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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JULY
2016
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MARKETPLACE
The MOU commits the organisations to work towards an agree-
ment that will facilitate sharing of knowledge and skills; engaging
in critical dialogue on critical issues facing the sustainability of the
profession; establishing international standards, norms and benchmarks
and promotion of excellence in architecture, to name a few areas of mutual
MOU WITH ARCHITECTS’ COUNCIL OF EUROPE
The South African Council for the Architectural
Profession (SACAP) has honoured its commitment to
position the South African architectural profession
within the global community. This was achieved
with the recent signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between SACAP and the
Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE).
interest. It promotes consistent professional qualifications criteria and
national syllabi based on international standards, such as the UNESCO/UIA
Charter for Architectural Profession and the Canberra Accord (CA), as well
as international dialogue on issues facing practice.
According to SACAP president Yashaen Luckan, who signed the MOU
with ACE president Luciano Lazzari on 22 April 2016 at the ACE General
Assembly in Berlin, the recent rapid changes in global climates, societies
and economies has placed the architectural profession in a position of
self-reflection, self-critique and new opportunities. Such challenges require
broad participation, intense collaboration and a better world view in order
to develop meaningful responses.
SACAP was established in late 2000 and fulfils the function of controlling
the standards of education at tertiary institutions, through visiting boards,
for the purposes of professional registration. It protects public interest by
identifying the type of architectural work each category of registered person
is capable and competent to perform and administrates a Code of Conduct.
The Architects Council of Europe (ACE) is non-profit organisation that
represents the architectural profession at the European level. Its membership
consists of regulatory and professional representative bodies throughout
Europe. Through them, the ACE represents the interests of architects.
Speaking from Berlin, SACAP President Luckan said, “SACAP’s mission
is to transform, grow, develop and regulate the architectural profession
through collaborative engagement in the pursuit of excellence. This MOU
recognises our shared goals.
“We are convinced that the co-operation described in it will help to
consolidate and reinforce actions and efforts towards addressing mutual
concerns and interests pertaining to architecture, architectural education,
research, professional standards and regulation, professional mobility,
environmental issues, professional development and practice and political
influence - among others.”
ACE President Lazzari says, "The signing of the MOU between ACE
and SACAP marks an important milestone on the road to international
collaboration of our profession, bringing new impetus to our common
cause for enhancing the value of architecture, for the betterment of all.
It is particularly significant because it brings a new and thoughtful alliance
between architects of two continents, based on a future that is both chal-
lenging and promising.”
ACE president, Luciano Lazzari and Yashaen Luckan (SACAP President).
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To determine the award winners, PMR.africa interviewed 140 profes-
sionals in the South African built environment and construction
sector, including property developers, architects, quantity surveyors
and contractors.
During the interviews, participants were asked to rate their perceptions of
the performance of companies across a number of attributes such as Black
Economic Empowerment, Competitive pricing, Problem solving, Reliability,
Reputation, Responsiveness, Skills and qualifications of personnel, Technical
competence, Timeous completion and Understanding and commitment to
the clients’ interests.
The awards ceremony was held on 13 May at the Killarney Country
Club in Johannesburg. Three of the six awards that Aurecon received were
Diamond Arrow Awards, signifying ‘highest rated in category’. These cate-
gories include mechanical engineers, combined electrical and mechanical
consulting engineers and electrical consulting engineers for firms with over
400 employees. The company also received three Golden Arrow Awards,
which indicates that Aurecon was 1
st
or 2
nd
overall and rated at least 3,75
(Excellent) out of 5 by respondents. The categories that Aurecon received
Golden ArrowAwards for are civil consulting engineers, structural consulting
engineers and combined civil and structural consulting engineers.
Ferdi Nell, Aurecon managing director Africa, says that the company is
honoured to receive these prestigious awards once again. The company
received six awards last year as well as the same number of awards in 2014.
“Getting positive feedback from clients and colleagues in the industry
shows that we are on track to achieve our goal of bringing clients’ ideas
to life. The PMR Africa awards is a recognised and valuable indicator of a
company’s technical expertise, brand awareness and their ability to serve
in the best interest of their clients. We are humbled to be recognised as a
top performing consulting engineering firm by so many decision-makers
and professionals in the industry,” comments Nell.
SIX PMR AFRICA EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Aurecon has excelled in the national survey
of consulting engineers undertaken by the
management journal
Professional Management
Review Africa
(PMR.africa).
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Jaco Blignaut (Aurecon technical director) and Emmanuel Makhele
(Aurecon structural engineer).