Construction World October 2015

Sustainable design

LESSON IN SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

by Lood Welgemoed, Boogertman + Partners.

expressive feature water collectors and a photovoltaic (PV) farm covering most of the roofs. Material selection was largely driven by sustainability, longevity and ease of maintenance. Project overview The building comprises 27 422 m 2 of office and circulation space, housing 1 305 people and providing parking for approximately 600 vehicles. The overall building concept is reflected in three distinct elements through the masculine/utilitarian machinelike office wings, the feminine/ organic central reception building, and finally the ‘bridge structure’ that links all of the elements together.

Boogertman + Partners was privileged to be part of the team that designed the new head office for the Department of Environmental Affairs. This was not our first green building but the firm’s only completed six star rated green building to date. The following is a brief summary of the building and its features, followed by a more personal introspective look at lessons learned.

Introduction The new 6-star GBCSA Office V1 design- rated headquarters for the Department of Environmental Affairs is located in Pretoria, capital city of South Africa. It is procured as a Public Private Partnership project – essentially leased for a 25-year period by the Government from Imvelo Concession Company Proprietary Limited (RF) (the Private Party) who designed, constructed, financed and will operate and maintain the building during that time. The project is a good example of how Government can lead by example through forefront sustainable innovation. The design brief called for a maximum energy consumption target of 115 kWh per squarer metrer per annum, giving rise to innovative design processes through Building Information Modelling (BIM) and extensive energy modelling in order to achieve and maintain this threshold. Innovative technologies include night flushing to enhance passive climatic strategies, while natural resources are conserved through water harvesting, solar power and hot water etc. The Department’s environmental and sustainable ideologies was communicated through the architectural language while it demonstrates aspects of sustainable design, energy and resource efficiency through the extensive use of outdoor and indoor planting,

20

sustainable construction world