President Jacob Zuma, today, 17 October 2014 officially opened the Department of Environmental Affairs’ (DEA’s) green building, Environment House. The building serves as the Head Office for (DEA) and is located at the corner of Soutpansberg and Steve Biko Roads in Pretoria, Arcadia.
The Minister of Environmental Affairs Mrs Edna Molewa turned the sod to mark the commencement of the construction of the green building on 19 July 2012. The Department took occupation of the building in August 2014.
Following a feasibility study in 2006, a conclusion was reached that the DEA’s previous office no longer met the fundamental needs of the staff and was not a proper reflection of what the Department represents.
This project is the culmination of years of hard work and comes after the Director-General of DEA, Ms Nosipho Ngcaba, signed the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Agreement between DEA and the Imvelo Concessions (PTY) LTD (Aveng Grinaker/LTA).
The design and the construction of the building was carried over a period of two years and provision of facility management services together with complementary support services shall be provided for a period of 25 (twenty five) years in accordance with the service requirements of the Department. The entire contract period will run for a period of 27 years at a cost of R8 billion. Provision of the facilities management services includes building maintenance, cleaning of the facility, energy and utilities supply, waste management, conference facilities, furniture management, parking, management, pest control, internal plants, maintenance, telephone equipment, fire, emergency, landscape maintenance and the help desk facility.
Green buildings have the potential to make a significant impact in terms of reducing South Africa’s electricity consumption. The global economy is rapidly transforming to a low-carbon economy. A transition to a more sustainable development path may help to open up new investment opportunities and export markets; supports the creation of knowledge based economy and allows South Africa to set standards and demonstrate thought leadership.
The trend setting Green Building showcases the following construction industry green specifications:
- overall energy consumption in the building will be to a maximum of 115kWh/m2/annum;
- solar generated power for the facility with 10% of energy generated from a renewable source (Solar Panels)
- use of harvested rainwater for the gardens and restrooms, resulting in a 30% reduction in municipal water use compared to buildings of a similar size;
- Rain Water Harvest System used for toilets flushing and watering land scape gardens
- lighting efficiencies that maximise natural light sources, cutting edge technology compact fluorescent lights, individual motion sensor light switching system
- unique energy consumption mechanism- construction industry “first”
- latest on site state of the art Grey Water Treatment Works system
- vertical wall/roof gardens for aesthetics and cooling of the building
- energy efficient Two Stage Evaporative Air Condition System and
- automatic temperature sensor based window opening system.
The building has received a 6 Green Star SA rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). It is the first government building in South Africa to achieve a 6 Green Star SA rating. It is also the first 6 Green Star rated building in the City of Tshwane.
Some of the areas that the building was awarded the 6 Green Star rating for includes: efficient energy consumption, use of environmentally friendly materials, unique and precedent setting energy consumption mechanism which has not been implemented elsewhere in the construction sector in the Republic of South Africa, environmentally friendly transportation modes, efficient and state of the art water saving devices, on-site grey-water treatment works, emissions reduction systems and solar energy innovation systems.
The green building responds to the commitments made in the National Development Plan, that South Africa’s transition to an environmentally sustainable, climate change resilient, low-carbon economy and just society will be well under way by 2030,. The green office building is also responsive to our Green Economy Strategy.
The green building is an investment by government, designed to meet the green output specifications outlined in the Climate Change Policy which emphasises the use of sustainable materials, promotes urban greening, as well as energy and water efficiency.
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Fact Sheet
Department of Environmental Affairs Green Building, Environment House
Green elements: DEA Green Building PPP Project
The Green Building is designed to maximise and demonstrate energy efficiency and to meet green specifications with respect to:
- Lighting (e.g. the maximisation of natural light sources, compact fluorescent lights, individual switching, movement sensors, etc.);
- Reduction of water consumption as compared to the conventional buildings of similar size.
- Efficient Staff Movement (e.g. reduced reliance on lifts, coherent accommodation of interrelated sections, etc.); and
- Indoor/Internal Climate control (e.g. increased passive climate control and reduced reliance on mechanical air conditioning or centralized air conditioning system with customised control for each office/area)
- Demonstrates urban greening (e.g. indoor planting, roof gardens, etc.);
- Uses and demonstrates environment friendly building materials, finishes, furniture and equipment (i.e. no poisonous paints or adhesives, no energy inefficient appliances, no exotic hardwoods, no toxic laminates, etc.);
- Uses and demonstrates efficient resource use – (e.g. reduction of paper use etc.)
- Demonstrates ergonomic and ‘worker-friendly’ work spaces.
- Solar generated power for the facility. The roof of the building is almost entirely covered with solar photovoltaic panels, which exceeded a 10% target, and will supply almost 20% of the building’s energy needs.
- The Building is strategically located to cater for commuting mass transport, promote fuel efficient transport & cycling facilities.
- The northern parking area hosts a large concentrated photovoltaic panel (CPV), which tracks the sun during the day, and supplies power to the electric vehicle (EV) charging station for the DEA’s EV pilot project.
The Green Building will perform the following green targets:
- Overall energy consumption in the building will be to a maximum of 115kWh/m2/annum
- 10% of the overall energy consumption will be from a renewable energy source
- Municipal water consumption will be 30% lower than that of a conventionally designed identical building (e.g. use of rain water harvested for gardening and bathrooms)
- The use of selected local South African materials and products
Going Green
The building has received a 6 Green Star SA rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). It is the first government building in South Africa to achieve a 6 Green Star SA rating. It is also the first 6 Green Star rated building in the City of Tshwane.
Some of the areas that the building was awarded the 6 Green Star rating for includes: efficient energy consumption, use of environmentally friendly materials, unique and precedent setting energy consumption mechanism which has not been implemented elsewhere in the construction sector in the Republic of South Africa, environmentally friendly transportation modes, efficient and state of the art water saving devices, on-site grey-water treatment works, emissions reduction systems and solar energy innovation systems.
The building achieved the highest score (82 points)ever awarded by the GBCSA, in both the public and private sectors, for a large office space of this magnitude, to date, in the Republic of South Africa.
The Green Star SA ‘design’ rating objectively assesses how ‘green’ the building plan is, with all the green initiatives included. It considers categories including management; indoor environmental quality (IEQ); energy; transport; water; materials; land use and ecology; emissions; and innovation.
DEA head office submitted documentation towards receiving an ‘As-built’ Green Star SA rating, to the Green Building Council, which ensures that the original intentions in the design phase were adhered to.
