+IMPACT MAGAZINE ISSUE 13

IMPACT 

Official publication of the Green 

Building Council of South Africa 

13 

SUSTAINABLE 

Building Materials

IMPACT 

WINNER 

PROPERTY 

PUBLICATION 

OF THE YEAR 

The official publication of GBCSA 

2019 

Consulting Editor 

Robbie Stammers 

editor@positive-impact.africa 

Managing Editor 

Alexis Knipe 

alexis@greeneconomy.media 

Director 

Danielle Solomons 

dani@positive-impact.africa 

Editorial Contributors 

Chris Erasmus 

Melinda Hardisty 

Nicole Cameron 

GBCSA Editorial Advisory 

Georgina Smit 

Jenni Lombard 

Jo Anderson 

Design and Layout 

Carla Lawrence, CDC Design 

Media Sales 

Gerard Jeffcote 

Glenda Kulp 

Vania Reyneke 

Joint Publishers 

Gordon Brown 

gordon@greeneconomy.media 

Danielle Solomons 

danielle@greeneconomy.media 

Head of Content 

Alexis Knipe 

Production Administrator 

Melanie Taylor 

Web Digital and Social Media 

Steven Mokopane 

GE.tv Head of Production 

Byron Mac Donald 

MPeople Resourcing (Pty) Ltd 

t/a GreenEconomy.Media 

Reg no. 2005/003854/07 

Chief Executive Officer 

Lisa Reynolds 

Finance & Operations 

Manager 

Levinia Palmer 

Marketing Manager 

Christy Borman 

Cover image: 

Earthworld Architects 

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 

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CALLING ALL THOUGHT LEADERS 

+Impact Magazine, 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: editor@positive-impact.africa 

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POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 13 

3

07 INSIGHT 

A note from the editor, 

Robbie Stammers 

09 

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD 

+Impact welcomes our esteemed new 

board of thought leaders 

10 PROJECT 

A LIFE WITH STYLE – NET ZERO 

The De Zicht Lifestyle Centre recently 

received a net-zero rating from the GBCSA 

20 REPORT 

BANKING ON GREEN 

Unpacking the MSCI South Africa Green 

Annual Property Index 2020 

26 PROJECT 

ON THE CUTTING EDGE 

We unpack the latest two certified EDGE 

projects – The Crossberry-Cussonia and 

Devland Gardens 

CONTENTS 

32 PROFILE 

Peikko Group Corporation prides itself 

on an almost sixty-year heritage of design 

and build 

34 

OPINION PIECE 

HEMP IS WHERE THE HOME IS 

Wolf & Wolf Architects tells us about its 

hemp house built in the Bo-Kaap 

42 INNOVATION 

SUSTAINED EXPRESSION 

EXPRESSED SUCCESS 

We showcase the winners of the sixth 

The AfriSam-SAIA (South African Institute 

of Architects) Award for Sustainable 

Architecture + Innovation 

USE WOOD, AND SAVE TREES. 

The more wood we use, the more forests we will save. It might seem responsibly managed forests, where harvesting is strictly controlled. 

contradictory, but it’s simple economics. Greater demand for wood Managed this way, forests become a renewable resource, and you 

makes it more valuable to local communities, and less likely that 

can choose our wooden windows, doors, garage doors and COL 

whole forests will be cleared to make way for other crops, 

products secure in the knowledge that the next generation 

or other, potentially damaging activities, such as mining. 

would be able to do the same. If you take into account the 

As a leading building materials manufacturer, we have 

energy-saving benefits of wood, it is simply the natural 

a responsibility to monitor our environmental impact. 

choice if you care about the environment. For more 

That’s why we prefer to source our wood from 

info call 086 110 2425 or visit www.swartland.co.za 

58 

66 

OPINION PIECE 

WOOD IT WORK 

The mass timber industry is enjoying 

disruptive growth across the world again 

GREEN BUILDING SERVICES, 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES 

71 GLOBAL 

GREEN WORLD 

We showcase ACROS Fukuoka Prefectural 

International Hall and celebrate what else is 

happening around the world in our space 


5

INSIGHT 

First and foremost, it is my honour and pleasure to be appointed as 

the new Editor of +Impact magazine. I know I have big shoes to fill 

following Mary Anne Constable, and I look forward to continuing 

to provide engaging content for our esteemed readers. 

I am excited that this edition showcases two particularly strong sustainable 

methods of yore making waves again in building, design and construction, 

that being timber and hemp. 

Besides the fact we all know that timber has been used as a building material 

for centuries, one of the biggest advantages of using wood as a building material 

is that it is a natural resource. This makes it readily available and economically 

feasible. Timber is also a perfect example of an environmentally sustainable 

product, because it is bio-degradable, renewable, and carbon positive when 

used in construction. Of course, wood sequesters carbon and requires no 

high-carbon emitting fossil fuels to produce it (unlike other common building 

materials like bricks, steel or plastic). 

In this edition, David Elliot, Founder of the Mass Timber Focus Group 

explains how timber is enjoying disruptive growth across the world, as an 

increasing number of design professionals are choosing this renewable and 

time-honoured technology over concrete or steel. 

Then there is the rise and rise of hemp as another environmentally sustainable 

building option. Is building with hemp a new phenomenon? It hardly seems 

likely that human civilizations would have cultivated the plant for millennia 

for such a wide range of uses without using it in their buildings. It is unlikely, 

however, that physical evidence of any such use in ancient times would survive, 

since plant-based building materials will of course eventually decay, returning 

to the soil from whence they came. The same applies to timber. After all, 

that is one aspect of the very reason that we are interested in them today: 

low-impact building materials that will allow us to house ourselves ‘lightly’, 

without leaving behind us a legacy of adverse effects on the environment. 

In this edition, we chat with Wolf from Wolf & Wolf Architects on how and 

why hemp is the future of sustainable housing and that it has the potential 

to create a whole new industry and job pool, which is particularly relevant in 

our South African context. 

We are also proud to feature all the awarded and commended projects of 

the sixth AfriSam-SAIA Sustainable Design Awards that were announced 

recently at a virtual awards ceremony, recognising some of Africa’s leading 

lights in the sustainable African architectural and design innovation space. 

Congratulations to all the winners! 

So until next time, stay safe and sound in these trying Covid times and 

batten down the hatches for the last of the cold weather before we welcome 

the sun back to our shores. 

Enjoy this edition and for any future ideas or comments please feel free to 

email me on editor@positive-impact.africa. 

Editor 


7

IMPACT 

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD 

BOB VAN BEBBER 

Bob van Bebber, a senior director at Boogertman + Partners spearheads the conceptualisation 

and delivery of many of the practices’ large complex projects. From Soccer City, the main 

stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, to large mixed-use precincts as well as the largest 

single tenanted corporate head office in the southern hemisphere for Discovery Health. 

He was recently recognised by the South African Professional Awards as the winner of the 

Professional of the Year: Architecture Class Award as well as the Overall Professional of the 

Year for 2019. Van Bebber’s passion extends into urban design, interior design and education. 

www.boogertmanandpartners.com 

www.sanedi.org.za 

@sanedi.org 

@sanedi_org 

GRAHAME CRUICKSHANKS 

Grahame Cruickshanks has worked as a professional architect, sustainability consultant and 

management consultant with 20 years of experience in the design, construction and property 

industry. Focusing much of his career on green buildings and an expert in his field, he has worked 

on a variety of Green Star and BREEAM certified projects and other building projects in South 

Africa, Singapore and the UK. Prior to joining Growthpoint Properties as the head of sustainability 

and utilities, Cruickshank's previous roles included managing executive for market engagement 

at the GBCSA and manager at EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services. 

www.growthpoint.co.za 

HAS YOUR BUILDING 

RECEIVED AN ENERGY 

EFFICIENCY RATING? 

JUTTA BERNS 

Jutta Berns is an industry leader and one of South Africa’s first internationally accredited 

green building professionals, establishing her company Ecocentric in 2007. She has degrees 

from the Universities of Bonn (Germany) and Cambridge (UK), and a diverse blue-chip client 

base. Berns specialises in sustainable and net-zero solutions for large property portfolios. 

She has several LEED Platinum and 6-Star Green Star projects in her portfolio, is a GBCSA 

faculty member, a Green Star Assessor and GBCSA TAG member, and winner of the Gauteng 

Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 Award by the Women’s Property Network and 2019 winner of 

the Established Green Star Awards by the GBCSA. 

It’s now mandatory for various classes of buildings over a 

certain size, to assess and display their energy performance. 

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), 

recently passed into law a set of Regulations for the 

Mandatory Display and Submission of Energy Performance 

Certificates (EPC) for Buildings. 

The South African National Energy Development Institute 

(SANEDI), an agency of the DMRE, is tasked with hosting 

and maintaining a national Building Energy Performance 

Register to keep track of progress towards the achievement 

of the national objectives set out in the EPC Regulations. 

Entertainment and public assembly facilities, theatrical and 

indoor sports facilities, places of instruction and offices 

with a net floor area of at least 2000 m 2 in the private 

sector, and 1000 m 2 for buildings owned, operated or 

occupied by an organ of the state must be compliant with 

the EPC Regulations by 8 December 2022. 

For more information visit www.sanedi.org.za 

www.ecocentric.co.za 

MANFRED BRAUNE 

Braune currently holds the position of Director: Environmental Sustainability at the 

University of Cape Town (UCT), where he leads the strategy and implementation of 

environmental sustainability across all spheres of the university since early 2019. He has 

also served as a non-executive director of GBCSA in a voluntary role since August 2020. 

Braune’s background is as a professional engineer, having worked at WSP Group for over 

10 years as a consulting engineer, where he then started and led WSP’s green building 

business for three years and then worked for the GBCSA for 10 years. 

MARLOES REININK 

Marloes Reinink is owner of Solid Green Consulting. With an academic background in 

innovation and architecture, she has been working as a sustainable building consultant for 

more than 15 years in South Africa and Africa. She founded Solid Green in 2010, which is one 

of the leading sustainability consultancies in Africa and achieved its 100th green building 

certification in October 2020. Reinink’s passion is advocating for a greener built environment 

and she recently started GreenED, an online education platform for sustainability in the 

sector. Reinink is an ambassador for the International Living Future Institute; a Living Future 

accredited professional; and a facilitator of the SA Collaborative Network for a Living Future. 

www.solidgreen.co.za 

https://www.uct.ac.za/main/explore-uct/sustainability 


9

PROJECT 

A LIFE 

WITH STYLE 

NET ZERO 

De Zicht Lifestyle Centre recently received a net-zero rating 

from the GBCSA. Together with a 6-Star Green Star Public and 

Education GBCSA rating, these achievements are considered 

ground-breaking for the developers, who passionately pursue 

a green agenda. 

WORDS Nicole Cameron 

Project dates Certified February 2021 

Green Star rating 6-Star Green Star PEB 

certification, Net Zero Carbon 

Location 

Milnerton, Cape Town 

Type of building Public & Education Building 

(PEB) 

10 


POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 13 11

PROJECT 

the years, we have introduced 

several innovations to make our 

developments more energy efficient, 

“Over 

helping our customers manage their 

carbon footprint while reducing the burden of the 

cost of energy,” says Steve Brookes, CEO and founder 

of Balwin Properties. As the largest sectional title 

developer in South Africa, Balwin Properties currently 

has a total of 47 529 apartments in South Africa, of 

which 20 269 are EDGE (Excellence in Design for 

Greater Efficiency) certified. 

ROOTED IN NATURE 

The De Zicht Lifestyle Centre, a single-storey 

community centre project located in Cape Town’s 

suburb of Milnerton, features a traditional farmhouse 

design, echoing the simplicity of the natural 

surroundings, while incorporating world-leading 

sustainability initiatives that contribute significantly 

to the estate’s overall eco-status. The building, designed 

by multi-disciplinary design studio dhk Architects, 

has been made to feel welcoming and people centred. 

The layout is compact but makes the most of the space 

with the use of lively, interactive interior spaces. The 

focus is on passive design with a lot of natural lighting 

and ventilation, together with insulation for optimal 

thermal control. 

Senior sustainability consultant Jesse Hamman of 

Solid Green, who worked on the project, says that a 

direct visual connection to the external environment 

has been provided for 80% of the occupied area, 

with glazed sliding doors and full-sized windows. 

“Clerestory windows further add to the natural lighting 

and connection with the building’s context, while glare 

is reduced with shading screens and large overhangs. 

Elements of biophilia have been introduced into the 

interiors with natural materials such as timber and 

stonework, and images from nature adding colour and 

texture,” she says. 

MODELLED TO EFFICIENCY 

To minimise greenhouse gas emissions and ensure a 

net-zero rating (indicating that the total amount of 

energy consumed by the lifestyle centre equals the 

amount of energy created by the building), an energy 

model of the building was generated during the design 

stages and compared to a national model, with the 

resulting design showing a 100% improvement over 

a SANS10400 building. Modelling was also used to 

address the building’s internal operative temperatures, 

with a high level of thermal comfort ensured that is 

within the ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 acceptability 

limits for at least 98% of occupied hours. 

The building features a photovoltaic system installed 

on the roof that actively reduces the peak electrical 

demand and achieves a 5% improvement over the total 

load requirement. All separate or enclosed spaces 

are individually switched, which offers flexibility and 

makes it easy to light only occupied areas, saving on 

electrical consumption. Sub-metering of all major 

The average cost premium of 

building green, over-and-above the 

cost of traditional construction, is 

as low as 1.1% up to a mere 5%, a 

figure which has decreased rapidly 

over the past decade. 

Studio 

from 

R609 900* 

1 Bed 1 Bath 

from 

R709 900* 

2 Bed 1 Bath 

from 

R889 900* 

2 Bed 2 Bath 

from 

R959 900* 

The Lifestyle Centre overlooks 

the estate’s pool. Other outdoor 

features include a five-a-side 

soccer field. 


13

PROJECT 

“Watertight Solutions” 

The De Zicht estate includes 

a well-designed children’s 

play area, swimming pool and 

five-a-side soccer field. 

energy consuming systems is in place, as gathering 

information is key to managing the system to assess 

opportunities for energy savings. 

Water consumption is monitored in the same way, 

with usage reductions achieved through the use of 

water efficient fittings, rainwater harvesting and a 

grey water system installed to reuse water used in 

the laundromat as irrigation. A learning resource 

displays energy and water usage, which sustainability 

experts have been proven to be a powerful tool in 

educating building users, increasing their awareness 

and knowledge of the environmental impact of their 

actions and over time changing behaviour. 

To further reduce environmental impact, all gaseous 

and fire suppression systems and thermal insulants 

specified have an Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) 

of zero. By designating parking spaces near the 

building entrances for occupants with zero to low 

carbon emitting modes of transport, the lifestyle 

centre promotes the use of alternative fuel vehicles, 

motorbikes and bicycles. Close to the lifestyle centre, 

the De Zicht estate includes a well-designed children’s 

play area, swimming pool and five-a-side soccer field, 

all of which promote healthy outdoor living and a 

pedestrian lifestyle. 

Growing the knowledge economy is 

essential in these times of climateand 

health-related stresses. 

De Zicht Lifestyle 

Centre features a 

fully-equipped gym. 

National Distribution - including associated products 

www.derbigum.co.za 

www.waterproofingcentre.co.za 


15

Energy Efficient. On Time & On Budget 

Ensure your housing project is energy efficient - with Eco-Insulation 

PROJECT 

Meet the requirements of SANS 10400-XA by specifying Eco- 

Insulation as your thermal and acoustic insulation of choice above 

the ceiling or under a flat roof. SABS-approved. 

• SABS Approved 

• Fire Rated - B/B1/2 - SANS 10177 

• Sustainable - recycled and green 

• 100% coverage of area no leakage 

• Professionally installed 

• Exceptional performance + R-values 

Made in 

SOUTH AFRICA 

STss Prepaid 

Electricity * Water * Gas 

There are many prepaid metering companies in South Africa today and as a developer or Body Corporate, 

how does one differentiate between them. 

The following separates STss from its competitors: 

• STss owns its vending platform. 

• Each development has a separate bank account with Fidelity insurance to ensure funds collected via prepaid are secure in terms of the EAAB. 

• STss has it’s a 24hour call centre, 7 days a week with afterhours technical support for any emergencies. 

• STss provides a monthly detailed vending report, with exception reports. 

• STss offers a cell phone application for direct token purchasing. 

For an obligation free quote contact: 

Kevin Trollip from STss Marketing 

071 882 9125 kevin@stss.co.za www.stss.co.za 

www.eco-insulation.co.za 

AN ECO-LIFESTYLE 

“The estate is perfectly located for modern family 

living; just twenty minutes from Cape Town’s city 

centre and close to all amenities. The apartments 

themselves are wonderfully designed and include free 

eco-friendly appliances, prepaid utility meters and solar 

supplementation; so, the well-resourced lifestyle centre 

perfectly complements the emphasis on sustainable 

living across every aspect of De Zicht,” says Brookes. 

With construction activities carrying a notoriously 

heavy carbon footprint, due to the large amount of 

materials and energy used during the process, Hamman 

said that it was important for an Environmental 

Management Plan to be developed and implemented 

during the construction phase, which is specific 

to the project and ensured that the environmental 

impact associated with construction was minimised. 

“This went hand-in-hand with a Waste Management 

Plan, with activities directed in a way as to reduce 

the contribution of waste going to landfill during the 

building’s operational phase,” she adds. 

Hamman says that Balwin’s commitment to sharing 

the financial information relating to the design, 

construction and operation of the De Zicht Lifestyle 

Centre with the GBCSA plays an important role 

in contributing to the body of research regarding 

assumptions surrounding “additional costs” associated 

with sustainable developments. According to the 

GBCSA, and research conducted with the Association 

of SA Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) and the University 

of Pretoria (UP), the average cost premium of 

building green, over-and-above the cost of traditional 

construction, is as low as 1.1%, up to a mere 5%, a figure 

which has decreased rapidly over the past decade. 

Of course, there are many other benefits involved in 

building green, with customers investing in an EDGEcertified 

Balwin Properties home being able to apply 

for an Absa Eco Home Loan, for example, being just 

one of them. 


The estate is perfectly located for modern family 

living; just twenty minutes from Cape Town’s 

city centre and close to all amenities. 

The project also committed to providing the 

contracting and design team with greater knowledge 

and skills on the entire Green Star certification process 

through the Green Star Accredited Professional online 

course, which also benefits projects. “Growing the 

knowledge economy is essential in these times of 

climate- and health-related stresses,” says Marloes 

Reinink, director at Solid Green. “In order to respond 

responsibly to user needs, clients and professionals 

need access to relevant and high-quality data to inform 

their decision-making processes on new projects.” 

Hamman says that these initiatives, which they 

applaud Balwin for, allowed Solid Green to target 

Green Star Innovation points for the project – financial 

transparency and professional upskilling. 

There is no doubt that the team behind De Zicht 

Lifestyle Centre has exceeded all targets, by 

implementing several innovative measures which have 

allowed for a new standard for developments of this 

nature to be set. Not only does this allow residents 

of the estate to enjoy a world-leading building with 

all its benefits, but it demonstrates once again that a 

more responsible way of developing and operating can 

become business as usual. 

17

REPORT 

The MSCI South Africa Green Annual Property Index 2020 

is the fifth annual report of its kind in South Africa. It 

provides an independent, globally consistent overview of 

the investment performance across both green-certified 

and non-certified office buildings. 

WORDS Melinda Hardisty 

BANKING 

ON GREEN: 

Unpacking the MSCI South Africa 

Green Annual Property Index 2020 

Growthpoint Properties 

Growthpoint’s 144 Oxford 

Road in Rosebank achieved 

a 5-Star Green Star 

design rating. 

20 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 13 


21

REPORT 

REPORT 

FANFARE IN FIGURES 

Over the index’s five years, the sample of Green Star 

accredited buildings has delivered an annualised 

outperformance of 260 basis points (bps) as its 

compound annual return of 7.3% exceeded the 4.7% 

of the non-certified sample. On a cumulative basis, 

this equates to a total return of 42.1%, outperforming 

the non-certified sample by 13.2%. 

Mayfair on the Lake, 

KwaZulu-Natal achieved 

4-Star Green Star 

Office Design, As-Built 

and Existing Building 

Performance ratings. 


MSCI, an international company 

providing tools and services to support 

the global investment community, 

produces the index in conjunction 

with the GBCSA and with the sponsorship of 

Growthpoint Properties. Gareth Allison, executive 

director at MSCI, explains that many of the company’s 

global analyses include predicting possible future 

events to “stress test” the impact on property 

portfolios. Climate risks now form a large part of 

the potential future risks for property investment. 

Having tangible, measured results takes the guesswork 

out of investment decisions, enabling investors to 

understand key drivers of risk and return, and to build 

more effective and sustainable portfolios. 

PROMISING RESULTS 

The 2020 index, which was released in April 2021, 

was compiled using data sourced from various 

property portfolios across South Africa. The data set 

for 2020 comprised 289 Prime and A-Grade office 

buildings, with a combined value of R54.5-billion. 

Lincoln on the Lake office 

building in KwaZulu-Natal 

achieved 4-Star Green Star 

EBP and As-Built ratings. 

A total of 139 buildings were Green Star certified by 

the GBCSA, while the remaining 150 were not. Eileen 

Andrew, vice president of MSCI, explains that the 

index was first started to help investors justify the 

capital expenditure required to develop and certify 

green buildings. 

She says, “We have been tracking the returns of 

green certified offices for the last five years. Although 

we haven’t measured them through a full property 

cycle, what tends to happen is that the spread between 

property performances narrows during economic 

upturns and then widens through the downturn. Given 

the data we have seen thus far over the last five years, 

we can assume that this will hold in the case of certified 

and non-certified offices.” 

This certainly seems to be the case. Green Star 

certified buildings have consistently outperformed 

their non-certified counterparts over the five-year 

period. However, the results for 2020, which spanned 

the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa 

and the initial hard lockdowns, has shown that certified 

buildings are proving to be far more defensive, both 

in terms of income and capital. 

MSCI 

25000 

20000 

15000 

10000 

5000 

0 

21848 

17656 

CAPITAL VALUE PER M 2 

22475 

18152 

Capital value per square metre for certified and non-certified buildings. 

During 2020, with the property sector extremely 

stressed, green certified offices delivered a total 

return of -1.6%, while non-certified buildings stood 

at -3.1%. Green Star rated buildings showed a decline 

in net operating income of -5.8% versus the -10.1% 

of the non-certified offices, they showed a 40bps 

lower discount rate, and a much lower vacancy rate 

(12.7% versus 14.9%). The certified buildings showed a 

capital value 31% higher per square metre, and a more 

resilient capital growth. These results reinforced 

the link between quality, desirability, and Green 

Star accreditation. 

22077 

21216.9 

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 

CERTIFIED PRIME & A GRADE OFFICES 

17561 

23551 

17514 

NON-CERTIFIED PRIME & A GRADE OFFICES 

16117.1 


“For investors, these results indicate that certified 

green buildings are attractive investment options as 

well as ensuring future climate resilience and delivering 

on mitigation interventions associated with green 

building design and operation,” says Andrew. Tenants 

in certified buildings were far less likely to give up their 

leases, and rental reductions and rebates were lower 

across the board for the certified buildings in the study. 

Georgina Smit, head of technical at the GBCSA, is 

excited by how positive the index results have been, 

even amid the global pandemic and all the related 

economic implications. “It highlights that quality 

Pursuing certification sends a signal 

to the market that environmental 

impacts are being independently 

verified and quantified. It is a 

significant step-up from self-made 

claims of being green. 

14,0 

12,0 

10,0 

11,8 

11,6 

RETURN ON INVESTMENTS 

Graph showing the total return 

on investments year on year for 

certified and non-certified buildings. 

8,0 

8,0 

7,6 

7,8 

7,6 

7.3 

6,0 

5,9 

5,1 

4.7 

4,0 

2,0 

0,0 

-2,0 

-4,0 

2016 

2017 

-1,6 

-3,1 

2018 

2019 

2020 

CERTIFIED PRIME & A GRADE OFFICES NON-CERTIFIED PRIME & A GRADE OFFICES 

5 YEAR ANNUALISED 


Cintocare hospital in Pretoria 

achieved a a 5-Star Green 

Star rating in Custom 

Healthcare Design. 



23

REPORT 

The Exxaro head office in 

Centurion achieved a 6-Star 

Green Star As-Built Rating. 

spaces that are environmentally sustainable are still 

valued and sought after.” Green building certification 

is currently voluntary in South Africa, and there are 

no legislated requirements for developers to pursue 

this route. The numbers are indicating that certified 

green buildings make good financial sense and hold 

benefits on their own, providing tangible incentives 

for investors and developers. “Pursuing certification 

sends a signal to the market that environmental impacts 

are being independently verified and quantified. It is 

a significant step-up from self-made claims of being 

green,” adds Smit. 

THE DESIRABILITY OF GREEN 

Even as office buildings across the country were 

emptying out as many businesses were downsizing 

amidst economic uncertainty and shifting to more 

remote or hybrid working models that require less 

office space, Green Star rated offices showed far lower 

vacancy rates. This seems to highlight the value that 

is now being placed on high performing buildings. 

There are, of course, the intrinsic benefits for 

building occupants in terms of the comfort of working 

in the space and in terms of the longer-term savings on 

water and electricity. Many individuals and businesses 

are also starting to engage more with climate change 

and how to mitigate disaster in that arena. Andrew 

highlights, “We are seeing, in developed markets like 

Australia, for example, that as tenant demand for green 

certified buildings becomes the norm, developers 

and subsequent owners will have no choice but to 

provide the product that is in demand, or their product 

will become obsolete.” She also explains that ESG 

(environmental, social and governance) is becoming 

a driving factor behind developers, landlords and 

tenants wanting to build, own, and occupy certified 

buildings. To raise capital, companies are more and 

more often being required to prove that they are 

managing environmental risks effectively. 

The actual certification becomes particularly 

important here. Having a recognised Green Star 

rating (as opposed to possibly being a high performing 

building without formal accreditation) is a measurable 

standard, providing proof of a building’s performance 

to investors and valuators. Importantly, re-certification 

is required every few years for a building to maintain 

its accreditation based on operational measurements. 

FUTURE FOCUS 

At this stage, the index only compares office buildings 

as this is currently the only building typology with 

enough certified buildings for a meaningful sample. 

However, as more buildings of different types are 

being certified, the intention is that many more 

commercial property types can also be compared in 

a similar way. 

The study does consider the use of electricity and 

water, which is generally much lower in certified 

buildings, however, there is a move towards being 

able to quantify CO ² 

emissions in a more refined 

way to analyse actual climate risk reductions more 

comprehensively. “Climate risk mitigation is becoming 

a big consideration for investors and lenders and the 

‘greening’ of properties is fundamental to this. MSCI 

is using climate metrics and ‘Climate Value at Risk’ to 

measure the warming potential of properties and the 

reduction thereof. This is an exciting space to watch,” 

adds Andrew. 

“From an investor’s point of view, there is ‘doing the 

right thing’ and then there is ‘doing well (financially) by 

it’,” says Grahame Cruickshanks, head of sustainability 

and utilities at Growthpoint Properties. The index 

results support the case for investing in greencertified 

buildings. Green Star rated buildings are 

better placed to attract and retain tenants which 

translates to a better bottom line. Green assets are 

also more future proof with the shift towards more 

ESG awareness and compliance. 



? 

GreenWorx 

#ECOWARRIOR 

CLEANING SOLUTIONS 

THE TIME TO BECOME 

AN 

IS NOW 

Unit 1 New Port Business | Quarts Road, Kya Sand Business Park Kya Sands 

Phone +27 11 708 6626 www.green-worxcs.co.za

PROJECTS 

On the 

CUTTING 

EDGE 

While only a small percentage 

of residential developments are 

formally certified, getting an 

EDGE certification can have great 

economic and environmental 

benefits. 

WORDS Chris Erasmus 



27

Sustainable & Affordable Housing Solutions 

PROJECTS 

Making a difference 

Uplifting communities 

Sustainable greening solutions 

Minimize the impact on the planet 

083 637 0481 | info@insideoutconsulting.co.za 

www.insideoutconsulting.co.za 

EDGE Expert (SGS-Sintali EDGE Expert Partner) 

EDGE Auditor (GBCSA & GBCI) 

In total, there are 194 countries that have submitted 

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to 

reach their targets of reduced emissions through 

climate solutions, to help achieve the objectives 

of the Paris Agreement. A 50% reduction in global 

building emissions is needed by 2030 in addition to 

achieving zero-carbon emissions by 2050. 

To achieve these ambitious goals, investors, 

developers and governments need to work together 

to meet the demand for buildings in a way that is 

economically beneficial and aligned with global climate 

goals. More evidence will help significantly to provide 

quantifiable proof to back the business case for green 

buildings in emerging markets, which will release a 

new wave of investors and developers taking leadership 

of the sector. 

Green initiatives can be approached in two ways 

on affordable housing projects. On a macro scale, 

governments can offshoot green building growth 

through progressive policies. The creation of both 

fiscal and non-fiscal incentives that are tied to 

certified buildings can create massive awareness 

among the developer community and galvanise 

markets into action. Incentives are particularly 

impactful when layered upon a building code 

policy at the municipal or national level that is well 

implemented and enforced. 

“On a macro scale, town planning plays an important 

role in making a community as opposed to another 

standard housing project,” says Eloshan Naicker, 

Green Star accredited professional (new building) 

and Edge-accredited professional, technical director, 

previously from IFC. Some ways that this can be done 

is with the inclusion of recreational spaces. These can 

reduce stress and encourage communal growth. Storm 

water management across a site reduces the risk of 

flooding and the water can be collected and used within 

recreational spaces or in times of drought. 

“Communal recycling facilities and waste 

management can stimulate job creation and reduce 

waste going to already stretched landfill sites. Solar 

powered streetlights save on electrical supply and 

make streets safer,” he says. Locating housing projects 

close to public transport nodes and efficient movement 

networks within the communities makes commuting 

easier and safer. 

On a micro scale, simple design and construction 

methods are easily achievable. Water can be collected 

from roof gutters for flushing toilets and watering 

gardens or in times of water shortages. Low-flow 

sanitary fittings are affordable and significantly reduce 

the demand on water supply. 

Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting can be used 

throughout the home to save on electricity. LEDs 

consume less power and thus last longer. Investing in 

solar and other renewable energy means gives you a 

saving of about 2.5 less kW. “A typical three-bedroomed 

home that just runs off solar with LED will cost about 

R30 000 to R55 000 depending on how you use it. If you 

don’t use LEDs, it may cost around R80 000 to R120 000.” 

A heat pump is an energy-efficient water heater that 

removes free heat energy from the surrounding air and 

transfers this to the water in your geyser. Affordable, 

low-capacity domestic heat pumps (3.8kW or less) can 

be combined with an affordable geyser (100l or 150l) 

to create an efficient means of heating water. 

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a 

member of the World Bank group, developed the EDGE 

(Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiency) tool, 

which provides for 38 specification enhancements. By 

selecting some 14 of these enhancements it is possible 

to achieve the required savings. 

Aimed at any type of build, the EDGE tool is perhaps 

especially relevant for large-scale builds for the lowend 

of the housing market where, in South Africa as 

with many countries still in developmental phases, 

there is the greatest demand and where energy and 

water consumption savings are likely to be greatest 

and most effective. 

The social housing market, for example, deals 

with households earning between R3 500 and 

R15 000 per month. Reduced utility costs through 

EDGE interventions not only help such households to 

consume less water and electricity, but also shows how 

to manage consumption and utility costs. The process 

having been tried and tested successfully, most of 

the South African banks are now on board to provide 

preferential funding for buyers of EDGE certified units. 

Façade of Crossberry 

Central. 

29

PROJECTS 

PROJECTS 

CASE STUDY 

Looking into the operations of one of the players 

in the low-income housing market that uses EDGE 

tools to enhance outcomes for both developers and 

tenants helps illustrate the point. 

International Housing Solutions (IHS) is an equity 

investor in affordable housing projects with a market 

value of less than R850 000 per unit. Since 2007, IHS 

has invested in about 40 000 affordable housing units in 

South Africa, Namibia and Botswana and has recently 

obtained approval of funding to invest in Kenya. 

As one of the investors, the IFC required that IHS 

developed 5 700 residential units meeting EDGE post 

construction certification requirements. EDGE post 

construction certification requires that a unit must be 

redesigned to ensure at least a 20% saving of energy 

consumption, 20% saving of water consumption and 20% 

saving of embodied energy to manufacture materials 

compared to what standard building specifications 

would achieve. 

Currently, IHS has invested in 24 projects consisting 

of 6 851 units which obtained EDGE preliminary design 

certification in South Africa, of which 12 projects, 

consisting of 3 201 units, have already achieved EDGE 

post construction certification. 

These following two projects are the latest two EDGE 

certifications awarded by the GBCSA. 

CROSSBERRY-CUSSONIA 

PROJECT, MIDRAND 

This project, consisting of 372 residential units 

constructed in three-storey blocks, is located near 

the Gautrain Midrand station in Johannesburg. 

The units consist of two different typologies. The 

following table illustrates savings that were estimated 

as well as the actual savings achieved according to the 

monthly monitoring information: 

Typology B Energy consumption Water consumption Embodied energy 

Base Case 435.31kWh/m 16.7kl/m 

Final Case 296.1kWh/m 10.63kl/m 

Estimated savings 31.98% 36.50% 32.93% 

Actual consumption 234kWh/m 7.5kl/m 

Actual savings 201.32kWh/m 9.2kl/m 

Actual Saving % 46.24% 57.5% 

International Housing Solutions 

Typology A Energy consumption Water consumption Embodied energy 

Base Case 430.55kWh/m 14.75kl/m 

Final Case 291.14kWh/m 10.19kl/m 


Actual consumption 215kWh/m 7.5kl/m 

Actual savings 215.55kWh/m 7.25kl/m 

Actual saving % 50.06% 49.15% 

Crossberry-Cussonia 

bedroom. 

International Housing Solutions 

Crossberry-Cussonia 

lounge. 

Base Case savings refers to the estimated 

consumption if the design and specifications meet the 

current building regulations. The Final Case savings 

is the consumption as calculated by the EDGE tool, if 

the design and specifications are enhanced using the 

interventions as listed in the EDGE tool. The actual 

consumption refers to the average actual consumption 

per unit over the last 12 months, as recorded by a 

prepaid metering or smart metering system. PV panels 

are used to provide most of the electricity used by the 

geysers to provide hot water. 

DEVLAND GARDENS 

Devland Gardens consists of 870 social housing units 

located south-west of Johannesburg. The units consist 

of five different typologies and are constructed in 

two phases. Phase 1a, consisting of 330 units (three 

typologies only) has been completed and received 

EDGE post construction certification. 

As lease-up of phase 1a is still in progress, it is not 

possible to provide accurate actual consumption data 

to compare with the Final Case estimated consumption 

information. Accurate data will only be available once 

the units are fully occupied, and data for 12 months 

is available. 

The following table shows the detail of the various 

typologies of phase 1a, as well as the estimate 

consumption for the Base Case and Final Case estimates: 

Typology Design criteria Energy 

consumption 

A centralised heat pump system is used to provide 

hot water. Devland is developed and managed in 

partnership with Instratin Properties. 

LOW BUILD COSTS 

The additional construction cost to achieve the 

required savings was initially estimated at about 

R17 500 per unit or about 2.5% of the development 

cost. By understanding the interventions better, and 

selecting the most effective low-cost interventions, 

the additional development cost to achieve EDGE post 

construction certification has been reduced to about 

0.5% of total development cost. 

The annual savings in utility costs for the tenants 

are about equal to the rent payable for one month. It 

is also considered important that the banks provide a 

green bond at lower interest rates to promote affordable 

ownership of EDGE post construction certified units. 

“By using the design enhancements as recommended 

in the EDGE tool, it is relatively easy and much more 

cost-effective to design a residential unit to save energy 

and water consumption and reduce the embodied 

energy to manufacture the material required for 

constructing the unit,” says Willem Odendaal, technical 

specialist on the two projects. 

Considering the general shortage of electricity supply, 

as well as water provision by the local authorities, a 

simple and cheap solution is to change the building 

Water 

consumption 

Embodied 

energy 

Two one-bed/one-bath (26.69m2) Base Case 137.52kWh/m 11.29kl/m 182 331.20MJ 

Final Case 102.95kWh/m 8.61kl/m 67 790.74MJ 


Three two-bed/one-bath (35.07m2) Base Case 147.83kWh/m 15.07kl/m 286 796.29MJ 

Final Case 113.3kWh/m 11.42kl/m 105 856.51MJ 


Four three-bed/one-bath (43.04m2) Base Case 170.50kWh/m 22.61kl/m 297 967.60MJ 

Inside Out Consulting 

Typical block and 

walkway façade at 

Devland Gardens. 

Final Case 129.46kWh/m 14.86kl/m 112 184.8MJ 


EDGE really makes green 

certification achievable for all. It is 

simple to use, cost-effective and 

internationally recognised. 

regulations in line with the recommendations in the 

EDGE tool. The sustainability of the EDGE programme 

is considered important. 

Tenants, owners and property managers need to 

be trained to understand the benefits of living in an 

EDGE post construction certified unit to enable them 

to maintain the intervention, such as not replacing the 

LED bulbs with incandescent bulbs. To assist with the 

rollout of the EDGE programme, the training of about 

500 developers, professionals and property managers 

by GBCSA was funded by investor KfW. 

“EDGE really makes green certification achievable for 

all. It is simple to use, cost-effective and internationally 

recognised,” adds Yvonne Pelser of Inside Out 

Consulting, who also worked on the projects. “In addition 

to the green credentials, it really makes a difference on 

the ground, by helping the social housing tenants at 

Devland save on the consumption of utilities and also 

reducing utility bills.” 



31

PROFILE 

PROFILE 

Hollow-Core Flooring 

application with Peikko 

DELTABEAM® 

A PIONEERING JOURNEY 

Peikko continues to charter undiscovered 

territory in the construction industry in 

South Africa… 

As the global forerunner in slim floor 

structures, wind energy applications and 

connection technology for precast and castin 

situ, Peikko Group Corporation prides 

itself on an almost sixty-year heritage of developing 

innovative solutions that offer a faster, safer, and more 

efficient way to design and build. Headquartered 

in Lahti, Finland, the family-owned and managed 

company has sales offices in over 34 countries in Asia- 

Pacific, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and North 

America, with manufacturing operations in eleven 

countries. Peikko South Africa was established and 

became fully operational in September 2018, with 

Daniel Petrov appointed as Managing Director. 

This year, Peikko celebrates the 30th anniversary of 

bolted column connections, an innovation launched 

by the company which has revolutionised the market. 

“The beauty of a bolted, mechanical connection is 

that it can be done with a small crew on site and no 

temporary bracing is needed. As soon as the nuts are 

tightened, the connection is movement-resistant and 

the crane can move on to the next column,” said Petrov, 

referencing Peikko’s input into the structural design of 

Fourways Mall, situated in Johannesburg’s Northern 

Suburbs and officially opened in August 2018. He said 

that using Peikko connections not only simplified the 

structural design but also improved onsite efficiency 

of work. “By shortening the floor-to-floor construction 

cycle time, Peikko provided substantial cost savings 

for the project,” he said. 

Peikko’s game-changing product all came down to 

a question asked by the company in the mid 1980’s: 

What if we used bolts instead? While it was difficult 

to get an entirely novel construction method accepted 

to the market, the design of HPKM® Column Shoes, 

launched in 1991, offered the building sector a smaller, 

lighter solution that was strong and easy to use. 

Introducing column shoes dramatically changed the 

speed of construction process down to ten minutes for 

each column. Plus, the need for continuous column 

support was eliminated; and soon they became the 

industry standard. 

JUST THE BEGINNING 

This innovation was only the beginning for Peikko. Four 

years after the initial launch, the larger PEC® Column 

Shoe was launched along with PPM® Anchor Bolts. 

This combination used even higher strength steel and 

enabled a higher load bearing. After some success in 

the domestic market of Finland during the early 1990’s, 

Peikko decided to take a step towards international 

markets. As in any industry, exporting and international 

operations in a new market is always a high-risk action 

that takes time to produce profit. However, Peikko had 

an excellent possibility of success at hand as the business 

competition was still non-existent, and soon the product 

Precast Concrete Columns with 

Peikko HPM® Re-Bar Anchor 

Bolts and HPKM® Column Shoes 

was introduced to the German market, and Sweden and 

Norway shortly thereafter. A few years later, in 2000, 

Peikko entered the Spanish market, quickly gaining a 

credible market position. 

During internationalisation, Peikko focused on 

learning from the new markets and developing their 

products. Special attention was given to obtaining 

European Technical Assessments (ETA) and 

Conformitè Europëenne (CE) markings. The work 

around ETA began in 2003, when Peikko started 

to create standards for bolted column connections 

and develop standardised procedures to assess safe 

performance. As new international market areas were 

landed, Peikko’s position was further solidified. In 2005, 

Peikko column shoes entered the Russian markets and 

in 2009, Peikko worked on its first seismic projects 

with customers in Turkey. At this time, Peikko made 

its largest single R&D investment as Peikko Designer® 

software was launched. With this software, Peikko 

wanted to make designers’ work as reliable and easy 

as possible and give them some room for creativity. 

After years of hard work, Peikko completed the 

pioneering development of the ETA performance 

requirements and test procedures for bolted column 

connections in 2010. Concurrently, the market was 

growing as per usual, as Peikko entered the APAC and 

Chinese markets in 2011, and later on established an 

office in Singapore. In 2013, Peikko reached a big goal: 

the ETA was granted to bolted column connections, 

which were soon followed by performance-based CE 

markings. Becoming the industry standard was officially 

reality, since no other company had been granted the 

ETA ever before. But still, Peikko was looking forward, 

knowing that a world-leading company is always looking 

for room to improve. In 2017, they introduced the first 

energy-dissipating, seismic-proof precast bolted column 

connection and their most recent huge innovation was 

launched this year, with the most advanced column shoe 

to date, BOLDA®. With its stronger design and elegant, 

more compact structure, it is the only ETA-assessed 

column shoe for higher loads in the world. 

SUSTAINABLE IMPACT 

Given that the building industry is responsible for 

major ecological impact, with 40% of total energy use 

globally and 30% of the global amount of waste, Peikko 

is committed to constantly improve its operations and 

sustainability runs along in all R&D and manufacturing 

at Peikko. In many areas, they have already achieved a 

lot, but as a global company there are still areas where 

improvement is planned. “Sustainability is part of 

business in everything we do. It starts in our operations 

by reducing emissions and preserving resources, and 

continues by providing sustainable products and 

solutions for our customers. In that way, we can do for 

the environment much more since the real CO2 impact 

comes through our customers and us. Doing business 

responsibly with integrity, respecting diversity, and 

each other, reflects our core values,” said Peikko Group 

CEO Topi Paananen. 

With important choices that impact energy saving, 

safety and flexible adaptability of spaces made right 

at the design phase of a building project, Peikko’s 

DELTABEAM® slim floor structure is an extremely 

popular choice. With the product, more floor space is 

Peikko Bolted Connections in precast concrete columns; Design and Build for 

Warehouse Structure 

Peikko COPRA® Anchor Couplers in Cast In-Situ Columns on site for support of 

structural steel trusses in Aquatic Centre Structure 

achieved with the same building height. The same layout 

arrangement can be implemented with a smaller amount 

of volume, so the building’s heating and air conditioning 

costs are reduced. The shallow design reduces the 

structural thickness of the levels in a building, which, 

together with the flat lower surface of the intermediate 

floor enables easy and space-saving HVAC installations. 

More than 15 000 construction projects globally have 

been built using the same reliable technology. 

Peikko Product Development team leader Ján Bujňák 

pointed out that you don’t necessarily have to change 

the game with every product launched. “But of course, 

you can!” He pointed out that in an industry as heavily 

regulated as the construction one, if a new solution is 

10% better compared to the old one, that’s already a 

significant and value-creating step forward. “Given the 

creative nature of the company’s founder, Jalo Paananen, 

it seems inevitable that bringing up and sharing new 

ideas is just part of Peikko’s DNA,” he concluded. 

“The COVID-19 crisis was devastating for the sector, 

and on a professional level, we recognised that the 

design-and-build method of construction will require 

some re-thinking and changes for the industry. This 

is where our products, systems and solutions fit in 

well in the South African construction sector. We 

look forward to rolling out our products on a larger 

scale, knowing that they help with faster construction,” 

concluded Petrov. 



33

OPINION PIECE 

HEMP 

IS WHERE 

THE HOME IS 

It is estimated that the hemp industry will create 25 000 

new jobs and be worth an estimated R10-billion by 2025. 

+Impact speaks to Wolf from Wolf & Wolf Architects about 

its hemp house built in the Bo-Kaap and how hemp has 

the potential to change the face of the building industry. 

WORDS Robbie Stammers 



OPINION PIECE 

OPINION PIECE 

Wolf of Wolf and Wolf Architects has 

designed and facilitated almost all of the 

Western Cape’s hemp building projects 

to date, starting with The House that 

Hemp Built in Noordhoek that was built for South 

Africa’s foremost hemp expert, Tony Budden, from 

Hemporium, in 2011. 

Following this project was the hemp house in the Bo- 

Kaap. The double-story Bo-Kaap hemp house was built 

using a timber and concrete structure with Hempcrete 

infill. Over 50% of the hemp was sourced locally from 

hemp cultivation research projects. This work forms 

an important landmark on a journey towards refining 

the combined use of timber and industrial hemp. 

Set within the culturally and historically sensitive 

Bo-Kaap, this project explores the use of timber, clay 

and lime plasters focusing on energy efficiency and the 

reduction of the carbon footprint of the building. The 

home has a built-in water catchment, a bio-digester in 

the basement and a green house on the roof with the 

potential for an aquaponic system. The design succeeds 

in addressing the street in a historically appropriate 

way while offering a contemporary interior space. 

“We pride ourselves on being strong advocates for 

the hemp industry in South Africa and are leaders 

in hemp construction nationally. Having built and 

Top Left: Bedroom showing hemp walls. 

Top Right: Stairs upto the apartment 

in the Bokaap hemp house. 

Bottom: Wolf & Wolf office. 

been involved in several hemp-built homes and, more 

recently, larger building projects, we understand the 

benefits and limitations of this material. The benefits 

to personal and environmental health are substantial,” 

explains Wolf. 

GREEN BUILDING 

Hempcrete is an energy-efficient, low-impact, watersmart 

building material that offers a better carbon 

footprint than other home building materials. An 

alternative to cement blocks, which are very energyintensive, 

hempcrete can be an integral part of home 

building, using just enough energy to keep its occupants 

warm in the winter and cool in the summer. 

Hempcrete is made from hemp mixed with a 

formulated lime binder and water; it does not require 

heat to produce. This material can be formed to fit 

between the studs of a house as hempcrete or as 

bricks, blocks or panels set between a timber, steel 

or concrete structural system. Because it is less dense 

than regular clay or cement blocks, it reduces the load 

on the structure of the building. 

Hemp can also be used like stucco to protect the 

outside walls of new and existing homes from moisture. 

Bokaap hemp house seen 

from above, showing 

greenhouse and roof 

garden. 

As a vapour-permeable material, it can absorb water 

when it’s raining and then expel it when the sun is 

shining. This is a huge advantage because, for many 

building materials, moisture problems can lead to 

mould and rot. 

Hemp takes carbon out of the air and therefore has 

lower embodied energy. Hempcrete absorbs more 

carbon than it emits during its manufacture, making 

it carbon negative. To put that into perspective: one 

cubic metre of hempcrete will sequester approximately 

110kg of carbon from the atmosphere. 

An average-sized house would be built using around 

50 cubic metres of hempcrete for the walls, meaning 

that an average hempcrete house would lock up 

5.5 tons of carbon for the lifetime of the building. 

This compares to a more standard new house of a 

similar size, in which the walls would be likely to 

emit 48 tons of carbon into the atmosphere. This is 

a saving of 53.5 tons of carbon for every house built. 

It is clear to see that the carbon balance is not even 

close and that, notwithstanding slight variations in 

calculation methodology, building with hempcrete 

can significantly reduce carbon emissions, making it 

a more sustainable building material. 

Hempcrete’s ability to save carbon does not stop 

there. Hempcrete is an insulative walling material and 

has two crucial attributes in its favour to reduce carbon 

emissions and save on energy bills – the qualities 

of moisture management and thermal mass. Largely 

overlooked by building regulations, these attributes 

mean that hempcrete buildings require less energy to 

keep occupants warm and comfortable. 

HOUSE OF STRAW 

“Our commitment to hemp is based on environmental 

as well as economic factors. In the context of South 

Africa, where we have both the suitable climate as 

well as large amounts of open land, industrial hemp 

could be cultivated and harvested in abundance with 

relative ease. It grows quickly, requires little water 

and has no pesticides or herbicides as it is inherently 

pest resistant, so its cultivation can be completely 

toxin-free. In fact, it can even contribute to the Phytoremediation 

of previously contaminated soils,” says 

Wolf. “Considering that hemp can also be used to create 

organic, durable and comfortable textiles, pressed 

for highly nutritional non-psychoactive oil, used in 

cosmetics and even processed to create an alternative 

to plastic, the cultivation of industrial hemp has the 

potential to substantially grow our local economy and 

provide sustainable and dignified jobs. 

The cultivation of industrial hemp 

has the potential to substantially 

grow our local economy and provide 

sustainable and dignified jobs. 

“Afrimat-Hemp is making hemp blocks locally. They 

are currently using hemp imported by The Hemporium. 

We anticipate that the hemp licenses will be issued 

around October 2021. This will make blocks more 

affordable. Afrimat-hemp has developed a hempcrete 

mix and hemp-lime plasters suitable for new and 

heritage restoration work. They are also developing 

light weight hemp pre-fabricated panels for rapid 

construction and insulation work.” 

Of all the plant fibres used in construction, hemp 

boasts several characteristics that make it superior from 

both the ecological perspective and the economic one. 

With most conventional wall construction techniques, 

you can expect to find multiple layers of different 



37

OPINION PIECE 

n 

2 - 4 NOVEMBER 

stage 

2 

2 

- 

- 

4 

4 

NOVEMBER 

NOVEMBER 

stage 

Speaker Highlights 

Rendering of “Mickey’s 

Lighthouse” a project that 

Green Home, Wolf & Wolf 

and Hemporium are currently 

fundraising for. 

Speaker Highlights 

materials, each performing only one specific function. 

For example, a steel- or timber-framed structure with 

a composite wall system requires an insulation layer, 

a vapour barrier layer, a breather membrane and a 

sheathing layer, as well as the finishing cladding, to 

name a few. A hempcrete wall can perform all of these 

functions itself and, due to the reduced number of 

connection points between these materials, a more 

air-tight envelope can be achieved. 

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING 

“Hemp construction can be straightforward and lowtech. 

It can create a whole new industry and job pool, 

which is particularly relevant in our South African 

context. This is the reason hemp is our material of 

choice for non-load bearing elements,” adds Wolf. 

In 2015, Greenhome, Wolf and Wolf Architects 

and Hemporium joined forces to build a hemp 

extension to Yiza Ekahaya. Yiza Ekhaya is a soup 

kitchen in the informal settlement of Khayelitsha in 

Cape Town and feeds and cares for over 250 people 

daily. This same team are currently fundraising for 

a further extension to Yiza Ekhaya, called “Mickey’s 

Lighthouse”, a three-storey hemp soup kitchen and 

safe house for young girls. 

https://www.givengain.com/c/yizaekhaya/ 

Wolf and Wolf Architects are currently working 

on a 12-story building in the Cape Town CBD where 

they use hemp for the internal walls due to their good 

acoustic and thermal properties. Due to hemp being so 

light, they reduce the loading on the foundations and 

have a fantastic carbon footprint. The building will 

house a Hemporium retail store on the ground floor. 

“In the last three months, we have noticed an 

increase in the interest in hemp construction from 

four large architectural firms and developers seeking 

a way to create carbon neutral or negative buildings,” 

Wolf concludes. 

POIGNANT FACTORS 

ABOUT HEMP 

Very lightweight. 

Microbe- and insect-resistant. 

100% biodegradable as it is fully organic. 

Excellent sound insulation properties. 

Sustainable to grow, harvest and process. 

Mould and rot resistant. Hemp absorbs moisture; 

one square metre of hemp can absorb up to 14 

litres of water. 

It has excellent thermal insulation values and good 

thermal mass – well above regulation standard, 

leading to substantial energy savings compared 

with conventional building technologies. 

Unlike most other building materials, it is 

simultaneously breathable and inherently airtight. 

As a vapour-permeable building envelope, it 

regulates internal relative humidity, eliminating 

condensation on internal faces. 

It can be a zero-waste material, as previously used 

hempcrete can be reused and added to new mixes. 

Hempcrete is a carbon-negative material, 

meaning that it sequesters CO2 from the 

atmosphere. About 108kg of CO2 can be locked 

away as biomass per cubic metre of hempcrete 

for the lifespan of the building. 

Hempcrete is currently in the process of getting 

SABS approval and an Agrément certificate. The 

blocks do have a two-hour fire rating for nonload 

bearing walls. 


MASHUDU RAMANO 

Entrepreneur in Transition 

MASHUDU RAMANO 

MASHUDU 

to a Regenerative 

RAMANO 

& 

Entrepreneur Sustainable in Future Transition 

Entrepreneur 

to a Regenerative 

in Transition 

& 

to 

Sustainable 

a Regenerative 

Future 

& 

Sustainable Future 

KUNLÉ ADEYEMI 



Architect, Professor 

and Architect, Development Professor 

Architect, and Researcher Development Professor 

and Development 

Researcher 

Researcher 

TERESA VAN DONGEN 

Dutch Bio-designer 





CLIVE WILKINSON 

CLIVE Architect WILKINSON and 

CLIVE 

Interior Architect WILKINSON 

Designer and 

Interior Architect Designer and 

Interior Designer 

REGISTER NOW! 

REGISTER NOW! 

REGISTER NOW! 

TOM HEGEN 

German Aerial 

TOM Photographer 

HEGEN 

TOM HEGEN 

German Aerial 

Photographer 

German Aerial 

Photographer 

ASHLEIGH MORRIS 

ASHLEIGH MORRIS 

ASHLEIGH 

Coreo Australia 

MORRIS 

Chief Executive Officer, 

Chief Executive Officer, 

Chief Coreo Executive Australia Officer, 

Coreo Australia 

www.gbcsacovention.org.za 



Century City 

Century City 

Conference Centre, 

Conference 

Century 

Centre, 

Cape Town or Virtually City 

Cape 

Conference 

Town or Virtually 

Centre,

FUTURE AFRICA: 

Developing African Science Leadership 

A Pan-African research centre 

The design brief called for an environment that would facilitate and enhance 

trans-disciplinary research within the African context, where collective research 

has a strong focus on science leadership development. 

WORDS André Eksteen, project director, Earthworld Architects 

CASE STUDY EARTHWORLD ARCHITECTS 

+27(0) 82 789 9539 

www.ewarch.co.za 

in the persuit of beauty, 

a single brush stroke 

should suffice 

Future Africa was to provide an integrated live-/ 

work environment for post-doctorate students 

from all cultures and backgrounds, fostering 

fellowship, understanding and collaboration 

among the vast diversity of cultures and disciplines 

on our continent. The re-imagining of this typology 

called for centralised spaces for interaction, facilitating 

collaboration and cultural interaction. 

FUTURE FACILITIES 

• 280 one-, two-, and three-bedroom living units 

• Central hall (Future Africa hub) 

• Research commons 

• Conference facility: 

• 250-seater auditorium 

• Two 50-seater multi-purpose rooms 

• Six break-away rooms linked to the auditorium: 

doubling up as translation booths 

Future Africa is not only about place (locality) or 

space (building). It is about the contribution a building 

can make to the ecology in which it is developed. 

2. Regenerative design / catalytic development 

• Breaking the buildings down in clearly defined 

elements offers the potential of outsourcing 

manufacture to small- and micro-enterprises 

• Design to allow for the establishment of new 

industries and micro-enterprises that can be 

funded by community banking 

• Informal systems in the developing communities 

already exist; if these can be augmented with 

quality control and moderation, a new sphere of 

democratised industrialisation will be established 

3. Democratisation of building 

• Opening the building industry up to allow for 

small- and micro-enterprises to participate in 

large projects is key to the project 

• The level of ownership by contractors resulted in 

pride and a sense of accomplishment; traits lost 

to our industry since labour became a commodity 

4. Parallel vs linear value / supply chains 

• Local skills were curated rather than using 

established, imported building systems 

• Materials sourced directly from or close to site 

• Integrating the production of the various 

manufacturers negated the need for linear value 

chains by material being handled only once 

5. Systems thinking / inter-connectedness 

• The building is central to a system where people 

are key 

• Integration of the local economy, ecology and 

landscape were critical 

• The project and the impact during construction 

is just as important as the final product 

The landscape design forms part of the system by 

re-introducing 56 orphan crops and allowing foraging 

to explore alternative cuisines and creative interaction 

around new tastes, textures and colours. 

CONCEPTS EXPLORED 

1. Adaptability 

• Systems and tectonics were deliberately disentangled 

to allow for parallel off-site manufacture 

and on-site assembly 

• Levels of permanence can be read in the tectonics 

• Timber was used for the tertiary systems 

• This open building allows for adaptive re-use and 

re-cycling, as well as more inclusive contracting 


41

INNOVATION 

SUSTAINED 

EXPRESSION 

Expressed success 

The AfriSam-SAIA (South African Institute of Architects) 

Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation recently 

celebrated a decade of sustainable innovation in both urban 

and rural living environments with an integrated approach 

to communities, planning, research, architecture, building 

practice, natural systems and technology. 

Earthworld 

Architects: Future 

Africa Campus 



INNOVATION 

INNOVATION 

Building for the future necessitates smart solutions 

and a transformation of existing construction 

practices. Leaders in the built environment 

have a significant role to play in creating new 

spaces that have the power to elevate, dignify and provide 

a better quality of life. This duty includes putting out 

real examples for the public to see, to make a case for 

sustainable architecture and why it is valuable and 

culturally appropriate for the African context. 

AfriSam-SAIA supports design projects that 

are responsive to the social complexities, growth 

requirements and needs of marginalised communities 

in South Africa and throughout the African diaspora. 

By working across the built environment, we can 

improve material efficiency, design and the re-use of 

buildings, as well as revisiting ancient best practices and 

knowledge systems that will set us on a new trajectory 

towards sustainability. 

Speaking at the event, director of DesignSpaceAfrica 

and immediate past President of SAIA, Dr Luyanda 

Mpahlwa said the adjudicators viewed some exceptional 

projects of various scale and complexity. “It is evident 

that architecture of a high standard is being produced 

in the country, architecture that is commendable and 

internationally competitive – noting that sustainability 

is being given increasingly more attention by architects 

and their clients.” 

Eben Keun, general manager of the AfriSam-SAIA 

event since its inception in 2009, says the growth of the 

award over the years bears testimony to the positive 

impact sustainable design can have on the planet and 

its most in-need communities. “The projects that were 

recognised this year are an exciting indication of what 

can be achieved when sustainability considerations 

are front and centre.” 

Each category is judged according to five criteria: 

harmonisation, people upliftment, new ways of 

thinking, place-making performance and leadership. 

Meyer and Associates Architects, Urban Designers: Botha’s Halte Primary School 

THE AFRISAM-SAIA SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AWARD 2019/2020 

CATEGORY A: SUSTAINABLE DESIGN 

A new building or group of buildings; the conservation, restoration and 

rehabilitation or refurbishment of existing buildings, historic precincts or areas. 

AWARDED PROJECTS 

Wolff Architects: Vredenburg Provincial Hospital (additions to) 

Architects of Justice: Thanda Early Childhood Development Centre 

44 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 13 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 13 

45

INNOVATION 

Frankie Pappas International: House of the Big Arch 

“peace of mind 

financial control” 

Grosskopff Lombart Huyberechts and Associates Architects: 

Witklipfontein Eco Lodge 

2ii Consulting Quantity Surveyors 

T 

+27 (0)21 801 6476 

www.2iiqs.com 

Awards continued on page 50 


47

S A 

Alternative Glazing Specialist 

HEAD OFFICE 012 364 2420 

NATIONAL NUMBER +27 (087) 724 6130 

CELL 082 766 1842 

E-MAIL anton@astragroupsa.co.za 

WEBSITE www.astragroupsa.co.za 

HISTORY 

PARTNERSHIP 

ASTRA SERVICES 

SUSTAINABILITY 

The Astra Group started its operation in 1985 as a Valiant Vikon 

skylight franchise.Due to changing needs the Astra Group 

has evolved into a multifaceted business, now a specialist in 

alternative glazing materials. In 2016, Anton Coetzee, our CEO 

was trained by Palram Industries Israel and appointed as their 

polycarbonate consultant for South Africa and Africa. With this 

newly acquired knowledge, Anton Coetzee developed multiwall 

profiles, fixtures and installation methods suitable for South 

African conditions. Anton offers the national architect fraternity 

a free S.A.I.A approved CPD workshop and design assistance 

In our pursuit of excellence the Astra Group SA has partnered 

with Rodeca GmbH Germany to guarantee top quality products 

equal to Astra Group standards. 

Planning & Support 

• Material selection advise 

• Conceptual & structural design 

• Product procurement 

• Client Liaison 

• National Installation support 

Anton Coetzee 

The Polycarbonate Guru 

Rising energy prices and scarce resources and the burden on 

the environment calls for sustainable ideas and products. The 

construction industry has a special responsibility due to the 

extremely large amounts of material used. Construction 

materials of the future must last longer, save energy and be 

recyclable. 

Demands on modern day facades and roofs. 

(The shell) must: 

• Protect the inside from the outside 

• Have insulated qualities that reduces heat loads 

• Saves energy by maximising natural light by avoiding solar heat gain 

• Visually appealing giving the building a distinct character 

• Recyclable products that are easy to dismantle after installation and given 

another life 

Polycarbonate is virtually indestructible and extremely weather resistant, depending 

on the type of construction and specific initial situation, energy consumption can 

be reduced by 80%. 

BENEFITS: 

• Effective shading 

• Unique effect 

• No glare 

• Outstanding thermal insulation 

• High impact resistance 

• Light weight 

• Maintenance free 

• Recyclable 

• Chemical resistant 

We make light go through walls. 

Innovation 

Reflecting strips that changes 

the direction of the Sun 

Deutsche Ingenieurskunst 

50 years of revolutionary ideas and pioneering innovations setting trends in 

alternative construction materials and sustainable solutions. 

RODECA market leaders in the field of translucent Sheets and cladding systems 

has left its mark in many of the major cities in the world. 

LBE Click System 

U Panels 

MFP Multifunctional Panels 

LT Thermolight PLP Panels 

Vertical 

Horizontal 

Horizontal & Vertical 

Horizontal & Vertical 

Applications 

• Decorative Facades 

• Light Transmitting 

• Walls 

• Heat shied 

• Decorative 

• Roofing 

Applications 



• Walls 

• Heat shied 

• Decorative 

• Roofing 

Applications 



• Walls 

• Heat Shield 

• Rain Scream 

• Roofing 

Applications 



• Walls 

• Rain Scream 

• Roofing

INNOVATION 

Awards continued from page 47 

Earthworld Architects: Future Africa Campus 

WISHES TO THANK AND CONGRATULATE 

THE UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA AND ALL INVOLVED 

Services Provided and Features on the Future Africa Project: 

n Building Thermal Design 

n Integration of mechanical HVAC and natural ventilation 

n Thermally Activated Building System (TABS) 

n Displacement Ventilation full fresh air system 

n Chilled water Central Variable Air Volume Air Handling Units with Economy Cycle 

n Building Management System 

n Kitchen Extraction Systems 

n Cold and Freezer Rooms 

n Integration between HVAC and building furniture and fixtures 

n Variable Refrigerant Volume DX Air Handling Unit with Economy Cycle to Auditorium 

n Variable Refrigerant Volume System to Conference Rooms 

www.acend.co.za 

Contact: Anton Frylinck 083 660 1506/antonf@acend.co.za 

Douglas & Company Architects: Arklow Villa III 

Edge to Edge 1275cc take pride in knowing we built 

this CIFA Award winning Clinic in Beaufort West in the 

Western Cape. 

We are a 8GB, level 3 BEE company with many years’ 

experience in building infrastructure. 

Our talented team are experienced in various areas such 

as, upmarket residential construction, Health care buildings 

and Educational facilities across the Western Cape. 

End of 2020 saw our team complete a brand new Cardio 

Thoracic NICU for Carte Blanche Making a Difference 

fund at Tygerberg Hospital which will help tiny babies 

from across the Cape survive cardio problems. 

Where can we build for you? 


Tel: 021 851 4343 Mobile: 082 550 1522 

www.wce2e.co.za

INNOVATION 

Douglas & Company Architects: Arklow Villa III 

Gabriel Fagan Architects: Hillside Clinic 

NOT TOO HOT, NOT TOO COLD 

The Hillside Clinic is a prime example where architect and client 

had sustainability in mind from the start of a project. 

Greenplan’s services included input on daylight 

levels and passive design, particularly with 

respect to building orientation and layout to 

improve occupant thermal comfort. 

The process of improving thermal comfort involves 

simulating a variety of building design inputs to find 

a combination that moderates the number of hot and 

cold hours experienced by occupants, as illustrated 

in Fig 1. 

Rock stores can help to improve indoor temperatures 

further. In summer, cool night temperatures are “stored” 

in the rocks by blowing night air over them and the 

stored “cool” is used during the day to temper fresh 

air blown into the building. Fig 2 shows how outdoor 

temperatures can be tempered by a rock store so that 

fresh air at 18-22°C, instead of between 12-28°C, is 

supplied to the building. 

The stores at Hillside Clinic can provide air as much 

as 10°C below the outdoor air temperature in very hot 

weather. Rock stores have significant cost and comfort 

benefits – they reduce electricity consumption and the 

need for air-conditioning. 

CASE STUDY GREENPLAN CONSULTING 

% time 

50 

Original cold Original hot Alternative cold Alternative hot 

45 

40 

35 

30 

25 

20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

Passage 1 Room 1 Room 2 Passage 2 Room 3 

FIGURE 1. Temperature comparisons 

T, °C 

30 

28 

26 

24 

22 

20 

18 

16 

14 

12 

Rock store outlet 

Outdoor 

10 

04/05 04/06 04/07 Date 04/08 04/09 04/10 

FIGURE 2. Fluctuating outdoor temperatures 

For engineers and architects 

Competitively-priced software 

adaptable to your requirements 

Modelling and assessment 

• Suitable for SANS 10400 XA and Green Star 

• Certified by Agrément SA 

Commended projects 

Tsai Design Studio: Bridges for Music Academy 

Nicholas Whitcutt Architects, Kevin Mitchell Architects: Skukuza Science Leadership Initiative 

Earth:Switch Architects: New Thanda School Facilities 

Awards continued on page 55 

Advanced capabilities 

• Detailed HVAC design 

• CFD analysis 

• Optimisation 

• Daylighting 

• Thermal comfort 


Official Reseller 021 882 8261 | sales@greenplan.co.za | www.greenplan.co.za

INNOVATION 

Awards continued from page 52 

CATEGORY B: RESEARCH IN SUSTAINABILITY 

Practice-based research work; project or report of social importance; technical 

impact or research in the field of sustainability in the built environment are eligible 

for submission. 

Awarded project 

Gauteng City-Region Observatory: Towards applying a green infrastructure approach in the region. 

CATEGORY C: SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT/TECHNOLOGY 

A product or technology of social impact and technical significance in the field 

of sustainability and the living environment with an objective of changing lives. 

Awarded projects 

Energy Shift: PVT 1680 (Modular heat sink for solar panel) 

BOXA Possibilities: BOXA Possibilities 


The Seen Collective: The Mama Jersey 

Simply Sustainable Consulting: Nchenje Homestead 

CATEGORY D: SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL PROGRAMMES 

A project of social impact in the field of sustainability and the living environment. 

Awarded project 

Hustlenomics: Access to affordable housing 

Localworks: Gahinga Batwa Village (Uganda) 


Richard Dobson Architects: Bio-efficient cookstove 

Richard Dobson Architects: Pop-up micro childcare facility 

The Retrade Project: Live Responsibly, while helping those in need 

Nsasani Trust: Women in STEM: A science and leadership initiative 

The GBCSA and +Impact magazine commend all the winners on making an impact. 

THE ADJUDICATOR PANEL 

Dr Luyanda Mpahlwa, immediate past President 

SAIA, professional architect, and adjudication 

panel convener 

Somers Govender, practising professional architect 

Dr Gillian Adendorff, practising senior professional 

architect 

Nkosinathi Manzana, past non-executive director 

GBCSA and executive head of Group Real Estate 

Services: Commercial Buildings for Standard 

Bank Group 

Dr Philippa Tumubweinee, practising professional 

architect, academic and expert in sustainable 

architecture 

Sphephelo Mhlongo, a previous winner and 

professional architect, KwaZulu-Natal Department 

of Public Works 

MORE HERE 


55

SEEING THE WOOD 

ADVERTORIAL 

FOR THE TREES 

The perfect fit: Universal Plywoods 

used at Future Africa Campus 

Future Africa Campus. Photo credit to Dook Photography. 

ENGINEERED TIMBER 

PRODUCTS SOURCED 

GLOBALLY FOR EVERY 

APPLICATION. 

With decades of experience in the timber industry, we 

procure our stocks from sustainable timber organisations 

both locally and internationally. 

Branches in Ballito, Durban, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein & Cape Town 

sales@universalply.com | +27 (11) 310 9717 | www.universalply.com 

Since 2007, Universal Plywoods has nurtured 

relationships with their suppliers and project 

partners, allowing them to become the region’s 

specialist distributor of engineered timbers of 

the highest grades and quality. Sustainable technology 

is at the heart of the Universal Plywoods’ product range 

and there is a continual strive to supply trades with 

sustainably grown, and sourced, timber. 

Partnered with frontrunners of the new forest 

industry and architectural design such as UPM 

Plywoods, Lunawood, Raw Studios and Earthworld 

Architects, Universal Plywoods was ecstatic to be an 

integral part of the Future Africa Campus, Pretoria. 

As described by Earthworld Architects, this dynamic 

living, learning and research environment “required a 

holistic approach to the subsequent urban design and 

architecture of the campus, with a specific focus on 

how architecture can play a role in fostering critical 

thinking and research”. 

It was what could only be described as an exhilarating 

conglomeration of like-minded environmentalists in 

their industries - this motivated and energetic team 

produced the iconic timber marvel that is the Future 

Africa Campus. Featuring sustainably grown timber 

from all parts of the globe, Universal Plywoods was 

representing the suppliers that believe in the same 

sustainable goals. 

The Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) beams and 

Birch Plywood structures were the ideal products for 

roofing due to their composite nature; multiple layers 

of thin wood assembled with adhesives results in a 

much lower chance of the timber warping, bowing 

or shrinking. 

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) was used for the 

doors, mid-walls and room dividers and Birch Plywood 

was used for the structural beams, furniture and 

acoustic panels. Both these products stood out for their 

strength, sustainability, appearance and versatility. 

Lunawood Thermowood provided an incredibly stylish 


and dimensionally stable design and functional element 

to the decking and pergolas. Thermally modified using 

natural methods (heat and steam), Lunawood’s product 

is known for being resistant to decay, non-toxic and 

resin-free and can be used inside or outdoors in any 

climate. It is perfect for all seasons in Pretoria. 

The Future Africa Campus was a mammoth 

project, one that required a multitude of cleverly 

and economically designed plans and structures by 

Earthworld Architects and the Future Africa Campus 

management team. Earthworld Architects made note 

on their blog, 2018, of one of the many innovative ways 

in which they had carefully planned the use of timber: 

“Traditionally, a construction process changes 

many hands, going from sourcing, to manufacturing, 

to retail, eventually reaching site through contractors. 

Shortening this value chain would drastically reduce 

cost and time; dealing directly with manufacturers 

also allows for greater understanding of construction 

materials and improves quality control. 

Through inter-disciplinary partnerships with 

designers and manufacturers, flat-pack, structural 

timber portal frames were developed to carry the 

envelope of the (Future Africa Campus) dining hall. 

Designed in segments, the portals would be transported 

to site and assembled in a matter of hours, reducing 

the need for water, shuttering, heavy machinery, etc.” 

It was an astonishing team of industry experts 

that created the Future Africa Campus: superseding 

expectations, illuminating timber within the 

architecture and design industry and unifying the 

ultimate goal of sustainability. A project that Universal 

Plywoods was proud to be a part of. 

Universal Plywoods are committed to responsible 

business practices and sustainable products. Their 

suppliers have the highest ratings for responsibly 

sourced and manufactured timber, confirmed by a 

transparent and accessible certification process. Visit 

the website www.universalply.com to find out more. 

57

OPINION PIECE 

WOOD 

IT WORK 

Will mass 

timber disrupt 

in SA? 

The mass timber industry is enjoying disruptive growth across 

the world, as an increasing number of design professionals are 

choosing renewable wood over concrete or steel. The reasons are 

mostly ecological, but a key driver of this sustainable value chain 

is technology. 

WORDS David Elliott, Founder, Mass Timber Focus Group 



59

OPINION PIECE 

The fragmented construction industry is 

divided into civil infrastructure and vertical 

building, and these again into sectors, build 

types, professions, and trades. Therefore, 

blanket statements regarding the disruption of the 

“construction industry” are non-sensical. 

The data in the familiar productivity graph below 

shows the regression of construction productivity since 

1950 and holds true in part across the world. However, 

statistics are based on models with many variables 

and population samples, so it should be taken with 

a pinch of salt, as the industry is not homogenous. 

Productivity improvement has been the subject of 

various governmental task teams like the excellent 

UK report, led by Sir John Egan in the 90s, called 

Rethinking Construction. 

speed achieved in 1930 on the Empire State Building. 

They delivered 102 floors in 14 months, with a record 

of 14 floor cycles in 10 working days. Structural steel 

unlocked this productivity, and hence the speed of our 

industrial sites with the help of Bentley or Tekla. 

CHOICES UNLOCK INNOVATION 

Material choices therefore limit or unlock opportunities 

for speed and technological advancement across design, 

fabrication, assembly and installation. The irony is that 

the designers and contractors on the Empire State 

were delivering elements manufactured off-site using 

DfMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly). Mass 

timber employs the same but with 3D modelling, which 

7by6 

Collaborative Design Engineers 

Urbansoup 

Architects & Urban Designers 

Real productivity (GDP value-add per employee) by industry in the US. 

Notwithstanding these data, those of us who 

have worked in the trenches on large commercial 

developments, have seen the huge effort it takes to 

achieve the fast-track programs and shrinking budgets. 

This creates a dichotomy. 

FRAGMENTED VALUE CHAINS 

Construction supply chains are fragmented and 

complex as they are project centric. These teams design 

and deliver prototypes, which are handmade under 

significant time pressure. The industry will therefore not 

easily produce unicorns like we have seen in hospitality, 

transport, banking, telecommunications or photography. 

We need to narrow our focus to sectors and trades, 

as signature art galleries may contain office space, 

yet the flowing sculpted staircases in multi-volume 

atriums obviously cost more than speculative office 

builds. South Africa’s leading architects sculpt these 

iconic buildings as they have the budget, 3D design 

tools, machinery and trade contractors worth their salt. 

South Africa delivers large buildings in record time, 

and has world-class designers, yet we cannot match the 

is suitable for robotic machining, and can shave 25% 

off the concrete program on mid-rise office builds. 

SUSTAINABILITY AND COVID 

Climate change and the pandemic may be the 

catalysts needed for industry-wide innovation, as 

policy change can incentivise the use of renewable 

material or off-site construction towards a more 

sustainable future. Client-led change has proven the 

most successful way to improve industry productivity, 

and governments are re-committing to the Paris 

Agreement, so sustainable policies should surface 

post-Covid. Sustainability has migrated from green 

washing to re-structuring, as companies innovate, 

to reduce their carbon footprint. 

McKinsey’s report titled Laying the foundation for zerocarbon 

cement underlines this reality. Diversification 

and innovation will become the new norm for 

suppliers to stay in the game. Mass timber is the only 

comprehensively tested renewable structural material 

as it is harvested from sustainable plantations. An 

example below of enormous timber beams from 1995. 

7by6 is a collaborative structural, façade and 

civil engineering practice. By striving for design 

that is elegant in its simplicity, We find 

ourselves at the crossroad where engineering 

design meets architecture. 

Douglas Adams wrote that the answer to Life, 

the Universe and Everything is 42, but we are 

always left wondering what the question should 

be. At 7by6 we focus on asking the right 

questions. The result is architecturally sensitive, 

efficient and enjoyable. 

We offer full structural and façade engineering 

services, ensuring that your building design is 

efficient and economical from concept through 

to construction. We assist with refurbishments, 

making existing structures work for new spaces. 

And we provide design consultations, offering 

structural and façade engineering advice. 

Collaborating with other disciplines is vital to 

our process in delivering a design. 

7by6 Collaborative Design Engineers 

ask.us@7by6.com 

www.7by6.com 

Urbansoup is a multidisciplinary, tech-savvy 

firm changing the way we design, and the 

way we think about design. We have a deep 

understanding of how cities work – how they 

move and breathe, and how their complex parts 

fit together. 

We earned our stripes on large publicly funded 

projects – transport hubs, urban renewal, bridges 

and large multi-use public environments – 

bringing a unique design aesthetic, practicality, 

and cost efficiency to the field of public 

architecture & placemaking. 

Ultimately all of this – our technology, our 

creativity, our expertise and experience – is used 

in the service of building architecture that’s 

durable, economically viable, environmentally 

friendly and user-responsive. 

Our overarching mission is simple – to build 

better cities. 

Urbansoup Architects & Urban Designers 

info@urbansoup.co.za 

011 026 8090 

www.urbansoup.co.za 

60 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 13

OPINION PIECE 

OPINION PIECE 

INDUSTRY DISRUPTION 

There are many opportunities for technological 

disruption across the sectors and trades, which includes 

innovation in façades, HVAC and fire protection. 

However, mass timber is ready for use in mid-rise 

commercial, residential, cultural and public buildings. 

It would require further innovation to be economical 

enough for low-income housing. 

nexus from client to contractor. The graph below shows 

the benefits of the collaborative design approach 

with early contractor involvement annotated as ‘BIM 

Workflow’. BIM adoption should result in a designcentric 

project and can unlock value as seen in the 

Empire State Building example. 

Timber beams span 

nearly 100m at 

Oslo-Gardemoen 

International Airport 

in Norway. 

Mass timber is the only 

comprehensively tested renewable 

structural material as it is harvested 

from sustainable plantations. 

Collaborative design-build shifts the cost curve to the left by mitigating uncertainty. 

Design-build allows the professional team to use 

DfMA and work with the contractor from concept to 

factory floor. Design software needs to have a Level 

of Development (LoD) 400, like Catia, Inventor or 

Solid Works; packages like REVIT are not developed 

to output fabrication tickets in microns, which CNC 

machines require. 

My personal learning experience was on the iconic 

Botswana Innovation Hub in partnership with SHoP 

Architects, New York. This is one of Africa’s most 

challenging façade projects in terms of process in scale 

and geometric complexity on the rainscreens. Tens 

of thousands of unique parts requiring barcoding for 

geo-locations as seen in the image above. 

Off-site construction re-allocates labour to 

controlled environments where the learning curves 

are shorter, and quality assurance and control is more 

manageable, which significantly improves productivity 

and mitigates some construction safety risks. 

Sustainability is a topic on its own, as mass timber 

significantly reduces the embodied carbon in the 

construction process. Every m3 of wood stores a ton 

of CO2 and can contribute significantly towards a 

carbon neutral building. 

The experience gained on this project is what attracted 

my attention to the construction of the Daramu House 

in Sydney pictured below. This was the first mass timber 

commercial building that I had seen, as they do not exist 

in South Africa. The timber structure is fully exposed 

showing beautiful organic glulam posts and beams, 

with Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) floor plates. This 

technology is on the rise globally, so when returning 

to South Africa, we founded the Mass Timber Focus 

Group to encourage local adoption and decided to use 

Daramu House as our mascot. 

THE NEXT STEP 

South-West 

garden atrium 

of the Botswana 

Innovation Hub. 

The Mass Timber Focus Group (MTFG) are confident 

that we will see significant adoption of mass timber 

in South Africa over the next decade, with prices 

becoming competitive as the supply chain matures. 

My current day job is launching a business selling 

Swiss steel, and my MTFG colleagues are engineers, 

an architect, and an academic, and like me, this is 

their passion project. Our mission is to accelerate the 

adoption of mass timber in South Africa, as we believe 

it will make a significant and sustainable contribution 

to our built environment. 

SHAKING OFF HISTORY 

Our adversarial contracting culture formed over decades 

on the back of the traditional building procurement 

system, which separates design and construction, and 

awards a contract to the lowest bidder. This system 

gave rise to an adversarial culture, creating a divide 

between the professional team and contractor, with the 

latter leveraging the contract to reclaim losses from an 

aggressive bid. These claims spill over into the value 

chain when trade contractors become a soft target for 

improving their cashflow or profitability. 

Design-build has grown exponentially in the UK, 

USA, and Australia on large infrastructure builds 

and even high-rise buildings. Project teams become 

partners by default, and although there are drawbacks, 

it delivers predictably to the client’s satisfaction. 

Professionals may resent the ceding of their contractual 

Oslo Airport trusses 

as built. 

David Elliot 

Daramu House, 

Barangaroo 

Waterfront in 

Sydney, Australia. 



63

SOLUTIONS THAT 

SUIT EVERY NEED 

Rothoblaas pioneers a 

SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 

PROFILE 

Rothoblaas, a multi-national company with its roots in the Alpine region of Italy, 

is one of the world’s leading companies in providing high-technology solutions 

for all those involved in the wood construction sector. 

FASTENING 

AIRTIGHTNESS AND WATERPROOFING 

SOUNDPROOFING 

FALL PROTECTION 

TOOLS AND MACHINES 

Rothoblaas is the multinational Italian company that has made 

innovative technology its mission, making its way to the forefront 

for timber buildings and construction safety in just a few years. 

Thanks to its comprehensive product range and the technicallyprepared 

and widespread sales network, the company promotes 

the transfer of its know-how to the customers and aims to be 

a prominent and reliable partner for developing and innovating 

products and building methods. All of this contributes to a 

new culture of sustainable construction, focused on increasing 

comfortable living and reducing CO 2 

emissions. 

Given the company’s extensive knowledge 

and passion for timber as a versatile and 

natural material as well as its commitment 

to sustainability, it made sense that the 

structure and components of Rothoblaas’ new automatic 

warehouse in Cortaccia are made from timber. 

Although the automation mechanisms inside the 

warehouse are made of motors, tracks, electronics and 

steel – all materials that generate a great amount of CO 2 

in their production, as well as concrete foundations 

– this impact is offset by the important ecological 

advantages of a structure and shelving made from wood. 

“While this required more design effort, in the 

end the costs were the same as if we had used other 

materials commonly used in these projects, like steel 

and concrete,” said CEO Robert Blaas. “This is the 

first automatic warehouse in Italy made entirely out of 

timber and confirms Rothoblaas’ role as a forerunner 

and reference point. This effort shows once again that 

we are not afraid to put ourselves in the front line to 

support green building and make it grow.” 

A RAPIDLY GROWING SECTOR 

Blaas says that in 30 years the timber market has gone 

from being a niche sector to a fast-growing sector 

that continues to challenge what seemed previously 

impossible. “From these humble beginnings, this 

method is now being used in the construction of 

entire residential areas built in timber and increasingly 

taller and more complex buildings that are at the same 

time safe, comfortable, healthy and have a strong 

architectural flair,” he said. 

Rothoblaas has grown in response to the development 

of the market, matched by a considerable increase in 

their range, which now offers multiple solutions for the 

many application needs of construction professionals. 

We have a reputation of being 

pioneers, based on our ability 

to anticipate industry needs. 

warehouses and those planned for the near future. “We 

have made it automated to be able to handle larger 

quantities to support the company’s growth. We need to be 

ready to handle many special products in large quantities, 

to offer them at competitive prices and within the right 

time frames: all this because we guarantee solutions for 

designing and building in wood that are easily accessible 

and adapted to the needs of all markets,” he said. 

The company has grown to 22 subsidiaries worldwide 

(including South Africa) and the new warehouse 

will store 26 000 pallets, compared to 11 500 in the 

existing warehouse. The project also includes spaces 

for laboratories, a research centre, an auditorium and 

relaxation areas to enable all employees to live out 

Rothoblaas’ values to the full, both at work and in 

their free time. 

Sustainability has been part of the company’s agenda 

since 2012, when it built a 200Kw/P photovoltaic system, 

a heat pump and a steam heating and cooling system 

using the heat from the solar system. The company 

aims to self-produce 100% of their electricity needs 

through renewable sources by 2025, well ahead of the 

deadline set by the European Union. 

“We have a reputation of being pioneers, based 

on our ability to anticipate industry needs and to 

be easily accessible wherever our customers are in 

the world, enabling them to optimise their time 

and resources. We have no intention of losing this 

tradition,” concluded Blaas. 

FIND THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR YOU: 

Mark O‘Connor - Area Sales Manager 

+27 79 905 657 7 - mark.oconnor@rothoblaas.com 

Rotho Blaas South Africa Pty (LTD) 

27 Tamarack Crescent - Maple Creek, Sunningdale Milnerton, 7441 

Tel: +27 0799056577 - Mail: southafrica@rothoblaas.com 

www.rothoblaas.com | 

A GREEN AGENDA 

Logistics and warehouse manager, Alexander Vaja 

said that the new warehouse serves Rothoblaas as an 

efficient storehouse for timely replenishment to existing 


65

PRODUCT REVIEW 

FABULOUS TO FIT 

The warm beauty of wooden windows and doors 

GREEN BUILDING SERVICES, 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES 

Traditional installation and glazing methods 

don’t always do justice to even the highestquality 

products because on-site skills and 

standards vary. The best-made product may 

end up being less than perfectly glazed and fitted. 

That’s why Swartland introduced its Ready-2-Fit 

windows and doors, which are sealed and glazed in 

the factory during manufacture. The product is then 

thoroughly wrapped in protective two-stage packaging 

before being transported. 

When it arrives on-site it’s ready to be installed, 

which saves the builder time and money, and improves 

the overall quality of their workmanship at no extra 

cost. Swartland’s offering is unique in the wooden 

windows and doors market: 

and doors a cinch to maintain. There’s no need for 

laborious sanding and re-sealing. Just wash and wipe 

them down to restore their original beauty. 

• Glazing is standard: All windows and doors in the 

Ready-2-Fit range come pre-glazed with standard 4mm 

or 6.38mm safety glass, in compliance with national 

building regulations. Other types of glazing, including 

double-glazing – which improves insulation and reduces 

noise, as well as Low-E glass (low-emissivity, to reduce 

infrared and ultraviolet light) – are available on request. 

• Pre-hung doors: Swartland pre-hangs doors in 

their frames in the factory, with all essential hardware 

fitted. The building trade welcomed the move, as well as the 

introduction of adjustable frames to compensate for swelling 

and shrinking. 

White 

Bali Deep 

CASE STUDY THERMGUARD 

ULTIMATE CLIMATE COMFORT 

Eco-Insulation cellulose fibre thermal 

insulation is manufactured at an ISO9001:2015 

specialised plant in Kempton Park, and is 

familiar sight at developments – from highend 

security estates to low-cost gap housing. 

For Eco-Insulation client, Garden Cities NPC (RF), 

a Cape-based housing developer with a 100-year 

pedigree, the goal is zero-waste-to-landfill. According 

to group manager Renier Smith, “We are hoping to 

create the required awareness with our residents, 

contractors, suppliers and consultants alike; the latter 

resulting in a cumulative approach to achieve this goal.” 

Eco-Insulation, has been the source of SANS10400- 

XA-compliant insulation to the Pinelands Development 

Company (PDC), the construction and development arm of 

Garden Cities for over eight years says Richard Ellis, who 

heads the Cape Town distributorship for Eco-Insulation. 

PDC has over this period received 1 000 tons of Eco- 

Insulation above the ceilings of 2 600 GCH homes. 

“Cellulose fibre insulation solution aligns with our 

core approach to reduce, reuse and recycle,” confirms 

Smith. Eco-Insulation is made from 85% recycled 

newsprint waste and has a low carbon footprint. 

“The PDC relationship began with the onset of 

SANS10400-XA when our client required a turnkey 

insulation service that came with a warranty of 

compliance and 100% coverage in the roof space. 

Often contractors/installers neglect to ensure 

coverage with no heat-leaking air gaps in the corners 

or under trusses caused by a product that can’t reach 

those places. These installations are not efficient and 

continue to leak heat out of or into the house below, 

winter or summer,” says Ellis. 

Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) 

considerations prevail. Installers like to work with the 

product since it is safe on the hands, eyes and throat 

and VOC-free. The product is certified at SABS, is 

fire-rated under SANS428 and is firm in the roof. 

ECO-INSULATION 

info@eco-insulation.co.za 

www.eco-insulation.co.za 

• Pre-sealed: During manufacture, all Swartland’s 

Ready-2-Fit windows and doors are pre-sealed with 

Maxicare, a high-quality, water-based sealant that 

ensures optimum protection against the elements. 

Maxicare boasts many benefits: it is an environmentally 

friendly sealant, with low VOC (volatile organic 

compounds) emissions, it is ultraviolet- and waterresistant, 

non-flammable, lead-free, and has an element 

of anti-fungal protection against dry-rot and other 

threats. It will also offer years of protection from the 

damaging effects of extreme temperatures, humidity, 

cold, rain and sunlight. 

While Maxicare was developed in Germany, it copes 

well in Africa to cater for darker colours such as Teak 

and Imbuia, it contains heat-reflective pigments that 

lower the surface temperature of the wood to reduce 

natural contraction and expansion. 

• Colour choice: Swartland offers the following colour 

options: Teak, Imbuia, Light Oak and White, Bali Deep, 

Dusted Moss, Sombrero and Ivory Parchment. They’re 

in a natural palette that will enhance your home’s 

modern or traditional design. 

• Variety: Ready-2-Fit windows and doors are available 

in Swartland’s Cape Culture and Winsters ranges 

on request. 

• Low maintenance: What really makes water-based 

sealant a real winner is how it makes wooden windows 

Dusted Moss 

Ivory Parchment 

Teak 

• Fixtures and features: Ready-2-Fit doors and 

windows offer several features to ensure security and 

energy efficiency, including: 

• Espagnolette lock, a multiple locking mechanism 

that enhances security and ensures a snug, draft-free 

fit. (Available in the Cape Culture Supreme range.) 

• Brass thumb-release handle 

• Double-glazing: A variety of thicknesses of glass 

is available to meet a range of needs 

• Composite gaskets, which form an airlock between 

the frame and casement, to improve insulation 

• Wood sections are available in varying thicknesses 

to ensure windows have optimal thermal and 

security properties 

• Four-bar friction hinges to handle the weight of 

the extra glass and thicker frame. 

• Compliance: Swartland continuously tests its 

products to ensure they comply with the National 

Building Regulations and the Consumer Protection 

Act. To ensure compliance with SANS613 Mechanical 

Performance Criteria, the Ready-2-Fit range is tested 

for deflection, structural strength, water-resistance, 

airtightness, operating forces, and energy efficiency. 

Exceptional quality and finish, minimal maintenance, 

backed by after-sales service. 

www.swartland.co.za 

Imbuia 

Light Oak 

Sombrero 



67

PROFILE 

CASE STUDY ISOBOARD 

THE HOME OFFICE 

And right there, we sense the contradiction 

in the name: home and office. It is almost 

an absurdity, an oxymoron, like military 

intelligence. 

WORDS Mark Russell, Isoboard 

THE ULTIMATE GREEN 

CLEANING SOLUTION 

If you are looking to invest in cleaning products for your home or business that 

put sustainability top of mind look no further than Green Worx Cleaning Solutions, 

Africa’s greenest cleaning, and most cost-effective products. 

I 

am sure most of us never intended that they would 

be one and the same. The commute between the 

two was a part of our lives, a time for planning 

on the trip to the office, and anticipation of 

family and comforts of home on the return trip. One 

destination for earning, one for refuge. 

And then… 

I wonder at how we have coped and adjusted, 

transitioning to the more self-sufficient role, 

the available technology such a boon to enabling 

remote collaboration, remaining in contact, while 

simultaneously avoiding physical interaction as much 

as possible. Behaving unhealthily, to remain healthy. 

Many homes were not designed to accommodate 

the needs of people having to work, study and create, 

as well as rest, replenish and recreate. And most of us 

need to separate the two, well, the men anyway, one 

thing at a time, and all that. 

There are those who can work effectively at the 

dining room table, while the organised chaos of family 

life flows around them. Not me. I need a place to put 

on my work persona, and be in command, master of 

all I survey. (I must now keep the cat out; I can’t deal 

with the competition.) 

Many of our customers have had to establish office 

space at home, by converting a garage, a spare room, 

a garden shed or a 20-foot container. (Never sure why 

people have spare 20-foot containers at home – but 

they do convert to great offices.) 

In my case, it was a single garage built on years ago as 

an afterthought, which would finally come into its own, 

rather than store the neglected accumulated detritus of 

my life. (Though, while tidying up, I did find a coffee 

percolator – one of those gifts that never had a place 

until the home office. Thank you Whatshizname, such 

prescience! The aroma alone restores my equilibrium.) 

The thing about garages, and I daresay sheds and 

spare 20-foot containers, is they were never designed 

to accommodate humans during office hours. Roofs 

in our summers can reach 70°C, and this heat will 

flow into the roof void. Humans have physiological 

needs, and one of these is moderate temperatures. 

Thermal comfort for us is generally between 20 and 

27°C, the temperature range where most of us feel 

neither too hot nor too cold, and can manage our 

comfort by dressing appropriately, or opening windows 

sufficiently to allow a gentle crossflow breeze yet keep 

the cat out. 

The garage at home had mono-pitch steel sheeted 

roof, with a tatty ceiling, and no insulation. Removing 

The thing about garages, and 

I daresay sheds and spare 20-foot 

containers, is they were never 

designed to accommodate humans 

during office hours. 

the ceiling exposed beautiful timber beams that required 

little effort to make into a feature of the new ceiling. We 

used three types of insulation: aluminium foil directly 

under the roof sheets to contain condensation and dust, 

a thermal blanket to act as acoustic insulation and 

IsoBoard “Isopine” between beams to do the thermal 

insulation heavy lifting, and aesthetically complement 

the timber beams. 

Of course, the foil and blanket contribute thermally 

as well. Having been through the past summer and 

winter, I can tell you this is a happy solution, ticking 

all the boxes. 

IsoBoard can offer aesthetic variety, being plain 

bevelled edge boards, 100mm and 200mm centregrooved 

Isopine surface profiles, and they are paintable 

with water-based paints and wood stains. My home 

office is easily the most thermally comfortable in the 

house, and, naturally, has the firm endorsement of 

the cat... 

The company is South Africa’s foremost ecoaccredited 

bio-technology company (the only 

ISO4001-accredited bio-tech company in 

Africa), boasting a string of awards including, 

most recently, the 2021 MEA Best Sustainable Cleaning 

and Sanitations Solutions Provider and the Best 

Sustainable Cleaning Product Manufacturer in 2020. In 

response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Green Worx’s R&D 

team developed a bio-enzyme sanitiser that eradicates 

the virus within 30 seconds with 99.8% effectiveness. 

While the cost of using green cleaning products 

compared to chemically-loaded alternatives used to be 

an inhibiting factor in conversion, recent market cost 

analyses has proven that Green Worx can actually save 

contract cleaning companies, institutions, hotels and 

households between 30-50% on their acquisition cost 

when compared to conventional products, and a reduction 

in total cleaning product inventory of up to 51%. 

HEALTHIER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, 

HEALTHIER FOR YOU 

Today’s consumers are far more environmentally 

conscious and careful with the choices they make, and 

the demand for green products has experienced rapid 

growth. Studies show that toxins present in traditional 

cleaning products can also be harmful to one’s health, 

so people are committed to making choices to protect 

themselves and their family against negative effects. 

Bear in mind, however, that the law regulating the use 

of the words “green”, “eco-friendly”, “chemical-free”, 

“renewable” etc isn’t in place and companies are able 

to use vague wording in their marketing, which isn’t 

necessarily substantiated by the product’s contents. 

“Green” can mean a number of things; that it doesn’t 

have harmful effects on the environment, that it is 

produced using less water, or that it is manufactured 

with recyclable material. Environmental claims 

made about products must however be accurate and 

substantiated and if they fail on this account they can 

be subject to action by the South African Competition 

and Consumer Council. 

Green Worx has achieved Global GreenTag 

certification, one of the world’s most robust, trusted 

and widely recognised ecolabels. John J Coetzee, 

CEO at Green Worx, said, “This certification is the 

culmination of many years of hard work. We don’t 

believe in ‘greenwashing’ – which not all South African 

manufacturers can claim. Our products, and all the 

ingredients used to create them, have a great impact 

on dirt, and no impact on the environment. That’s 

our commitment to creating a world that is cleaner, 

greener and smarter.” 

FRESH, CLEAN AND POWERFUL 

Eco-friendly products offer a thorough, deep clean 

without the harmful odours and residue that are often 

left behind after harsh, commercial chemicals are 

used. They are often created with citrus and other 

aromatic ingredients that leave the entire room 

smelling fresh and clean. In a work environment, a 

pleasant fragrance has been shown to produce a calmer 

working environment and boost productivity levels. 

The benefits associated with using greener, 

environmentally friendly cleaners go far beyond the 

elimination of toxic fumes. In some cases, they may 

actually be able to preserve the surfaces of custommade/high-end 

equipment, making them look their 

best and perform better for longer periods of time. 

Green Worx offers an extensive range of products 

for home and industrial use, featuring bio enzymes and 

probiotics, all offering superior cleaning and sanitising 

solutions at an affordable price. 



69

GLOBAL 

The 7by6 | Urbansoup Mass Timber Collaboration 

At 7by6 and Urbansoup, we recognise that our 

world needs change, and quickly. We are excited 

to be part of the drive towards using more 

sustainable materials and designs in architecture, 

and structural engineering. We want to change 

perceptions around the use of structural timber, 

spread the knowledge base of this wonderful, 

sustainable material and see it re-emerge as an 

integral part of buildings. To this end, we see our 

futures entwined in the use of mass timber. 

Current building techniques are antiquated. 

Innovation and efficiency are not synonymous 

with construction and the industry is stagnant. 

But it is ready for change. With a growing need 

for tighter programmes, lower Ps&Gs, and earlier 

occupations, offsite construction and design 

for manufacturer and assembly will become 

increasingly more important. Couple this with a 

dire, global need to address embodied carbon 

in buildings, and mass timber emerges as the 

natural answer. 

7by6 Collaborative Design Engineers 

ask.us@7by6.com 

www.7by6.com 

Our nirvana is therefore a world where mass 

timber is preferred to the traditional materials of 

concrete and steel in architectural structures. 

But to get there we need to be sensitive to the 

present. We don’t need a radical approach, 

abandoning what we know or how we operate 

just yet. If we start now, all we need is to slightly 

adjust our course. Incrementally tweak our 

designs and realign our thinking. Before we know 

it change becomes organic, to the point where 

we don’t even realise that we’ve been a part of it 

all along. 

Hence our immediate desire to see hybrid 

building designs like the one we’ve proposed 

here for the University of Pretoria’s FABI building. 

A symbiotic blend of what we’ve come to know 

and trust with what we recognise is needed for 

positive, meaningful change. A change for the 

future, that respects where we’ve come from. 

True, sustainable growth. 

Be part of the change, ask us how. 

Urbansoup Architects & Urban Designers 

info@urbansoup.co.za 

011 026 8090 

www.urbansoup.co.za 

GREEN WORLD 

Each edition of +Impact will showcase an international green building and 

celebrate sustainable leadership around the world. Since the world is finally 

able to watch the Olympics taking place in Japan, we felt it appropriate to draw 

attention to the fascinating ACROS Fukoka Prefectural International Hall. 

Spring Summer Autumn Winter 

Situated in the middle of Fukuoka City, Japan, 

ACROS Fukuoka Prefectural International 

Hall is a centre of international, cultural and 

information exchange and with over 304 800 

metres of multipurpose space. 

The interior features a huge exhilarating atrium, as 

well as a number of attractive facilities including a 

full-scale music hall, an international conference hall, 

which has simultaneous interpreter booths that can 

accommodate six languages, the Cultural Information 

Centre providing useful information for tourists, and 

the Takumi Gallery, which has permanent exhibitions 

of traditional Fukuoka arts and crafts. 

For centuries, Fukuoka has been a city open to the 

world at the crossroads of Asia. The name ACROS is 

an acronym for “Asian Cross Roads Over the Sea,” ~ 

ACROS Fukuoka Foundation. It was designed by Emilio 

Ambasz, who is regarded as a green pioneer, and the 

Due to the water drainage, 

similar to a mountain, the building 

goes through each of the 

four seasons in appearance. 

building recently celebrated its 25th anniversary in 

2020. 

The distinctive feature of this building is a 

systematised design of water drainage, similar to a 

mountain. This method allows natural irrigation to 

take place as water flows from the top of the building 

and further waters the surrounding vegetation on the 

way down. 


71

Green Building Council South Africa is 

leading the way in respect to sustainability 

in the property and construction industry. 

Stay connected and in the ‘know’ on news 

and projects through GBCSA’s +Impact 

Magazine! 

+IMPACT MAGAZINE FREQUENCY 

Issue 14: October 2021 

Issue 15: December 2021 

Issue 16: February 2022 

Issue 17: April 2022 

To plan your marketing campaign, please contact us on 

Preferential rates for GBCSA Members. 

Discounts offered for multiple edition bookings. 

Have a look at the official +Impact Magazine website here:

+IMPACT MAGAZINE ISSUE 13

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