Construction World December 2017

Category D: The AfriSam Innovation Award for Sustainable Construction

Highly Commended

GE AFRICA INNOVATION CENTRE GE opened its first African-based innovation centre in Johannesburg in June 2016 as part of its investment in developing home-grown solutions for Africa’s problems. The R500-million facility is the 10 th GE Innovation Centre globally, and the first GREEN and LEED certified GE building in Sub-Saharan Africa.

(Also entered Category C)

placed on leveraging African creativity and innovative means to solve our problems locally. It proved difficult to utilise/procure local product/skills that meet the legislation and performance requirements set in the GBCSA/LEED accreditation requirements. Through the design process, Paragon included in the overall thought process, the use of environmentally-sound materials, acoustics, flexibility, ergonomics, visual comfort, waste management and water/ electricity reduction in the appliance/ technology used. The engineering teams and various subcontractors (HVAC, electrical, wet services) aided the process with regard to specifying and systematising the elements that lead to high IAQ, lighting, and thermal comfort. The collaboration between architect, client, and professional team, including the GreenStar/Leed consultant, guided the process and set out the parameters towards achieving a Greenstar 5 and Leed Gold as-built accreditation. The inclusion of the contractor TSK Bartlett towards achieving the socio-economic criteria and certified products such as the adhesives and sealants/gathering the required technical documentation was quintessential to the process. Paragon also targeted some elements in the socio-economic category. A good example is that the demountable and glazing supplier sent out specialised technicians from Europe to train the local installation teams on the bespoke products, their instal lation, maintenance, and functionality.

The new centre will be the home to GE’s innovation across Africa within its key business sectors such as healthcare, aviation, energy, oil and gas, power and transportation. The GE Africa Innovation Centre consists of an Experience and Exploration Centre; coffee shop and catering facilities; agile workspaces; Learning and Development Centre; Innovation Ideation and Collaboration Centre; and a GE Prototyping Laboratory and sustainable Healthcare Customer Experience Centre. The Healthcare Experience Centre has virtual and augmented reality displays and an array of installed equipment so visitors can experience an interconnected and efficient hospital catering for both primary care settings and premium facilities. There are also eight permanent work stations that will provide customers with hands-on clinical education and applications training. Commissioned for GE SSA, the 2 454 m² (GLA) building is located on Glenhove Road, Rosebank, adjacent to key commercial and shopping nodes. It has accessibility to major road arterials, public transport, community, religious and health centres. The building is a three-storey, primarily east-facing glazed structure taking advantage of the generally mild climate, with access and parking on the West, and overlooking an iconic golf-course to the South. The vision was to provide accessibility to a healthy environment and internalise this in the workplace, promoting an integrated and balanced health-and wellness-driven work environment. Functional spaces include a publicly accessible Ground Floor with a health-focused work café and digital exhibition centre, collaboration zones, and outdoor collaboration area.

The brief to the architects by GE Global Properties with future client, the GE Innovation Centre, was to create a mixed- use, flexible, functional, robust, and sustainable environment, highlighting the key principles of GE, namely industrial innovation and African collaboration. A holistic view was adopted for the building. We have arrived at a stage of sustainable design internationally with a minimum level being quite high. Being more than the sum of its parts, the overall fit-out aims to achieve substantially more than the minimum levels set out by GBCSA and LEED for an interior rating. These include: • Intelligent building monitoring system • Live on-screen energy/waste and water usage reports. • World-class VRV Aircon system, incorporating high levels of fresh air input and heat recovery systems • The building aims to operative more efficient than the market average • Xeriscaped gardens, and water-efficient Planted walls • Occupancy-controlled lighting • Substantial external views for occupants • Acoustically-tested and designed environments • Efficient water usage • Onus on socio-economic credits in the construction phase The brief from the client was clear: To be an Innovation Centre, it had to prescribe to global and local best practice towards a more sustainable built environment. Through the design process, this was quintessential whilst developing forward and currently the building is currently being evaluated and

PROJECT INFORMATION

• Company entering: Paragon Architects • Paragon Architects South Africa: Thulani Sibande • Paragon Interface: Claire D’Adorante, Anthony Karam, Jenna Monteith, Daniella Maria, Kimi Kloes, Edwin Seda, Jessica Self • Acoustic engineer: Subsonic AECOM • Gideon Grobbelaar, PM

seeks to achieve GBCSA Green Star 5 Interior as Built rating and LEED Gold as Built. Combining international best practice and localised product in a LEED/GBSCA rated interior whilst tying this back to the overall narrative concept, and facilitating GE’s high performance criteria and brand dynamics. Through the localisation process undertaken on the project, it became clear that an onus in the industry needs to be

• Mattheus Van Niekerk, HVAC • Bernard Mokase, Electrical

• Liebrecht Swanepoel, Fire • Candice Manning, Green • August Paul, Data/ICT • Andre Parsons, AV • Keegan Bartlett, Contracts Manager

• Ceiling and partitions: JD Dooley • Joinery specialist/Production: ARF

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