Construction World February 2015

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD FEBRUARY 2015
PROJECT PROFILE
I
Project information
• Client: Imvelo Concessions Company
• Main contractor: Aveng Grinaker-LTA KKC DEA JV
• Architect: Boogertman + Partners
• Principal agent: Aveng Grinaker-LTA
• Project manager: Aveng Grinaker-LTA
• Quantity surveyor: Pentad QS
• Consulting engineer: Mott MacDonald PDNA
• Project value: R653 636 000 (excluding VAT)
Health and safety
Health and safety is a core objective at
Aveng Grinaker-LTA. The Aveng group and
Grinaker-LTA H&S policies took precedence.
Awards
• 2nd Place H&S Award in the MBA North
Regional Awards for projects over
R500-million.
• Achieved 1 000 000 LTI-free man
hours, on a project site with more than
1 000 employees.
Quantifiable time, cost,
quality
The PPP project consisted of a fixed time
and fixed price design and construct
subcontract. The D&C subcontractor (Aveng
Grinaker-LTA Keren Kula DEA JV) accepted
all the risks involved in this R653 636 000,
22 month fixed price contract. It was to be a
22 month fixed time contract, but extended
to 15 July 2014.
The contract facilities specification set
the benchmark for which the project had
to meet, and all national building legisla-
tion had to be closely adhered to. A quality
assurance team ensured that designs and
construction adhered to all specifications
and any non-concordances were remedied.
This PPP project also entailed the
appointment of an independent external
engineer to inspect and sign off the works in
accordance and ensuring compliance with
the contract specifications.
• 60 candidates received general life
skills training in basic literacy, money
management.
SMME development
• More than 3% of payroll spent on black
employees;
• More than 50% of capital expenditure
was allocated and spent on black
enterprises ;
• More than 10% of capital expenditure
was allocated and spent on black
women owned enterprises; and
• 2% of procurement cash flow spent on
Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSE).
Poverty alleviation
The Imvelo Consortium has provided its
detailed Local Socio Economic Development
Plan (LSED Plan) to the Department. The plan
focuses on the development of youth in the
City of Tshwane. The aim of the programme
is to foster self-reliance and empower
unemployed youth with specific skills being
computer based skills, entrepreneurial and
life skills to enable them to become part
of the economically active population and
participate in the mainstream economy.
Architectural design
The new departmental headquarters for
the Department of Environmental Affairs
which is located in the Arcadia, Pretoria
(City of Tshwane).
In the design of the building, the key
considerations were to respond to the
spatial and organisational brief of the client,
to provide an environmentally sensitive
and sustainable architecture, and to design
a functional yet memorable and beautiful
building to inspire generations to come.
The site location is regarded as a gateway
to the Tshwane inner city therefore the archi-
tect was expected to design a facility with
suitable prominence that reflects its impor-
tance even to international visitors.
The new office was to communicate an
architectural language that reflects the
Department’s environmental and sustain-
able ideologies. The proposed building was
to, through its architecture, express to the
public as well as the building users the core
values of DEA and its willingness to live up
to its environmental values through clearly
demonstrating aspects of sustainable
design, energy and resource.
Due to the size of the building site
it was possible to distribute the floor
space relatively evenly to create a general
height of only three storeys, which is
comfortably accessed by stairs. Each office
wing includes a central atrium with internal
planting at ground level and clerestory
windows above the roof to enhance natural
light into the building. This also encourages
natural ventilation using the stack effect and
night flush ventilation.
The building concept comprises three
distinct elements: the central reception
building, the office wings and the bridge
structure connecting the elements together.
The nautilus shell concept as one of nature’s
timeless shapes was used as inspiration for
the design of the central arrival space and
ministerial wing.
The main offices comprises three wings
to the south and two shorter wings to
the north of the site, the regular form
and repetition improved constructability
and minimises potential wastage.
The structure is expressed externally in
the form of a concrete frame that provides
shading, with off-shutter finishes intended
to reduce maintenance and introduce an
aspect of dematerialisation by means of
reduced finishing required. Decorative
screens on the façade serve a dual func-
tion as aesthetic and functional solar
shading devices, supporting energy effi-
ciency through reduced thermal loads in
conjunction with glazing placement and
envelope design.