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14
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JUNE
2015
ENVIRONMENT
>
James
Wilson,
Amdec
CEO,
comments: “We take a multifac-
eted approach to sustainability
and energy-efficiency. So, while we
intend to pursue more Green Star SA ratings
for all our new developments, and some of
our existing ones, we are also adding more
resource-efficient features to all our assets,
whether there is a rating tool available for
them or not. This helps take strain off our
power grid, and our building users’ pockets,
as well as being good for the environment
and helping communities prosper.”
The bigger picture
By considering the bigger picture, Amdec’s
green building ethos has a far-reaching
positive impact. Its holistic approach to
green buildings is helping to change the way
people think and live.
“An important part of green building
is educating and transforming communi-
ties, updating legislation and government
processes, and changing how we experience
development,” explains Josef Quraishi, head
of sustainability and green building for the
Amdec group.
“Our macro view considers a building’s
inherent relationship with its surrounds,
ensuring it contributes to the sustaina-
bility of its community and natural setting,”
explains Quraishi. “When we develop, we
that utilised evaporative cooling so its build-
ings use less air conditioning than usual, it
uses gas and has integrated recycling. Its
mixed-uses and pedestrianisation reduces
the need for cars, it also benefits from good
access to public transport.
In short, Melrose Arch is an enabling
platform for sustainable buildings. It is this
revelation that is inspiring Amdec to create
even more environments that facilitate more
green buildings
Quraishi says that as companies trans-
form the way they think about business, from
being purely profit driven, to a paradigm
that considers people, planet and profit, so
property developers need to respond.
Inefficient buildings stand to become
obsolete faster, being less sustainable
and
Quraishi
highlights
that
green
buildings make for happy tenants too.
“They boost productivity and profitability
by creating healthy workspaces that also
mean lower absenteeism. So they are
commercially desirable.”
Developing macro plans for green
precincts can help deliver more green build-
ings, and bigger positive impacts.
“In fact, we are considering taking our
next R4-billion mega development of a
128 000 ha mixed-use suburb in Port Eliza-
beth, entirely off the grid,” says Quraishi.
With soaring energy costs, clients across
Amdec’s portfolio of assets, including its
Evergreen Lifestyle Villages, enjoy the bene-
fits of Amdec’s energy-efficient, water-ef-
ficient and cost-efficient focus. Amdec’s
approach to green building goes beyond
active green building technologies, also
incorporating more subtle elements of green
building in design and orientation.
Of course, the commercial sustainability
of a building is essential, and is typically at
the forefront of every developers mind. It is
fundamental to pushing the green button for
a project.
For existing buildings, Quraishi explains
that Amdec has prioritised getting ratings for
single-tenants buildings. “Then we’ll move
on to our multi-tenanted buildings, which
can be more challenging,” he conludes.
TRIPLE GREEN
buildings in 24 months
Leading private property
company Amdec has set its
sights on tripling the number of
green buildings in its property
portfolio over the next two
years. Having already earned
Green Star SA ratings for two
of its buildings in the last two
years, Amdec plans to boost
its pace of investing in green
buildings by taking this number
to six in the coming 24 months.
look at the broader context of investing
in communities. A thriving community is
good for business, the more attractive a
community is, the more desirable our build-
ings become.”
Green building is growing apace in
South Africa and Amdec, an active partner
to the Green Building Council South Africa
(GBCSA), is helping it move into the future.
In fact, Quraishi, was closely involved with
developing the GBCSA’s Socio Economic
Category Pilot, which has been embraced by
the World Green Building Council.
As the owners in what can undoubtedly
be considered South Africa’s first sustain-
able green precinct, Melrose Arch, which was
developed ahead of its time and before the
formal green building wave began in South
Africa, Amdec knows first-hand the benefits
an environmentally sound foundation adds
to green building. That’s because the green
inner-workings of Melrose Arch support
more than a single building, they underpin
a whole precinct.
Impressive ratings
It is here that Amdec has earned its two
Green Star SA ratings: 40 on Oak was South
Africa’s first multi-unit residential project
certified under the Green Star SA system,
with a 4-Star Green Star SA Pilot certifica-
tion and The WorleyParsons head office
was awarded a 4-Star Green Star SA Office
v1 Design rating.
As part of its multiunit residential rating
at 40 on Oak, Amdec cut energy consump-
tion for each apartment by 50% and water
consumption by 40% making the Melrose
Arch apartments even more desirable. For
the green rated office, it lowered energy
consumption by 40% and water consump-
tion by 50%.
Melrose Arch will also play a leading
role in its future targeted green star
ratings, two of which have already been
registered at GBCSA.
Melrose Arch is packed with ingenious
designs and small, smart green touches
that also create an enjoyable environment.
It includes a central district cooling plant
James Wilson, CEO of
Amdec Group.
The WorleyParsons head office
building in Melrose Arch, which
was awarded a 4-Star Green
Star SA Office v1 Design rating
by the Green Building Council
of South Africa.