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I Eastgate Centre, Zimbabwe’s green building constructed through biomimicry
Eastgate Centre, Zimbabwe’s green building constructed through biomimicry
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By Ben Oduor
People have turned to nature for inspiration to help them solve problems over millions of years. From medical research to materials, buildings to bridges, examining the design of nature has helped man develop almost every aspect of his life, and in the long run, we end up benefiting from these revelations in our daily lives and operations.
This design concept is called biomimicry, which relates to the design and production of materials, structures, and systems modelled on biological entities and processes.
Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe is a classical example of how biomimicry works in building technology. The architectural design of the building is influenced by termites mounds, which embraces passive cooling.
Before humans thought of how to build self-cooling houses, termites already adopted this model in their mounds. Termites mounds include flues which vent through the top and sides, and the mound itself is designed to catch the breeze. As the wind blows, hot air from the main chambers below ground is drawn out of the structure, helped by termites opening or blocking tunnels to control air flow.
Similarly, architect Mick Pearce seemingly had this concept in mind when he was designing Eastgate Centre, a shopping centre and office block that today sits in central Harare, Zimbabwe.
Designed to be ventilated and cooled by entirely natural means, the building was probably the first building in the world to use natural cooling to this level of sophistication.
Artificial air-conditioning systems are high-maintenance, and Zimbabwe has the additional problem that the original system and most spare parts have to be imported, squandering foreign exchange reserves.
Mick Pearce, the architect, therefore took an alternative approach. Because of its altitude, Harare has a temperate climate despite being in the tropics, and the typical daily temperature swing is 10 to 14 °C. This makes a mechanical or passive cooling system a viable alternative to artificial air-conditioning.
According to Science Direct, passive cooling uses free, renewable sources of energy such as the sun and wind to provide cooling, ventilation and lighting needs for a household. This additionally removes the need to use mechanical cooling.
“Applying passive cooling means reducing differences between outdoor and indoor temperatures, improving indoor air quality and making the building both a better and more comfortable environment to live or work in,” the publication says.
For Eastgate Centre’s case, the building uses only 10% of the energy needed by a similar conventionally cooled building. When actively cooled, the Centre consumes 35% less energy to maintain the same temperature as a conventionally cooled building. Eastgate is among the finest, exemplary green buildings in the continent. Across the world, architects have come up with structures that are poised to define the future built environment, developing buildings with unique, sustainable features to accommodate the unpredictable geographical factors of the future.
Examples of sustainable architecture around the world
Some of the common sustainable architectural around the world include: The Pixel Building in Melbourne, Australia; One Central Park in Sydney, Australia; Bahrain World Trade Centre 1 and 2 in Bahrain; the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Vancouver Convention Centre West in Vancouver, Canada; Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, China; Copenhill in Copenhagen, Denmark and Marco Polo Tower in Hamburg, Germany.
Other buildings also include: Bosco Verticale in Milan, Italy; Suzlone One Earth in Pune, India; ACROSS Fukuoka Prefectural International Hall in Fukuoka, Japan; Torre Reforma in Mexico City; PARKROYAL Collection Pickering in Singapore; Robinson Tower in Singapore and the One Angel Square in Manchester, United Kingdom, among many others. The Bosco Verticale building in Milan, Italy, for instance, showcases deluxe apartments in the sky with plenty of spaces to accommodate large, full grown trees and a variety of ground cover plants and shrubs. All these greenery helps improve air quality in Bosco Verticale and the city more broadly, according to Cables News Network (CNN).
The residential building was designed by leading Italian architect and Urban Planner Stephano Boeri, who is also the brain behind the first Smart Forest in Mexico- a marvelous architectural design of a city that balances green and built spaces, and is completely food and energy self-sufficient. In Singapore, the PARKROYAL Collection Pickering is an outstanding hotel inspired by nature and a light-filled concept- with the inspiration from the country’s tropical environment. The hotel’s design is inspired by terraformed rice paddies, and numerous sky gardens have been inserted along the building’s façade. There’s a collection of luxuriant greenery that includes palm trees to public areas and guestroom balconies.
The Green house in Nairobi, Kenya
Locally in Nairobi, there’s a classical sustainable architectural structure dubbed the Green House, located in Ngong Road. Despite the country having just a handful of such green buildings, the Kenya Green Building Society (KGBS) is leading the transformation of the built environment in Kenya toward environmentally sustainable buildings.
Eastgate centre building in Zimbabwe
Flat roofs vs. Pitched roofs: Demystifying the roofing designs
Defining the common roofing designs, their evolution, key features and pros and cons
By James Odera
Left: Flat Roof. Right: Pitched Roof.
Aroof can serve more functions than simply offering safety protection to providing plenty of ways through which one can maximize the available house space.
Throughout the history of mankind, shelter has evolved with the advancement in human activities from primitive, simple structures such as caves to more complex art forms and architectural designs which combine different elements of both the interior and exterior of the house to make a great finish and visual appeal. One of the most noticeable exterior elements of a house is the building envelop, which relates to the design and construction of the exterior of the house.
According to most construction experts, a good building envelop involves using designs that are appropriate to the surrounding climate, are structurally sound and have a pleasing aesthetical effect and, none among the building envelop elements instantly communicates these needs better than the roof of a building. Other than offering protection against environmental hazards such as heat, wind and rain, a roof is the first thing that outsiders look at whenever they want to judge the quality of any building. As such, a properly built roof will add value to the house as well as increase the integrity levels of the construction.
Evolution of Roofing designs
The modern-day roofing materials and designs have come a long way. Most common however, are the flat and pitched roofing designs, whose history is as long as that of mankind.
Earliest roofs constructed by man were thatched made of branches, leaves and
in some instances reeds. The roofs usually sloped or pitched to drain rainfall off them. Alternatively, thicker branches pressed with clay between them were also used to make flat roofs, giving rise to the two main types of roofing designs; flat and pitched roofs. Other types of roofs include vault and dome designs.
Historically, flat roofs can be traced to the Middle East and parts of South America where they were predominantly used many centuries ago before migrating to the west, to provide insulation against the harsh desert heat.
Later in the nineteenth century when new roofing materials such as steel and concrete gained popularity, flat roofs became widespread in Europe and the Americas among warehouses, office buildings and residential houses.
Unlike the flat roofs, a pitched roof is a two-sided sloped roof with a gable at both ends. This type of design is the most common and it comes in varieties. Although the earliest designs of pitched roofs are attributed to ancient Greece during the construction of temples, history considers it a staple architecture in Europe and parts of America.
As the building and construction industry continues to advance, individuals are beginning to rethink the general impact of construction on the planet and how to best utilize the available and emerging technologies for a more comfortable and dignified living space.
Roof spaces are increasingly becoming popular among designers and constructors who are keen to maximize their utility without engaging in additional cost of construction. In the twenty first century, gardens, swimming pools and a host of other amenities have found their way on the roof top spaces to give flat roofs more recognition.
Distinctive features
A flat roof is almost level compared to the pitched roof which slopes, and is most preferred in warmer climates and areas with less rainfall where freezing is less likely to occur. Most flat roofs are built with concrete masonry where timber is not readily available making them more cost effective. However, different waterproof materials have been used in modern development to improve durability of flat roofs.
Among the notable development on the flat roofing design is a Protected Membrane Roof (PMR) where a thermal insulation is located above the waterproofing layer. The PMR is important in protecting the waterproofing membrane from thermal shock and mechanical damage among other dangers.
Other than PMR, flat roofs have also witnessed green roofs which are made by depositing top soil on flat roofs and seeding them. The soil mass provides heat to the building storing heat of the sun and realizing it into the building at night to regulate the temperatures inside the house.
Pros and Cons
Whereas a number o f merits have been attributed to the popularity of flat roofs such as stability against wind, ease of construction among other advantages, flat roofs also have their flaws. Proponents of this roofing design hail it for its security and safety. It is argued that is easier to make a flat roof more fireproof compared to pitched roofs.
Also, flat roofs provide the much needed space which can be used for gardening, as a play area or a drying yard among many amenities. For constructors who wish to co build multi-storied houses, a flat roofing design provides an ideal choice to utilize the aerial space.
Unlike a pitched roof which requires a false ceiling, flat roofs have inbuilt insulating properties which shield the house from external heat.
One of the major weaknesses of a flat roof design is its susceptibility to cracks on the surface of the roof when the variation on temperature is high. Cracks may lead to leaks which end up weakening the building. Compared to a pitched roof which can be used over a large span, flat roofs are limited in application for quality control measures.
In terms of cost, flat roofs are more expensive than sloped roofs.
Whether an individual homeowner or a constructor settles for either a flat or pitched roof design, the ultimate value of the roof to the structure depends on the maintenance of the roof. A well maintained roof will stand the test of time.
RUBiS Energy’s bid to conquer Kenya’s oil market
The French energy company entered into the market by acquiring Kenol-Kobil and Gulf Energy, and is today a key stakeholder in the region’s competitive oil marketing business
By Fred Ndung’u
RUBiS Energy Kenya officially launched in the country on October 7th, 2020, following its acquisition of Kenol-Kobil Plc in March 2019 and Gulf Energy Holdings Ltd in December 2019.
“We conducted a public survey on the name choice between Kenol-Kobil, Gulf Energy and Rubis and majority of people preferred Rubis saying they wanted to have a new beginning and an international feel which the latter offers,” explained Jean-Christian Bergeron, Rubis Group MD at the launch that was followed by inauguration of the UN Avenue, Gigiri Rubis service station and express shop.
“We retained the K-Gas brand for our LPG given that it’s a leading brand that also identifies with the country,” he added.
According to Bergeron, Rubis acquisition of the two Kenyan brands is a significant investment in Kenya with that of Kenol-Kobil being of over US$350M (Ksh35.350 billion).
Globally, RUBiS is actively involved in mid- and downstream energy business that includes retailing and marketing as opposed to exploration/mining and refining in upstream business. Its three profit centres are fuel retailing -67 per cent, support & services-23 per cent, and terminaling & storage – 10 per cent.
He said Rubis, currently rebranding its over 230 service stations in the country- 190 from former Kenol-Kobil and 43 from Gulf Energy, decided to enter the Kenya market based on the region’s high growth potential and the conviction that the proven expertise of Rubis would bring extra value to all Kenya consumers. Consequently, Rubis is now a leader in the local oil industry with a market share of over 21 per cent.
Bergeron explained that Rubis shall continue to invest heavily in the market through modernization of all its existing retail outlets into modern, state-of-the art service stations.
“Our network of over 230 service stations is strategically and widely located across the country, thus playing a key role in delivering quality products and services to all Kenya customers in a safe environment,” Bergeron stated.
“We are launching an unparalleled shopping experience through our convenience store brand, RUBiS Express, by providing world-class convenience to motorists on the go, saving them time and money. We also provide a fuel card system that gives motorists total control over their fuel-related expenses through our RUBiS Card, offering convenience and efficiency when making payments at our retail outlets.”
Furthermore, the French company is significantly investing in the development and promotion of LPG, which is a clean and affordable energy source that will support the government’s ambition for an improved quality of life for all Kenyans; in addition to marketing an extensive range of high-quality lubricants under the K-Lube and Castrol brands and our products, imported or locally blended.
RUBiS Energy Kenya, with a promise of ‘Making your life journey better’, anchors its business units on Retail, Lubricants, LPG, Trading, Supply, Aviation, Commercial & Industrial and Exports to various East African countries. RUBiS Energy Kenya has subsidiaries in Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.
RUBiS Energy is the largest supplier of aviation into-plane refueling services for regional and international commercial and cargo carriers, and is committed to delivering quality products and services to other business sectors in areas such as industry, agriculture, aviation and road infrastructure development.
“Rubis is very strong in aviation fuelling as opposed to its main competition. The company values its over 250 employees and over 200 in its subsidiaries whom it continually empowers through various training programmes. While Rubis manages many of its service stations, it also allows some of its trusted dealers to manage others,” the CEO said.
“We have no plans for an aggressive expansion above our 233 service stations whose rebranding is expected to reach 80 per cent by 2021 and completion in 2022. We, however, shall go into areas where Rubis doesn’t already have a site, for instance along Mombasa Rd in Nairobi. Our commitment is service with convenience and efficiency.”
He explained that RUBiS is committed to Safety, Health, Environment and Quality -SHEQ. The company is further installing solar panels at its stations to promote use of clean energy.
The global energy player is also looking at leveraging its integrated distribution chain to increase market share in the region. RUBiS Energy partners with some NGOs playing an active role in corporate social responsibility activities themed around education, health, safety and environment. The oil marketer has most recently supported initiatives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by installing sanitation facilities in various locations around Nairobi and providing fuel for ambulances and generators at the Nairobi Mbagathi Hospital.
State Department for Petroleum, Ministry of Petroleum & Mining, PS Eng Andrew N Kimani officiated at the UN Avenue RUBiS station inauguration, appreciating the company for supporting innovation and development in the country.
“We highly appreciate RUBiS heavy investment in cylinders manufacturing and which can greatly change lives once more people start using the clean LPG as opposed to charcoal and kerosene use,” the PS observed, urging the firm to continue flexing its strength in Bitumen products in support of Kenya’s roads and infrastructural development.
Founded in 1990, RUBiS is an independent French operator specializing in three business areas: distribution of petroleum products, support and services, and storage.
The distribution of petroleum products includes service station networks, commercial fuel, aviation fuel, LPG, lubricants, and bitumen.
Mr. Jean-Christian Bergeron, Group Managing Director of Rubis Energy Kenya (R), Eng. AAndrew Kamau, Principal Secretary State Department of Petroleum and Mining and another guest at the official launch of the company in Nairobi.
