Construction World March 2016

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The official plaque unveiling by the British high commissioner to South Africa, dame Judith Macgregor and chief executive of

Babcock International Group, Peter Rogers. ABOVE:The completed administration building.

volumes of each part number can be stored and there is also ample capacity for future expansion. The workshop offers easy access to counter sales for smaller parts, while on the other side goods receiving and dispatch are serviced by a continuous loading ramp. The use of natural light has been maximised with the northern side illuminated by a light box which filters in indirect daylight without the heat load of direct north facing polycarbonate sheeting, reducing the power requirements to achieve the Lux levels required in a warehouse. A component workshop of 198 m 2 , situated adjacent to the workshop and sharing a common tool store, is serviced by a 10 tonne overhead gantry equipped for engine, transmission and axle overhauls. The room is positively pressurised by an evaporative cooling system to reduce ambient temperatures while acting as a dust filtration system. Energy efficiency The architectural design also incorporates energy efficient and modern design philosophies. The exterior overhang has a curved bullnose proportioned to prevent direct sunlight entering the building in the summer months, while permitting winter sunlight into the first few metres of the ground floor, and assisting with natural interior warmth via convection up the glass façade in the cooler winter months. Floor-to-ceiling semi-transparent stacking doors serve as workshop doors instead of the standard industrial roller shutter doors, to take advantage of natural light and to facilitate heating in winter, as well as bringing organic elements into the work space for a more efficient and productive work environment.

The parts warehouse, and below, a Terex truck in the 9 m wide service bay.

CONSTRUCTION WORLD MARCH 2016