international tenants looking to develop in 

the country. Beyond typical architectural services, we 

also offer consultation services covering the planning 

and development of industrial estates, management 

and adjudication of development proposals, logistics, 

principal agency, and project management, all the 

way through to marketing content, 3D rendering and 

animations, space planning and interior design. 

Empowered Spaces Architects look forward to 

continuing their 25-year tradition of innovation and 

excellence for the next 25 years and beyond. 

www.espaces.co.za 


INDUSTRIAL 

Green 

Industrial Park 

EDGES INTO 

GREEN STARS 

Equites Property Fund is a Real 

Estate Investment Trust that 

focuses on the ownership and 

development of warehouse 

and logistic properties in South 

Africa. The fund aims to deploy its 

capital in a sustainable manner 

to improve short- and long-term 

stakeholder results. 

WORDS 

Premier Foods 

The energy generated from the 690kWp photovoltaic 

system on Premier Foods’ roof is shared with the 

neighbouring Lords View Spec warehouse. 



INDUSTRIAL 

In 2020, the Premier Foods development located 

in Equites Lords View Industrial Park achieved a 

4-Star Industrial As-Built Green Star certification 

as well as Net Zero Carbon certification. This was 

made possible by the 690kWp PV system on Premier 

Foods’ roof where the energy generated is shared 

between Premier Foods and the neighbouring Lords 

View Spec warehouse. This was the first project in 

the Equites portfolio to be recognised for its green 

credentials but by no means the last. 

To date, the property fund has achieved two final 

EDGE advanced certifications, two preliminary EDGE 

certifications and a further three developments targeting 

EDGE certification. All of their projects are being 

certified by Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI). 

Ecolution Consulting is performing the roles of 

EDGE expert and auditor on all of Equites’ EDGE 

projects. The EDGE expert owns and manages 

the certification process and is the direct link to 

Equites and the project team in collating all required 

information for assessment. The EDGE auditor is then 

responsible for auditing all information submitted by 

the EDGE expert, undertaking site audits and testing 

and recommending the project for certification to the 

certifying body, in this case, GBCI. 

materials, a combination of steel profile cladding and 

precast concrete panels for the external walls, and 

mostly finished concrete floors within the building. 

The projects that have received EDGE preliminary 

certificates are Altron and Digistics, both located in 

Equites’ Meadowview Industrial Park. The energy and 

water measures being targeted for these two projects are: 

• Reduced window-to-wall ratios 

• Reflective paint for the roofs 

• Low-E coated glass 

• VRV cooling system 

• Energy-saving light bulbs throughout the building 

• Shared rooftop solar photovoltaics 

• Reduced flush volumes for water closets 

• Water-efficient urinals 

• Low-flow kitchen and bathroom taps 

Within each of Equites’ industrial parks, namely 

Lords View, Meadowview, Witfontein and Philippi, at 

least one of the logistics facilities has or plans to have 

rooftop solar PV sized sufficiently to generate enough 

power for that specific building and a neighbouring 

warehouse building. 

An industrial-type building inherently uses fewer 

materials than a standard brick-and-mortar building 

Designers and suppliers of LED Lighting solutions to the 

UCT Avenue Road Residence, receiving SA’s first Green 

Star rating with the GBCSA. 

Our product range is of the highest quality. This, combined with superior product 

knowledge, enables us to supply world-class products with service excellence. 

SERVICES OFFERED: 

• Lighting Designs according to local and international standards. 

• Energy Efficient Designs based on latest lighting technology. 

• Energy savings by utilising Daylight Harvesting and Motion Sensors. 

• DALI integrated systems. 

• Lighting evaluations using state of the art Spectrometers. 

• Certified Dialux Trainer/Technician. 

• Manufacturing of custom luminaires. 

The projects both achieved greater 

than 50% savings in embodied 

energy of the construction materials. 

Proud distributor of Luceco products 

An industrial-type building 

inherently uses fewer materials 

than a standard brick-and-mortar 

building thus leading to reduced 

embodied energy. 

Luceco is a manufacturer and distributor of high quality and 

innovative LED lighting products, wiring accessories and 

portable power products for a global customer base. 

With over 70 years’ experience, the Luceco PLC brands of 

Luceco LED Lighting, Kingfisher, BG Electrical, Masterplug 

and Ross are market leaders in key electrical categories, 

offering a “one stop shop” for trade and retail accessories. 

52 

The two logistics properties located in Lords View 

Industrial Park, Premier Foods and Lords View Spec, 

have received final EDGE certification, both achieving 

EDGE advanced certification (energy savings exceed 

40%). The energy and water measures targeted for these 

two projects were: 

• Reduced window-to-wall ratios 

• Energy-saving light bulbs throughout internal 

and external areas 

• Occupancy sensors in bathrooms 

• Shared rooftop solar photovoltaics 

• Dual flush water closets 

• Water-efficient urinals 

• Low-flow kitchen and bathroom taps 

The projects both achieved greater than 50% savings 

in embodied energy of the construction materials. This 

was possible by using light-weight roof construction 

thus leading to reduced embodied energy. The main 

challenge with a warehouse is ensuring the water 

and energy operational consumption is reduced by 

implementing efficient fittings and interventions. 

Ecolution Consulting has assisted Equites in developing 

a base-spec for all new developments in the portfolio 

such that, if adhered to, the building would be eligible 

for EGDE certification. Due to the short construction 

timeframe of an industrial building, the design specs 

must meet the EDGE thresholds before ground has 

even been broken. 

These baseline specs will be applied to all new Equites 

developments so that EDGE certification can be rolled 

out with ease and the developments can be recognised 

for their cutting-edge designs and technologies as 

soon as possible. The EDGE certification will assist 

in attracting and retaining quality tenants as well as 

offering lower operating costs to these tenants. 


WE SUPPLY: 

• A comprehensive range of both Interior and Exterior lighting. 

• Commercial & Retail lighting. 

• Educational lighting. 

• Industrial lighting. 

• Healthcare lighting. 

• Hospitality, Recreational & Leisure lighting. 

• External & Ambient lighting. 

• Efficient and intelligent solutions for a 

wide range of environments, incorporating 

market leading driver and wireless control technology. 

Members of: 

Contact us at: 

Phone: 087 820 2847 

E-mail: info@ledworx.co.za 

Website: www.ledworx.co.za

PROJECT 

Living 

In 1829, the University of Cape Town was the first university 

to open its doors in South Africa. Almost 200 years later, 

the UCT Avenue Road student residence has proudly 

become the first student housing project in the country 

to achieve a Green Star rating from the GBCSA. 

WORDS Nicole Cameron 

and 

learning 

GREEN 

Project dates: January - October 2020 

Green Star rating: 4-Star Custom Student 

Residence - Design 

Location: Middle Campus, UCT, 

Cape Town 

Type of building: Student residence 



55

PROJECT 

If sustainable development is the next frontier, 

the University of Cape Town (UCT) Avenue 

Road Student Residence and Dining Hall, with 

its 4-Star Green Star Custom Design rating, is a 

true pioneer. Every area of the design and construction 

of the residence focuses on sustainable concerns such 

as energy, carbon emissions, embodied energy, water, 

healthy spaces for people, ecology, transport and 

construction management. 

“UCT values environmental sustainability and the 

health and wellness of students and staff – green 

buildings are resource efficient (they save energy and 

water), are responsible for less greenhouse gas emissions, 

tread more lightly on the environment and are healthier 

for students and staff. These are all very important values 

to UCT, especially for a space that students will be living 

and studying in, which is why the green design was so 

important for this project,” says Manfred Braune, UCT’s 

director of environmental sustainability. 

The residence is conveniently located in Mowbray, 

with the development forming a backdrop to the existing 

Avenue and Cadboll House buildings along Avenue 

Road (part of UCT’s heritage buildings) and creating 

an edge along Matopo Road. With easy access to upper 

campus, shops and amenities as well as connections to 

public transport, students are encouraged to use public 

transport (such as Jammie Shuttles), non-motorised 

mobility and the cycling facilities provided, in order 

to contribute to a lower student carbon footprint. 

Limited parking acts as a further encouragement to 

do so. The building is also well located near sporting 

facilities and university health and wellness services. 

When it comes to the residence, which accommodates 

500 student beds and support facilities, as well as two 

Warden’s apartments, Pather describes the project’s 

design concept as being organised around three 

landscaped courtyards, which allows light into the 

OLD MEETS NEW 

The new residence and dining hall forms part of a 

larger precinct made up of several buildings, most of 

which are heritage-protected, explains Gabs Pather, 

director of Jakupa Architects and Urban Designers. 

“Some buildings and parts of others were demolished 

to make way for the new structures, and the placement 

of the new structures was carefully thought through in 

order to enhance and control vehicular and pedestrian 

movement.” All the surrounding heritage buildings and 

features were retained and protected and incorporated 

in the overall planning of the site layout. 

We are excited and proud to think 

that approximately 500 students will 

every year be living in a healthier 

built environment than they are likely 

to experience at home, where most 

South African families have not been 

in a position to have a green home. 

TERBINEX (PTY) LTD 

An aerial 3D image of the site, 

with the new residence and 

dining hall illustrated in grey, 

as part of the larger precinct. 

. 

Tel: 021 204 1074 

Fax: 086 619 6198 

info@plumbcore.co.za 

TERBINEX (PTY) LTD 

PLUMBCORE 

VAT No: 491 026 2189 • Reg No: 2019/237166/07 

Members: AEB Strydom 


57

PROJECT 

TRILOGY 

FORMWORK 

Low-carbon materials such 

as ground granulated blastfurnace 

slag were used in the 

building's concrete structure. 

inner-perimeter of the building strips. The dining hall 

is a column-free, multi-functional, 536-seater main 

dining area, supported by a foyer, toilets, a preparation 

kitchen and serving spaces. It is near the new residence 

building and adjacent to the existing University House 

residence, which it also caters for. “The dining hall 

roof and the way the high-level windows allow light 

into the space is one of the project’s highlights for us 

as a team,” says Pather. 

A further highlight, he says, is how the residence’s 

external courtyards have been designed to be sunken 

lounges, with the trees seats, benches and planters 

making them inviting spaces in which students can 

gather together to relax and socialise. Landscape 

architect Herman de Lange adds that a combination of 

indigenous water-wise and low-maintenance plant and 

tree species define the space as well as complement the 

architecture. “An outdoor gym has also been installed 

as a functional element within the landscape,” he says. 

A SUSTAINABLE START 

Getting things off to a green start meant using lowcarbon 

materials such as GGBS (Ground Granulated 

Blast-furnace Slag) in the building’s concrete structure 

to reduce the amount of virgin cement, and the use ►► 

BUILDING 

SERVICES 

Electrical and Electronic Engineers 

with Specialised expertise in 

student accommodation. We 

adhere to the minimum norms 

and standards for student 

housing as set out by the 

Higher Education Act and 

strive to include 

sustainable energy 

practices in our 

designs. 

The full scope of 

electrical & electronic 

engineering services 

Energy audits 

Smart metering design & 

implementation 

Data management 

Automation and control 

Building management systems 

Structured cabling & wifi designs 

012 348 3284 

admin@ingplan.co.za 

www.ingplan.co.za 

Fire/ smoke detection systems 

Security systems & access control 


59

PROJECT 

A COMPANY BUILT ON SERVICE 

JAG Catering Equipment Services 

Technical Department takes pride in 

the service that we are able to offer. 

Below are just some of the options 

that our clients have grown to expect. 

• 24 hours, 7 days a week, 

365 days a year service 

availability 

• Kitchen design, sales & 

manufacturing 

• Service, repairs & installations 

done 

• Fully qualified technicians 

• Each vehicle is equipped 

with emergency spares 

• Fully equipt workshop area 

NEW GREEN BUILDINGS AT UCT 

Project Building use Location Green Star rating Date of completion 

New Lecture 

Theatre 

GSB Academic 

Conference 

Centre 

Avenue Road 

Residence & 

Dining Hall 

School of 

Education 

d-school 

Nelson Mandela 

School of 

Governance 

Teaching Upper Campus Green Star Public and 

Education Buildings Design v1 

Teaching and 

conference 

centre 

Student 

residence 

Teaching and 

administration 

Teaching and 

administration 

Teaching, 

administration, 

conference and 

public exhibition 

GSB Campus 

(Breakwater 

Campus, V&A) 

Middle Campus 

Middle Campus 

Middle Campus 

Upper Campus / 

SANParks 

Green Star Public and 

Education Buildings 

Design v1 

Green Star Custom Student 

Residence Design 



targeting 



targeting 

Targeted rating not yet 

confirmed 

2014 

April 2019 

Completed. Open 

for 2021 student 

intake 

Construction to 

start late 2020 

Construction to 

start late 2020 

Construction start 

not yet confirmed 

Unit E27 Prime Park, Mocke Road, Diep River 

T 27 21 705 5816 E info@jagcat.co.za 

www.jagcat.co.za 

Sustainability matters. 

At Polyflor, we strive to provide world-class, environmentally sound, 

sustainable solutions to South Africa’s flooring industry. As the Triple 

Bottom Line concept is an important tool for supporting sustainability 

goals, follow our journey to appreciate our commitment. 

The placement of the new 

structures was carefully 

thought through in order to 

enhance and control vehicular 

and pedestrian movement. 

of recycled steel. Sustainability consultant Alison 

Groves of WSP explains that at least 50% of all timber 

came from sustainable sources, and carbon emissions 

associated with construction were reduced by sourcing 

products and materials from within 50km of the site. All 

construction activities followed strict guidelines with 

regards to protecting the environment and preventing 

construction waste from going to landfill. 

As residences are the university’s biggest users 

of water, the infrastructure ensures that all sanitary 

fittings are water efficient, with low-flow showerheads 

and taps and dual-flush toilets. “The taps in basins ►► 

https://info.polyflor.co.za/vinyl-flooring-sustainability 


61

PROJECT 

Ceilings, Partitions & Turnkey Project Management 

Three 10 000 insulated 

insulated 600kPa hot 

water storage vessels with 

zero power consumption. 

Esmoené is a specialist company in suspended ceilings, bulkheads, 

decorative bulkheads and cornices. We are also professionals in 

partitions, wallpaper and turnkey projects and our services extend 

throughout the Western Cape. 

021 205 7849 | estienne@esmoene.co.za 

Unit 5 Offices @ The Golf Village, 2 De Beers Avenue, Somerset West 

is proud to be associated with UCT 

esmoene.com 

SIRAC 

Four high-efficiency 90kW 

Sirac Core environmentfriendly 

R410a heat pumps 

provide the water heating 

for the facility. 

provided to each bedroom offer a cold-water supply 

only, with a centralised heat pump plant producing hot 

water that is circulated to bathrooms and kitchenettes 

using a ring main system,” says Groves. “This prevents 

water wastage from ‘dead legs’ in the system.” There is 

also a partial greywater system, with a borehole on site 

which would allow the building to continue to operate 

using ground water, in a drought scenario (depending 

on the water quality). Under normal conditions it would 

revert to municipal supply. Water-efficient kitchen 

appliances and fittings are installed in the industrial 

kitchen, and water-wise smart irrigation is used to 

water the equally water-wise planted landscape. 

To keep energy output to a minimum, the design 

ensures that all bedrooms have openable windows that 

Sirac provided the water 

pumps for the project 

[pictured]. Coldwater booster 

pump set provides pressurised 

potable water for hot 

and cold water throughout 

the facility. 

50% of all timber came from 

sustainable sources, and carbon 

emissions associated with 

construction were reduced by 

sourcing products and materials 

from within 50km of the site. 

allow fresh air, natural light and views to the outdoors. 

There is mechanical ventilation and extraction to 

areas such as some of the lounges, the workshop, the 

CUBICLE SOLUTIONS, MANUFACTURERS OF 100% WATER RESISTANT, DURABLE AND ROBUST TOILET CUBICLES, 

SHOWER CUBICLES, LOCKERS, BENCHES, LOCKER-BENCH COMBINATIONS AND URINAL SCREENS. 

TOILET & SHOWER CUBICLES 

We combine design flexibility with affordable costs by providing a tailor-made toilet and shower cubicle system for toilet, shower and 

changing room applications. 

LOCKERS 

Our locker features include excellent resistance to impact and mechanical stresses, they are 100% water resistant, unaffected by high 

humidity, corrosive environments and easy to clean and maintain. 

LOCKER/BENCH AND BENCH COMBINATIONS 

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www.cubiclesolutions.co.za 


63

PROJECT 

THE 

ENERGY-EFFICIENCY 

EXPERTS 

In addition to providing 

144 single rooms and 

173 double rooms, 

the building has 

12 universal access 

rooms, six of which 

offer assisted living 

for students 

with disabilities. 

laundry and waste room area, and lighting in common 

areas such as passages and lounges are switched using 

occupancy sensors. 

A SPACE FOR EVERYONE 

In addition to providing 144 single rooms and 173 

double rooms, the building has 12 universal access 

rooms, six of which offer en-suite assisted living 

facilities for students with disabilities. While three 

other UCT residences have been retrofitted to provide 

similar facilities, this is a first for a new residence. 

The planning for this starts at the road entrance to 

the residence, with parking in 3.5m-wide disability 

bays; ramps into the residence for mobility-impaired 

students; tactile way-finding; and accessible door 

handles, window handles and plug points in all rooms. 

“The fact that the building caters extensively for 

people with disabilities speaks to a very important 

value for UCT, of ensuring that this new green space 

is inclusive and that students from all walks of life can 

An outdoor gym has 

been installed as a 

functional element 

within the landscape. 

enjoy it,” says Braune. The residence will be ready for 

the 2021 student intake and is one of a few other design 

and construction projects in planning at the moment, 

of which three are new buildings and will also be 

targeting Green Star ratings. The School of Education 

and the d-school are both middle campus projects due 

to start construction in late 2020, with the d-school 

targeting a 6-Star rating and the School of Education 

targeting a 4-Star rating. The third significant project 

in early planning stage is the Nelson Mandela School 

of Governance adjacent to Upper Campus, which is 

at urban planning stage and will likely go through an 

architectural competition in the next 12 months or so. 

“We are excited and proud to think that approximately 

500 students will every year be living in a healthier 

built environment than they are likely to experience 

at home, where most South African families have not 

been in a position to have a green home,” says Braune. 

“These students will be able to learn about what a green 

building is by living in such a building; and hopefully 

go on to be sustainable stewards of the future.” 

SIRAC, a company that offers energy-saving products and 

innovative solutions for a broad range of commercial hot water 

heating and allied industry applications. 

Our extensive technical knowledge coupled with unrivalled industry expertise, enables us to tailor 

the best overall solutions mix for each customer need. We have significant experience in the 

design, supply and installation of energy-efficient hot water systems for commercial and industrial 

applications and have developed a range of solutions that efficiently and reliably produce hot 

water at a fraction of the operating cost of traditional water heating systems. 

CAPE TOWN +27 (0)21 701 9994 

JOHANNESBURG +27 (0)10 880 3854 

DURBAN +27 (0)31 880 1605 

www.sirac.co.za | info@sirac.co.za 

64 

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 0.8

AFRICA 

Regional 

Precedent 

A WORLD GREEN BUILDING 

CASE STUDY 

SABIS® International School – Runda offers a world-class 

education to students from kindergarten to Grade 12 within 

a vibrant, multicultural community that is committed to 

academic excellence. Construction on the state-of-the-art 

campus, which gives students the space to learn, grow 

and discover their talents, started in June 2016 and was 

completed in June 2018. 

The site was chosen to meet the growing 

demand for a new school in an area that has 

become densely urbanised in the last decade. 



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seal. 



The new SABIS® International School – Runda 

in Nairobi achieved a 4-Star Green Star 

Africa-Kenya PEB v1 Design Rating in April 

2020. The school was presented as a case 

study at the World Green Building Week in September, 

and a tree-planting ceremony is being planned as part 

of the Green Star design certificate handover process. 

Facilities include an independent kindergarten 

area, upper- and lower-school buildings, cafeteria, 

gymnasium, pool, football pitch, tennis courts, mini 

car track, and an auditorium. As the first Green Star 

certified school in Kenya, the aim was to positively 

impact the project’s design and construction costs, 

asset value, operating costs, workplace productivity 

and user health. 

With a GFA of almost 14 600sqm, the school is 

conveniently located near the Northern Bypass in 

Kiambu County. The project was developed by the 

SABIS® Network, a global network of schools that 

dates back to 1886 and currently educates over 70 000 

students in 20 countries on five continents. Concept 

design architects on the project were Archika, with 

Boogertman + Partners as executive architects. The 

green building AP (accredited professional) team 

comprised WEB Limited, a Kenyan-based sustainable 

development consultancy and co-founding member of 

The design, construction, and 

operation of the buildings in which 

we work are responsible for the 

consumption of many of our 

natural resources. 


the Kenya Green Building Society, in collaboration 

with Solid Green Consulting. 

URBAN AND CLIMATIC CONTEXT 

Elizabeth Wangeci Chege of WEB Limited explains 

that the site was chosen to meet the growing demand 

for a new school in an area that has become densely 

urbanised in the last 10 years. Being very close to the 

Equator with no extremes in weather, conditions lent 

themselves to passive design; the soil is conducive to 

plant growth and biodiversity, and rain is abundant 

for harvesting. 

The SABIS® Network has developed schools in different 

regions in the Middle East and South America, and the 

concept design had to be contextualised, acclimatised and 

aligned with local expectations. For example, following 

the attack on the Garissa University College in April 2015, 

a top priority was security, which necessitated a boundary 

wall and physical barriers between the buildings. 

“Safety on-site is also paramount,” comments 

Anthony Opil, project architect at Boogertman + 

Partners. “The site is on a steep slope so the buildings 

were staggered and connected with soft, landscaped 

ramps – working with the terrain to make the buildings 

easily accessible to one another and for the mobility 

impaired. Courtyards were also designed for different 

age groups with specific play areas for the lower school 

and high school – which was an approach that was 

customised to local expectations.” 

The school is bound by two roads to the north and 

south respectively, with the northern road being a 

busy highway. SABIS® had to provide a budget and 

infrastructure to access the southern road, which is 

much lower and further away from the school. The 

original design was mirrored to avoid traffic and 

highway noise, and cyclist and school bus facilities 

were provided. 

The school has a busy 

highway to the north, and an 

accessed road to the south. 

Cycling and public transport 

facilities have been provided. 

69

AFRICA 

AFRICA 

Play areas 

have been 

provided for 

different age 

groups. 

A TAILORED RESPONSE 

Another key consideration was resource efficiency. 

While there is a greater reliance on mechanical 

ventilation and heating in other countries, in Kenya, 

with its high energy costs and a consistent climate, a 

more appropriate response was developed. 

The classroom blocks were oriented north/south 

with openings, particularly in the study areas, that do 

not face east or west. Heat gain from outside surfaces 

was limited by merging soft and hard landscaping and, 

in the site planning, by ensuring that paved spaces 

do not bounce heat back into the internal spaces. Air 

pollution was also mitigated by ensuring that the school 

bus parking areas, which are planted with young trees, 

are oriented to prevent exhaust fumes from entering 

the buildings. 

Locally available materials and technologies were 

specified where possible, such as concrete hollow 

blocks and roof insulation to improve thermal massing. 

This was a departure from the typical local construction 

practice of using natural stone because, says Opil, the 

hollow blocks were more climatically appropriate, 

enabled costs to be reduced, and were readily available 

thus circumventing supply issues relating to stone. 

Natural lighting and ventilation were modelled and 

optimised by increasing the height of the windows 

specified in the original design. Together with the 

selection and procurement of low-VOC finishes – such 

as paints, adhesives, and sealants – to ensure that 

the children are not exposed to toxins, this ensured 

a significant improvement in the school’s Indoor 

Environmental Quality. Elizabeth Chege explains that, 

although the AP team did not conduct embodied energy 

calculations for materials, this strategy was used to 

govern the specification of materials; and workshops 

were held with both the client and contractor to ensure 

that targets were met. 

Solar water heaters were installed to reduce energy 

consumption, and a modular solar PV system was 

designed for optional adoption – to provide panels for 

classrooms in the next phase of the development, to 

cut back on consumption and reduce operational costs. 

Electricity and water sub-metering was provided 

for each block with smart meters connected to the 

BMS to monitor and manage consumption and to 

offer a learning resource for the school children and 

their carers. The school was also the first in Kenya to 

install 100% LED lights in all spaces, thus gaining an 

additional Green Star Innovation point. 

TARGETING NET ZERO WATER 

Boniface Chege, also of WEB Limited, says that 

the project is performing so well in terms of water 

consumption that the team will consider targeting a 

Net Zero Water certification which, if successful, will 

be the first in the region. “We had to consider how 

children behave and how they like to play with water,” 

he says. “We reduced consumption by specifying lowflush 

toilets and low-flow taps with sensors. 

“Potable water consumption for landscape irrigation 

has been reduced by 100% using a rainwater harvesting 

system and recycled black water system. This is backed 

up by a borehole with variable speed drive (VSD) pumps 

Natural lighting and 

ventilation have 

been optimised by 

increasing the height 

of the windows. 

and municipal water as a last resort. For the Green Star 

rating, we achieved 99,9% of the available water credits 

by using context-appropriate systems such as efficient 

fittings and the treatment plant – thus contributing to 

the long-term resilience of the school.” 

Elizabeth Chege adds, “To treat the sewage 

emanating from the facility, a membrane bio reactor 

(MBR) – a process of membrane-based technology 

– was provided. In this process, the excess sludge 

does not require separate digestion and the quantity 

of sludge generated is minimal. This avoids the 

cumbersome sludge disposal exercise which needs 

more manual labour and land area. The treated water 

from the system is disposed of into an overhead tank 

to flush toilets by gravity. The supplier and installer 

of the system was also appointed to maintain the 

system during operations. 

“A workshop is being planned with the school’s 

operational team to ensure a smooth transition from 

design to operations by sharing information, and 

consumption data is already being reviewed. The team 

will also implement an occupancy survey plan to ensure 

ongoing comfort and usability for users.” 

A FIRST IN WASTE MANAGEMENT 

Construction waste is currently a topical discussion in 

Kenya and this project has become a case study for the 

National Construction Authority, for other contractors 

to adopt. The reason, says Elizabeth Chege, is that 

the tender and preliminary documentation was very 

clear, so the contractor was informed at the outset 

of the required standards. The contractor, therefore, 

appointed a local waste consultant to ensure that 

the waste was recycled and reused, and 96% of the 

construction waste was tracked, weighed and diverted 

from landfill. 

In terms of operational waste, spaces were provided 

on-site for separation of waste; and recycling bins were 

clearly labelled for use by the school children and 

staff. Paper and cardboard, plastic, metal and cans, 

Facilities include an 

independent kindergarten 

area, upper and lower 

school buildings, cafeteria, 

gymnasium, sports facilities, 

and an auditorium. 

glass bottles, and food waste are all separated during 

operations. The appointed waste collection company 

was awarded a contract on the basis that they collect 

the separated waste in trucks that maintain separation, 

and they have an extensive sorting site that employs 

women and youth. 

A BENCHMARK FOR EAST AFRICA 

“The growth and development of school infrastructure 

have a large impact on our natural environment and 

communities,” shares Austin Opiyo, SABIS® facilities 

manager. “The design, construction, and operation of 

the buildings in which we work are responsible for the 

consumption of many of our natural resources. We are 

glad that SABIS® Runda is a leading example of a green 

school and has gone ahead to be a corporate leader in 

sustainability initiatives.” 

“Research has shown that certain green building 

factors positively influence learners’ performance 

at school,” notes Chilufya Lombe, director at Solid 

Green. “SABIS® Runda is the first school in the SABIS® 

Network to be completed and undergo certification in 

Africa, with more planned in future. With this project 

we have shown that schools, where our children spend 

most of their time away from home, can be green too. 

We hope that other learning institutions in Africa will 

also adopt green building certification and become 

part of the call to climate action.” 

“This certification sets an example for the rest of 

the region,” says Elizabeth Chege. “We were thrilled 

to be part of the process of opening up the Green Star 

Africa PEB tool for countries outside South Africa. 

The client was dedicated to achieving this aim and 

the professional team and main contractor were 

completely open-minded about the process, enabling 

us to efficiently meet the required credits.” 

In both its realisation and certification process, 

SABIS® International School – Runda has successfully 

set a new benchmark for schools and the green building 

sector in East Africa. 

70 



71


INFECTION CONTROL 

IN THE COVID-19 ERA: 

NOVAERUS 

CLEARS THE AIR 

Now available in South Africa. 

The COVID-19 outbreak has sparked concern 

worldwide. Global health authorities are taking 

measures to control the spread of infection. 

A 

small Irish company, Novaerus, plays a big 

role in infection control as the world faces 

a second wave of COVID-19. 

As the world enters into a second wave of the 

COVID-19 crisis, tens of thousands of white, shoeboxsized 

metal devices — parked on shelves, mounted on 

walls — are working 24 hours a day to make indoor 

air safer to breathe. Whirring quietly, plugged into 

ordinary outlets, these devices have been installed just 

about everywhere — above hospital beds and surgical 

gurneys across Europe, adjacent to dental chairs and 

IVF incubators in China, on pharmacy walls in Hong 

Kong and school library shelves in the United States, in 

Irish pubs and hotel lobbies. Their unobtrusive design 

conceals a sophisticated and powerful technology, now 

deployed in 58 countries to help prevent the spread of 

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. 

These pathogen-killing devices represent a decade of 

innovation at Novaerus. Designed to control infection 

in high level medical settings, Novaerus technology is 

now generating interest well beyond hospitals. “In a 

world that’s been transformed, we’re helping people get 

back to work and return to a safe environment,” says 

Kieran McBrien, Senior Vice President of International 

Business Development. 

INFECTION PREVENTION 

IN A PANDEMIC 

When COVID-19 exploded, so did global awareness 

of a worrisome and accelerating phenomenon: the 

airborne transmission of pathogens. For decades, 

infection spread has plagued hospitals, driving up 

mortality rates, costs, and fear among patients. Even 

in pristine facilities, viral and bacterial particles — 

launched airborne by a cough, a sigh, the rustling 

of a bedsheet — waft about the corridors, only to be 

inhaled by patients or settle on bed rails, stethoscopes, 

and countless other high-touch surfaces. 

It is Novaerus’ mission to prevent pathogen spread. 

The company’s devices, commonly installed in criticalcare 

units and operating theatres, have long protected 

hospital patients from infectious outbreaks of all 

kinds — influenza, norovirus, tuberculosis, MRSA, 

aspergillosis, measles. 

But it was COVID-19 that put Novaerus on the map. 

In the pandemic’s early days, experts assumed SARS- 

CoV-2 was spread in the community via hefty droplets, 

sprayed by sneezes and coughs and evaded by taking 

a few steps back. Then it became clear: symptom-free 

people were spreading the virus, too. Studies piled 

up confirming transmission via aerosols, infectious 

particles light enough to sail across a call centre or 

church, small enough to slip through gaps in a surgical 

mask. Most recently, the CDC in the United States has 

acknowledged COVID-19 can be spread via airborne 

transmission. 

“Now we know there’s a great range of droplet size,” 

says McBrien. “Whether you’re sneezing, singing, 

or talking, you can emit very small, very infectious 

particles that can remain suspended for a long time.” 

Infectious aerosols, whether viral, bacterial, or fungal, 

are no match for Novaerus patented plasma technology, 

NanoStrike®. This plasma-based nanotechnology kills 

all airborne microorganisms on contact providing the 

first line of protection against viruses and bacteria. 

NanoStrike® has been independently tested and proven 

effective on a wide range of airborne pathogens, 

including MS2 Bacteriophage, a virus used as a 

surrogate for SARS-CoV-2. The technology was shown 

to reduce the virus by 99.99%. 

Hospitals from Wuhan to Budapest began installing 

the units in their COVID wards. Then, as lockdowns 

eased, the hotels and pubs started calling. By deploying 

Novaerus NanoStrike technology, healthcare facilities, 

schools and businesses of all types will find themselves 

prepared for future waves of Covid-19 and the inevitable 

outbreaks of other highly infectious diseases. 

Light Ray Pty Ltd is the exclusive distributor of 

Novaerus products in South Africa . Mr Cristian F 

Cernat, Light Ray CTO, is available for individual or 

group webinars to better introduce the technology and 

other built environment air purification technologies. 

For more information contact novaerus@light-ray.com 

or visit www.novaerus.com. 

Enhance Infection Control Protocols 

with Air Dis-Infection 

Novaerus patented plasma technology is proven to 

rapidly destroy airborne viruses. Implementing air 

dis-infection technology that is continuously working 

at the point of care to reduce the amount of 

bioburden in the air leads to less surface 

contamination and a lower likelihood of direct and 

indirect transmission of infection. 

A Proven Technology that Rapidly Kills Viruses 

Due to the small size of viruses, many clean air 

solutions, including standalone filtration, are unable 

to trap viral particles. Novaerus portable air 

dis-infection units use a non-selective, rapid killing, 

patented plasma technology, offering a unique and 

safe solution to kill airborne viruses 24/7. 

Novaerus technology has been independently tested against MS2 

Bacteriophage, a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing 

COVID-19. 

The Defend 150 was shown to reduce the virus by 99.99% in 

15 minutes. 

The Protect 800 was shown to reduce the virus by 99.99% in 

5 hours. 

Sizes For Every Space 

Novaerus air dis-infection units are 

available in three sizes, to suit any 

space. All units can be easily 

positioned and plugged in where 

they are needed most - patient 

rooms, waiting rooms, ambulances, 

operating theaters, intensive care 

units, emergency rooms, etc. 


CONTACT US TODAY: Call: 011 312 2430 Email: novaerus@light-ray.com

POLICY 

POLICY 

Ambitious 

but achievable 

GBCSA recently released a new guide to 

developing net-zero carbon buildings, 

which seeks to prove that net-zero carbon 

in buildings can be achieved and offers an 

overview of this concept in South Africa. 

Reliance on fossil fuels to power our buildings 

and cities is damaging the health of our people 

and environment, but this can be overcome 

with a move to net-zero carbon buildings. They 

are completely viable today and crucial for the future. 

The GBCSA defines a net-zero carbon building 

as “a building that is highly energy-efficient, with 

the remaining energy requirement generated 

from renewable energy, preferably on-site, or off-site 

where necessary”. 

The critical mass of net-zero carbon buildings is 

required to meet political and planetary climate goals. 

The built environment currently produces one-third 

of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. This sector 

must drastically reduce the amount of CO 2 it generates 

and it has the potential for significant greenhouse gas 

emissions reduction at a lower cost than other sectors. 

It is possible and imperative for us to achieve netzero 

carbon buildings, and with determination and 

enabling building standards, policies and legislation, 

it can be implemented far and wide. 

The biggest challenges facing the uptake of net-zero 

buildings are those of perception (when people think 

it’s more difficult than it is), technical challenges as 

well as financial challenges. All of these are being 

rapidly overcome. 

The main aim when targeting net zero is to drive the 

energy consumption of a building as low as possible. 

This is done by addressing the main consumers of 

energy such as heating, cooling, lighting and equipment. 

Using passive design strategies that work closely with 

the prevailing climate and context, not only helps to 

create comfortable buildings for people but also ones 

that are energy efficient. 

Building performance simulations make it easier 

than ever today to understand and predict the way 

a building will operate, allowing us to intervene 

and ultimately design and construct the best spaces 

GETTING TO ZERO 

The guide to developing 

net-zero carbon buildings 

in South Africa 

DOWNLOAD 

Daffonchio & Associates Architects 

The Living Building Challenge 

standard uses a flower as 

a metaphor to illustrate the 

principle of regenerative 

buildings like 76 Corlett Drive. 

possible. Once simulations and cost-effective passive 

design interventions have driven energy consumption 

from heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) and 

lighting as low as possible, advances in technology can 

be used to ensure that the active equipment required 

in the building is as energy efficient as possible with 

the use of on-site renewable energy. 

If this cannot be achieved on-site (for example in 

buildings with limited roof-space in relation to floor 

area), then off-site renewable energy can be explored. 

With the focus on new and existing commercial 

buildings, mainly offices, with some reference to the 

residential sector, the guide provides useful efficiency 

targets to aim for and offers guidance and practical 

tips on how to achieve them – from identifying the 

right people to have on your project team, to the 

actual energy-use intensity of lighting and mechanical 

equipment that should be targeted in a commercial 

building. Furthermore, it highlights renewable energy 

considerations to bear in mind on your project. 

The guide features numerous case studies, 

showcasing projects that have already achieved netzero 

carbon status. These projects inspire and share 

learning to motivate those seeking to make net-zero 

carbon a reality. 

It also emphasises that building energy-use intensity 

should be about one-third of current standard practice 

in South Africa and details the most effective passive 

design strategies to use in the local context. And when 

implementing active systems such as air conditioning, 

it gives the pros and cons of different systems and 

guidance on choosing the most effective ones for 

particular regions in South Africa. Finally, the guide 

highlights some of the intricacies of the renewable 

energy landscape in our country. 

PUBLISHING PARTNERSHIP 

ASHRAE South African Chapter (American Society 

of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning 

Engineers). This is a volunteer-based society of built 

environment professionals, striving to improve and 

share building sciences and related industries. 

C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) South 

Africa Buildings Programme. Connects 96 of the 

world’s greatest cities to take bold climate action, 

leading the way towards a healthier and more 

sustainable future. Representing 700+ million citizens 

and one-quarter of the global economy, mayors of the 

C40 cities are committed to delivering on the most 

ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement at the local 

level. The C40 South Africa Buildings Programme 

is delivered in partnership with Sustainable Energy 

Africa (SEA). It includes embedded expert advisors 

working in each city, to develop net-zero carbon 

building policies and bylaws as part of a roadmap 

to achieve net-zero carbon new buildings by 2030. 

The Green Building Council South Africa 

(GBCSA). Promotes sustainable development and 

property industry transformation through green 

building programmes, technologies and design 

practices. The GBCSA has developed comprehensive 

environmental rating systems for buildings, including 

Green Star, Energy Water Performance and Net Zero/ 

Net Positive. 



INTERIORS 

How Covid-19 

could sharpen 

our offices 

Covid-19 has accelerated the evolution of the workplace 

while revealing new challenges. The transformation to 

mobile working has been remarkable, as have the newlydiscovered 

health and safety risks of being together at the 

office. Specialist workplace consultant, Georgie Chennells, 

explores how these drivers of change can lead to a more 

efficient, more effective, and much more human workplace 

of the future. 

WORDS Georgie Chennells, SPACE SENSE 

THE WORKPLACE 

OF THE FUTURE 

iStock 

76 



INTERIORS 

structuring the future… 

one partner… 

one project at a time... 

11616 | www.iww.co.za | rm 

One thing is for certain in our post-Covid 

world: the concept of the office has been 

irrevocably altered and will not return to 

what was previously considered normal. 

But this may not be a bad thing. Covid has revealed a 

whole new world of possibility where the work world 

is concerned, and will quite likely signify a leap in the 

direction of a more efficient, more humane workplace 

– designed to benefit its occupants, rather than the 

other way round. 

Before we explore the changes, let’s remind ourselves 

where we were before Covid-19. 

THE PRE-COVID WORKPLACE 

The workplace as a paradigm is in a constant state of 

evolution, responding to the way people work, which 

is ultimately about how businesses work. Before Covid 

hit, the world’s workforce was already moving towards 

being more mobile and technology-reliant, and we 

were already embracing digitalisation, automation, 

robotics and AI. 

The workplace was also getting smaller, with the 

average square metre of workplace per employee 

reducing year by year as hot-desking, flexible working 

and activity-based work styles gained favour, driven by 

improved connectivity and virtual collaboration tools 

like MS Office, Asana and Google Business, as well as 

increasing real estate costs. 

New workplace design was responding more and 

more to the connection between employee wellbeing 

and business productivity, as a growing body of 

evidence on neurological and physiological effects of 

the work environment on cognitive ability, fuelled the 

popularity of biophilia and healthy green buildings. Add 

to that growth of coworking and increased adoption of 

the hybrid workplace model and you have an already 

fertile ground for change. 

None of the above has disappeared. Covid has 

accelerated the evolution along this same trajectory 

while revealing new challenges. 

The local workplace pre-Covid’s arrival was not very 

evolved in terms of Work From Home 

For knowledge workers in South Africa, we’ve gone 

(quite suddenly) from a predominantly office-based 

scenario pre-Covid to a predominantly home-based 

scenario during the lockdown. 

A recent local workplace study* revealed that before 

the lockdown, 57% of South African businesses had 

issued less than a quarter of their staff with laptops for 

remote work. Home internet availability and quality 

have also played a role in the pace of evolution. Our 

workforce simply hasn’t been equipped. 

The South African workplace post-Covid’s arrival 

has highlighted possibilities and detractors 

Covid forced the world into the largest mobile-working 

and digital transformation in history. We are now 

seeing a massive increase in the number of employees 

who are working remotely and are able to continue 

doing so. 

The workplace will need to 

be seen to demonstrate care for 

the occupants while at the same 

time supporting a seamless 

workflow, allowing the focus 

to be on productivity and 

human connection. 

In August, MPAMOT (Pty) Ltd, previously known as 

Malani Padayachee and Associates (Pty) Ltd (MPA), 

announced the acquisition of Mott MacDonald Africa 

(Pty) Ltd, the South African engineering entity of 

Mott MacDonald. This was preceded by months of 

extensive negotiations with Mott MacDonald the 

global engineering and development organisation, 

civil and structural engineering consulting firm. 

Prior to the above transaction, investment holding 

company Motseng Women Investments (Pty) Ltd 

(Motseng) acquired a minority equity in Malani 

Padayachee and Associates (Pty) Ltd. 

As first mover recognising the challenges and 

opportunities facing the industry, MPAMOT is 

largest 100% black women-owned engineering and 

development consultancy of its size, capacity and 

capability in South Africa. MPAMOT (Pty) Ltd trades 

within South Africa, the South African Development 

Community, and beyond. 

Mott MacDonald continue to collaborate with MPAMOT 

to support transformation and development and to 

ensure that we are grooming local talent to international 

best practice, as well as providing global linkages for 

our collective clients. A sizeable contingent of Mott 

MacDonald speakers will be at this year’s Green 

Building Council’s Conference which further highlights 

our strong partnership, their support to MPAMOT and 

our drive to bring international best practice to SA. 

In addition, the continuing cooperation and links 

with various partners in SADC and Africa allows 

MPAMOT to compete effectively for development of 

infrastructure to enhance the lives of people in Africa. 

Structuring the future... one partner...one project at 

a time. 

Please contact info@mpamot.co.za for further 

information or visit our website www.mpamot.co.za 

Space Sense 

CoWomen on Unsplash 

Coworking spaces like WeWork 

have spurred the boom in highly 

expressive, easily accessible 

flexible work spaces frequented 

by not only entrepreneurs but 

big business too. 


79

INTERIORS 

INTERIORS 

Worldwide studies are showing that for certain tasks 

and types of work, Work From Home (WFH) can be 

as productive, if not more so, than working from a 

“traditional” office. This is, however, a short-term 

result and is not conclusive in terms of longer-term 

impact on employee engagement, productivity and 

business resilience. 

The same studies also reveal that the WFH experience 

is not beneficial to all. Despite being more digitally 

savvy in general, the younger generation, especially, 

is having a less favourable WFH experience, as they 

are more likely to live in smaller or shared spaces, 

and therefore don’t have access to the same quality 

of the home-working environment that their older 

colleague, or boss, might. They are also missing out 

on the inherent learning and growth that comes with 

exposure to more experienced colleagues, as well as the 

growth of personal social and professional networks. 

We are seeing that overall, people do want to return 

to the office, or a form of the office, in some capacity, 

whether it’s for the social component or to re-establish 

the boundaries between home and worklife. 

This is not surprising given that in-person interaction 

is also vital for building trust and strengthening the 

culture of any organisation, which is vital for any 

business to survive. 

THE WORKPLACE POST-COVID 

The post-Covid workplace keeps its foundational 

purpose: to provide space and facilities for employees 

to get their work done, whether as individuals or 

teams. It does, however, entrust employees with 

more autonomy than ever before. It embraces a new 

set of design functionalities and human behaviours 

in response to new knowledge and forms of disease. 

And it incorporates a higher level of workplace 

management, powered by technology and policy, to 

efficiently support a more dynamic workforce and a 

more focused work environment. 

What this could look like, essentially, is less time 

spent at the office, but a higher level of functionality 

expected from it when we are there. 

Shift to health and safety 

Covid has highlighted some serious shortcomings 

in the design of our workplaces that were previously 

largely overlooked. 

In returning to our workplaces, whether as an 

interim or permanent capacity, new functionalities 

and behaviours around the workplace are required, 

both to lessen the risk of disease, as well as to address 

occupants’ new-found anxieties. Some of these are now 

legislated and may at some point be waived; some are 

just good practice. 

We’ve seen the office as we know it replanned to 

incorporate physical distancing, wider circulation 

routes, controlled entry points, and sanitising stations 

galore. We’ve seen our behaviour change in line with 

this, and we are reminded constantly of new workplace 

protocols to wash hands, keep distance, and limit the 

number of people in any contained area. The process 

of using a lift, for example, is completely transformed. 

Socially-distanced queueing, limiting capacity, finding 

ways to avoid touching the buttons, and hand sanitiser 

on both sides of the journey, are now the requirement. 

Increased levels of cleaning and sanitisation, too, 

have become the accepted norm, and new practices 

around the cleanliness of office settings include the 

communication of these practices just as much as the 

practices themselves. 

Covid forced the world into the 

largest mobile-working and digital 

transformation in history. 

A much-overdue spotlight has been shone on the 

role building ventilation plays in employee health and 

wellbeing, and, new standards in air-conditioning filters 

and maintenance have been adopted, to everyone’s benefit. 

There is also a new appreciation and recognition 

for fresh air and outdoor workspaces, which with our 

temperate climate, should be in ample supply in South 

Africa, especially in Green Star-certified buildings. 

Environmentally-sustainable buildings, by their general 

nature, incorporate healthy indoor environments that 

encompass passive design (natural light, fresh air, etc) 

and low-emission materials – another benefit to the 

air quality of buildings – which stands them in good 

stead as attractive locations in a post-Covid world. 

Workplace technology can seamlessly 

integrate with employee devices to 

support friction-free work flows and 

effective space management and planning. 

We expect more from our buildings in terms of their 

approach to occupant health and safety. The way we use 

them has also changed, along with our perceptions of 

what it means to feel safe and comfortable in a shared 

environment. Overall, a higher level of functionality, 

service and communication around building health 

and safety will be a standard requirement. 

THE SHIFT TO HYBRID 

The hybrid workplace model blends analogue and 

virtual participation. It’s a mix informed by people 

and team functionalities and ways of working. It’s 

essentially the mid-point between the two extremes 

of office or home, and the likely landing point for 

most workplaces going forward. While this model is 

not new, its adoption is becoming more mainstream. 

The hybrid workplace gives employees a level of 

flexibility, allowing the incorporation of mobile working 

(WFH, or from wherever they may choose) as part of 

day-to-day work life. This way of working incorporates 

a blend of real-life as well as virtual interaction, from 

video conferences to virtual whiteboarding sessions 

to in-person collaborative sessions. 

This could take various forms, for example, three 

days in the office, and two at home rotated to align 

with team members on certain days. It also opens doors 

to a more distributed workforce, located in further 

reaching areas, who may only come to the main office 

on occasion for specific tasks. There are multiple 

possibilities depending on the nature of the business, 

the work and the people. 

The hybrid way of working allows more employee 

autonomy, and has been shown to lead to better employee 

health, wellbeing, and productivity. Of course, it 

also means less time commuting between home and 

work and thus fewer carbon emissions. 

123rf 

In this scenario, it makes sense to set up the 

workplace to have fewer settings (desks, meeting rooms, 

collaboration areas, etc) that are used on a shared 

basis. This requires a layer of workplace management 

to efficiently allocate and utilise available space and 

facilities without compromising employees’ ability to 

get work done. Software that brings real-time visibility 

and bookability to these elements is key. Plug-and-play 

technology with on-hand support is equally important. 

Workplace amenities and technology overall will 

need to provide a friction-free experience if they are 

to support and not hinder employees’ limited time at 

the office. Time wasted trying to connect to a glitchy 

video conference or looking for a whiteboard marker at 

the start of a team session detracts from productivity. 

In a world where employees have the choice to work 

remotely or visit the office, the experience is paramount 

to attracting them back. 

While less space and fewer settings might be a 

possibility in the hybrid workplace, it’s worth noting 

that a greater level of management and service will be 

required to successfully orchestrate this symphony of 

employee experience. 

The workplace will need to care 

for the occupants while at the 

same time supporting a seamless 

workflow, allowing the focus to be on 

productivity and human connection. 

SO WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE US? 

With an overall move away from full-time occupancy 

of the office, this central gathering place still plays 

a vital role in the life of a business or organisation. 

And while it may make sense to downsize and make 

use of shared settings and facilities, the functional 

expectation from our physical environments will be 

greater than before. The workplace will need to be 

seen to demonstrate care for the occupants while at the 

same time supporting a seamless workflow, allowing 

the focus to be on productivity and human connection. 

This next step in the evolution of the office could 

be a positive step forward, benefiting overall human 

health and wellbeing, business efficiencies and of 

course playing a small but important role in reducing 

the impact on our environment. 

Cabinet members sit 

in the lower court 

garden of the State 

Chancellery at the start 

of the Bavarian cabinet 

meeting in Munich, 

southern Germany. 

www.businesslive.co.za 

*Study: Remote Working in South Africa 2020, by World Wide Worx for Cisco Systems 

Space Sense is a Johannesburg-based workplace consultancy that works with organisations 

to help them set up their spaces to enable high-performing teams and efficient operations. 

Space Sense is driven by Georgie Chennells, a workplace consultant with a background in 

architecture, communications and organisational dynamics. 

80 



81

INTERIORS 

Design 

for life: 

Cutting carbon 

in the workplace 

A sustainable office that minimises its impact 

on the planet offers immense benefits for 

employers and employees – and it starts with 

design. Office fit-out firm, Tétris Design and 

Build, explore some international examples. 

WORDS Tetris 

Low waste fit-out at the JLL Manchester offices. 



83

INTERIORS 

INTERIORS 

As countries strive to meet carbon reduction 

targets, more corporations are pledging 

to achieve net-zero emissions – and a 

low-carbon, earth-friendly workplace is 

becoming a vital business priority. 

According to the UN Global Compact, companies 

that make climate consciousness part of their business 

can increase their sales by as much as 20%, and decrease 

employee turnover up to 50%. Green practices are 

increasingly valued by consumers and investors, and for 

employees, sustainable workspaces have been shown 

to enhance wellbeing and boost productivity. 

While overall carbon impact largely depends on 

external building features, a low-carbon interior 

fit-out significantly improves an office’s lifetime 

environmental impact, not only by reducing waste 

during the construction phase but through design that 

minimises emissions in operation and makes use of 

furniture and materials from local, sustainable sources. 

“Sustainable fit-outs are a process to create beautiful, 

functional spaces that minimise the impact on the 

environment,” says Silvia Aranda, design operations 

director, EMEA at Tétris. “With the commitments 

made by countries and corporates, this approach has 

become more normalised and therefore affordable 

for everyone.” 

LOW ENERGY BY DESIGN 

For Interface, a pioneer in carbon-neutral flooring, 

its interior fit-out reflected its business aims and 

philosophy. The biophilia-centred design reduces 

the energy required for lighting and ventilation by 

prioritising natural light and green walls that filter the 

Countertops at the JLL 

Manchester offices are made 

of recycled yoghurt pots. 

You cannot achieve net zero as 

an afterthought – it has to be a 

mandate from the beginning that 

drives every single design and 

build decision. 

air, with movable glass partitions that ensure daylight 

reaches through the entire space. 

“Energy efficiency, whether it’s through daylight 

harvesting or efficient office systems, is a key factor 

in creating a net-zero design,” says Aranda. 

As in the Interface office, which received WELL 

Gold certification, an accreditation for spaces that 

enhance wellbeing, designs that consider employee 

wellness and convenience are likely to slash emissions. 

For example, floorplans configured with desks at 

the perimeter can maximise daylight for all staff and 

reduce the need for artificial lighting. In hot climates, 

desking could be placed further from the façade, while 

window treatments can reduce heat and glare to dial 

back reliance on air conditioning. Across the board, 

energy-saving LEDs optimise electricity use while 

easy-to-access switches and motion sensors ensure 

lights are off in empty zones. 

CONSUMING LESS, AND LOCAL 

Procuring recycled or salvaged materials that minimise 

the consumption of resources is equally crucial in 

low-carbon design. 

Take the JLL Manchester office – along with smart 

sensors that track the office climate to optimise energy 

use, the low-carbon, low-waste fit-out relies on the 

use of recycled materials. Its kitchen and reception 

countertops are made of recycled yoghurt pots, while 

the floor and ceiling coverings comprise recycled 

plastic. Instead of new chairs, refurbished seating 

reduced carbon emissions by 61% and water use by 75%. 

“Reusing materials helps avoid producing 

unnecessary waste. Where clients already have good 

Rick Geenjaar 

Rick Geenjaar 

Rick Geenjaar 

furniture, it can be included in their new designs,” says 

Joanna Gajewska-Sokołowska, EMEA deputy chief 

operating officer at Tétris. 

Suppliers that check off against sustainability 

criteria streamline the process of sourcing low-impact 

materials and furnishings, notes Gajewska-Sokołowska, 

while working with local suppliers not only reduces 

the emissions associated with transport but can create 

a positive impact in the local economy. 

In Amsterdam, the InteriorWorks office is fitted 

entirely with regained materials, from joinery to glass 

and wood partitions, with some elements sourced from 

the industrial neighbourhood, others from within a 

100-kilometre radius. An edible garden contributes to 

employee dining, and throughout, trees and greenery 

maintain air quality and evoke the sense of parkland 

within the workspace. 

“A net-zero design incorporates as much of the 

outside landscape into the interior as possible, choosing 

materials that utilise and preserve the local land and 

culture,” Aranda says. 

SAY NO TO THE LANDFILL 

With , 

there is a growing range of furniture and finishes that 

create little or no waste, absorbing what’s generated 

back into their production cycles – and reducing 

what needs to be sent to the landfill when companies 

refurbish or when materials wear out. 

Flooring by Interface, for example, can be returned to 

Biophilia centred design 

at the WELL Gold certified 

Interface offices in Paris. 

The InteriorWorks office 

in Amsterdam is fitted 

out entirely from 

regained materials. 

the manufacturer at the end of a life cycle to be recycled 

into new products. Furniture company Steelcase 

to make upholstery, and many of its pieces contain up 

to 95% recyclable content. 

Setting a formal system for waste management 

throughout an interior fit-out – including what’s 

generated in the supply chain helps with the effective 

reuse of materials, whether they’re used in the new 

design, donated or sent on for recycling. 

“When you design the workplace with circularity in 

mind, you are more likely to use less, measure exactly 

what you need, and reduce waste,” says Gajewska- 

Sokołowska. “A zero-waste project should be the 

ultimate goal.” 

THE NET-ZERO JOURNEY 

Creating a zero-carbon workplace starts long before 

anyone walks through the office doors. “You cannot 

achieve net zero as an afterthought – it has to be a mandate 

from the beginning that drives every single design and 

build decision,” says Aranda. Nor does one size fit all, she 

notes. Strategies to reduce the emissions of a fit-out are 

unique to a particular space and its tenant’s operations. 

“The result is a functional, accessible and stylised 

space designed specifically for low maintenance and 

minimal operating costs, and for the client’s goals,” 

Aranda says. “In this way, we create holistic spaces 

that inspire, are differentiated in the market, and most 

importantly, can thrive for generations to come.” 

84 



85

ENERGY 

ENERGY 

Cape Town 

Future Energy 

Festival: 

THE FUTURE 

RE-IMAGINED 

The Cape Town Future Energy Festival is a fun, family-friendly 

series of virtual event experiences designed to include all 

residents in shaping an energy future that is sustainable and 

equitable. The festival showcases innovative and cost-effective 

household solutions for energy use and a more sustainable way 

of living, now and into the future. 

WORDS & IMAGES City of Cape Town 

What are some of the ways we can be 

more conscious and resource-efficient 

at home and work? What will Cape 

Town’s energy landscape look like in 

10, 20 or 30 years? How will new technology shift 

the way we use energy? And what role can each of 

us play in meeting Cape Town’s ambitious target of 

carbon neutrality and climate resilience by 2050? 

These are some of the questions that the Cape Town 

Future Energy Festival hopes will spark conversations 

and get Capetonians thinking about creating a more 

sustainable, resilient and equitable city. 

Organised by the City of Cape Town’s Sustainable 

Energy Markets department, the festival is currently 

running as a virtual programme with a physical event 

planned for early 2021. The line-up of activities aims to 

educate residents on how to make sustainable choices 

while creating dialogue inspired by climate change, 

energy efficiency, renewable energy, water-saving, waste 

reduction, smart transport and sustainable living. 

The energy landscape is rapidly changing and as we 

continue to operate under the threat of load shedding, 

new technologies are being adopted and international 

pressure to reduce our carbon emissions is mounting. 

The City’s Energy and Climate Change Directorate is 

committed to providing an energy service that is Clean, 

Accessible, Reliable, Equitable and Safe (CARES). 

Identifying consistent and sustainable ways to use 

energy effectively is of vital importance, especially since 

the global Covid-19 crisis has impacted many of Cape 

Town’s households, as well as our country’s economy. 

For many households, energy is a significant expense, 

Grant Williams 


so in today’s context, energy efficiency and cost-cutting 

becomes even more relevant. Due to the crisis, issues 

such as inequality and household resilience have been 

highlighted anew, so the festival will also look at social 

and financial sustainability and how to make the city’s 

energy service accessible to all its residents. 

For a city like Cape Town, being 

carbon neutral is synonymous with 

creating a cleaner, more equitable, 

resource-efficient and resilient city. 

As part of its commitment to the global pact to 

achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 while increasing 

climate resilience, the City of Cape Town is developing 

a Climate Action Plan which sets the pathway to this 

goal. Reaching this ambitious goal is only possible if 

every Capetonian understands the role they play and the 

positive choices they can make in their own homes. The 

festival sub-events are thus deliberately designed as 

collaborative platforms, to encourage participation and 

promote conversation around efficient energy usage 

and sustainable living in all Cape Town households. 

The festival kicked off with Watt’s in the Pot? – an 

energy-efficient cooking competition that invited the 

public to share their delicious recipes using energyefficient 

methods and appliances. Six finalists were 

Finalists for the Watt's in the Pot? 

cooking competition from left to right: 

Velma Mullins, Juliette Pilaar, Chantal 

Martin, Kurt Johnson, Nandipha Motsa 

and Nanziwe Mzuzu. 

Winner of Watt’s in the Pot? Nandipha 

Motsa “high fives” host Jarrad Ricketts, 

with City of Cape Town Councillor 

Zimkhitha Sulelo (left) and Peter 

Nordejee (right) of Crown National 

Food Group. 



87

ENERGY 

selected for the 

live cook-off that 

took place at the 

Crown National 

commercial 

kitchen under the 

watchful eyes of 

host Jarrad Ricketts 

and celebrity judges Aden Thomas, Liezel van der 

Westhuizen and Africa Melane. Watch the final cookoff 

to see the winning recipe and learn some tips along 

the way on how you can save energy in the kitchen. 

The Smart City Kids series is aimed at children aged 

between four and eight years old and introduces the 

concepts of energy, waste, water, transport and food to 

our future sustainability champions. These engaging and 

interactive shows are not only fun and entertaining but 

will also teach children ways they can start helping to 

protect our environment for their future. 

Meanwhile, the Future Energy Conversations are 

geared towards those who want to develop a deeper 

understanding of the challenges and opportunities 

around energy, climate change and sustainability. The 

series brings together thought leaders in industry and 

government to discuss the tough questions around 

these issues, and provides a platform for inspiring case 

studies on the journey to carbon neutrality by 2050. 

The festival will culminate in a physical event to be 

held outdoors in the first quarter of 2021. The My Clean 

Green Home exhibit in collaboration with the GBCSA 

will demonstrate sustainable living in action. The public 

will have the opportunity to tour a full-sized model home 

built to operate at net-zero carbon emissions and learn 

about the possibilities of energy-efficient homes. Another 

event is the Green Maker Mania, which will provide an 

opportunity for innovators to share their projects related 

to sustainability and green technology. The top projects 

which best demonstrate the Future Energy theme will be 

showcased on the festival’s various platforms. 

Above: Watt’s in the Pot? contestant Nanziwe Mzuzu (right) shows off her 

energy-efficient cooking skills to judge Liezel van der Westhuizen (left) in the 

Crown National commercial kitchen during the live cook-off event. 

Below: Reshmi Wolvers of GreenCape (left) with Lauren Hermanus Founder and 

CEO of Adapt for the second Future Energy Conversations (centre), and Mary Haw 

from the City’s Sustainable Energy Markets Department (right). 

As Mayoral Committee member for Climate Change 

Councillor Maxiti says: “For a city like Cape Town, 

being carbon neutral is synonymous with creating a 

cleaner, more equitable, resource-efficient and resilient 

city. In the process, we learn to thrive on innovation 

to generate sustainable livelihoods while providing 

affordable and accessible services to our residents.” 

GREEN HOME DESIGN COMPETITION 

As part of the My Clean Green Home exhibit, the City of Cape Town along with the GBCSA is running a design 

competition to showcase the ultimate in green living. The competition is targeted at students and professionals of 

the built environment and aims to showcase how efficient design principals and sustainable materials can be used 

to build a home that is net-zero carbon in operation. The winning design will be constructed and displayed at the 

physical festival in early 2021, and members of the public will have the opportunity to tour the home and see the 

energy efficiency, water-saving and other sustainable and cost-saving measures in action. 

QUICK TIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING 

• Switch off unused lights and appliances at the wall 

• Replace old incandescent lightbulbs with energy-efficient LEDs 

• Use green energy by installing solar water heaters and/or solar PV panels 

• Use local building materials 

• Reduce, reuse, recycle 

• Harvest rainwater and reuse greywater 

• Invest in low-flow tap fittings and showerheads 

• Eat local, seasonal foods and cut down on meat 

• Start a compost bin for vegetable waste 

• Clear alien invasive plants from your property and replace with indigenous, water-wise species 


Zelda Coetzee 

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Drastically HVAC system, reduce and the leads strain to improved on a buildings energy 

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efficiency and savings. 

Contactless activation ensures highest 

Contactless possible hygiene activation levels. ensures highest 

possible hygiene levels. 

Hygiene starts at the entrance. 

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in the form of the FROST AUTOMATIC sliding door 

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88 

POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 0.8

MATERIALS 

The built environment is responsible for almost 40% of 

global climate emissions. Many architects are already 

designing so that buildings use less carbon in their daily 

operations. Now it’s time for the second step: to reduce 

the embodied carbon that goes into the making of those 

buildings in the first place. 

WORDS Lloyd Rubidge, VDMMA 

Embodied 

Carbon: 

AN ARCHITECT’S VIEW 



MATERIALS 

CASE STUDY BLACK CURRANT ARCHITECTS 

HOUSE KRITZINGER 

Looking out over the vineyards of Croydon 

Vineyard Estate and Table Mountain in the 

distance this property embodies luxury, style, 

and comfort. Within the building, windows are 

placed on both the northern and southern perimeter 

so the user can enjoy cross ventilation as well as full 

height sliding glass doors to the outdoors, connecting 

both the interior and exterior spaces. 

The sleek and stylish open-plan kitchen leads 

seamlessly into the dining room and lounges, which in 

turn lead onto the patio with wooden decking and a solar 

heated swimming pool. Built-in fireplaces are strategically 

placed to add warmth during the colder months where 

necessary. Interiors are styled with beautiful open trussed 

ceilings and warm wooden flooring. 

Project Details 

Location: Croydon Vineyard Estate, Cape Town, South Africa 

Client: Kritzinger 

Size: 994m² 

Status: Built 

Completion Date: 2018 

OPERATIONAL VS EMBODIED 

As architects, we know our decisions affect climate 

change. We spend lots of time and effort thinking about 

how to light and shade our buildings, how ventilation 

works and our occupants’ comfort. We do this not only 

because building regulations require it, but also to create 

good, usable buildings. 

The existing stock of buildings in the world 

consumes copious amounts of energy: for heating, 

cooling, lighting and to power the activities of their 

occupants. This releases huge amounts of greenhouse 

gasses, mainly carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. 

This operational carbon accounts for 28% of all carbon 

that we humans release, significantly more than the 

entire transportation sector. 

The earlier you start considering 

embodied carbon in the design 

process, the bigger the impact. 

This a shocking amount of carbon, and the reason why 

we have been increasingly focused on the performance 

of our new buildings. Around the world, new buildings 

are improving, and many are achieving close to zero 

operational carbon. At the same time, many countries 

and cities are tightening regulations, making that level 

of performance a requirement. 

But that 28% is only part of the story. According to 

the UN Environment Global Status Report, the world 

will be building the equivalent of an entire city like 

New York or Paris every month for the next 30 years. 

This means the stock of buildings that will produce 

operational carbon is increasing – and the construction 

process itself also consumes energy and produces 

huge amounts of carbon dioxide. This embodied 

carbon accounts for another 11% of global warming 

gas emissions. 

Think of it this way: every year we increase the 

world’s building stock, in the process emitting 40% as 

much carbon as all the buildings already in existence. 

Over the next decade, as operational carbon emissions 

continue to fall, embodied carbon will become a bigger 

part of the problem. But until recently, embodied 

carbon has been largely ignored. 

WHERE TO START? 

When I first started thinking about this it seemed to 

me to be an impossible problem. 

The construction industry is geared to build in a 

certain way, that has changed little over time. Clients, 

engineers and local authorities have expectations and 

requirements, and we architects are trying to make 

beautiful buildings. How can we push against that? 

Even the construction codes, many of which go back 

decades, encourage “business as usual”. 

Most of us are vaguely aware that some materials 

are better than others in terms of embodied carbon. 

Concrete, steel and aluminium, for example, have 

been long known to be energy-intensive in their 

manufacture. But is it possible to build without them? 

And are they really that bad? Is concrete any worse than 

brick, or a glass curtain-wall? Is a natural tile worse 

than a manufactured ceramic tile? Where do we even 

look for information? 

CHANGE IS POSSIBLE 

We need to bring embodied carbon thinking into 

our everyday discourse, and every stage of the design 

process. Can we avoid building in the first place by 

re-using, refurbishing or extending existing building 

stock? If we must build new, can we be more efficient, 

creating smaller buildings that do not waste space or 

resources and can be more intensively used? This takes 

a great deal of creativity and design thinking and can 

make for great architecture. 

According to a UN Environment 

Global Status Report, the world 

will be building the equivalent of an 

entire city like New York or Paris 

every month for the next 30 years. 

Then, we need to understand the impact of our design 

decisions. We should know what products have the 

highest and lowest global warming potential (GWP) so 

that we can avoid the worst offenders and encourage 

the use of better alternatives. 



93

MATERIALS 

MATERIALS 

Ideally, we would do a full Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) 

with a focus on global warming potential for all of our 

buildings. This may not always be practical, but we can 

certainly start to interrogate our material choices and 

incorporate life-cycle thinking into the design process. 

Where do we get the information? Can we reasonably 

ask our suppliers to give us accurate information on 

the GWP of their products? Would they even know? 

Right now in South Africa, many salespeople wouldn’t 

know what you are talking about – but the more we 

ask, the more aware the industry will become. We 

have power here. 

Internationally, suppliers are increasingly offering 

products with an Environmental Product Declaration 

(EPD) that includes a measure of the product’s GWP. 

These declarations are certified by third parties to 

ensure that they are comparable and trustworthy. 

Until we start to see similar schemes in South Africa, 

we can use international data from sources such as the 

Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) 

tool at buildingtransparency.org 

CURRENT TRENDS 

Around the world, many of the world’s top architectural 

practices have signed up to the AIA Architecture 2030 

Commitment, the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge, or 

the Architects Declare and Construction Declares 

initiatives. They have made a commitment to take 

positive action in response to climate breakdown and 

biodiversity collapse. These commitments include an 

accelerated shift to low embodied carbon. 

Well-known international architects are now sharing 

their research and their experiences. For example, 

Heatherwick, AECOM and FCB shared their learnings 

in a recent article [read below]. 

Tackling embodied carbon: 

how to specify the carbon 

cost of materials 

Others, like Norwegian architect Snøhetta, have 

committed to designing only carbon-negative buildings. 

Their Powerhouse Brattørkaia office will be carbonnegative 

over its lifespan. 

Architecture firm, Kieran Timberlake released 

their Revit plugin tool “Tally” to help other architects 

understand the carbon impact of design decisions, and 

to compare options. 

Architectural associations, institutes and societies 

are playing their part too. The Boston Society for 

Architecture recently presented Embodied Carbon 

101, making the course available on YouTube [right]. 

The WGBC has called for all new 

buildings to have at least 40% less 

embodied carbon. 

EXAMPLE ASSESSMENT 

Embodied carbon impact of materials by a UK 

architect to guide design work. 

MATERIAL kgCO 2e per m³ 

ALUMINIUM 25 650 

STEEL 12 170 

PVC 4 790 

GLASS 3 590 

CONCRETE 550 

BRICK 320 

CROSS LAMINATED TIMBER (FSC) -600 

(source: https://carboncounts.fcbstudios.com/) 

Unmanaged timber harvesting 

causes about 25 hectares of 

forest loss per minute (yes, 

per minute) globally. 

The World Green Building Council has called for 

all new buildings to have at least 40% less embodied 

carbon, and all new buildings to emit net zero 

operational carbon by 2030. The GBCSA’s own 

Getting to Zero guide [free download on page 74] 

focuses mainly on operational carbon, but is also 

working to make embodied carbon accounting more 

accessible in South Africa. 

TAKE ACTION 

The embodied carbon in a system, product or 

material reflects its full life cycle, from mining and 

manufacturing, installation and maintenance, to 

demolition, reuse or recycling and disposal. Although 

complex, some overall assessments can be made, and 

design decisions can have a significant impact even 

when full analyses are not practical. 

The earlier you start considering embodied carbon in 

the design process, the bigger the impact. The structure, 

accounts for a huge proportion of the embodied carbon 

in a building. In a typical office building shell, concrete 

and cement can account for about half of the carbon, so 

the early collaboration between architect and structural 

engineer is hugely beneficial. 

Pixabay 

We can also reduce embodied carbon through our 

selection and specification of materials. One good 

place to start is Architecture 2030’s Carbon Smart 

Materials Palette at materialspalette.org , designed to 

provide “highly impactful guidelines for low/no carbon 

material selections and specifications”. 

DESIGN ETHIC 

The impact of climate change is already being felt 

around the world. We can expect every year to be more 

volatile, with once-extreme climate events becoming 

commonplace. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed and 

powerless – but we cannot give in to the temptation 

of thinking our personal decisions don’t matter. As 

architects, we have immense power to shape not only 

the built environment future generations will inherit, 

but their whole world. From now on, good design is 

carbon-conscious design. 

In a FastCompany article earlier this year Stephanie 

Carlisle wrote: “The vision of a radically decarbonised 

building sector is possible, but only if we all work as 

if our future depends on it”. 

The future depends on us. Will we be able to rise to 

the occasion? 

HIGH-CARBON MATERIALS 

CONCRETE Using less cement is the most effective 

way to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete. Choose 

suppliers with better GWP ratings, or specify the use of 

additives and replacements that reduce the amount of 

cement needed. Optimise structural sizes and spans, 

and lighten slabs. 

STEEL The carbon footprint is very dependent on the 

amount of recycled content. 

WOOD Unmanaged timber harvesting causes about 

25 hectares of forest loss per minute (yes, per minute) 

globally. Be aware of where timber comes from (if it 

is not FSC or similar certified there is a good chance 

it is not from a managed renewable forest). 

INSULATION There is a huge range. Try to specify 

products with low carbon, and avoid spray foams and 

polystyrene where practical. 

GYPSUM Products with gypsum often have shorter 

life spans than the building shell, and are rarely 

recycled. Avoid where possible. 

CARPET GWP can vary by as much as eight times, 

so use sources with known GWP. If an Environment 

Product Declaration (EPD) or similar data is not 

available locally, use international resources on 

similar products. Be aware that carpet is likely to 

be replaced multiple times over the life of a building. 

LOW-CARBON MATERIALS 

WOOD Use wood from managed sources certified 

by FSC or another trusted authority. In certain 

cases you could make the case that you are 

“sequestering” carbon in the building, removing 

it from the atmosphere for the life of the building 

while the replacement forest does the same again. 

Many countries are changing codes to allow for the 

structural use of timber, particularly mass timber, 

like cross laminated timber (CLT). 

OTHER MATERIALS We can expect more “biogenic” 

products that can sequester carbon to become 

available as demand increases. Bamboo, wool, and 

hemp are examples. 

Lloyd Rubidge is a professional architect and co-owner of award-winning South African 

firm, Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects (VDMMA) . He has worked extensively on high-profile 

projects, including the Silo District development at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, in which 

several of the buildings achieved 6-Star Green Star ratings. 

References and useful resources 

https://materialspalette.org/ 

https://www.fastcompany.com/90435650/these-are-the-last-years-of-design-as-we-know-it 

http://www.heatherwick.com/studio/news/new-research-tackling-embodied-carbon/ 

https://aecom.com/without-limits/article/tackling-embodied-carbon-how-to-specify-the-carbon-cost-of-materials/ 

https://www.dezeen.com/2019/11/27/snohetta-carbon-negative-buildings-pledge/ 

https://kierantimberlake.com/page/tally 

https://carbonleadershipforum.org/ 

https://www.buildingtransparency.org/en/ 

94 



95


ZUTARI’S BUILDING HEALTH 

ASSESSMENT TOOL 

Engineering consultants, Zutari, responded to the challenges of 

Covid-19 by creating a technical tool for building health, which 

helps property owners create better workplaces. Technical director 

and building services expertise leader, Martin Smith, elaborates. 

Our workplaces enable us to be productive and 

economically active but now pose profound 

risks to the health and safety of employees and 

continuous business operation. Occupants’ 

health and wellness have become a critical component 

in commercial buildings, with an increased emphasis on 

the design and operation of buildings for occupant health 

and well being. Zutari’s, Martin Smith, takes an indepth 

look at what property owners can do to prepare 

themselves as employees return to their workplaces 

during Level One. 

UNDERSTAND OCCUPANCY NEEDS 

Full occupancy is unlikely to be considered by many 

businesses in the short-term and possibly even beyond 

that. Given the tough economic times, some businesses 

will scale down on space. For some, their business 

continuity will depend on saving costs while still 

having a productive workforce. For landlords, this 

scenario may change the space needs of occupants 

and require a change in building management 

technology and practices. 

DIAGNOSE INFECTION ROUTES 

The virus is understood to spread through multiple 

infection routes, including surface contact, macro 

droplets, micro droplets and other contamination 

spreaders in your building such as your sewer systems. 

To get to grips with the risks within your building, a 

comprehensive diagnostic is needed of staff behaviours, 

organisational processes and the building itself. The 

physical operations are as important as the technology, 

including ventilation, air-conditioning, control systems, 

water and sewerage systems. All these components 

contribute to the functioning of the building and serve 

as infection routes. 

PREPARE RESPONSE PLANS 

The aim is to try and find practical solutions that 

close the gap between your business needs and the 

risk of infection. These include operational processes 

and controls and building physical and technological 

improvements, along with emergency procedures and 

awareness. The challenge here is not to have a knee-jerk 

response with short-term actions, but to systematically 

reduce risk in a manner that is affordable and makes 

sense in the short- and long-term. 

To assist property developers and facility managers 

respond to Covid-19 risks and prepare buildings for 

resumed operations during Level One of the lockdown, 

Zutari has used its extensive multi-disciplinary 

experience to develop a customised building health 

assessment tool. It allows property owners to 

demonstrate to their shareholders, management, 

employees and clients that a systematic, balanced 

approach has been taken to find an optimal solution 

to minimise the health risk, explains Smith. 

“We are highly experienced in building design and 

operations. Our technical experts understand how 

the virus can distribute through multiple infection 

routes within your building and among your people,” 

Smith points out. Technical elements such as airconditioning 

and wet services, along with usage 

patterns, all contribute to the transmission risks 

within buildings. By analysing your work environment 

and operational practices while understanding your 

business needs, we have the power to mitigate risks 

and create safe and productive spaces that will 

assist you with resuming business and increasing 

productivity, highlights Smith. 

Zutari’s Building Health Assessment Tool is a 

comprehensive diagnostic of the key operational and 

physical factors that helps property owners put in 

place plans to mitigate workplace risks, and assists 

them with resuming business and increasing health 

and productivity. A gap analysis is used to prepare a 

short-, medium- and long-term plan that meets the 

client’s business needs. 

In late September Smith presented a paper entitled 

Healthy Green Buildings: A Technical Guide during Covid-19 

and Beyond as part of a webinar series hosted by the 

GBCSA during the World Green Building Week. The 

technical guide focuses on an holistic approach for 

infection control for healthy buildings during Covid-19 

and beyond. It addresses various infection routes 

such as macro droplets, micro droplets and indirect 

contact surfaces. 

In terms of the return to workplaces during Level 

One and the associated “green recovery”, Smith points 

out that the technical guide developed by Zutari 

“empowers landlords and tenants to return safely to 

their working environment, providing confidence that 

key safety concerns have been addressed”. 

The technical guide has been developed along the 

following hierarchy of principles, considering the point of 

control within a building along with the effectiveness of 

the foresaid control. Acknowledging that social isolation 

is the best form of control, the guide differentiates 

between three key scales, or levels, of control: 

TECHNICAL CONTROLS 

This refers to the building design elements and 

engineering control that can provide physical barriers, 

purified air and water and touchless interaction for 

building users. This would typically be managed by 

the landlord or facilities manager. 

MANAGEMENT LEVEL 

This refers to management policies, procedures and 

administrative controls that govern building operational 

performance as well as collective human resource 

behaviour and movement. It would be implemented by 

stakeholders such as the landlord or tenant’s facilities 

manager or a tenancy’s general manager. 

INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOUR 

This refers to the behaviours and practises carried out 

by the individual building users themselves. These are 

typically guided by the management procedures and, 

in some instances, technical controls. 

BEST PRACTICE INITIATIVES: 

Management for a healthy building 

• Healthy building assessment 

• Building zoning and separation 

• Commissioning performance verification 

and maintenance 

• Awareness and education 

• Access control 

• Hygiene and cleaning plan 

• Transport plan 

• Building Management System (BMS) 

• Energy management 

• Waste management 

• Mental health support 

Resilient behaviour 

• Physical distancing 

• Hand washing 

• Limited physical assembly 

• Appropriate PPE 

• Limit lift, escalator and lobby use 

• Personal food preparation and consumption 

• Ablution use 

• Workspace cleaning 

Indoor air quality 

• Ventilation 

• Air systems control and times of operation 

• Outdoor air distribution 

• Relief and return air paths 

• Space air distribution effectiveness 

• Carbon dioxide monitoring 

• Air quality monitoring 

• Outdoor air filtration 

• Return air filtration 

• Filtration pressure drop or air-flow monitoring 

• Exhaust and vent stack systems 

• Toilet ventilation systems 

• UV-C lights 

• Air-cleaning devices 

• Toilet ventilation systems 

• Vacuum cleaning 

Wet Services 

• Sewer system and water traps 

• Potable water systems quality control 

• Reused/harvested water quality 

• Drinking water access 

• Taps and hand washing facilities 

• Hand drying 

• Toilet seat sanitisers 

• Toilet bowl water sanitisers 

• Soap dispenser 

Design Elements 

• Workstation separation 

• Partitions and screens 

• Demarcation 

• Walk-off mats and disinfectant mats 

• Hand-sanitisers dispensers 

• Contact surfaces: Doors, lift buttons, biometrics 


96 



97

ECONOMY 

The case for 

building green 

is becoming 

BLACK 

AND WHITE 

The fourth annual MSCI South Africa Green Annual Property 

Index, released in June this year, found that the green-certified 

office sample delivered a 34% higher capital value per square 

metre, more resilient capital growth and a higher net operating 

income per square metre compared to the non-certified office 

buildings. These, and other indicators, point to an asset 

class that is becoming more resilient and more defensive, 

particularly in adverse conditions, than their less efficient, 

less agile non-green equivalents. But why is this the case? 

WORDS Gillian Gernetzky IMAGES Growthpoint 

144 Oxford Street in Rosebank, Johannesburg is a nine-storey, 

36 000sqm office development with two office wings and a 

centralised office core with a breath-taking multi-volume atrium. 

Developed by Growthpoint, this resource-efficient 5-Star Green 

Star Office Design-v1.1 rated building boasts an energy-efficient 

façade and features standby power and water. Rainwater is 

collected and recycled and grey water is re-used. The building’s 

landscaping incorporates indigenous planting, custom landscape 

lighting and water features; all serving to soften the transition 

between public and private space. 



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The MSCI 2020 ESG Trends to Watch 

report pinpoints the shift in investing 

in real estate as one of the five key ESG 

themes for the year. According to the report, 

greening of property portfolios will move from a niceto-have 

reputation booster to an imperative, in the 

face of a looming “brown discount” as regulators and 

physical risk deliver a double-whammy on the market. 

According to the World Bank, weather-related losses 

and damage to buildings and infrastructure have risen 

from an annual average of about $50 billion in the 1980s 

to close to $200 billion over the last decade. In the case 

of green, more resilient buildings, lower insurance 

costs improve returns and lower downtime required 

for emergency repairs, which increases the bottom line. 

At the same time, legislation passed by regions, 

countries and cities is fast-tracking towards a zerocarbon 

future. For example, the Green Deal is at 

the core of the EU’s Covid-19 recovery package, 

while building a greener, more inclusive, digital and 

sustainable Europe and increasing resilience to future 

crises. And New York City’s Climate Mobilisation 

Act aims to cut buildings’ emissions down by 80% 

by 2050. Buildings are given a carbon budget and are 

fined for every ton in breach. In the South African 

context, Johannesburg is one of 19 global cities that 

have committed to advocate for all buildings to be 

net-zero carbon in operation by 2050. 

The 116 000sqm resource-efficient, cost-effective and 

environmentally-innovative Discovery head office in Sandton, 

Johannesburg is the largest single-phase commercial office 

development in Africa. Developed by Growthpoint, the building 

boasts a 6-Star Green Star Office As Built-v1 rating, and its 

high-efficiency air conditioning leverages an outside air economy 

cycle and indoor air CO 2 monitoring. Added to this is low-energy 

lighting, occupant control and daylight optimisation, as well as the 

building’s standout high-performance double-glazed curtain wall. 

Grey and rainwater systems, efficient sanitary fittings, efficient 

irrigation system and water-wise landscaping contribute to the 

building’s optimal water performance. 

MSCI executive director, Gareth Allison, says that 

brown discounts are the direct opposite of the green 

premium that green-certified buildings command. 

“Initial indications of how decarbonisation efforts 

have affected the real estate market have been seen for 

years in what some refer to as a green premium. That 

is, properties built to high energy standards appear 

to command a rent premium in some markets. As the 

market continues to mature in 2020, green buildings 

may become the new normal, compressing the market 

into one where a brown discount is put onto buildings 

struggling to meet new energy standards.” 

A brown discount works like this: property values 

are significantly driven by the present value of future 

expected cash flow, or net costs, over the anticipated 

life span of the property. Thus, anything that affects 

a property’s ability to generate a profit from rental 

income will ultimately impact its value. Much of the 

Green buildings have higher rental 

income than traditional buildings – 

up to 8% higher and sale premiums 

up to 31% higher. 

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101

ECONOMY 

ECONOMY 

current building stock could face escalating capital and 

operating costs to meet increasing carbon-emission 

standards and bolster resistance to climate risks. 

At the same time, they’re likely to lag in attracting 

commercial tenants who seek more efficient properties 

with lower utility costs, higher comfort levels and 

increased climate resilience, while offering the tenants 

the potential to improve their own green credentials. 

This year’s MSCI index showed that greencertified 

buildings required comparatively less capital 

expenditure – 0.7% of the capital value for Green Starcertified 

buildings, versus 1.2% of the capital value for 

uncertified buildings – which enhanced their capital 

growth and is consistent with the rationale behind the 

brown discount. Vacancy rates were also significantly 

lower at 8.0% versus the non-green sample vacancy rate 

of 11.5%, highlighting the value occupiers are attaching 

to green-certified premises and again supporting 

this theory. 

Johannesburg is one of 19 global 

cities that have committed to 

advocate for all buildings to be 

net-zero carbon in operation by 2050. 

Eileen Andrew, vice president of Client Coverage at 

MSCI South Africa concurs, saying that the inherent 

risk that lies in green-certified buildings is proving 

to be less than those of non-certified building and 

this is shown in the lower risk premium. “It has been 

interesting to see how green-certified buildings 

have outperformed on the key investment metrics of 

occupancy – net operating income and operating cost 

ratios – highlighting these assets’ defensiveness during 

tough times. The superior capital growth was the result 

of better net income growth and a lower discount 

rate – perhaps showing that valuers are adjusting their 

relative long-term risk assumptions for green-certified 

buildings,” she says. 

An IFC report Green Buildings: A Finance and 

Policy Blueprint for Emerging Markets published 

in January this year, found that green buildings have 

higher rental income than traditional buildings – up 

to 8% higher and sale premiums up to 31% higher. 

Green buildings also have higher occupancy rates of 

up to 23%, higher tenant retention, and lower vacancy 

rates. Presently, green buildings comprise a relatively 

small share of global construction – global investments 

accounted for $423 billion of the $5 trillion spent 

on building construction and renovation in 2017. 

However, the market is expected to grow at a compound 

annual rate of more than 10% between 2017 and 2023, 

according to the United Nations’ Principles for 

Responsible Investment. 

144 Oxford: The nine-storey building 

is eye-catching and innovative, with 

its spectacular glass façade extending 

across the two interlinked towers, which 

stand with prow-like prominence and 

present exceptional views across the city. 

An internal view of 

144 Oxford focusing on 

the high-performance 

glazed façade. 

The ground floor podium level of 144 

Oxford extends this landscaping, with low 

planter-walls rising and falling into the 

floor to create private spaces. All spaces 

are designed for the people who work in 

the building to enjoy their lunch breaks 

and use pause areas. 

Exxaro’s headquarters, the conneXXion, in Centurion, Gauteng is a 21 500sqm energy-efficient building fostering 

a healthy, energising work environment and high productivity levels in a cost-effective setting. Green measures 

include a performance glazed façade, zoned lighting, energy-efficient building services and systems, waterefficient 

fixtures, rainwater harvesting, water-wise landscaping, low VOC interior finishes, abundant fresh air and 

natural light, and a hydro panel that generates water from the air. Developed by Growthpoint, the building achieved 

a 5-Star Green Star SA Office Design-v1.1 rating and was awarded a “Well Rating” by the Well Institute in the US. 

Georgina Smit, GBCSA head of Sector Development 

and Market Transformation, adds that the value of 

certified green buildings is expected to become even 

more pronounced as the world navigates through the 

challenges presented by Covid-19. “Post the Covid-19 

crisis, many companies are likely to review health 

measures put in place in their offices. Harvard University 

recently found that long-term exposure to air pollution 

is associated with an 8% increase in the Covid-19 death 

rate, and the improved internal environment quality from 

increased ventilation, temperature and lighting control, 

the use of natural light, and the absence of toxic materials 

result in the improved health, comfort and wellbeing of 

green building occupants. In a post-pandemic world, 

these factors can no longer be overlooked. Internal 

environmental quality is a key consideration within 

the GBCSA’s Green Star green building frameworks,” 

she explains. 

Allison believes that the business case for green 

buildings is getting stronger all the time, and 

screening in favour of sustainability, resilience and 

future-proofing will become more and more common. 

“As the bar shifts, it will become the new standard. 

According to the World Bank, 

weather-related losses and damage 

to buildings and infrastructure have 

risen from an annual average of about 

$50 billion in the 1980s to close to 

$200 billion over the last decade. 

The day will come when no one will want to own 

or occupy the ‘brown’ buildings and infrastructure. 

Then those will increasingly be sold at a discount 

– or updated at substantial cost. Buildings that are 

designed with the future in mind, with smart building 

technology and interactivity integrated throughout, 

making them as responsive and adaptable to the needs 

of the workforce in a post-Covid-19 world today as 

those in the future, are more resilient and less likely 

to become stranded assets that no asset manager or 

building owner wants.” 

102 



103

Q&A 

COOL COLLABORATION 

The straight way to energy efficiency 

is all in the details 

Trust Systemair for providing the world’s widest range of 

ventilation products driven by cutting-edge technology. Our 

intelligent, easy-to-install and energy efficient fan solutions are 

perfect for new buildings, upgrades and renovation projects. 

Integral electronic control ensures that the motor always runs 

at optimal efficiency. Besides being both energy-efficient and 

environmentally friendly, we can assure you of a quiet, flexible 

and reliable ventilation solution. With versatile on board controls 

you will be in charge of a truly demand controlled ventilation 

system. 

Systemair is 100% committed to providing highly efficient air 

handling solutions providing for perfect indoor climate and real 

energy savings. 

The difference is all in the details. 

Systemair is a leading ventilation company with 

operations in 50 countries. The South African 

operation started manufacturing locally in 2014, 

producing fans, rooftops, air handling units and 

accessories. Managing Director Vincent Laidet tells us 

more about how to minimise one’s energy costs… 

When building or renovating, how important is it 

to factor in the operational costs on an installation? 

Today more than ever before, we look at the life 

cycle costs of a building or installation. The products 

that we supply to the market - across residential, 

commercial and mixed-use – will have a lifespan that 

varies between 10 and 20 years. When we look at the 

electrical consumption of these products, the initial 

cost, the Capex, becomes insignificant compared to 

the operating costs involved. So, when building or 

renovating, we see that energy-efficient solutions can 

play a great role in reducing these operational costs, 

often up to 40 to 50%. 

If you look at the ventilation industry specifically, 

you have two quite distinguishable technologies – ACoperated 

ventilators and EC-operated ventilators. The 

difference in energy consumption between the two is 

about 40%, on the product itself. We also need to bear in 

mind that a product can be very efficient, but installed 

into an inefficient system. These factors all need to be 

considered when designing or renovating a building. 

What proportion of these costs relate to energy 

consumption? 

The HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) 

system in any building-receiving people is the largest 

consumer of energy, and can make up approximately 40- 

60% of the electricity bill. When looking at costs related 

to energy consumption, the least efficient building, for 

example, might consume close to 200w/m², while an 

energy efficient building might only consume 30w/m², 

or even be completely passive, not requiring any energy 

in order to maintain a good indoor temperature or air 

quality. So the difference is enormous. On paper, we 

design green buildings to be efficient on the hottest 

day in summer and on the coldest day in winter. But 

then there’s also the question of how good the building 

is at adapting to climate change – outdoor conditions 

and indoor occupation. And so we start looking more 

and more at a control system which can adapt the use 

of the HVAC system to the building’s use; and perhaps 

even be able to anticipate the use in order to flatten 

the electricity demands. 

What are the most important interventions building 

designers can make to minimise energy costs in the 

context of total cost of ownership? 

When renovating, the main question is first, how can 

we reduce any waste of energy; or perhaps, how can we 

produce the least possible amount of energy to host a 

good indoor environment? So if we can benefit already 

from things outdoors – the right amount of sun, the 

right amount of fresh air coming into the building, 

while at the same time having controlled exposure, 

that is a good first step. Then there is insulating the 

building, so we shift towards the right amount of energy 

being produced and keeping it where it is useful, so 

that includes isolating the building from the outdoor 

environment and being sure that filtered air – warm 

air, cool air – goes to the right place at the right time. 

Then it’s about looking at having the right installation; 

for example, there’s no point in having 300 rooms 

air-conditioned when only one is in use. 

Clean air has an impact on health and productivity, 

and this applies across the board. As we spend more 

and more time indoors, it’s critical that the air is of 

an extremely high quality, and this comes down to not 

only the design of the building but also its operation 

and maintenance. 

Most electrical costs in commercial buildings 

relate to meeting the human health and comfort 

standards for buildings, how does one reduce energy 

consumption and cost without compromising indoor 

environmental quality? 

Reducing energy consumption doesn’t mean that we 

have to reduce or compromise the indoor air quality; it 

really means that we have to adjust the system and its 

load according to the needs. So the need doesn’t really 

change at all, but, say for example when looking at the 

HVAC, we can look at how dynamic the system can be. 

In hotels and shopping centres, where you have a lot 

of people coming in and out, a very reactive system is 

needed that can understand the use of the building and 

can predict human behavior; and adjust accordingly. 

That is where the BMS (Building Management System) 

of an HVAC plays an important part, for the HVAC to 

learn from its experience. We have weather forecasts, 

building usage forecasts, and from that we can predict 

the right indoor air temperature, humidity, air quality 

and so on. 

Energy efficiency would in a sense contribute to 

the indoor air quality because a system that is not 

efficient does not have the same capability to adjust to 

the building’s use. Having the right system, products and 

controls aims to give building owners the flexibility to 

reduce their electricity bill, but also boost the comfort 

of its occupants. 

How can working with Systemair be of value to the 

design team in these respects? 

Systemair as a group owns all of its production facilities 

and researches and develops its own products according 

to the current needs of the market. We invest heavily 

into our capacity to provide the right products for today 

and tomorrow’s needs, priding ourselves in being at the 

forefront of energy efficiency. From the South African 

perspective, we are directly present here with our 

recently increased manufacturing footprint and are one 

of the only companies that can supply a complete range 

of products for residential, commercial or industrial 

application, covering every letters of the word HVAC. We 

understand what energy efficiency is; we understand the 

challenges of operating a building and can offer a tailormade 

solution. The benefit of working with Systemair 

is having a partner for one’s complete requirements 

- we have complete expertise over the full system and 

differentiate ourselves by providing the right solution 

for the each building we work with. 

For more information on our EC fan solutions visit 

www.systemair.com 


105

TECHNOLOGY 

A recipe for 

HEALTHY 

INDOOR AIR 

The battle with Covid-19 has dramatically increased our 

motivation to manage the indoor environment to protect us 

from viral respiratory diseases. It is also a useful catalyst 

for permanently improving many conventional practices 

to create healthier spaces, particularly in mechanical 

ventilation systems. 

WORDS Michelle Ludwig 

Pixabay 



TECHNOLOGY 

we have an effective vaccine 

for Covid-19, will we forget about 

the importance of indoor air quality 

“Once 

(IAQ) in buildings for protecting us 

from infectious respiratory viruses?” asks Dr Stephanie 

Taylor, a practising physician who obtained a Masters 

in Architecture and now employs both disciplines as 

an infection control specialist. While protocols of 

social distancing and mask-wearing will likely diminish 

over time, other illnesses are clearly related to the 

indoor environment. “The understanding that indoor 

air should be managed to reduce diseases and actually 

improve our health is an attitude I hope is here to 

stay,” she adds. 

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) 

systems play a key role in managing indoor air and 

therefore significantly contribute to healthiness – or not 

– of indoor conditioned spaces. “HVAC systems can help 

contain the spread of a contaminant but if not carefully 

designed, and carefully commissioned and maintained, 

they can worsen the scenario,” cautions Andre Harms, 

founder of Ecolution Consulting and senior mechanical 

engineer. As an example, he references a study 1 analysing 

a super-spreader event from a restaurant in China, where 

a single infected restaurant patron further contaminated 

many others, exacerbated by the air conditioning system. 

When the contamination impacts were tracked and 

modelled, it indicated that the aircon system played 

an integral role in increasing the spread since it was a 

system that recirculated the air but supplied little to no 

fresh air or filtration. (please see below) 

EVOLVING HVAC 

Controlling contaminants and improving air quality 

in general works best as a multi-layered approach. 

Mechanical and technological approaches involve 

applying layers of interventions which include 

dilution, filtration, disinfection, humidification, 

supplementation, and proper maintenance. Used in 

conjunction, these strategies create a recipe for success 

and healthy indoor air quality. 

DILUTION 

Fresh air quantities combined with filtration can reduce 

airborne exposures. Air stagnation may concentrate 

airborne viruses or dust, so it is critical to keep indoor 

air as refreshed as possible. Research has shown that 

increased ventilation in a building can reduce the chance 

of influenza – a study published in 2019 found ►► 

HVAC systems can help contain 

the spread of a contaminant but 

if not carefully designed, and 

carefully commissioned and 

maintained, they can worsen 

the scenario. 

Aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 

Simulated dispersion of fine droplets 

exhaled from index Patient A1 (magentablue), 

which are initially confined within 

the cloud envelope due to the zoned airconditioning 

arrangement. The fine droplets 

eventually disperse into the other zones via 

air exchange and are eventually removed 

via the restroom exhaust fan. Other infected 

patients are shown in red and other noninfected 

in gold color. Only a single human 

body is used to represent all patrons. 


109

TECHNOLOGY 

that ensuring even minimum levels of outdoor air 

ventilation reduced influenza transmission as much as 

having 50-60% of the people in a building vaccinated. 2 

In addition to avoiding things that make us sick, 

health-related impacts of providing fresh air have also 

been shown to include significant improvements in 

cognitive function such as information usage, strategy, 

and safety decisions. 3 This is why most green building 

certification schemes, such as Green Star, promote and 

recognise increased ventilation rates. 

Richard Humphrey, the senior mechanical 

engineer at HFW Consulting, however, asks: “Why 

should increased fresh air be reserved just for green 

buildings?” When applying many building standards, 

keep in mind that they are minimums. Rather consult 

guidelines such as ASHRAE Indoor Air Quality Guide: 

Best Practice for Design, Construction and Commissioning, 

Installing a higher quality air 

filtration system has rapidly 

increasing benefits to societyat-large, 

which culminates in 

quantifiable financial impacts. 

suggests Humphrey. He points out that the South 

African National Building Regulations standard level 

for ventilation is outdated, and calculated on densities 

that are not as typical today and much lower than many 

best practice codes. 

Providing higher rates of fresh air dilutes 

the concentration of any pollutants or airborne 

contaminants, thereby reducing exposure. Beyond 

just a safety intervention, provision of more fresh 

clean air also improves many human body functions. 

Montgomery, James & Reynolds, Conor & Rogak, Steven & Green, Sheldon. (2015) 

Top: Respiratory aerosol properties 

Middle: Respiratory aerosol dynamics 

Bottom: Financial implications of modifications to building filtration system. 

FILTERING FRESH FINANCE 

More fresh air is a start, but the next level is to 

ensure that air is clean. The quality of the air we 

breathe determines the health of the lungs as well 

as other organs. Dust, pollen, tobacco, and mould in 

polluted air, have been linked to increases in death 

rates. Ventilation systems typically have some sort of 

filtration for particulate matter (PM), however filters 

come in varying degrees of filtration and typically 

rated with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value 

(MERV). MERV ratings are on a scale of one to 20 

depending on the minimum size of the particles a filter 

can be expected to capture. Low-efficiency filters have 

been typically used to keep lint and dust from clogging 

the heating and cooling coils of an HVAC system. 

Medium- and high-efficiency filters are required to 

address smaller particles such as pollen and bacteria. 

Studies of improved filtration levels have 

demonstrated net benefits – all the financial benefits 

to society – benefits to the healthcare system, benefits 

to employers and individuals – across cities with 


111

TECHNOLOGY 

widely varying outdoor air quality, Harms explains. 

“Installing a higher quality air filtration system has 

rapidly increasing benefits to society-at-large,” which 

culminates in quantifiable financial impacts. The study 4 

further summarises: The monetised health benefits of 

filter installations outweigh the operation costs by up to 

a factor of 10 – the net benefits of improved filtration 

were greatest for the highest efficiency filters. 

DESIGNED FOR DISINFECTION 

The average office is not designed to a very high IAQ 

compared to other typologies such as a hospital. And 

the industry is seeing trends towards less expensive, 

thus simpler, HVAC systems such as split cassette 

systems, explains Edward Hector, founder and CEO of 

HVAC systems services company SFI Group. Average 

filters target particulate matter sized at 10 microns but 

this is not sufficient for microscopic contaminants 

such as pathogens. 

To target smaller particles, Hector recommends also 

employing UV-C lights that emit part of the UV range 

of light useful for germicidal irradiation. “The UV-C 

light inactivates viral, bacterial, and fungal material, 

disrupting the functioning and ability to replicate.” 

HVAC systems can be designed with UV-C lights 

within that disinfect the air as it passes through, as 

well as assist with keeping the cooling coils clean from 

biofilm buildup. These can be retrofitted to existing 

systems in many cases, Hector points out, but in all 

cases needs to be carefully designed and calibrated. 

HUMIDIFICATION 

Damp and humid air leading to condensation and 

mould is well understood, however, studies show to air 

that is too dry is also detrimental to health. In repeated 

studies of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) rates, many 

factors of transmission were investigated and relative 

humidity (RH) was found to be the most influential 

factor. There is also evidence that humidity can play 

a role in the survival of viruses such as Covid-19. 5 

According to Taylor: “If the relative humidity is below 

20%, the average person becomes clinically dehydrated 

and the human body suffers from its systems being 

compromised. Bad pathogens love it.” She highlights 

indoor air hydration – a mid-range humidity of 

40-60% RH – is a powerful medicine that is essential 

for buildings that protect our health. 

1 Yuguo Li, et al. Evidence for probable aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 

in a poorly-ventilated restaurant, medRxiv 2020.04.16.20067728; doi:https://doi. 

org/10.1101/2020.04.16.20067728 

2 Smieszek T, Lazzari G, Salathé M. Assessing the Dynamics and Control of 

Droplet- and Aerosol-Transmitted Influenza Using an Indoor Positioning System. 

Scientific Reports. 2019/02/18 2019;9(1):2185. doi:10.1038/s41598- 019-38825-y 

3 “Associations of Cognitive Function Scores with Carbon Dioxide, Ventilation, 

and Volatile Organic Compound Exposures in Office Workers: A Controlled 

Exposure Study of Green and Conventional Office Environments,” Joseph G. 

Allen, Piers MacNaughton, Usha Satish, Suresh Santanam, Jose Vallarino, John 

D. Spengler, Environmental Health Perspectives, October 26, 2015, doi: 10.1289/ 

ehp.1510037 

4 Montgomery, James & Reynolds, Conor & Rogak, Steven & Green, Sheldon. 

(2015). Financial implications of modifications to building filtration systems. 

Building and Environment. 85. 10.1016/j.buildenv.2014.11.005. 

5 Kim SW, Ramakrishnan MA, Raynor PC, Goyal SM. Effects of humidity 

and other factors on the generation and sampling of a coronavirus aerosol. 

Aerobiologia. 2007/12/01 2007;23(4):239-248. doi:10.1007/s10453-007- 9068-9 

6 2020. ASHRAE presentation: Bemis P. Applied Math Modelling 

SUPPLEMENTATION 

Supplementing existing HVAC systems with 

interventions and various technologies can also be 

effective, especially where retrofitting is limited. For 

example, when looking at the typical aerosol spread 

inside a conditioned office environment, using 

local air purifiers can control the spread and reduce 

concentrations by more than 50%. 6 So, should there 

be an infected individual, this would greatly reduce 

the risk to others. 

Viral load is a very important factor in whether 

people get infected. Harms explains: “Just because 

one is in a space that might have some infected aerosol 

does not necessarily mean one will automatically 

get infected. It depends upon the intensity or the 

concentration, and duration, therefore these types of 

mitigation measures become important really quickly 

[to reduce occupants’ exposure].” 

MAINTAINED MAINTENANCE 

Keeping systems running optimally is key to healthy 

indoor air quality. After efforts of designing, 

procuring, and calibrating an effective HVAC 

system, it can all be undermined if it is not looked 

after and operated appropriately. “HVAC design can 

only contribute to wellness in buildings if correctly 

implemented and operated as ensured by robust 

commissioning processes,” Harms points out. After 

initial commissioning, HVAC systems need to have 

ongoing periodic maintenance to check on things such 

as the cleanliness of the coils and ducts, the filters 

changed out per manufacturer recommendations, and 

monitoring of effective performance. 

AFTER COVID-19 

Before airborne pathogens entered our headlines, and 

attention spans, indoor air quality have been considered 

of paramount importance for health. A silver lining 

of the Covid-19 experience may be the additional 

focus directed towards creating and staying healthy in 

indoor spaces, not just for green buildings but for all. 

Mechanical ventilation systems can be a detriment if 

implemented and operated poorly. Alternatively, with 

consideration of employing multiple strategies, good 

design and operation, HVAC systems can be highly 

useful in keeping us healthy, safe and productive for 

the long term. 

PLASMA AIR IONIZATION PROVEN TO REDUCE 

CORONAVIRUS SURROGATE MS2 BACTERIOPHAGE 

BY 99% IN INDEPENDENT SPANISH TESTING 

Successful certified testing conducted in a building 

facility proves NPBI virus destroying power 

Light Ray, is a South African company, involved 

in the design, distribution and installation 

of products and systems for air and space 

purification in built environment. Light 

Ray has partnered with Plasma Air in order to make 

available to the South African market a very well 

established and important technology named Needle 

Point Bipolar Ionization (NPBI). 

Testing carried backed by the Spanish Ministry of 

Defense Biological Laboratory in Spain has proven the 

effectiveness of Plasma Air Ionization technology in 

the reduction of MS2 Bacteriophage, a surrogate for 

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), in indoor environments. 

There is mounting research to suggest that clean, 

disinfected air plays a vital role in preventing the 

spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19. 

While respiratory droplets are considered the primary 

transmission route, aerosols are being considered by 

many health authorities as a possible mode of infection 

transmission along with surface contact. This suggests 

that viral particles can remain suspended in the air for 

long periods and can be inhaled. 

The experiments took place in simulated ICU 

hospital rooms 

This environment was explicitly designed to test 

air ionization on small aerosolized viral particles. 

The laboratory analysis was carried out at a nearby 

operations center of the Spanish Ministry of Defense 

from May 4th to May 14th. 

The Plasma Air ionizer was chosen to suit the specific 

airflow and installed in the entrance to the fan coil unit 

of the supply Air Duct test space. The bacteriophage 

MS2 was then nebulized into the test space. During the 

two distinct phases of the test, the supply air entering 

the test room was ionized using Plasma Air's bipolar 

ionization system. In contrast, during the second phase, 

the supply air into the room was untreated. A reduction 

of approximately 2 log units of the Bacteriophage was 

obtained in the air that was ionized by the Plasma Air 

system. This corresponds to a 99% reduction after only 

10 minutes of exposure to ionization. 

In addition to the Spanish Government ministries, 

the experiments also involved academics in the fields 

of engineering, microbiology, and computational fluid 

dynamics, along with Spanish Government appointed 

testing labs. 

The tests also included using manikins to 

simulate ICU patients. The manikins were equipped 

with specialized filters to measure the amount of 

Bacteriophage that was being breathed in with and 

without air ionization. The levels of MS2 Bacteriophage 

and associated particle counts were measured using 

Electrical Low-Pressure Impactors, and swabs were 

taken from walls and surfaces for analysis. 

The level of airborne MS2 Bacteriophage was 

measured using the Spanish authorities calibrated 

equipment for detecting biothreats. Results from this 

test showed a reduction in the order of 0.70-0.85 log 

pfu/cm 2 corresponding to nearly 80% reduction in 

surface MS2 Bacteriophage after 10 minutes between 

the test with and without ionization. 

"Coronavirus is a global crisis and nowhere more so 

than inside built environments such as transport hubs 

and work environments," explains Chris Russell, Vice 

President of Plasma Air. "The effective elimination of 

airborne virus is a major breakthrough that can make 

workplaces, transport, entertainment and educational 

facilities safer for employees, commuters and students." 

"We were very motivated to facilitate these critical 

tests at our laboratories here in Madrid, and we 

are extremely impressed by the results achieved," 

Lieutenant Coronal Juan Carlos Cabria, the Technical 

Director of the biosecurity laboratories of the Ministry 

of Defense, stated. 

ABOUT PLASMA AIR 

Plasma Air is the leading innovator in indoor air 

quality by manufacturing HVAC and air purification 

products that result in healthier, more productive 

indoor environments in institutional, commercial, 

residential and industrial applications. The Plasma 

Air HVAC purification systems use highly efficient 

bipolar ionization technology to kill harmful 

airborne viruses and neutralize indoor air pollutants. 

Plasma Air systems have been proven in thousands 

of applications to provide the highest level of air 

quality improvement for airports, train systems, 

schools, hotels, casinos, arenas, offices and homes. 

ABOUT LIGHT RAY SOUTH AFRICA 

Light Ray is a specialized air purification company 

based in Johannesburg, South Africa Founded in 

2019, it provides the most advanced technologies 

available for the fight against pathogens in the 

built environment. 

Light Ray is in the business of giving you back 

the certainty of a safe and joyful living experience 

within built environment. 

ADVERTORIAL 

112 



113

TM 

CASE STUDIES: 

GREEN BUILDING SERVICES, 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES 

Sigura Water 115 

Polyflor 116 

Thermguard 116 

PAMSA / Paper Manufacturing Association 

of South Africa 117 

Harvey Roofing Products 118 

Rigifoam 119 

M 

Isoboard 120Y 

Koen and Associates Architecture 121MY 

C 

CM 

CY 

CMY 

K 

Sigura Cooling Tower Ad GEJ FA ctp.pdf 4/9/20 17:52:46 

SPECIALISED SOLUTIONS IN WATER TREATMENT 

ECONOMICAL WATER TREATMENT 

SOLUTIONS TO MAKE EVERY 

LITRE COUNT 

Innovative solutions in water treatment can 

help to manage the impact of water scarcity in 

South Africa by reducing capital costs and water 

consumption. 

Water reuse and alternative water treatment systems 

have gained significant traction over the past decade 

as opportunities to optimise water usage. However, 

most of these options in the current market are known 

to be capital-intensive with payback periods of up to 

eight years. 

The converse of capital-intensive operations are labourintensive 

alternatives which pose their own challenges, 

especially when aiming to maintain a consistent water 

quality. 

Sigura specialises in water treatment solutions that 

are easy to install, require minimal chemical handling 

and operator interference whilst keeping environmental 

care and safety at top of mine. The focus of the Sigura 

product range lies in disinfection and microbial control in 

many water applications such as drinking water, biofilm 

management in cooling towers and algae control in 

surface water bodies. 

The majority of the Sigura product range is supplied 

in a convenient solid form which holds several advantages 

over similar products in liquid form. Solid chemical 

products generally require less storage space, does not 

require handling of heavy liquid-filled containers and 

spillages that do occur are much easier to contain and 

clean up. 

Several of our product solutions can easily be applied 

in the residential and commercial construction industry 

to optimise water treatment and reduce the demand of 

fresh water. 

Commercial swimming pools 

at property developments, 

hotels, lodges, and resorts are 

characterised by inconsistent 

bather loads and water 

treatment demands. During peak holiday season, these 

pools require more chlorine due to an increase in 

swimming pool use. Our automated systems are equipped 

with probes that constantly monitor free chlorine and pH 

levels in the pool water. Subsequently, only the necessary 

amounts of chlorine and acid needed to maintain these 

parameters at the required levels are added. Not only does 

this provide a constant free chlorine level in the water, 

but also prevents the overdose of chemicals which could 

have safety and cost implications. Our HTH Scientific® 

automated systems are supplied as fully assembled skids 

complete with dosing pumps, probes, and a controlling 

unit to automatically maintain swimming pool parameters 

at required levels. 

Our Applied Biochemists surface water products 

have a long history of success in the treatment of water 

in fountains and ponds at residential estates. Few things 

affect the aesthetic of an estate 

like a smelly water pond full 

of algae mats. The presence of 

aquatic wildlife and plants along 

with constant sunlight exposure 

create the perfect environment for algae to flourish. 

The efforts for removing algae from the water can in 

severe cases require the draining of the entire pond and 

employing physical labour to remove accumulated sludge 

at the bottom. The Sigura treatment process involves 

dosing any of our Cutrine® algaecides along with Bacti- 

Klear, a blend of beneficial bacteria strains, to break 

down any organic matter in water ponds. An ongoing 

maintenance dosage controls algae growth, keeping the 

pond in mint condition. 

One rarely pays attention to 

the cooling systems responsible 

for the operation of air 

conditioners and refrigeration 

systems in buildings – until they 

stop working. Small cooling towers are usually located 

in obscure places, out of direct sight, such as building 

rooftops or alleys making them a hassle to treat and 

maintain. However, when left untreated, a cooling tower 

can fall prey to scaling, corrosion and biofilm that can 

house dangerous bacteria like Legionella. Sigura offers 

a full portfolio of cooling tower products that can help 

maintain an environment conducive to minimal corrosion, 

scale, and biofilm formation. The Scientific C range for 

cooling towers includes a biocide, corrosion, and scale 

inhibitors as well as a bio-dispersant – all in a convenient 

solid form. The scale and corrosion inhibitors are dosed 

automatically with the Scientific Ultra-S dosing unit and 

has been successfully installed and operated in cooling 

towers on manufacturing plants and shopping centre 

rooftops. Treating the water in the cooling tower leads to 

increased cycles of concentration and subsequently less 

water lost due to routine water blowdowns. 

Through targeted product offerings, Sigura strives 

to minimise labour-intensive tasks and high capital 

investments associated with water treatment. A midway is 

possible with our solid chemical solutions and advanced 

automated dosing technology to provide consistent water 

quality, making every litre of freshwater count. Contact 

our sales office for a free site survey to determine your 

water treatment requirements. 

CASE STUDY SIGURA 



115

PRODUCT RELEASE POLYFLOR 

CASE STUDY THERMGUARD 

A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION, 

FROM THE GROUND UP 

Polyflor SA, aspires to be as carbon neutral as 

possible, and has adopted a “cradle to cradle” 

approach that includes a product lifecycle 

analysis. 

Sourcing of new materials: Polyflor’s homogeneous 

range of products use up to 85% sustainable materials, 

with the average being 71%. 

Manufacturing: Vinyl’s manufacturing process is the 

least energy intensive of all flooring products, and 

embedded energy is further reduced when recycled 

material is used in place of raw materials. 

Packaging: Recycling of various elements of packaging 

waste is organised on site, with recycled packaging 

used where possible. 

Distribution and transportation: Vinyl flooring is 

lighter than other flooring materials, allowing reduced 

fuel consumption in transit, Polyflor SA ensuring 

sustainable transport of goods. 

Installation: Polyflor develops and improves 

installation methods for its flooring ranges, with 

increased use of solvent-free adhesives and adhesivefree 

vinyl flooring. Adhesive-free flooring can be 

recycled and re-used. 

Maintenance: The “in-use” phase of any flooring 

accounts for 80% of its environmental impact. 

Most Polyflor products have a Polyurethane (PUR) 

reinforcement coating which ensures superior cleaning 

benefits, enhanced protection and optimum appearance 

retention. 

Durability: Vinyl offers excellent durability. The longer 

a product lasts, the less the energy and other resources 

are needed to make, deliver and install a replacement. 

Air quality of the product: All Polyflor ranges have 

passed key international standards with regards to 

VOC emissions. 

Disposal of the product: Polyflor South Africa also offers 

a ‘first-of-its-kind’ recycling initiative for vinyl off-cuts. 

Currently, in South Africa, no technology exists that 

can separate glue residue from vinyl flooring, making 

recycling difficult. However, we have just received positive 

test results approving rip up vinyl (contaminated) to be 

used in the manufacture of Envirobloc bricks 

which is an exciting development. 

PROTECTING YOUR HOME, PROTECTING THE FUTURE 

Thermguard has successfully insulated buildings 

across South Africa for more than 35 years, using 

cellulose fibre, which has many advantages in 

making homes more comfortable, quiet and 

energy efficient. Insulation assists in keeping a space 

cool or warm depending on the season, thus reducing 

energy and electricity requirements and costs, and its 

excellent acoustic properties aid in reducing external 

noise from neighbours, traffic, and aircraft. Thermguard 

is also a passive, yet effective form of pest control. 

GREEN FROM START TO FINISH 

As a “green” solution, Thermguard offers significant 

benefits to the environment. For starters, Thermguard 

Cellulose Fibre Insulation is made from recycled 

newsprint; thousands of tons of which would otherwise 

be filling up landfills. This is milled into a light 

cellulose insulation product with optimal density, 

which is blown onto the ceiling in the roof. The nonrecycled, 

fire-retardant additives are non-toxic and 

natural salts and minerals which are used: in agriculture 

to promote plant health; to stop and prevent wet and 

dry rot in timber; and also have various uses in the 

household and medical fields. Borate additives are 

harmless to humans and pets but will irritate insects 

and rodents such that they will not live in the material 

or use it to build a nest. 

The embodied energy of Thermguard is also by far 

the lowest compared to other commercially available 

insulation products. Furnace-made insulation materials 

(fibreglass and polyester) require around ten times 

more energy to make compared to cellulose fibre. In 

addition, no heat or water in used in the manufacturing 

process. Thermguard is 100% biodegradable and will 

not negatively affect ecosystems or wildlife. With 

Thermguard being delivered in reusable bags there is 

the assurance that every aspect of the product has been 

considered from a sustainability perspective. 

A DIY OPTION 

Now, home owners can take care of the insulation 

process themselves and not use a sub-contractor, should 

they wish to opt for Thermguard’s DIY option. The 

installation is quick and a team of two can easily install 

300m² in one day, with one person operating the machine 

(which can be rented or purchased from the Thermguard 

factory, currently limited to Gauteng) and the other 

directing the hose in the roof space. 

THERMGUARD 

www.thermguard.co.za 


THE CARBON STORY OF PAPER 

A LESSER KNOWN FACT ABOUT THE WORLD’S 

OLDEST TECHNOLOGY 

Planted trees provide products that we use every day, from the essential and conventional – like timber for 

construction, toilet paper, packaging, office paper and books – to the obscure such as cellulose for use in 

sponges, fabrics, pharmaceuticals and foodstuffs. There are several by-products from the pulp and paper – 

making processes that also find function in daily life. 

CARBON CYCLE 

CO 2 CO 2 CO 2 CO 2 

1.2 million hectares of commercial plantations in South Africa, at various ages and rotations. 

Approximately 6% of SA’s plantation area is harvested annually. 

Annual replanting 

Products made 

from wood will 

continue to 

store carbon 

Carbon locked up in products 

(until decay or incineration takes place) 

Continuous cycle of planting and harvesting 

ensures that plantations remain 'carbon sinks' 

Timber products 

(longer life span) 

Paper has a fascinating history. Developed 

centuries ago, it has been through the mill 

– literally and figuratively – in terms of what 

it is made from. It also has many interesting 

side stories, one being how it is made today and how 

it stores carbon. 

What many people don’t realise, is that even when 

planted trees are harvested for their wood – for timber 

construction or for paper, packaging and tissue – the 

carbon remains locked up in the wood fibres and stays 

there for the lifecycle of those products. It is another 

reason why recycling is important – it keeps the carbon 

locked up even longer. 

To understand why paper and wood products are vital 

to a lower carbon footprint, we can borrow from Nobel 

Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman’s assertion 

that trees do not grow from the ground, they grow from 

the air. Many of us first learned about photosynthesis 

in primary school: how plants absorb sunlight and 

carbon dioxide (CO 2) to make food. 

Trees take in CO 2 from the air, and water from the 

ground ‒ which, incidentally, also came from the air at 

some point ‒ and convert this into growth (trunks, roots, 

and leaves). Oxygen is returned to the atmosphere. 

Over-mature 

trees 

Sappi 

Sustainable forestry and forest products and their role in carbon storage 

Over-mature trees release more CO 2 than they absorb and may 

be more susceptible to threats such as fire, pest and disease. 

Pulp, cellulose and 

paper products 

Process waste and 

by-products can be 

beneficiated for 

commercial or own use 

Abiotic and biotic threats 

to tree health 

Sustainable forestry ensures that products made from 

Carbon capture 

wood are a renewable, carbon-storing resource 

Carbon emission 

CO 2 

CO 2 

The carbon cycle showing how sustainable forestry and forest products play a role in carbon storage. 


Sustainable forestry 

Partial salvage of 

disturbed plantations 

Carbon sequestration 

in wood products 

This carbon cycle is why trees of all kinds are such a 

vital part of keeping our planet regulated, offsetting 

greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate 

change. 

In South Africa, trees could be divided into two groups 

– indigenous trees in natural forests and commercially 

and sustainably farmed trees in plantations. 

The latter were introduced some 100 years ago 

to protect natural forests, by providing wood for 

productive purposes. 

The best part? Not only do paper and other wood 

products from sustainable products keep carbon locked 

up as long as they’re around, but new trees are planted 

in the place of harvested trees, keeping the carbon 

cycle going and making paper and wood the Ultimate 

Renewable. 

Harvested wood products have significant potential 

to mitigate climate change by locking up carbon 

emissions from the atmosphere. 

Mondi 

117 

CASE STUDY PAMSA

PRODUCT RELEASE HARVEY ROOFING PRODUCTS 

REVOLUTIONARY 

GREEN ROOFING 

Roof tile design has seen minimal innovation 

in centuries. Thick, heavy concrete or clay 

tiles are simply stacked upon one another 

and held down by their considerable 

weight. This in turn dictates strong, heavy 

and expensive roofing structures to cope 

with the load. These heavy roof tiles 

are hard and brittle, which results in 

up to 10% breakages on installation 

and further threat of damage from 

hail, wind and being walked upon. There 

had to be a better way. 

Harvey Roofing Products sought to resolve these 

functional challenges by solving another pressing 

issue: sustainability. 

The breakthrough came in the form of Harvey 

EcoTile® 

Harvey EcoTile® is a proudly South African, 

revolutionary breakthrough in roof tiles. By utilising 

98% waste material, Harvey EcoTile® is 100% recyclable 

yet provides superior functional benefits to concrete 

or clay roof tiles. 

Harvey EcoTile’s® technological design advantage 

ensures an interlocking, lightweight tile that is low 

on maintenance, and is weatherproof and virtually 

unbreakable in normal use. 

The Harvey EcoTile® roof tile has the ability to 

eliminate 29-million, 2 litre used plastic milk bottles 

from landfill sites in South Africa. Each tile utilises 

the equivalent of 3.8 recycled bottles and is 100% 

recyclable. In addition, the product input does not 

require any water resource, an increasingly scarce 

commodity in South Africa. With recent focus on the 

effect that discarded plastic products have on ocean 

life and our natural rivers and dams, Harvey EcoTile®’s 

development could not be more timeous. 

Harvey Roofing Products General Manager Sales & 

Marketing, Albie Jordaan says the innovative product 

has been developed to outperform conventional clay/ 

concrete tiles in every way. “Harvey EcoTile® is four 

times stronger yet three times lighter than concrete 

tiles. Combining these advantages makes it possible to 

transport four times more Harvey EcoTiles® as opposed 

to conventional roof tiles, limiting transportation cost 

and on-site breakages. We estimate that breakages can 

be reduced by up to 10% in the full value chain. Most 

importantly, endless maintenance on horizontal roof 

ridges will be a thing of the past.” 

For more information on this innovative product, contact 

Albie Jordaan, Harvey Roofing Products on (011) 741 

5600. (e mail – albie.jordaan@Macroofing.co.za) 

THE PERFECT INSULATION CHOICE 

Historically modern chapel well insulated 

When St Alban’s College in Lynnwood, Pretoria, 

was looking to build its new chapel, it turned to 

specialist contractors who were able to understand 

the authenticity of the venue, maintaining the historical 

value of the buildings while providing a functional, 

high-performance and aesthetically pleasing audio 

and visual solution. 

Chapel music 

Founded in 1963, this prestigious school has a rich 

history, steeped not only in academia but also music, 

with the St Alban’s College chapel choir attending their 

first World Choir Games in 2008. Keeping this in mind, 

the planning and building of the new chapel onto what 

was historically used as a cowshed was undertaken. 

This part of the St Alban’s chapel had monument 

certification and being protected by the National 

Monuments Act, parts of it could not be disturbed – 

challenging all involved as the completed facility had to be 

well insulated and adhere to modern building standards. 

Playtrium 

Thanks to GPL Projects and its managing director, Eric 

Lange, the Rigifoam product line proved to be the perfect 

insulation choice during this challenging project. The 

refurbishment and enclosure of an additional five unused 

spaces to the existing building – the Playtrium, or place 

of play, meeting and gathering, as it was known – was 

the main component and also the biggest challenge. 

The space to be enclosed was tapered, being wide in 

the rear and closing towards the front. 

With an especially flat slope due to space limitations 

below the existing building’s roof and tops of the 

old windows facing into the Playtrium, castellated 

lightweight beams were installed on columns over 

the existing basement, which required a further 

weight reduction. As the space would ultimately 

be used as a place of gathering, insulation was of 

utmost importance. 

Tailormade boards 

Saving weight and space below the roof and to keep 

ambient temperatures as low as possible, meant that 

a between-purlin Lambdaboard installation had to 

be used. This installation was used as the rear of each 

member received a lip on which the board would rest 

and then dropped in from the top, as the members 

formed part of the structural frame keeping the 

columns in place during construction. 

Consequently, the Lambdaboard insulation had to 

be installed before the roof sheeting, with each board 

chamfered and tailormade to its location within the 

structural frame. 

To adhere to the required thermal or R-values, the 

installation of 80mm Lambdaboard was specified. This, 

in turn, required the modification of the structural 

frame to enable the installation of the Lambdaboard 

by way of installing offset aluminium T-sections and 

fixing them to the underside of the purlins, before 

inserting the Lambdaboard longitudinally. 

The boards then had to be shortened to take into 

consideration the installation of the ventilation and 

extraction systems after completion. 

Clad to completion 

Electrical and sound equipment lines were then laid 

in very tight spacing between the boards and the roof 

sheeting. The structural steel frame was clad with 

12mm MDF super wood over steel trusses for aesthetic 

purposes and then clad to edge the Lambdaboard with 

Vinyl faux wood. 

All wall sections which were externally clad with 

Chromate sheeting also had to be insulated and 

40mm Lambdaboard was installed to the structural 

frame before being clad and painted. The board and 

aluminium T-sections were then primed and painted, 

after all the services and aesthetic enhancements were 

installed, completing the all-round appearance. 

Those who sat at the first dedication, after completion 

of the original chapel (the old cowshed), shared a deeply 

emotional and historic event. With the new chapel in 

full operation, the faculty and students can embrace 

this new chapter of their journey whilst reflecting on 

the beauty of the old. 

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT 

Project: Tom Hamilton Wellness Centre – St Albans 

College Pretoria 

Architect: Boogertman & Partners – Pretoria 

Lambdaboard – over purlin application 

Details: With the unique design of this project, the 

ceiling insulation the roof design incorporated a singleplane 

design that ran through the wellness centre 

and continued outside to the covered pavilion for the 

swimming pool complex, Lambdaboard was the perfect 

choice to allow for brilliant thermal performance for 

the interior space and excellent finish for the ceiling. 

RIGIFOAM 

011 421 0313 

www.rigifoam.com, www.lambdaboard.co.za 

® 

CASE STUDY RIGIFOAM 



119

CASE STUDY ISOBOARD 

REPURPOSING BUILDINGS: 

NEW LIFE FROM SOLID STOCK 

KOEN & ASSOCIATES 

CASE STUDY KOEN & ASSOCIATES 

Some buildings have their lifetime’s design 

calling: cathedrals: monuments, hospitals 

and palaces. Some are homes, renovated and 

refreshed from time to time. And others once 

had a particular purpose; long forgotten as the needs 

of the community changed. 

As an example, in Somerset West we have what 

was once perhaps a light industrial workshop or 

warehouse, now reinvented as a chic interior design 

showroom – The Mood Collective. A large walled 

space with mezzanine, ideal for displays, with offices, 

and lovely natural light beaming through the high 

industrial windows. With a lot of love, effort, tears, 

and perhaps some money, the industrial building has 

been refreshed into a stunning showroom, where 

interior specialists showcase their wares to interior 

designers and homemakers. 

ADDING PASSIVE COMFORT 

Amongst the challenges to be overcome in preparing 

the building was adding passive comfort, to allow 

patrons to browse at their leisure. While the building 

has some aspects which contribute to occupant 

comfort, such as cross-flow ventilation and high 

thermal mass solid walls, it was built in an era when 

limited thought was given to the disposition of 

occupants, and the effect of discomfort on patronage 

and energy efficiency. The 300m 2 asbestos fibre 

roof was completely uninsulated, meaning high 

temperature loads in summer, and a cold interior 

in winter. 

While one option would have been to remove and 

replace the roofing after installing thermal insulation, 

because there was opportunity to work from within the 

empty structure, the decision was made to solve from 

within. In addition, this saved replacing the roof sheets. 

The solution chosen has been to add proven thermal 

insulation, in the form of 30mm thickness IsoBoard 

panels, directly adhered to the existing roof sheets. 

IsoBoard panels were factory painted per specification, 

glued to the asbestos sheeting between the existing 

purlins, and finished with a trim piece. This intervention 

has made a considerable difference to the interior 

comfort and the aesthetic appeal of the showroom, 

while preventing any shedding of asbestos fibres. 

A NEAT, QUICK AND RELATIVELY 

AFFORDABLE SOLUTION 

The installation team of four took a week to install 

the IsoBoard roof lining panels, working from scaffold 

platforms. The adhesive forms the permanent bond 

between the roof sheets and interlocking IsoBoard 

panels, making use of no mechanical fasteners at all. 

The key to this installation is having dust and oil-free 

surfaces on the sheeting and boards, allowing the 

water-based adhesive to bond. The recommended 

adhesive allows IsoBoard panels of up to 2 400mm in 

length to adhere almost instantaneously, enabling the 

installation of the next and subsequent boards without 

dislodging the initial board. Pre-painting the boards 

saved time, mess and disruption on site. 

Overall, this has been a neat, quick and relatively 

affordable solution, delivering a comfortable and 

appealing environment for occupants, without affecting 

the integrity of the roof system. 

Research studies prove that the impact of the 

open-plan office on humans has a significantly 

positive influence on office function and 

interaction. 

The mix of spaces also highlight other amenities 

such as conference and training areas, private spaces 

where formal meetings are held, collaborative spaces 

where informal meetings take place, as well as the need 

for open workspace in jobs benefiting from team work 

and or knowledge/skills sharing (Kendra Cherry, 2019). 

Our Client, Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA) had 

recently turned a notable 186 years, where they have 

been successfully providing insurance for the South 

African mining industry. To celebrate their achievement 

RMA appointed Koen & Associate Architecture to “reinvent” 

the traditional office space at their new home 

located at 10 St Andrews Parktown. 

Koen & Associates Architects is an award-winning 

design and build infrastructure development company 

who pride ourselves on innovative design and the 

implementation of new typologies. Koen & Associates 

Architects aims were to renovate the typical office 

environment from its previously mundane, separated 

layout; to one which is open, integrated and where 

programmes flow effortlessly, encouraging an energetic 

and symbiotic relationship between “WORK – PAUSE – 

COLLABORATE”. This environment is inclusive of all 

individuals yet collectively represents the client, RMA 

as well as all it stands for: “Caring, Compassionate, 

Compensation.” 

Eliminating the culture of enclosed offices and 

cubicles results in enhanced collaboration and 

relationship-building allowing for future flexibility. 

Construction costs for the project were reduced by using 

a modern industrial design, exposing all previously 

hidden services like AC units, lighting and cables. 

The building is set to be given a “green facelift”, green 

systems such as a monitoring system will log trends 

against consumption and alert facilities’ management 

via email if there is an excess in consumption. The 

lighting power density achieves an energy use of less 

than 1.5W/m²/100lux for 98.1% of the office usable 

area using the Green Star recommended method of 

calculation. Amongst other concepts, water-saving 

sanitaryware including sensory low-flush systems assist 

in the conservation of water in the building. 

PROGRAMME 

The space allows for freestanding office desks, private 

meeting areas, collaborative spaces as well as lounge 

settings. Studies show that it is important for the 

brain to rest and reload, pause areas allow for this 

while the lounge settings promote socialising and 

strengthening amongst the team, illuminating the need 

for rigid time control and giving the employee a sense 

of responsibility and empowering them to manage their 

time in an unconstrainted manner. 

MATERIAL 

The various floor and wall finishes are applied to define 

spatial function doing away with the traditional solid 

wall. This promotes open space and allows access to 

natural light and sensory artificial light in occupied 

spaces. Decorative acoustic panels and bulkheads will 

serve both an aesthetic and sound buffering purpose. 

FURNITURE 

A combination of textures and colours set a mood 

that is both calm and vigilant, while primarily being 

connected to the company’s corporate identity. Flexible 

furniture was specified to allow for future changes 

and reorganisation. The traditional walled office with 

its pyramid organogram is outdated. The new openplan 

space works for a more modern collaborative 

workforce who share, like and tweet. The current layout 

allows a flatter chain of command in new business with 

spontaneous sharing of information. 

The new move to a new space is indicative of why 

RMA as a company has manged to maintain its 186 

years of success. Keeping up with the current trends 

and needs of its workforce and consumers. 



121

With the Green Building Council leading the 

way when it comes to sustainability in the 

building and construction industry, there 

is so much news, advocacy and project 

information to be shared. 


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