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ARUP COMMENDED FOR PWC TOWER The 26-storey PwC Tower, which stands tall in Midrand, Gauteng, garnered global consultancy Arup a Highly Commended award in the Structural Engineering Project Division at the South African Institution of Civil Engineering’s (SAICE) Most Outstanding Project Awards ceremony hosted in Johannesburg earlier this year. Set for completion in 2018, the PwC Tower will house some 3500 employees in 45 000m2 of office space. The building is targeting a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating. “We at Arup are extremely proud to be part of the team that has created this iconic building. To receive the Highly Commended Award from SAICE for our role as structural engineers is an honour,” says Richard Lawson, associate director at Arup and project manager for the PwC Tower. www.arup.com
CAPE TOWN MAYOR ON RESILIENT CITIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE City of Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille has been chosen to serve on the advisory committee of the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) initiative (pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation). The committee is a group of city chief executives who will contribute their expertise to the global resilience movement. As 100RC pivots to implementing resilience-building projects in cities, the committee members will advise on policy and advocacy, act as global champions, and help the organisation identify and prioritise key issues that are essential to building urban resilience.
ANAEROBIC DIGESTERS FOR KNOWLEDGE AND POWER In May 2017 environmental consultancy GCX successfully installed seven home-scale anaerobic digesters at the Potchefstroom College of Agriculture in the North West Province. The aim of this installation is to reduce the college’s reliance on bought energy sources and to upskill students around anaerobic digestion (AD). During the process of AD, organic waste is converted into two products, namely biogas and liquid fertiliser. The biogas consists on average of 65% methane and 35% carbon dioxide. Because methane is flammable, the biogas can be used in gas stoves, gas lamps and gas geysers, among others. The fertiliser obtained from the process can effectively replace conventional fertilisers and act as a super growth medium, enhancing the growth of plants and crops. By having students successfully manage small scale digesters it allows them to learn about AD technology and how to operate it. www.gcx.co.za
www.100ResilientCities.org www.capetown.gov.za
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