Construction namibia magazine july 2017

N$10

June - July 2017 | Vol. 2 / No 3

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY READY FOR ACTION

Roads Indaba a success Namibia Construction in skills development initiative

Innosun on the brink of making history

Roads Indaba a success Namibia Construction in skills development initiative

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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C O N T E N T S

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CREDITS

Roads Indaba a success

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The Namibian Construction Industry is Ready...

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Namibia Construction in skills development...

Publisher Young Press Multimedia Editor Henry Masuku editor@constructionnam.com +264 81 599 5081

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Concrete Day – Sharing best practices

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Holzbau Carpentry Hess scores another first

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Modern railway track Part 3

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Namibia’s Power Generation...

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Innosun on the brink of making history

Printers John Meinert Printers

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Moka Engineering in steady growth

Physical address 24 Mozart Street, Windhoek West, Windhoek, Namibia

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Business Developer Roxy Silta Tjarukua info@constructionnam.com +264 81 432 8467 Marketing Caryn Chanengeta marketing@constructionnam.com +264 81 2967087 Design and Layout Marcolino Justino designer@constructionnam.com

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Call us for book cover placement ©2016 Young Press Multimedia cc. All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Young Press Multimedia cc.

As we continue to build a stronger partnership together, we fully recognize that your support and the continued trust that you place in us is the foundation of this magazine's success.

Driven by a desire to promote the construction industry and help players in the sector keep up to date with developments and practical matters, Construction Namibia covers topics including contracts, cost management, procurement, construction law and regulations, communication and project management skills.

The turn of the new millennium has set on course numerous routes for growth in the construction sector characterised by massive investment in green buildings, low cost housing, optimisation of power utilities and development of sound business.

Construction magazine is driven by a strong editorial team with a vision to ensure expansion of clients business through reportage of significant events and developments in the world of construction including the newest methods of construction intended to improve efficiency, performance and reduce construction waste.

Construction magazine is the largest construction magazine in Namibia edited exclusively to guide CEOs, owners of small-to-midsize companies, engineers, technological experts and policy makers to success.

INTRODUCING THE CALL FOR EVENTS COLUMN Forward your construction related events with full details a month in advance.

For those who wish to be added to our mailing list for a free soft copy of Construction Namibia please do not hesitate to drop me an email at info@constructionnam.com Construction Namibia June - July 2017 2

Roxy Silta Tjarukua

Expect more.

We believe that to prepare the ground for affordable housing, we need groundbreaking finance Electricity. for affordable land.

Electricity powers enterprises, schools, health facilities, and provides light we andunderstand warmth in homes. The Development Bank At the Development Bank of Namibia, the importance of affordable land of Namibia understands that electricity is the switch we need as the first step on theto path to on affordable housing. turn to ensure Namibia’s prosperity, which is why

we give more flexibility and support to the sector, and support

Our track record, over the ten years of our existence,

to affordable renewable energy.

includes finance for demarcating plots,

If you have planwater, for electricity generation and distribution, laying out roads, putting inaplace

callequipment 061 - 290 8000, and expect more. sewage and electricity, and the that contractors need.

Our portfolio of recipients includes local authorities and housing developers involved in servicing land.

If you are involved in provision of affordable land, talk to us about finance.

Call 061 - 290 8000.

Expect more.

We’re waiting to hear from you.

www.dbn.com.na

Good business is good for development.

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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INFRANSTRUCTURE

Roads Indaba a success

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he Roads Authority of Namibia has successfully hosted the Second International Road Federation Africa Regional Congress in Windhoek under the theme, Sustainable Transport Practices: Tools for modern connectivity. This event was attended by global roads transport representatives to identify new and innovative resources to bridge financial gaps in the sector and sharing of case studies, best practices and new technologies that can all contribute to make Africa a shining example to the transport sector.

Officially opening this event, Minister of Transport, ALPHEUS G. !NARUSEB said Namibia has made major strides in infrastructure development since gaining independence in 1990. In 2015, the country was named the country with best roads in Africa by the World Economic Forum, a significant recognition of efforts to keep roads to the highest international standards.

“Since then, our priority, through the assigned Agency (Roads Authority), has been to maintain the existing road infrastructure to avoid deterioration, the development of the road network in previously neglected areas and upgrading road links in the country and to neighboring countries. Good progress has been also made with the road construction projects forming part of the Trans-Zambezi Highway, which is a vital link along the Walvis Bay- Ndola-Lubumbashi development corridor.”

Minister !Naruseb said another important route between Walvis Bay harbor and Namibia’s neighboring countries to the east, especially landlocked Botswana, is the Trans-Kalahari Highway. He added that the overall objective of the Trans-Zambezi Highway is to provide Namibia with an all-weather transport route eastward to connect with the road networks of the landlocked countries of Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“However, in spite of these noteworthy milestones, road safety is one of the major concerns in the transportation Industry of Namibia. Regardless of efforts of custodians to promote road safety, the desired results have 4

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

not been achieved. It is heart breaking to see our people losing their lives due to the road accidents that occur almost on a daily basis on our roads. These accidents cause personal pain, emotional and physical injury to many people. These accidents also have a negative impact on the economic development of our country as the majority of the people involved in these accidents are the economically active group of our society,” In his address to delegates, IRF Executive Vice President Michael Dreznes said, “The IRF’s vision to be a global broker of knowledge through Congresses such as these meets a continent in need of fresh new ideas to develop the technical and managerial capacity of its road professionals. Skilled frontline personnel and managers able to formulate, plan, and manage highway infrastructure programs will increasingly make the difference between those countries that are successful in reducing their connectivity deficits, and those that risk getting left behind.”

The need to train the next generation of transportation experts in areas ranging from road safety and rural accessibility, to climate-resilient infrastructure and innovative financing was thoroughly reviewed during the 3-day event. Development partners presented ways to equip future managers with the resources to challenge the status quo and embrace new policy instruments and technological enablers.

A dedicated workshop on leadership development open to all Congress delegates was organized in partnership with the UKAID-funded Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) with the goal to generate regional consensus on educational programs for Africa’s future industry leaders.

One of the organizers of the workshop, ReCAP Knowledge Manager Caroline Visser said, “The 2nd IRF Africa Regional conference offered a great opportunity for the ReCAP program to engage with key stakeholders in Africa and raise awareness about the rural access research program we run. Our Transport Sector Leadership Program workshop saw great attendance and lively debate with everyone engaging in the discussion.”

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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CONSTRUCTION

The Namibian Construction Industry is Ready for Action

Construction industry is ready for action

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amibia’s construction industry is “ready for action” with its newly published CIF Annual Directory 2017/2018. The publication showcases the diversity and capacity of the members of the Construction Industries Federation of Namibia.

It features a spectrum of contractors, from small-to-medium-sized contractors with annual turnover of one million Namibian Dollars to businesses with previous annual turnover of well above 200 million Namibian Dollars.

Bärbel Kirchner, consulting general manager of the CIF says: “The directory is hot-off-the-press and we are truly very excited about this new edition. We have produced a mammoth publication with excellent information. By the time of going to print, a total of 373 paid-up CIF member companies were listed in our directory.

A publication such as the CIF Annual Directory is very valuable. The directory is the ultimate source of information in Namibia’s construction industry. Everyone involved with procurement should want to have a copy. It is of great use to buyers of building and construction services, principal agents, and ultimately, decision-makers involved with the awarding of tenders. The 6

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

Namibian construction industry’s wide range of expertise is showcased in one userfriendly directory.

Bärbel Kirchner says: “Considering the spectrum of companies listed in our directory, members of the Namibian Construction Industries Federation, truly have the capacity to handle almost all sizes of projects, ranging from residential building work to large scale civil infrastructure projects, valuing above half a billion Namibian Dollars.

“Our industry has come of age with extensive capacity. Even during difficult economic times, the industry remains true to its tough, tenacious and forward-thinking spirit. The Namibian construction industry is able and ready for action.”

A critical feature of the directory is the categorisation of companies, based on their annual turnover. This provides a guideline in terms of their capacity of handling respective projects. Depending on the size of the tender, Namibian companies can also join forces.

The 2017/2018 edition is the result of formidable team effort. It required persistent focus to ensure that the content is accurate and the tenacity to solicit advertising support of 52 companies. With their exceptional support, it was possible to finance the new edition.

Since the first issue in 2012, the publication has become a reference document and source of extensive information. Members of the public who are building their dream home or are involved in a renovation project, will find this useful sourcing tool available to them free of charge at all trade outlets, such as Pupkewitz Megabuild, CTM and Cymot.

A total of 5,000 copies were printed and will be distributed throughout the year.

Recipients of the directory include key decision makers at all levels of government – central, regional and local.

Ministers and their deputies, permanent secretaries, regional councillors, mayors, chief executive officers of state-owned enterprises as well as local authorities will all receive a copy. Consultants in the industry, which includes engineers, architects and quantity surveyors, are also recipients of the directory.

The CIF online public directory of companies operating in the construction industry is also of great use. This searchable directory on the CIF website, www.cifnamibia.com, will help buyers of construction and building services to find contractors - including SMEs - as well as trading companies and affiliated members, such as electricians, on the website.

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Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Namibia Construction in skills development initiative

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amibia Construction is currently running the Karl-Heinz Schulz Academy which includes a workshop, classrooms and equipment where employees undergo specialised training in construction skills such as carpentry, shuttering, concrete, bricklaying, services and earthworks/civils.

This provides much needed upliftment in skills and creating a knowledge environment.

After an initial start in March of 2017 the Academy has assessed over 250 employees across the construction trades, in bricklaying, concrete, shutterhands and carpenters and now will move into the next phase of training having completed the initial assessment.

Namibia Construction vision is one of upliftment and growth. In the words of late director Karl-Heinz Schulz, Namibia Construction is a “cornerstone in construction”, a company that throughout the years has employed thousands of Namibians, developed

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Construction Namibia June - July 2017

their skills and affected their lives to better prosperity. The company seeks to continue to be the contractor of choice in an environment where it an uplift Namibians through world class projects. To achieve this the company has set-out to embody its values through training.

“Training is the backbone of any successful company and the construction industry is no different. People are our cornerstone and as a leading construction company in Namibia we believe in investing in our employees. Properly trained individuals are motivated, engaged and committed to providing quality and consistency. This is fundamental in achieving our values and providing our clients with the professional service that our founder HansHeinz Schulz, firmly believed in,” says Douglas Feely for Namibia Construction.

Throughout the years the company has trained staff in a variety of construction related fields.

To this end, it has also intensified training

programs and committed to establishing an academy, which is a facility to improve and grow the talent that Namibia Construction is so richly founded upon.

INFRUSTRUCTURE

Tanzania takes a huge step

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anzania’s Bagamoyo Port will become Africa’s largest port, capable of handling 20 million containers per year.

With an estimated cost of $11 billion, a Chinese government construction firm expects to complete the port by 2045.

According to United nation‘s estimate the continent’s exploding population will see its current population of 1.2 billion double by the year 2050.

As a result, number of important infrastructure projects are underway to make room for all those people, including railways, dams, and clean energy solutions such as solar arrays.

The Tanzanian port will therefore be among the giant infrastructure projects that are reshaping Africa In 2016, Tanzanian Government had haulted the construction of the USD 10 billion Bagamoyo port, shifting its focus on upgrading the capacity performance and efficiency of Mtwara and Dar es Salaamports.

One hurdle that is delaying the development of the port is the question of compensation. In the case of Bagamoyo, 2,000 people had lost their homes or farmland to the project and associated industrial zone.

The Kenyan port of Mombasa and Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port are the traditional competitors but the Kenyan government is now looking at a huge new port at Lamu, while Tanzania is focusing on Bagamoyo.

Both ports will be larger than any other port in sub-Saharan Africa if completed as planned. They will also be at the centre of much bigger developments, with industrial zones being laid out and intensive farming being proposed.

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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GUEST COLUMN

HOW TO EXPEDITE THE ROLL-OUT OF INFRASTRUCTURE PPPs (PART 2):

RE -THINK EXISTING PPP POLICIES AND FRAMEWORKS

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he first edition of this series of articles highlighted the importance of having a national infrastructure plan (NIP) and the subsequent mutual benefits harnessed by both the government and investors. On the investor–side it highlighted that having an NIP with a clear infrastructure pipeline brings certainty to investors through clarifying whether an opportunity is “once – off ” or generate others thus reducing chances of “STOP – START” investments, in the process allowing investors to built internal PPP projects procurement skills and develop clear communication channels between all stakeholders.

and unpredictable permitting processes lies in that set of issues raised by the WEF. Without rethinking or overhaul of the local PPP policies and frameworks the slow, flow of private investments will perpetuate.

On the government side an NIP allow governments to determine strength and weakness of existing infrastructure stocks, have estimation and projection of infrastructure demand while increasing resistance to wholesale changes stemming from political administrations changes.

Currently the unit is mostly staffed with personnel’s from the economic field, to enhance the unit operational efficiency; it should be staffed with diverse skilled manpower.

Furthermore for an NIP to be effective it needs to be underpinned by stable, reliable and predictable institutional, legislative and regulatory frameworks.

World Economic Forum (WEF) reports and OECD investor surveys outlined a host of vague policies and frameworks to be key reasons behind slow, flow of private investments. Local institutional skills insufficiency; absence of legislative and regulatory PPP frameworks; protracted, costly procurement processes; none-transparent 10

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

Throughout a project life-cycle, considerable skilled manpower is needed – for planning, engineering, legal, financial, economic or administrative work. Skilled manpower deficiencies result in shoddy, upfront project preparations, poor contract designs and unbalanced risk allocations. The Local PPP policy was formulated in 2012 and thereafter was central PPP unit established.

Stable, robust and reliable legislative and regulatory frameworks are the bedrock of successful PPPs. In their absence investors are highly exposed to renegotiation, renationalization and expropriation risk.

According to WEF, Infrastructure Investment Blueprint “such type of risk is considerably harder to insure against and is a huge concern for investors”, thus investors decline to invest in environments where the occurrence probability of such risk is high.

The Namibian on 20/02/2017 reported that the PPP legislature bill was rejected due to incompleteness by the National Council. This delay in the enactment of the PPP legislature

is not only hampering the flow of private investments but also the local PPP agenda development.

By accelerating the PPP legislature enactment, the government will not only ensure the establishment of reliable dispute resolutions mechanisms but also boost long-term investor’s confidence in the local legal systems.

The Long-term Insurance Act, regulation 15 and Pension Fund Act, regulation 28 requires insurance companies and pension funds to invest a minimum 1.5 percent and maximum 3.5 percent of their assets in alternative or unlisted investment vehicles. Furthermore the laws require Pension Funds and Longterm Insurance companies to invest not less than 35 percent of their assets in domestic assets. These legislative provisions avails more capital for investment in local assets, of which infrastructure is part of.

Despite the availability of this large pool of capital, there are no local fiscal frameworks directing institutional investors about in investing in infrastructure projects. To address this problem the government should ensure the formulation of policies facilitating direct private sector investments into infrastructure projects or through listed infrastructure funds.

Infrastructure projects are marked by lengthy and costly procurement processes which often deter investor’s interest. An efficient procurement processes has an average

GUEST COLUMN in procurement they should pursue the standardization of the bidding process documentation formats and structures; contract structures and terminologies and timing expectation for each phase.

Another deterrent to investor’s interest is protracted, unclear and unpredictable regulatory approval processes. Delayed approval processes have a potential of increasing the project cost and affecting projected investors return.

duration of 18 months with preparation costs ranging between 1–3% of total project capital. Investors become demoralized when considering the exorbitant preparation costs combined with other project life-cycle risks.

To address issues associated with the public procurement process a new act (the Public Procurement Act) was promulgated in 2015.

The law mandates for the formation of a Central Procurement Board, Ad hoc review panel and Procurement Policy Unit to replace the existing National Tender Board of Namibia.

For the Act and the upcoming Central Procurement Board to bring effectiveness

Delay in regulatory approvals emanates from absence of clear communication channels between investors and agencies and due to efforts duplication and non-coordination amongst government agencies because of responsibilities and authorities overlaps.

processes with strict procedure timing.

For example Canada implemented a “one project, one review” policy to limit multiple, overlapping government reviews. These helped with reducing the number of departments undertaking environmental assessment from 40 to three.

This article was written by Hofni Unomasa Nguvenjengua. Hofni is a graduate Civil engineer from UNAM and also an associate member of the South African Institute of Civil Engineers (SAICE). un58479@gmail.com.

To bring efficiency in regulatory approval processes the upcoming Central Procurement Board and the Procurement Policy Unit should consider appointing a single agency to manage and control the regulatory and environmental permitting processes.

The agency should strive to reduce the number of agencies involved in the approval process through the formulation of a clear project execution roadmap outlining involved agencies and required approvals and establishment of a clear standardized, simultaneous approval

Hofni Unomasa Nguvenjengua

76th birthday

President Hage Geingob

We wish you more years of good health and great leadership and may you continue to lead us diligently and dutifully, as you have been doing all this time

Unit 8, Bridgeview offices No. 4 Dr Kwame Nkurumah Ave, Klein Windhoek, Namibia

+264 61 251 975

admin@a3arc.com

www. a3arc.com

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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NETWORKING

Concrete Day – Sharing best practices

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he Concrete day held and hosted

by CITY CONCRETE (Namibia Construction) and INDUSTRIAL BUILDING SUPPLIES AND PLANT HIRE CC has been hailed by participants as a successful event which brought significant insight into the changing environment and operations of the sector.

Both Hans Peter Schulz for Namibia Construction and Wolfgang Büttner for IBS said this event was more important as it seeks to position the sector for upward movement once the current environment changes.

IBS representative Anke Baas commended the participants for taking part in this event which she said is important more particularly for creating synergies and linkages within the construction sector.

“We wanted to educate the Namibian construction on how to work with cement and what could go wrong if they do not pay particular attention to this product.

Also, what is so special is that we invited clients from all sectors including Construction Companies (small to large), Engineers, Architects and Consultants. Attendees were grateful for the information they received through live demos and Technical Presentation. Very positive was the sharing of information which demonstrated the need of this type of event.”

The event was attended by over 300 delegates and the day was supported by various companies including Ohorongo Cement, ABE, Chryso, Wacker Neuson, Putzmeister, Doka and Gard Tech and Windhoek Hire Sales and Services.

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Construction Namibia June - July 2017

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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CARPENTRY

Holzbau Carpentry Hess scores another first

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olzbau Carpentry Hess continues to push beyond the limits of carpentry, producing the most exquisite mouthwatering designs that have left lovers of wood products awe struck.

Whether twisted or curved or formed, HOLZBAU CARPENTRY HESS enables you to realize free formed glulam structures without any limits. Not all free forms are created equal, therefore producing a three-dimensional gluedlaminated timber in such a way that the wood fibers exactly follow the component’s geometrical shape.

“We have managed to deliver this rare African gift despite the fact that we have no specialized machinery normally used for such production in Europe. It is purely Namibian.

We are doing this for the public, Hotels, government buildings. It is for people who want a breath of fresh air, something different over their heads, something appealing to the eye and setting the trend for class.” Director of Holzbau Carpentry Hess, Christian Hess states

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Construction Namibia June - July 2017

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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INFRASTRUCTURE

MODERN RAILWAY TRACK Part 3

CONTINUOUS WELDED TRACK

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or many years all rail tracks were constructed by joining the rails by means of fishplates that allowed for the expansion and contraction of the rail steel. Rails were between 12 m (40ft) and 36 m (120 ft.) in length as applied in Southern Africa with max 15 mm joint openings between adjoining rails to allow for movement of the steel due to temperature changes. These joints prevented the development of axial forces in the track due to temperature changes and the consequent risk of track buckling at high temperatures and rail breaks at cold temperatures.

Rail joint openings were set according to the actual rail temperatures during installation.

These jointed tracks required however intensive maintenance as high dynamic loads were generated during trains passage resulting in rapid deterioration of vertical track geometry, plastic deformation of the railhead, dangerous rail cracks in the joint area, damage to sleepers, ballast and fastenings and damage to the rolling stock. These problems increase progressively as speed increases. As a rule, rail joints have a significant negative effect on the service life of all track components and the safety of trains.

The development of continuous welded rails (CWR) were one of the most significant technical advances made in rail track technology over the past 80 years which benefits such as a significant decrease in total life cycle cost and much improver track geometry allowing much higher train speeds and rider comfort. In Namibia the first CWR were laid during the early 1970‘s and today approximately 60% of the total Namibian network has been laid with CWR. There is except for a few restrictions such as sharp curves below 200 m radius and some steel bridges no restriction on the length of CWR. 16

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

The new railway lines constructed under the Northern Rail Extension project have no joints on the main line from Tsumeb to Oshikango, a distance of almost 300 km.

Very high forces develop in the track laid with CWR due to temperature changes over and above the stresses caused by train loads.

Temperature stresses especially are responsible for failure of rail welds with small imperfections at low temperatures and compressive forces can cause track buckling at high temperatures.

Track laid with CWR requires high lateral and vertical stability which are provided by the ballast, sleepers and stiffness of the track structure to prevent the track from buckling.

A very important principle of CWR is that the rails are held by the rail to sleeper fasteners in such a manner that expansion and contraction of the steel due to temperature changes will not be possible except for the first 100 m where the CWR starts and ends with the length in between (unlimited in length) unmoveable.

The process whereby CWR is laid at the correct temperature is called de-stressing. This entails the vibration of the free moving rails laid on rollers and then fastened within the A-range. The use of a rail tensioner allows destressing to be done at temperatures below the A-range and at the exact neutral temperature.

With such process the rail is stretched to the corresponding length it will expand for the temperature differences between the actual and neutral rail temperatures.

CWR would not be possible without appropriate technologies to securely and seamlessly weld rails in continuous lengths.

Rails are rolled in lengths of 36 m up to 120m where after it can be converted into lengths of

CWR can however not be laid at any rail temperature, but must be laid within a pre-determined temperature range set in accordance with the historical air temperature data for each geographical area. A minimum and maximum temperature limit can be determined (called the A- temperature range) within which CWR can be laid by deducting 40˚ C from the maximum expected rail temperature and adding 50˚C to the expected minimum temperature.

This ensures that a CWR laid within this temperature range will not be subject to a temperature change of more than 40˚C in compression or 50˚C in tension which changes in temperature can be accommodated by the correct type rails and track structure. A more secure method of laying CWR is to lay it at the “neutral temperature” which lies within the A-range. In Namibia such neutral temperature is set closer to the upper limit of the A-range due to the predominantly high ruling temperatures most of the year.

up to 240 m (216 m if 36 m rolled) by flash butt welding at the factory and then moved to site for installation.

On-site welding is done either by mobile flash butt welding or Aluminothermic (Thermit) welding which is a manual process whereby a mixture of metal oxide and aluminium are ignited and the molten steel at a temperature above 2500˚C produced by the reducing effect of the aluminium on the heavy metal oxide are

INFRASTRUCTURE allowed to flow into preformed refractory moulds which encloses the rail ends. Steelforming alloying additions are added to the Thermit mixture to produce a steel compatible with the specific type of rail to be welded.

Once correctly installed the finished weld is expected to last the life of the rail with no further maintenance. The Thermit welding process is widely applied in Namibia with an average of 250 – 300 welds casted by D&M Rail Construction per month on the Kranzberg-Otjiwarongo project.

In conclusion the development and advancement of rail track technologies to produce CWR have been the key in achieving low total life cycle cost rail tracks with high safety standards, low downtimes, high train speeds and high axle load standards.

In the next edition we will look at the maintenance regime for modern day track.

Acknowledgements: 1. Continuous Welded Rails, PC Lombard, 6th Annual Convention SA Institute of Civil Engineers, June 1978.

2. Modern Railway Track “ , Second Edition 2001, Professor Coenraad Esveld, Delft University of Technology) Compiled by: Jack Damsey, Contract Manager, D&M Rail

Number of rails and sleepers update

By Leon Steyn

Concrete P2 type sleepers are being manufactured at the GPT plant in Tsumeb in a joint venture with TransNamib. The sleepers are being transported to the site in open wagons with a capacity of 200 sleepers per wagon. So far 2250 wagons have left the manufacturing plant with a large number of sleepers still stacked at the factory waiting to be transported.

New 48kg per metre rails are being off-loaded from specially designed wagons along the railway line. The rails are imported from Europe through Walvis Bay and arrive in 36m lengths. 5344 tons of new rail have been off-loaded along the Kranzberg to Tsumeb rail section and some has been inserted in the track.

The concrete sleepers are being off-loaded along the rail track and so far 450 000 sleepers have been off-loaded

by D&M Rail construction staff. Each sleeper weigh 220kg and so far 230 000 sleepers have been inserted by hand in the rail track at 700mm spacing.

During the rail upgrading process the old rail is being removed, then the old steel sleepers and the embankment prepared for the new concrete sleepers. So far 9600 ton of 30kg per metre rail was removed by the D&M Rail Construction staff by hand and after the rail have been rehabilitated, inserted back in the track. So far the employees have handled more than 320 km of rail!

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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ENERGY

Namibia’s Power Generation and its sustainable outlook

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here have been a multitude of articles, papers and commentaries surrounding Namibia’s future in relation to (electricity) power provision and its sustainable outlook for the country. For some years now, electricity generation (supply) has been a big challenge for Namibia primarily due to the catch-up nature required after independence in meeting rapid growth, coupled with the long distances between towns and settlements.

For long distances, electricity has to be transmitted at high voltages and through expensive overhead cables.

Alternative Energy or Renewable Energy is mooted as a solution that is sustainable and creates “security of supply”. This is not a new concept or policy thought, as the 1998 White Paper on Energy clearly saw the value and enshrined it as government policy. However, the very nature of renewable energy can be a point of contention for the power industry.

It is well accepted, that alternative energy is energy generated in ways that do not deplete natural resources or potentially harm the environment. Thus, these energy sources are good ways of substituting the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power. Alternative energy includes wind, solar, bio-energy sources, wave and tidal energy amongst others.

Generating electricity using such forms of alternative energy, ensures that the environment is safe from any harm and at the same time, national energy demand could be met. If I take the line of my colleague Harald Schutt, then 100% renewable energy power generation is potentially possible for Namibia.

It is a fact that Namibia currently imports up to 70% of its electricity and this comes with its own inherent costs which was reported in February 2017 to be the reason for Namibia’s high trade imbalance with electricity imports of close to N$2.6 billion.

Taking a technical or even a scientific point of view, Namibia’s local generation of electricity is highly reliant on renewable energy via its 18

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

well-known and celebrated Ruacana hydro Plant. Ruacana has since its initial operation in 1978 (or 1980), provided a chunk of the energy required to power Namibia’s economy.

It started off with 3 turbines of 80 MW capacity totalling 240 MW, until its increase capacity of 92 MW due to the 4th turbine in 2012.

This then provided Namibia with a Hydro Capacity of 332 MW. Apart from the new fourth component added to Ruacana in 2012 which increased its capacity, there has also been a number of Solar Power Plants built in Namibia over the past three years by different IPPs to reduce electricity import needs and provide secure energy to Namibia in a sustainable manner.

Recent developments

The introduction of the Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff (REFIT) programme in 2014 and its subsequent “over-subscription” by Independent Power Producers (IPP’s) gives the potential for a much higher penetration of renewable energy into the nation’s energy mix. These new alternative energy plants include; Osona, Omburu, Otjiwarongo and Grootfontein. There are currently more renewable energy projects being carried out.

Other developments to increase alternative energy usage resulted in the new Renewable Energy Policy, The Energy Policy and the gazetting of the Net-metering Regulation.

Financing also received a boost with the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) providing debt funding to two Solar Power Plants with appetite to fund even more in the future.

On the micro loan side, improved fund accessibility via loan packages made available

by First National Bank of Namibia (FNB), provides individuals a “Renewable Energy Loan”. These loans are for renewable energy equipment such as Solar Water Heaters, Solar Water Pumping and Rooftop Solar PV systems.

Further support comes via the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) which has bridged the gap for sustainable developments, creating funding opportunities that have cross sector approaches for Green Technologies and low carbon development. The EIF has been active since 2012 and continues to increase its offerings.

Statistics such as the World Bank/SE4ALL sadly show that 51% of the Namibian population are without adequate access to electricity countrywide. Namibia has made rural electrification a priority in recent years.

So much so, that during the 2016/17 financial year 31 public institutions, 58 households and business centres were reported to have been electrified countrywide as per the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) Budget speech of April 2017.

ENERGY Between the years 2000 and 2011, according to the NSA Profile of Namibia report of 2013, shows that there has been a 7.3% reduction of homes using wood or charcoal for cooking. The rate was at 54.3% in 2011 and it is expected to keep falling.

As for electricity, gas and paraffin, it was recorded at 32.9%, 8.1% and 3.5% for cooking respectively.

This only shows that more and more people have been switching to using more electricity than gas or charcoal, in turn, increasing national electricity demand.

is room for improvement in local generation capacity, through more investments in sustainable fuelled power generation – that is, Renewables.

This will ensure sustainability and national energy demand satisfaction in the coming years.

All in all, despite efforts in increasing electricity supply, demand is still not being fully met locally and tariffs have been rising yearly. The question that remains is; “what is there to do next to improve this situation in the long term?” Given this notice of the existing issues, it definitely means that there

Olga Priscila is an Economist intern at RDJ Consulting based in Namibia.

David Jarrett is a freelance Energy and Sustainability Adviser and the Managing Consultant at RDJ Consulting in Namibia consultant@rdjconsulting.co.za

Firm but flexible power: clean and cost effective for benefit to Namibia Namibia currently imports more than 70% of its power from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia, with key power import contracts in jeopardy and escalating power problems in the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP). South Africa’s load shedding seems to have been brought under control for the foreseeable future, but neighbouring Botswana, Zambia and Angola are continuously plagued by power shortage problems. Almost the entire Namibia was recently hit by power blackouts as a result of the reliance on power from South Africa. The solution for Namibia involves the development of a baseload power plant, like the Xaris Energy’s 250 MW power plant being developed in Walvis Bay, Erongo, which if built and managed responsibly, can last up to half a century or more and will assist in ensuring security of power supply and reduce Namibia’s reliance on electricity imports.

The technology used for the Xaris power plant is based on GE LM6000 aero derivative technology, with a solid track record and high efficiency, with rapid start and stopping features, allowing the plant to adjust to the changing needs of the power system and act as a modular and flexible power source. This will complement and support any future increased percentage of electricity produced from renewables, such as solar and wind, which place an escalating level of stress on aging power systems. The varying output can cause voltage swings in transmission lines, potentially creating power surges and blackouts, which can be supported by the combination of this and the Xaris power plant.

This new plant will bring power stability to Namibia…

The plant will be fuelled by Natural gas.

Natural gas is environmentally the friendliest fossil fuel on earth and has maintained the best safety record Since 1964. If spilled, it evaporates and leaves behind no residue, does not get absorbed in water and do not harm sea life or affect water quality. Natural gas urns clean without leaving any smell, ash or smoke.

Natural gas infrastructure constructed for the power plant will also benefit the local community. It is popular because of its economic and instant heating qualities and versatility and is commercially used, in hotels, restaurants, motels, small manufacturing units, office buildings, hospitals and schools mainly for cooking and heating purposes.

Natural gas, in compressed form, can be used as a fuel for vehicles, being a cleaner, cheaper fuel than diesel or gasoline. The plant will be connected to the Namibian grid that links to the SAPP grid and therefor any excess energy produced by the plant can be sold to neighbouring countries. A logistics solution for the distribution of Natural gas can also be established over time.

Some of the secondary benefits of the plant include local employment and job creation, both during construction and operation phases and local employment and job creation through spin-¬off developments such as security, catering, transport, site management and cleaning services. Skills development and training will support market growth, education enhancements through bursaries and new facilities, and quality of life improvement for veterans through medical care and social support.

Progress to date On 24 October 2014, Xaris was approved to be the Preferred Bidder for the Joint Development of a 230MW -¬ 250MW power plant.

Following this approval, Xaris commenced development and negotiations with the various project parties including NamPower in order to finalise the various project agreements to be submitted to the board of NamPower.

The finalised project agreements were submitted during February 2015. In March 2015 both NamPower and the Cabinet resolved that the Project must be implemented.

Xaris have worked tirelessly in the period since appointment to structure the Project, including completing the lenders due diligence. As a result, the cost to the consumer of the power from this project has been optimised and

actually been reduced.

Arandis Power instituted a High Court application to challenge the decision to award the contract to Xaris Energy to develop a 250MW power plant. Acting Judge, C. Parker dismissed Arandis Power application to the with costs on Thursday 7 July 2016.

Way forward Xaris agrees fully with the High Court’s sentiments expressed through the judgement that the project is of crucial importance to the country and appealed to NamPower to perform its duty by doing all that would be required and necessary, to enable Xaris Energy to execute the project.

Xaris also appreciate the support from the NamPower Board as well as the President and the Cabinet for the implementation of the Project. Much time has been lost in the process up to this point and it would be in Namibia, NamPower and Xaris’ best interest to get the project back on track as soon as possible. This was supported by the Acting Judge’s comments that 16 months’ delay since the decision to award the tender to Xaris Energy in March 2015 was unacceptable.

Consequently, to facilitate speedy financial close and project implementation, Xaris is performing a review analysis to confirm the outstanding matters to achieve financial close.

The Xaris and NamPower’s respective project teams will meet soon to finalise the outstanding negotiations and aim to conclude the outstanding items in the Power Purchase Agreement. The efforts will be to ensure that all related agreements are finalised in August allowing the financing process to be concluded.

Obviously Xaris will aim to start with early works as soon as possible.

The construction schedule will be reviewed and firmed up, based on the above. Xaris Energy remains committed to ensuring that Namibia receives power as soon as practically possible and will ensure that the power plant contributes positively to the Walvis Bay region and to the entire Namibian economy.

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Building plans approved May and June remain constant

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total of 182 building plans were approved in June, this too was the same total number of building plans approved in May. Though there was no change in the number of plans approved, there has been a significant change in the value of plans approved during June, totaling N$295.8 million, in contrast to the N$655.5 million recorded in May. A total 17 buildings with a value of N$36.6 million were completed during the month.

The year to date value of approved building plans currently stands at N$1.45 billion, 52% higher than the corresponding period in 2016. On a twelve-month cumulative basis, 1,848 building plans were approved worth approximately N$2.47 billion, 20.5% higher than the preceding twelve month period.

The majority of the number of building plan approvals were made up of additions to properties. 159 plans were approved in June, up from the 143 approved in May. Year to date, 755 additions to properties were approved with a value of N$613 million, 40.3% more in value terms than the corresponding period in 2016.

New residential units approved perennially is the second largest contributor to building plans approved. 158 residential units have been approved year to date, 49 more than during 20

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

the corresponding period in 2016. In dollar terms, N$282.7 million worth of residential plans were approved, 24.8% higher than in the corresponding period in 2016. The increased activity in the residential sector is quite encouraging to see, indicating that demand persists for housing from the middle-income consumer.

The number of commercial units approved in 2017 amounted to 17, valued at N$561.3 million. This compares to 36 units valued at N$295.1 million approved over the same period in 2016. Only 1 building valued at N$10 million was approved in June. Bearing in mind that we are only half way into the year, value of plans approved already exceeds the total approvals recorded for the whole of 2016.

This coming off the back of 1 commercial plan approval valued at N$500 million in May, set for construction to take place in the Windhoek CBD area.

The 12-month cumulative number of building plans approved has ticked up slightly in June. It however remains low at half of the September 2013 peak. In the last twelve months 1,848 building plans were approved, 7.3% less than the same measure for June 2016.

Government has managed to source funding in the form of a N$3 billion loan from the African

Development Bank (AfDB). Treasury revealed recently that it plans to pump more than N$2.5 billion into the Namibian economy in the coming months. This will be done through the settlement of outstanding invoices, with hopes of easing the financial squeeze felt in the country. Already we’ve seen improvement in commercial banks liquidity position, which should imply banks having increased levels of loanable funds to be made available to the consumer.

The struggling construction sector is set to be the largest recipient of the envisaged settlements owed by government. These positive developments support the relative increase in the number of plans approved for additions and new residential approvals which continue to be the two biggest contributors of growing approvals and completions. www.ijg-research.net

ENERGY

Innosun on the brink of making history

Photographer: Franci Carney

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nnosun’s N$180 million wind power project currently under construction at Lüderitz nears completion amid high anticipation of yet another successful endeavor to tame the current electricity challenges facing Namibia Project manager Jan-Barend Scheepers says as of today about 66% of the work has been done with the vertical tower on the 2nd tower of three.

“Therefore, just shy of 50% for the overall turbine installation of the project. With all transport task having been completed already. We will be done by the end of July 2017 weather permitting”.

Scheepers says the irony of constructing wind turbines is that one builds these structures to harvest the wind, however during construction one is greatly hampered by the wind as most lifting activities can only take place in extremely low wind conditions, which as any

750tn crane truck transported to Luderitz with approx 12 trucks

Luderitz resident will know, is very rare in the area.

The implementation steps include the following: •

Surveying the terrain and geology

•

Design: Includes access roads, overhead power lines, medium voltage components and Concrete foundations

•

Building Access roads and platforms

•

Constructing large weighted concrete and backfill foundations.

•

Component Transportation. Everything from loading boats in Europe and China, to unloading the vessels at NamPort in Luderitz. Then Abnormal truck transport from the port's storage to up on the site along the especially built access roads.

•

Installing the components with massive cranes and specialized installer teams

Rotor lifting preparations

•

Completing internal LV electrical works.

•

Completing external MV works including transformers and overhead power lines and essential communication and protection apparatus.

•

Commissioning internally and with NamPower who is the eventual off taker.

The construction of the wind farm, known as Ombepo Wind Farm started in 2016 in partnership with Lüderitz Town Council which holds a 5% stake. Through a Power Purchasing Agreement with NamPower, this venture is set to feed 5MW into the national grid.

Rotor going up

Rotor being assembled to generator

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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DEVELOPMENT

Wenhill Park expands

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roll Namibia, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group recently officially launched the construction of phase 4 of Wernhil Park Shopping Centre in Namibia.

The project was launched by means of a groundbreaking ceremony that was officiated by the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Hon. Sophia Shaningwa and the Mayor of the City of Windhoek, His Worship, Cllr. Muesee Kazapua.

Wernhil Park Phase 4 is projected to be developed in two sections; Section one entails the conversion of the current upper parking deck located on the southern side of Wernhil Park, into prime retail shops, and is expected to be complete and open for trade by the 1st of June 2018.

Section two will entail the bulk of the development (consisting of retail, parking and an additional taxi rank facility) on the current Cashbuild and Fruit & Veg site as well as the bridge link to be constructed over Fidel Castro Street, connecting Sections 1 and 2.

Managing Director of Broll Namibia, Marco Wenk confirmed the reports and said that Wernhil Park will exceed 55,000m2 of prime retail, allowing it to compete head on with other regional malls located in Windhoek’s ever expanding retail landscape.

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Construction Namibia June - July 2017

Wernhil Park has for many years been a crucial catalyst for Windhoek’s Central Business District (CBD) growth, and today, regardless of the retail expansion in Windhoek over the past 3-5 years, still stands as one of the preferred shopping destinations for many Namibians.

The development will cost approximately US$ 40m and is anticipated to be fully complete by mid 2019.

ENGINEERING

MOKA ENGINEERING IN STEADY GROWTH

Moka Engineering (ME) is solely owned by Morris Ndjaba and a fairly new player in the industry specializing in Railway welding. The company boasts of a rich history of profound professionalism brought

by Ndjaba’s yester year technical staff tenure with TNL.

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uoyed by an impeccable vision of D&M Rail Construction to build capacity of local people and promote expertise in railway engineering, ME was established as an SME. This empowerment found expression through D&M Rail company’s social corporate responsibility.

The primary aim of ME establishment was to empower selected previously disadvantaged persons within D&M Rail employees. With the opportunity befalling upon him, ME was founded with the principal client being his employer. ME was thus given a business to trade on with D&M Rail through corporate support by the client.

Tribute goes to Dawie Moller of D&M Rail who ensured that this milestone achievement

is realized. Today ME has traded and participated in major projects primarily held by its principal clients.

Through the years, ME was able to grow its capacity quite comfortably as the only and main client of the mentor company. The market was readily available for Moka Engineering to capitalize and optimize its potential easily ensuring capacity building destined for successful SME entrepreneurs.

ME has been involved in a number of projects that are worth mentioning namely: Ondangwa-Oshikango extension (20112012), Aus-Luderitz extension (2012-2014), Henning Crusher Ondangwa (2014), Dundee Tsumeb (2015), Engen Ondangwa (2016) and last but not least which is one of our major

projects which we are currently busy with is Kranzberg-Tsumeb since 2012. So far we have successfully repaired +- 10 000 Exothermic welds, +- 30 frogs, +- 20 000 Battered Ends, +35 000 Skid Marks.

ME endeavours to be a pacesetters of railway welding services excellence locally and regionally destined to earn a reputation for quality by exceeding customers’ expectations.

The company thrives to be providers of excellence services to clients, provide and conduct our services in a professional manner and always conduct transactions in a transparent and honesty manner.

Morris Ndjaba Managing Directar: MOKA Engineering Construction Namibia June - July 2017

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ARCHITECTURE

The ‘enabling framework’ – a possible way forward to kick start the building industry by spreading the load

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y now it is quite clear to everyone that we are currently locked in an extreme economic crisis and there is still no light at the end of the tunnel. We need to cope with high levels of poverty, youth unemployment, inequality and housing shortages, with the building industry suffering the most.

other building components or extended at a later stage.

Below is a practical example in comparison with the current solution as propagated by government and dictated by current

Ambitious proposals such as the Harambee Prosperity Plan, NEEEF, standard housing provision and other initiatives are but sand castles on the beach near the waves. Discussed here is a possible solution towards alleviating some of the issues at hand, by believing in the abilities of the population to help itself if only it were given an ‘enabling framework’ in which it can do so, instead of relying on government to solve the problem.

3.

4.

5.

This would not only make the biggest impact on the wellbeing of the population but also the building industry at large as now more people would build more houses for themselves to their own specifications, needs and abilities than a building industry that delivers standardized products to but a few at a high cost. Much of this proposal relies heavily on current townplanning rules and regulations being adjusted to modern internationally approved townplanning practice.

Essential components or criteria for an enabling framework are: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

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A changeable and adaptable house plan and erf size that can cater for the growing family. I.e. the house should be built in such a manner that rooms can be added or uses changed as the family grows, or when the kids have grown up and left the nest.

The property and building should allow and facilitate an added income creation.

I.e. mixed use development.

Reduction of dependence on formal employment elsewhere, but rather work and employment creation at home Safe environment in which families can develop and grow.

Affordability through wealth creation instead of single use restriction such as residential zoning.

Healthy and conducive environment.

Availability and affordability of standardized structural building components that can be added onto with Construction Namibia June - July 2017

2.

townplanning schemes.

Current situation: One possible solution:

In the above drawing, the same 300m2 area street corner plot is used and subdivided into 3 equal erven of 100m2 each. Below shows the distribution of further areas.

1.

Each 100m2 area receives a rear building line of 4m or 3m, mainly for ventilation purposes. Building footprint area on

Ground Floor = 68m2 The second floor of each house extends over the pavement area to create on the one hand a covered walkway for pedestrians, i.e. the public, and on the other hand increased the usable area to 100m2. This area could be rented out as office space or as a flat.

The third floor could be the own 2-bedroom dwelling and would also be 100m2. Both floors can receive various sized balcony areas.

The corner unit could utilize the corner options to its maximum potential, e.g. corner shop, side windows, smaller rear boundary lines, corner tower features, etc.

The roof could be a flat concrete roof surface that can be utilized for recreational

ARCHITECTURE purposes or a garden area for vegetable planting etc.

In terms of constructing these units, the idea is that the individual is able to purchase standardized prefabricated structural grid related components such as concrete or steel columns, lightweight slabs, foundations and stairs, to fit together like a LEGO set.

•

• •

garden.

Automatic densification including all the environmental benefits – shorter service routs per erf, more land available for more people, less urban sprawl, a safer urban environment, less roads.

No negative stigma of having to live in a flat as there is ownership of the entire property from the ground floor up.

No levies on sectional title.

Obvious preconditions for this proposal to become a real success are: • • •

• These could be extended and filled in as the individual can afford it and at his/ her own time.

International examples in countries such as Vietnam, South America and Mexico have proven that people are happier and get far more innovative in developing their own living spaces than if prescribed to in completed housing settlements.

The single most important concern usually raised is about its affordability for the urban poor who earn between N$2000.00 and N$5000.00 per month. Well, the same concern could be raised about how that person is going to afford the NHE house on a 300m2 plot. The difference is the following:

• •

NHE / 300m2 erf: • •

• • • • • •

Land cost: +N$300 000.0 + House: +N$500 000.00 = +N$ 800 000,00 + other costs Zoned for residential purpose only – unless rezoned to business, no additional income is permitted here as seen in latest report on shacks being added to new housing in Keetmanshoop (New Era, 28 June 2017, Shacks proliferate among Keetmanshoop mass houses) Mortgage repayment over 25 years and possible still not full ownership of the property.

Additional expenses for taxi/ bus fares, high boundary walls and additional security measures, etc.

Repayment of mortgage depends on job security – job loss equals property loss.

Children grow up without their parents as they are at work, struggling to make a living and meet the mortgage repayments.

No additional employment creation on the property.

More land required for less people, more roads and longer service lines.- larger burdon on local authority coffers

•

•

There must be title-deed ownership on the property otherwise the bank will not finance it.

Banks need to be willing to buy in on the idea, i.e. be open to the business plans of the owners.

The minimum erf size of 300m2 must be revised. The proposal also works for 150m2 or 200m2 and anywhere inbetween, but not less than 100m2.

Townplanning regulations such as building lines, coverage, bulk, required parking spaces per m2 and zoning need to be revised New regulations needed on polluting, noxious, noise and undesirable activities needed to replace single use zoning laws.

This idea can only work in specific areas and mainly along activity routes. It is in any case more desirable to have a healthy user mix, i.e. high and low density residential erven mixed in-between the mixed-use areas.

The buyers of these properties should be young and entrepreneurs. They need to want to earn their own living and be enthusiastic in what they are doing.

A comprehensive and overall urban design plan is needed that includes public open spaces, movement route planning for bicycles and pedestrians and urban green areas. It should direct and facilitate instead of restrict from top-down control and regulation.

Proposed solution: • • • • • • • • • • •

Land cost: + N$100 000.00 + House: +N$ 1 000 000.00 = +N$ 1 100 000.00 + other costs (investment over time as means allow) Zoned ‘mixed use’ (no such zoning category exists in this country yet) Mortgage repayment within 15 years = faster repayment = property continues to make a profit even after mortgage is paid off= wealth creation Income tax benefits and investment write-offs, possible SME financing models for portions of the building e.g. Ground and first floor, housing subsidy on third floor and roof.

Job security because property owner is his own boss Owner can conduct his own business or rent out the business premises and still go about his fixed job elsewhere = double income.

Covered walkway/ pavement = added comfort to the public = protection from sun and rain Safety and security = living above the street, no high security walls or dark side allies to hide criminals.

Children come home after school to meet their parents at work at home.

Possibility of employment creation on the premises to assist in the work.

Still enjoy the benefits of safe open spaces for children to play in back yard or on the roof

Winfried Holze Architect and Urban Designer

Construction Namibia June - July 2017

25

Aqua Services & Engineering installs two largest trickling filter sewage treatment plants in Namibia Aqua Services & Engineering (ASE) The Namibian subsidiary of Veolia Water Technologies, has been sub-contracted to supply, install and commission mechanical and electrical works for two Greenfield sewage treatment plants (STP) in Helao Nafidi municipality, northern Namibia. The sewage treatment plants are designed to treat domestic sewage originating from the municipality’s amalgamated towns of Oshikango and Ohangwena. Treated water will be re-used for various irrigation projects.

On completion, the two plants will be the largest trickling filter sewage treatment plants built in Namibia to date.

Helao Nafidi, a municipality comprising five urban towns within a radius of ca 15 km and with a total population of approximately 45 000, required two sewage treatment plants to upgrade and replace their existing oxidation ponds, which have become too small to handle the increased load required to service the majority of their erven connected to the reticulation system. One plant is located at Ohangwena and the other at Oshikango, with respective plant capacities of 1 500 m³ and 3 000 m³ per day.

The STP sites are approximately 10 kilometres apart from each other. Designed by local specialist consultants Aquarius Consult cc, and built by Nexus Civils, the plants incorporate proven technologies to achieve the required effluent standards.

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Construction Namibia June - July 2017

“The domestic sewage from the two towns will be treated using biological primary and secondary treatment, combined with tertiary treatment to improve the final effluent water quality,” explains Alex Busch, General Manager, Projects, ASE. For aerobic treatment, trickling filter technology was chosen: After screening and grid removal the raw sewage undergoes primary settling and anaerobic treatment before the overflow is treated in an aerobic process using new-generation trickling filter technology.

The trickling filter tower is packed with plastic media that serves as host for carbonaceous material removers and nitrifying microorganisms to grow on. The effluent is subsequently fed to a secondary clarifier and disinfected using gas chlorination.

Finally, sand filtration is employed for polishing so the effluent can be re-used for gardening, sports fields and irrigation projects, thereby creating value for the surrounding community.

ASE designed, supplied and installed all mechanical components for the inlet works, rotating clarifier bridges, pumps, instrumentation, trickling filter media, gas chlorination equipment, sand filters and chemicals in the form of chlorine gas cylinders, most of which was imported from South Africa. The exception is the trickling filter media, which was imported from Germany. “All equipment from South Africa was road-freighted to Namibia,” says Busch, “while the trickling filter media was shipped to Walvis Bay Harbour, from where it was road freighted to site.” He adds that all electrical items and activities were, in

turn, subcontracted to local Namibian electrical specialists, and include onsite electrical installation, supply and wiring of all motor control cabinet panels.

Most of the works have already been completed, and the site is currently receiving the finishing touches before commissioning commences. This is expected to take place within the next months, and will be conducted in such a manner as to divert the current sewage inflow from the existing ponds and pass it through the new plants for proper treatment. The existing oxidation ponds will be drained and cleaned and the final ponds will be reused as irrigation ponds to store final effluent, before being pumped to various irrigation sites. “The effluent from each plant will comply with the Namibian general standard for domestic wastewater, which the local communities can re-use for gardening purposes or for irrigation of selected produce. A ca 30 km ring-main system that provides treated effluent for reuse throughout the towns has been installed, which will ensure that users can connect to this supply easily and at minimum costs. The reclaimed water will provide them with a valuable additional supply of water, especially during dry spells,� Busch concludes.

Watertightness test being conducted on a clarifier

View from the inlet works at Ohangwena Plant

View from the inlet works at Oshikango Plant

Alex Busch, General Manager: Projects Aqua Services Engineering | Veolia Water Technologies Tel.: +264 61 261 143 Email: alex.busch@veolia.com Construction Namibia June - July 2017 Website: www.ase.com.na

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Construction Namibia June - July 2017