24 / 56
22
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
FEBRUARY
2015
PROJECT PROFILE
I
Night flush ventilation
Venting of the area between the soffit and
the partial ceiling allowed cool air drawn
in through the automated window system
to create a natural convective stack within
the atrium, thereby removing heat from
the soffits overnight in preparation for the
following day.
Renewable energy systems
The DEA project has incorporated one of
the largest roof top mounted PV systems in
South Africa on a commercial office building.
The original request for proposal from
the DEA stipulated that at least 10% of the
building energy was to be produced on-site
from a renewable source. The DEA building
utilises both high efficiency solar-thermal
systems for hot water, and photovoltaic
for direct electrical energy production.
The selected photovoltaic system utilises
a direct feed into the building without a
battery store and is utilised as generated.
Indoor environmental quality
The project has specifically excluded volatile
organic compounds in the specification of
paints, adhesives and carpeting as well as
the reduction in the presence of formalde-
hyde. Comfort has been addressed through
the inclusion of high performance double
glazing improving the thermal performance
of the space as well as providing significant
improvement in the indoor noise levels and
acoustic disruption.
The wider impact
Job creation
Approximately 300 jobs were created for and
awarded to the local community (labour)
in the development of the project. Further-
more, through AGLTA KKC DEA JV utilisation
of a skills development plan, the following
was also executed:
• 4 learnerships offered for degrees in
construction management;
• 37 candidates received on the job
training and practical experience
(internships);
Daylight and lighting controls
The project was subject to a stringent energy
target that assigned a maximum allowed
energy consumption per square metre per
annum. In order tomeet the demands of this,
and given that lighting has been identified
as contributing between 30 and 45% of the
energy demand of a commercial building,
the building incorporated extensive lighting
controls that featured occupancy sensing,
continuous dimming, addressable lighting
components, photometric based control
and integration with the BMS.
The lighting solution maximised the use
of natural daylight where possible.
BMS system controls and
sensing
The large scale of the DEA Building and the
contractual obligation to run the building for
a period of 25 years required that a robust
data monitoring, trending and analysis
system be put in place. The BMS system
selected was based on the open source KNX
protocol allowing a multi-vendor supply
of components over the life of the project
and enhancing the long term maintenance
adaptability of the system.