+IMPACT MAGAZINE ISSUE 26

PROJECT
Biodiversity corridors have been
included so that fauna can travel
through the site.
underpasses to the nearby river. And then there’s the
pollinator corridor along the electrical servitude,
so there’s been a great deal of consideration put into
Newinbosch’s ecology,” she says. In addition to being
locally contextualised, the landscaping has also been
designed to be climate resilient. As a result of these efforts,
the site could, in the future, register for a Net Zero Ecology
certification through the GBCSA.
Newinbosch residents are having positive conversations,
about the benefits they receive as residents, and how
well it works, then we will know we’ve done our job
properly,” says Harold Spies, Director at Similan.
The balance between achieving these sustainable
solutions, while keeping home prices accessible and
affordable, is a key challenge for the development.
“It’s easy to throw money at getting the right technical
solution, but our vision is to keep the homes accessible,
and so we have put a lot of effort into negotiation, and
ongoing, proactive collaboration, so as to stand firm to
our principles,” says Spies.
“I think another challenge is to be honest about the
fact that these topics are nuanced, and relatively new,
and in some cases difficult to reconcile with the status
The neighbourhood has
been designed to encourage
community and a relaxed lifestyle.
LOAD SHEDDING RESILIENCE
Asked as to what other aspects of the precinct really
stand out in terms of being a “sustainability highlight”,
Harms says that the energy system that the Newinbosch
team has devised comes to mind. “I have not seen a hybrid
energy solution of this scale and comprehensiveness
elsewhere in South Africa,” he says. “It is complicated,
as the residential units are being rolled out in phases,
but the plan is that once it reaches a certain size, there
will be sufficient renewable energy being generated
through solar PV, coupled with a battery energy storage
system, to make the whole precinct resilient to at least
the first four stages of load shedding.” Harms says that
there will likely also be a back-up generator.
“The topic of energy and electricity is an inevitable one
around South African braais and dinner parties. When
There’s a pollinator corridor along
the electrical servitude.
quo – how industry does things and what information
is available, for example,” says Harms. “Newinbosch
will hopefully receive the preliminary 5-Star target
Green Star Sustainable Precincts rating in the next few
months. When it does, it will really reflect a giant effort
that is possible only as a result of learning from other
projects and standing on the shoulders of those others
who have walked this journey,” concludes Harms.
80 POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 26