Housing in Southern Africa

October 2015

urecon was commissioned

by ALW Estates to provide

Environmentally Sustainable

Design (ESD) services for the project,

which exceeded the initial Green

Star ambitions for the building by

incorporating a range of innovative

sustainable features.

Located between Katherine and

Patricia streets in Sandton, Atholl

Towers was developed in two phases.

The first phasewas completed in 2011

and comprises a 4 500m² office build-

ingwith the Volkswagen Group South

Africa’s Sales and Marketing Opera-

tions as tenants. The second phase

consisting of 10 211 m² of offices and

480 parking bays with five basement

levels was completed in April 2015.

Marni Punt, Environmental Sus-

tainable Design (ESD) consultant

at Aurecon, says the building is a

modern, iconic design with open

concept spaces. Some of the note-

worthy aesthetic features include

full-height façades, frameless glass

and overhanging elements that

create uniquely framed views of a

shared public outdoor area between

the two phases.

“For example, the frameless, full-

glass façade is not only energy ef-

ficient, but it has a self-cleaning

silicone base that ensures minimal

maintenance over the coming years,”

says Punt.

Some of the other energy effi-

ciency features include optimised air

conditioning, a central heat recovery

system and motion sensor light fit-

tings. The domestic hot water system

is integratedwith the air conditioning

system to receive recovered heat dur-

ing cooling or simultaneous cooling

and heating modes. When cooling is

not required by the air conditioning

system, it acts as an air-cooled heat

pump to efficiently deliver heat to the

domestic hot water system.

Sustainability initiatives that

were incorporated include the use of

recycled shutter boards for concrete

casting, recycled steel components,

the use of low Volatile Organic Com-

pound (VOC) paint, low formaldehyde

timber and finishes, the smart ap-

plication of insulation materials and

blinds to maximise thermal comfort

for building occupants, as well as a

rainwater harvesting and water con-

servation systems.

The project also has an extensive

metering system connected to a fully

automated Building Management

System. A total of 55 powermeters are

distributed throughout the building

andwater meters have been installed

for all major water uses. This is an

important buildingmanagement tool

that will assist the facilitiesmanagers

to efficiently manage the building in

future. Access to consumption data is

provided via the local facilities man-

agement PC or via a web browser.

Trend logs will display the history

of the water and electricity meter

values, allowing usage trends to be

accumulated and analysed to identify

when and where peaks occur.

■

Atholl

Towers

The At ho l l Towe r s o f f i ce

development in Johannesburg,

South Africa, was recently

awarded a 5-Star Green Star SA

Rating by the Green Building

Council of South Africa (GBCSA).

xperts in the industry have

reported that this ‘pump and

treat’ plan is ill-considered,

economically unfeasible and environ-

mentally unsustainable. Basson says,

“We will request that the Portfolio

Committee Chairperson, Mlungisi

Johnson, invite South Africa’s leading

scientists and experts in the field to

present their concerns in relation to

the Department’s plan.”

A key concern, according to ex-

perts, is the exorbitant cost of treat-

ing acid mine water to a potable

standard.

“Whilst we understand the enor-

mous risk our country faces with

regard to water shortages and that

an urgent plan is required - we must

approach the solutions in a holistic

manner to benefit fromour interven-

tions – and one that does not result

in crippling costs.”

The Department has estimat-

ed that there is sufficient water in

Gauteng until 2018, but thereafter

there will be insufficient water to

continue the dilution process of

mines in the western basin. This will

have an impact on Gauteng and the

Free State. As this long-termplan will

be implemented by both the Depart-

ments of Water and Sanitation and

Mineral Resources, Basson questions

how much money departments will

contribute towards construction and

operational costs of the desalination

plant.

Basson urges Mokonyane to table

this plan before Parliament as a

matter of urgency to address all the

issues.

■

New sanitation plant

Leon Basson, ShadowDeputy Minister of Water and Sanitation for the

Democratic Alliance says that the Minister of Water and Sanitation,

NomvulaMokonyane, is expected to sign a R10 billion contract tobuild

an acid mine desalination plant.

Infrastructure & Mixed Use