South African Property Review February 2018

South African Property Review

PROPERTY SOUTH AFRICAN

February 2018

REVIEW

PROPERTY REVIEW - LogoTreatment.pdf

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Architecture, interior design and landscaping

Rooftop farming

Discover Sandton’s

Going green in the city

Day Zero

CoCT’s proposed drought charge February 2018

Off-the-wall living

Water pipes: an inner-city accommodation solution?

latest architectural wonder

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from the CEO

SAPOA’s stance on the City of Cape Town’s proposed drought charge

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he unprecedented drought in the Mother City has led to Capetonians having to tighten their water-usage belts even further. Level 6B water restrictions, which require all to drop their daily use to 50 litres per person, came into effect on 1 February. On 16 April 2018, the taps will be turned off.

SAPOA is cognisant of the fact that, in order to postpone Day Zero, the city launched several emergency water supply augmentation projects in mid-2017.

However, according to communication received, the city is not receiving the necessary income needed to fund these projects and maintain adequate service delivery.

The city proposed to raise the funding through the imposition of a drought charge, which would be applied to residential properties with a valuation of R400 000 and above, and all commercial properties with a valuation of R50 000 and above. The charge would be calculated at between 10% and 11% of the rates portion of the property’s municipal account.

While the proposed charge would affect both residential and commercial properties, the lower threshold of R50 000 means the charge would have a broad impact on commercial properties.

SAPOA canvassed many of our members in the Western Cape to gather reactions and sentiment on this imposition by the city. Below is a summary of the questions and comments submitted to the city. (The Legal Update in this edition of Property Review contains the detailed report.) ●● Given that the worsening drought had been known for several years, and that significant expense was always going to be incurred in projects to mitigate the situation, how is it that the city in its MTREF budget for 2017/2018 seemingly failed to make adequate provision for these projects? ●● How did the city not foresee the shortfall in water and sewerage

revenue that would result from its own calls for residents to reduce water consumption by 40%? ●● Why did the city only start to put in place water supply augmentation schemes in August 2017? ●● Given that Cape Town has been declared a water disaster area, SAPOA questioned whether all the available avenues for disaster funding from provincial and national government had been explored. Is it fair to expect the residents and the commercial property industry to foot what seems to be the entire bill for all the water supply augmentation schemes that have been launched?

●● The proposed drought charge is an additional tax. SAPOA queried how the city foresaw levying such a tax when taxes are only imposed at national level. ●● The calculation of the drought charge is in no way linked to water consumption in a building. Any levy (if imposed) should be funded by a charge against water consumption and not against the building value. ●● The schedule sent to SAPOA stops at R500-million for commercial properties. SAPOA queried the consideration where the property values are above this figure. For buildings approaching R1-billion value, the amount of the drought charge would be exorbitant.

In addition to the comments submitted, SAPOA tabled recommendations on how, should the city raise the funding, the money should be used through the scheme. These recommendations are detailed in the Legal Update.

Members will be updated regularly on the progress being made with regards to this proposal by the city.

Best regards, Neil Gopal, CEO

As an industry body, we understand that a collaborative effort on the part of all our members is required to address the challenges we face with the water crisis. This situation is globally unprecedented, and information and knowledge sharing are very important when it comes to saving lives – and our economy.

To this end, SAPOA has launched a Day Zero page on its website (www.sapoa.org.za/media/day-zero), which will serve as a central collaboration point for members to view and share articles, for the benefit of everyone.

Share your articles with us by emailing profficer@sapoa.org.za, and interacting with our social media pages – SAPOA on Facebook and LinkedIn, and SAPOA_SA on Twitter.

SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

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contents

February 2018

PROPERTY SOUTH AFRICAN

REVIEW

South African Property Review

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PROPERTY SOUTH AFRICAN

February 2018

REVIEW

PROPERTY REVIEW - LogoTreatment.pdf

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2016/08/25

11:31 AM

Architecture, interior design and landscaping

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Rooftop farming

Discover Sandton’s latest architectural wonder

ON THE COVER Property Review talks to John Robertson, Executive Director at Discovery, and David Pierre-Eugene, Head of Discovery’s Group Facilities, about their new global headquarters in Sandton – a recordbreaker in Africa as the largest new building with an impressive 5-star Green Star rating, and a fitting culmination of six years of innovative teamwork, foresight and dedication to excellence

Going green in the city

Day Zero

CoCT’s proposed drought charge February 2018

Off-the-wall living

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1 BCX Head Office. Architects: SVA International 2 Management Team 3 Menlyn Learning Hub. Architects: Boogertman + Partners 4 West Hills Mall in Ghana. Architects: ARC Architects

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Water pipes: an inner-city accommodation solution?

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Leaders in Quantity Surveying and Property Valuation OUR SERVICES: • Quantity Surveying • Management • Dispute Resolution • Property Valuation Associated offices: BOTSWANA | GHANA | KENYA | MAURITIUS | NAMIBIA | NIGERIA | TANZANIA | UGANDA Johannesburg: +27 (11) 642 8751 Pretoria: +27 (12) 460 3304 WWW.DELQS.CO.ZA

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From the CEO From the Editor’s desk Education SAPOA and eThekwini Municipality collaborate to unlock the city’s potential Education SAPOA Bursary Fund report back Education Growth in the Wits-SAPOA executive education partnership in 2017 Legal update Detailed SAPOA comment on the City of Cape Town’s proposed drought charge Planning and development Polokwane Municipality’s 2017/2018 budgets and BRT service project Advertorial Mitigating risk: Cairnmead – an ideal assessment partner Architecture All under one green roof: Discovery’s 5-star move Architecture A vision that drove cohesion across all disciplines Architecture Discovering the Zen of 1 Discovery Place Architecture Boogertman + Partners expertly marries transparency with solidity Interior design Paragon successfully integrates interior architecture and leading workplace design Landscaping cities Changing rooftops Water saving Evolution of Cape homes during the region’s driest period Fascinating architecture Fascinating architecture from around the world Social Off the wall Living down the drain FOR EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES, email mark@mpdps.com Published by SAPOA, Paddock View, Hunt’s End Office Park, 36 Wierda Road West, Wierda Valley, Sandton PO Box 78544, Sandton 2146 t: +27 (0)11 883 0679 f: +27 (0)11 883 0684

Editor in Chief Neil Gopal Editorial Adviser Jane Padayachee Managing Editor Mark Pettipher Copy Editor Ania Rokita Public Relations Officer Maud Nale Production Manager Dalene van Niekerk Designer Eugene Jonck Sales Nkepile Setshedi: sales@sapoa.org.za Finance Susan du Toit Contributors Marguerite Lithgow, Maud Nale, Moeketsi Moshata, Mumtaz Moola, Phil Rhuimte, Raul Amoros/Howmuch.net, Rene Bail Photography Mark Pettipher DISCLAIMER: The publisher and editor of this magazine give no warranties, guarantees or assurances and make no representations regarding any goods or services advertised within this edition. Copyright South African Property Owners’ Association (SAPOA).

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from SAPOA. The publishers are not responsible for any unsolicited material.

Digitally Printed by Designed, written and produced for SAPOA by MPDPS (PTY) Ltd e: mark@mpdps.com

e: philip@rsalitho.co.za

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from the Editor’s desk

A positive outlook for the beginning of the year As we closed for the festive break, we were in a bit of limbo: we were awaiting the outcome of the ANC’s NEC, and investor sentiment was putting pretty much everything on hold

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s I write this, the rand is R11,67 to the US dollar – the best it’s been in three years. Sadly, the same cannot be said of the price of a litre of unleaded petrol (R14,42), or of the disturbing and inevitable “sword of Damocles” hanging over Cape Town’s Mayor Patricia de Lille as the Western Cape heads towards Day Zero and our water supply gets depleted.

If the reports coming out of Davos are to be believed, it seems the positive inflection is that South Africa is once again open for business. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is saying all the right things – but he is under no illusion that the task ahead of him is a mammoth one.

Our news stations are full of reports of inquiries and inquisitions, which is a step in the right direction. However, as it was last year, it is still early days – and we are still in a “wait and see” cycle.

Our CEO’s message and our legal section take a look at the ramifications of the drought in the Western Cape, with SAPOA canvassing a number of our members to get their opinion on the crisis. In addition, we have some more water-saving tips.

Education kicks off with Professor Samuel Azasu telling us what is on offer through Wits’s joining of forces with SAPOA. As this edition of Property Review focuses on architecture, it is interesting to see what will be coming up for completion in 2018: ●● The Marc, Sandton: This R2-billion Village Walk redevelopment will see its retail segment opening in July and its Tower B launching in August. ●● Times Square Hotel and Casino, Menlyn Maine, Pretoria: At a final cost of about R4,3-billion, the hotel is expected to be fully completed in March. ●● Park Square, Umhlanga: One of

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several high-cost developments in the area, Park Square, financed to a sum of R1-billion by Nedbank, will see the bank taking 50% of the 40 000m2, with occupancy expected in the fourth quarter of this year. ●● Discovery HQ, Sandton: The subject of our lead article, 1 Discovery Place opened its doors in October 2017.

Phase 2 is set for handover in March. ●● The Link, Rosebank: This project is part of the Rosebank Mews redevelopment – a R7-billion facelift of the area. It’s due to be completed this year.

Our lead feature is the much-talkedabout – and very visible – addition to Sandton’s skyline, 1 Discovery Place.

I spoke to some of the team members behind the inception, development and execution of this record-breaker – the largest single-phase single-tenanted building, and the first building of this magnitude to gain a 5-star Green Star rating. Having visited the building, I can say it is truly exceptional, impressive in size and executed by a cohesive team collaboration across several firms.

We’re lucky enough to get the opportunity to explore fun things on our pages, and this time we came across a Carte Blanche episode in which Devi Sankaree Govender interviewed the co-founder of Brooklyn Grange rooftop farm in the US. As we examined a local version – the Urban Agricultural Initiative in Johannesburg – we wondered whether this could be the way towards future sustainable food supplies, and a help in the reduction of inner-city unemployment.

We also highlight some of the buildings around the world in our “Fascinating Architecture” article, sourced from the recently published Destination Architecture (Phaidon). And to end off this issue, we look at Hong Kong architectural firm James Law Cybertecture, which has come up with a novel way of solving inner-city accommodation problems.

Our March edition will focus mainly on property law, which is a huge topic.

We will speak to our legal contributors and the SAPOA Legal Committee, and delve into leasing issues and changes in legislation that will affect the commercial property industry.

Every quarter we also feature developers and developments, and the next issue of Property Review will include our first development focus for the year.

I’d like to welcome back all SAPOA members – I look forward to engaging with you during the year. I’m excited that we are now live digitally, which will give us the opportunity to offer you an even better interactive publication and to continue to lead the way in getting our sector’s information out to you. Enjoy the journey with us – and enjoy the read this month.

Mark Pettipher, Managing Editor

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education & training

SAPOA and eThekwini Municipality collaborate to unlock the city’s potential

eThekwini Municipality engagement with SAPOA Regional Council members

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s part of customer relations management, City Manager Sipho Nzuza, supported by DCM Governance and International Relations Cluster and Durban Invest, hosted SAPOA KwaZuluNatal Regional Council, including SAPOA Chief Executive Officer Neil Gopal, with the aim of building stronger customer relations and exploring ways of working together towards achieving the vision of building a liveable city.

The focus of the workshop was on sustainable property development and management approach, exploring in detail the urban management in the various strategic precincts of the city.

The spotlight was on precinct management as a significant approach for both the city and business in improving business confidence and the business environment, and attracting more investments while retaining what we have.

Beyond revolutionising spaces, the successful management of precincts will respond to the socioeconomic challenges of unemployment, job creation, skills development and black economic empowerment, as well as the

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revolutionising of spaces. The workshop explored in detail key strategic issues, placing focus on ways of improving operational issues in various precincts.

The objectives of the workshop were: ● To elevate and structure the relationship between eThekwini Municipality and SAPOA towards an improved development and management partnership, with clear agreements; ● To formulate an agreed vision for property development and management in the city (by discussing key gaps/challenges or needs, defining/agreeing on strategic principles, and proposing potential solutions and/or implementations); ● To build a common understanding of property development and management by exploring various practices, options and lessons learnt; ● To emerge with an agreed set of principal positions on all/most of the items listed for engagement over time (precinct management etc); ● To develop and define a practical partnership (in terms of governance

and resources) between the city and SAPOA on how to jointly improve coordination and implementation of property development and management solutions; ● To discuss priority areas and critical actions towards an implementation plan for improved precinct management, public transport solutions, and bulk services infrastructure delivery; and ● To define a strategic and effective mechanism of engagement between eThekwini Municipality and SAPOA on property development and management matters.

It was a productive session, and the objectives of the workshop were met. The workshop identified priority areas and emerged with an action plan to begin addressing the challenges and gaps that were identified during the session. The report summarises the discussion of the day and outlines the agreed actions.

In his concluding remarks, Nzuza emphasised his commitment to maintaining a partnership with SAPOA and to SAPOA’s support of the city’s vision.

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education & training

SAPOA Bursary Fund report back Over the past year, SAPOA Bursary Fund has worked tirelessly not only to improve the academic outcomes of students taking part in our bursary programme, but also to ensure they are adequately equipped for the working environment Words by Moeketsi Moshata

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cademically, we saw an improvement: 88% of the students on the bursary programme passed all their modules (without any repeats) in 2017, compared to 79% the previous year. The SAPOA Bursary Fund sponsored 27 students in 2017, which is the largest number of students sponsored by the Fund in an academic year. Eight students successfully completed honours degrees, while two others completed Real Estate Diplomas.

This year, SAPOA will reach out to the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Higher Education and Training to establish working relations.

The aim is to reach more schools across the country and increase the awareness of the property industry as a career of choice, as well as the advancement of the property industry through education.

Building closer links with all the universities will also be intensified to ensure that students of the Fund receive adequate academic support.

Through the expertise and guidance of the SAPOA Education and Training Committee members, the Fund will benchmark qualifications to make sure that funding is directed to qualifications that will significantly benefit the commercial property industry. We will also roll out a graduate programme so graduates are able to secure suitable internships (and possible employment) through our member companies.

SAPOA is committed to searching for talented people who will add value to our members and the industry by providing tertiary-education support through the SAPOA Bursary Fund. For more information and to get involved, contact the Bursary Fund department at bursaryfund@sapoa. org.za or on 011 883 0679.

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Some of the students who completed Honours Degrees and Real Estate Diplomas

Mpho Ramokgopa

Khethiwa Mukwevho

Judith Choenyana

Atina Mdluli

Lunga Mhlongo

Nhlakanipho Mhlongo

For more information and to get involved, contact the Bursary Fund department at bursaryfund@sapoa.org.za or on 011 883 0679.

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advertorial

New models of higher education for the property industry Ashley Wheaton, Principal of the University College of Estate Management (UCEM), considers how online degree programmes can help to meet the demand for skills in South Africa

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Ashley Wheaton, Principal of University College of Estate Management (UCEM)

“The application process for the bursary was straightforward. When my request was accepted, I was elated and relieved. I’ve already seen the benefits of having a UCEM education. In addition to the technical knowledge, I’ve been pushed to accomplish tasks that I once felt were beyond me. I’ve learnt the value of time management, self-discipline and sheer determination – skills that I also apply to other areas of my life.”

Leslie James, UCEM student and recipient of UCEM’s bursary scheme

For general enquiries, our admissions and enquiries team can be contacted at: e: enquiries@ucem.ac.uk t: +44 (0)118 921 4696. a: University College of Estate Management, Horizons 60 Queen’s Road Reading RG1 4BS, United Kingdom 10

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echnology is changing the education landscape. Widespread access to the internet and the availability of systems that enable students to access learning materials and interact with their tutors and peers in an online environment are providing new ways to study various degree programmes.

This makes higher education truly accessible, irrespective of students’ location and time zone.

UCEM was established in the UK in 1919 with a mission to provide education for property, land management and related professions.

As it approaches its centenary year, it has more than 4 000 students in 120 countries, including South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

In recent years, UCEM has moved away from its traditional distancelearning model (whereby students were sent packs of course materials by post) to a supported online study model where whole degree programmes are delivered through a Virtual Learning Environment. UCEM works closely with professional bodies to ensure that its degree programmes provide students with the core knowledge required to achieve professional membership and develop their career.

UCEM specialises in offering parttime programmes to those already in the workplace. Its flexible delivery enables students to earn while they learn, and employers are increasingly seeing the benefits of bringing in young people straight from school and training them in the workplace while they study with UCEM for an industry-recognised qualification. This enables employers to embed them and train them in company processes, so they become increasingly client-

facing and are able to earn fees by the time they reach the final stages of their degree.

How the UCEM approach benefits the property sector in South Africa While South African higher education institutions are clearly providing goodquality graduates in relevant subjects, there is evidence that demand for degree programmes is outstripping supply, with far more applicants than there are places available. For campus-based programmes, the capacity for expansion is limited without major investment in new infrastructure and staffing. This factor risks constraining the future growth of the built environment sector.

UCEM specialises in offering part-time programmes to those already in the workplace.

Its flexible delivery enables students to earn while they learn, and employers are increasingly seeing the benefits of bringing in young people straight from school and training them in the workplace while they study with UCEM for an industryrecognised qualification

advertorial UCEM has no wish to duplicate what is already available, and would prefer to complement existing provision. It is not aware of an equivalent offer of parttime undergraduate degrees delivered by supported online learning in South Africa, so this is currently its main focus.

To make this offer more widely available, UCEM wants to work constructively with universities and professional bodies to offer alternative routes into the profession. To this end, it is already exploring potential forms of collaboration with South African universities, and last year it hosted a one-week visit from the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors.

UCEM already attracts more than 100 applications per year from southern Africa, but affordability remains a key issue. While UCEM fees at undergraduate level are about a third lower than those charged by most UK universities, they could still represent a barrier if students lack access to resources.

There are two potential solutions.

The first is for employers to contribute directly to course fees, treating them as an investment in future talent that can generate a substantial return. In the UK, an increasing trend is for employers to sponsor their staff to study with UCEM as part of their strategy for workforce development, with the result being that nearly three-quarters of UK students are sponsored by their employers.

This development has been driven recently by the introduction of the “degree apprenticeship” programme – a government-funded scheme that provides a job with mentoring and support from the employer and a parttime degree from UCEM, leading to chartered membership of a professional body. Two years after this scheme was launched, UCEM is now working with 120 employers to train their apprentices in real estate management, building surveying, quantity surveying and construction project management.

While such an apprenticeship scheme is not currently available in South Africa, employers may still wish to sponsor their staff to study, to increase their value to the business.

Jaco Willemse, alumnus

The other alternative available to self-funded students is the UCEM bursary scheme, which is designed to assist new students who are able to demonstrate need. It is open to new students from all countries and provides a discount on fees for the duration of the programme The other alternative available to selffunded students is the UCEM bursary scheme, which is designed to assist new students who are able to demonstrate need. It is open to new students from all countries and provides a discount on fees for the duration of the programme.

This funding is aimed at helping students at undergraduate level, and is available for all bachelor’s degree programmes.

UCEM is continually inspired by its students’ stories. Here, quantity surveyor and recent alumnus Jaco Willemse, who lives in Pretoria and works for CES Africa (Pty) Ltd, shares his: “The main reason I chose to study with UCEM was that the institution’s programmes are accredited by RICS.

The online mode of study, making the learning resources accessible 24/7, played a huge part as well. There aren’t many other institutions offering the same quality of programmes as UCEM in my field of work.

“I started working within quantity surveying, which made my choice of programme an obvious one. With working full-time and having to study part-time, online education was the only option. Having access to the latest study materials and information throughout my studies was a big plus.

UCEM’s Virtual Learning Environment provided access to information that is not readily available through traditional learning methods.

“The tutors are professional and quick to respond to questions. They were always friendly, understanding and knowledgeable.

“Studying with UCEM has allowed me to progress in my career, ensuring that I can now apply what I’ve learnt in my working environment. Studying with UCEM makes you very employable within quantity surveying and has opened the path towards professional membership of RICS, which is my next big goal.

“I would encourage anyone who wants to study undergraduate or postgraduate programmes through online education to study with UCEM.”

The programmes UCEM offers: Undergraduate ●● BSc (Hons) Building Surveying ●● BSc (Hons) Construction Management ●● BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying ●● BSc (Hons) Real Estate Management

Postgraduate ●● MSc Building Surveying ●● MSc Construction Management ●● MSc Quantity Surveying ●● MSc Real Estate ●● MBA Construction and Real Estate

For more information, visit www.ucem.ac.uk

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education

Growth in the Wits-SAPOA executive education partnership in 2017

By Samuel Azasu, Associate Professor and Director of the Executive Programme in Real Estate at Wits University

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he year 2017 was the second year that SAPOA, together with the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), ran the new suite of executive courses to a mixed group of public participants and delegates from the Department of Public Works. The courses were originally rolled out in 2016 in response to the need for increased depth in the types of courses that industry players could access to develop their skills in different areas.

Three different clusters of professionals were trained in these courses in 2017: property managers, corporate real estate managers and facilities managers. For each of these sets of professionals, the Wits approach was to use a series of courses rather than a single course in the professional area, with overlaps between the foundation courses in property management and corporate real estate management. Both sets of professionals took foundation courses in market analysis and investment analysis before separating into different followup modules.

The corporate real estate managers took a module in Strategic Corporate Real Estate Management. This module was delivered by Karen Gibler, a retired professor of real estate at Georgia State University, who is a visiting professor at Wits University. The other group will now transition to a new, completely redesigned course in Commercial Property Management in 2018. The latter course replaces the old Property Management Programme that was owned by SAPOA. The new course includes material that will cover: ●● Operational issues specific to various commercial property types ●● Techniques for marketing and leasing commercial properties ●● Lease negotiations specific to the challenges of each property type ●● Options for best property maintenance 14

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●● The real estate manager’s role in the development process ●● Financial concepts and tools unique to managing commercial properties ●● Sustainability best practices ●● How to implement social media in your marketing plan The Facilities Management course was delivered by Professor Brain Atkin, Director of the Facilities Society of the UK. Plans are under way to deliver an advanced version of this course as a way

of enabling participants to gain associate membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in the UK. Wits’s approach to executive education aims to ensure that the courses are a platform for continuing professional development for those people who do not have the time to enrol in full-time qualifications. They are also designed to serve as a bridging set of courses to enable those who would otherwise not qualify for postgraduate studies to access postgraduate-level qualifications.

Two Wits programmes join the IREM partnership

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he Postgraduate Diploma Programme in Property Development and Management and the BSc Property Studies Programme at Wits University have been accepted as an education equivalency for the certified property manager (CPM) designation education requirements by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). An affiliate of the US National Association of Realtors, IREM is a key player for property management professionals, serving the multi-family and commercial sector.

The IREM partnership was brokered through the efforts of Saul Gumede CPM, co-founder of the Dijalo Property Group and a board member of the South African Institute of Black Property Practitioners (SAIBPP) on behalf of SAIBPP. This was in keeping with SAIBPP’s stated intention of using skills development as a means of broadening access to the real estate sector, in ways that transform the demographics of the sector.

According to Professor Samuel Azasu, who managed the Wits end of the discussions during the process,

a benefit of the IREM partnership is that it enables both the postgraduate diploma and bachelor programmes to become the conduit for accelerated training of professional property managers for the South African market.

It also increases the international credibility of South African graduates in the international real estate market.

Wits University hosted the first of what will become annual CPM preparatory classes consisting of the first three cohorts of graduates from the Post Graduate Diploma Programme in August 2017. A licensing agreement to this effect was signed between Wits University, IREM and SAIBPP on 18 August 2017 at the Professional Development Hub at Wits.

Funding for the classes and the examinations for the pilot group came from Pareto Limited. The longterm aims for the partnership are to foster the development of a South African chapter of IREM and professionalise the property management business once a critical threshold of candidates have passed through the certification programme.

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legal update

Detailed SAPOA comment on the City of Cape Town’s proposed drought charge

By Mumtaz Moola

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ur Chief Executive Officer Neil Gopal’s opening message highlighted the key sentiments submitted by members.

Below is a breakdown of the responses posed to the City of Cape Town. ● The notice and invitation for comment was issued at a time when the city knows full well that the property industry – and the city at large – has shut down for the festive season. Does the city truly regard this as proper public participation? Or is the city being disingenuous here too, in trying to push this proposal through without proper participation? The city later extended the deadline to 15 February 2018. ● In its Medium-Term Revenue & Expenditure Framework (MTREF), as updated for 2017/2018, the city states that it budgeted for revenue increases of 9,75% and 19,25% for water and sanitation services (in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 budget years). From this, SAPOA deduced that some allowance had been made in the 2017/2018 budget for water supply augmentation projects, and that the reduction in sales volumes (and associated revenue) as a result of the water restrictions and restriction tariffs had been considered. Given that the worsening drought situation has been known for at least several years, and that significant expense was always going to be incurred in projects to mitigate the situation, how is it that the city seemingly failed to make adequate provision – or is it any provision? – for these projects?

There are statements in the MTREF

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budget to suggest that it did make provision for “continuing aggressive capital programmes to ensure water security, implementation of augmentation schemes, extensions to wastewater treatment plants, appropriate capacity levels and asset replacements programmes”. ● How did the city not foresee the shortfall in water and sewerage revenue that would result from its own calls for residents to reduce water consumption by 40%? Rather than being “revenue neutral”, as was stated, the city’s own tariff designs would result in a loss in earnings. ● Why did the city only start to put in place water supply augmentation schemes in August 2017? It would appear that the city did little or no work in even evaluating the likely cost and potential funding mechanisms for these schemes prior to formulating its 2017/2018 budget.

It would appear that the city did little or no work in even evaluating the likely cost and potential funding mechanisms for these schemes prior to formulating its 2017/2018 budget

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● ● Given that the Cape Town area has been declared a water disaster area, have all of the avenues for disaster funding from provincial and national government really been exhausted, or even fully explored?

Is it fair to expect the residents of the City of Cape Town to foot what seems to be the entire bill for all of the water supply augmentation schemes that have been launched?

The drought charge that the city proposes levying is an additional tax. How does the city foresee levying such a tax when taxes are only imposed at national level?

Income shortfalls to the city and increased CAPEX spend should be covered by national government (under emergency funding).

From the communication received so far, our members feel that the city has not provided nearly enough visibility of the nature and extent of the water supply augmentation projects, their cost or their current funding mechanisms. Members and city residents want full visibility of exactly what the projects will cost, how much money is to be raised, and how it will be spent as the projects progress.

While we understand the need for funding, and that the city is looking primarily to business and more affluent residents to provide it, rather than unilaterally proposing a charge with no visibility of the costs, we would like to see the city engage more constructively with those who it proposes should bear the brunt of the financial impact.

We understand and accept that the supply augmentation projects will cost money – but we feel very strongly that recovering the drought charge uniformly according to a property rates valuation gives no recognition to those consumers

legal update who have heeded the call to save water and (in many cases) already incurred significant costs in doing so. Under the proposed droughtcharge plan, both compliant and non-compliant consumers will bear an essentially equal share of the costs. Where is the recognition?

Where is the motivation for compliant consumers to continue saving water when others may not be doing so?

The calculation of the draught levy (as a percentage of the rates) is in no way linked to water consumption in a building.

A percentage of the rates should not be used for basing a draught levy around water. Any levy (if imposed) should be funded by a charge against water consumption and not against the building value. ● In many cases, buildings of very high value may, in fact, be low consumers. Therefore a blanket levy based on value becomes disproportionate. Certain lowvalue industrial buildings are higher consumers, so those with low-consumption office portfolios will, in effect, be carrying those with highconsumption properties. ● The schedule given in the communiqué, while only illustrative at the “10 to 11%” level, stops at R500-million for commercial properties. What is the consideration where the property values are above this figure? For buildings approaching R1-billion value, the amount of the drought charge would be exorbitant. ● Looking at the level of the proposed drought charge (10% to 11% of the monthly rates charge for properties over a certain value threshold), and comparing this to the – supposedly “unforeseen” – loss in water and sewerage revenue that the city claims is responsible for the funding shortfall, we see that the money to be raised by the drought charge seems to be significantly above the revenue loss associated with lower consumption of fresh water and

sewerage services. In addition, there is the consideration that the city will not incur the costs that would otherwise have been associated with providing these services (for example, purchasing fresh water). ● While the current focus is on “emergency” supply augmentation projects, it can be assumed that the projects are of such a nature that the water they produce may be too expensive to use on an ongoing basis. Exactly what medium- and long-term plans has the city formulated to address the shortfall in water that has resulted from the growth in population and climate change?

In addition to the comments submitted, SAPOA tabled recommendations on how the money should be used through the scheme if the city were to raise the funding. If the city raises the funding, SAPOA proposed that the money be used through a scheme that: ● In some way recognises those consumers who have been compliant in reducing their water consumption; ● Gives full and ongoing visibility to the costs, funding mechanisms and utilisation of funds as the projects progress and as the drought is – hopefully – broken.

Our members want to see that funding raised for this purpose is properly ring-fenced and used only for supply augmentation projects.

SAPOA also proposed that the money be raised in a way that links the performance of the city in supplying additional water to the revenue raised by selling it – i.e.

“You get paid for what you produce, if and when you have produced it.”

This would move the emphasis from that of “fund-raising” to that of “borrowing money which is to be repaid based on performance”.

SAPOA impresses on the city to keep it informed of the next steps, and of the progress that is being made with regards to the proposal to levy a drought charge.

SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

17

legal update Provision will be made for households that are larger than four people to ensure they are not unfairly penalised. Residents in such cases are to contact the city beforehand at water@capetown.gov.za or provide the information at the nearest walk-in centre

Punitive tariff The city council has voted on and will be implementing a punitive tariff that will charge residents exponentially higher rates for water usage above 6 000 litres per month. The table below outlines the difference between the current tariffs and the proposed punitive tariffs:

The city says it has been working hard to reduce demand through advanced pressure management and massively ramping up the installation of water-management devices at highconsumption households.

The city’s teams are also significantly intensifying the leak detection and

Consumption per month

Current tariffs (total household water bill)

New tariffs (total household water bill)

6 000 litres

R28,44

R145,98

10 500 litres

R109,50

R903,82

20 000 litres

R361,06

R1 536,28

35 000 litres

R1 050,04

R6 939,57

50 000 litres

R2 888,81

R20 619,57

UPDATE

Day Zero now likely to be reached on the 16 April 2018 On 18 January 2018, the City of Cape Town released an emergency statement saying that the city has reached a point of no return as 60% of Capetonians are still using more than 87 litres of water per day. The summary is as follows: ● Sixty percent of Capetonians won’t save water, so we must force them. ● Punitive tariffs are in place to force high users to reduce demand. ● Water allocation will be 50 litres per person per day for the next 150 days (as of 1 February 2018). ● The drought charge is likely to be scrapped by the council.

The crisis has reached a new severity, necessitating the implementation of a series of new emergency measures

The new daily collective consumption target is 450-million litres per day.

This will be in place for 150 days, after which the city will reassess the situation. Level 6B restrictions will also limit irrigation using boreholes and well-points 18

SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

Provision will be made for households that are larger than four people to ensure they are not unfairly penalised.

Residents in such cases are to contact the city beforehand at water@capetown. gov.za, or provide the information at their nearest walk-in centre.

The proposed drought charge is likely to be dropped after a massive outcry from Capetonians that it was anything but fair.

50 litres per day for 150 days As of 1 February 2018, the city will be moving to Level 6B restrictions, with a new limit of 50 litres of water per person per day, to make up for the many months of missing the 500-million litres per day collective consumption target.

The new daily collective consumption target is now 450-million litres per day. These restrictions will be in place for 150 days, after which the city will reassess the situation. Level 6B restrictions will also limit irrigation using boreholes and wellpoints.

Advanced Day Zero preparation The city has also advanced its planning for Day Zero, with approximately 200 sites having been assessed. The city will be announcing local collection points soon, so that communities can begin preparing for that eventuality. The city will also be making detailed Day Zero contingency plans available to answer all questions residents and businesses might have.

repair programme, rolling out various education and awareness campaigns, and extending the use of the treated effluent system that offsets the use of drinking water for non-potable purposes.

Teams are working around the clock to deliver the emergency plan for desalination, groundwater and water reuse. However, this alone will not be enough to prevent Day Zero without savings from all residents.

The city’s teams are also significantly intensifying the leak detection and repair programmes, rolling out various education and awareness campaigns, and extending the use of the treated effluent system that offsets the use of drinking water for non-potable purposes The time to act is now. If residents reduce the demand to 50 litres per person per day, the city can still deliver water to houses and Day Zero can be averted.

planning & development

Polokwane Municipality’s 2017/2018 budgets and BRT service project The City of Polokwane has published its 2017/2018 budgets, and SAPOA members have raised their concerns with regards to certain sections thereof

By Moola Moola

S

APOA’s main concerns with Polokwane Municipality’s 2017/2018 budgets are seen as requiring immediate intervention from the city. These are listed below.

Rebates on high-value properties SAPOA noted that the rebates on highvalue properties have been reduced, but acknowledged that there is enormous pressure on budgets and that the city needs to maximise income from rates. In addition to the substantial income from rates, these buildings are large consumers of other services and provide work for many residents of the city. SAPOA accordingly believes that the reduction in these rebates will result in an abnormal increase in monthly rates. The increase will result in huge pressure on the cash flow of the owners and tenants, and will lead to many unintended consequences in a very troubling economy. SAPOA recommended that the city reconsider the decision to reduce the rebates.

Property rates tariffs Schedule 1 of the tariff document states that “The Polokwane Municipality will levy from 1 July 2017 the following property rates in respect of the different categories of rateable property recorded in the valuation roll.” SAPOA’s concerns are that some of the categories in the tariff table are not found in the rates policy or the valuation roll, and that the names of the categories have also been changed.

In addition, there is a table that contains seven categories of residential properties that are not reflected in the rates policy.

This anomaly was highlighted in SAPOA’s comments on the draft tariffs, and has also been reported in previous years. It is our view that this

deviation from the categories created in the rates policy could render the tariffs ultra vires.

Sections 8, 11, 14, 34 and 48 of the Municipal Property Rates Act of 2004 (as amended) are relevant here.

Residential properties used for commercial/rental It is SAPOA’s understanding that it is the intention of the city to rate residential properties let for residential purposes differently from residential properties that are occupied by their owners. The proposed tariff of 0,01629 is higher than that of business and industrial properties.

The principle to treat residential properties that are let differently from those occupied by the owners was introduced in the Municipal Property Rates Act Amendment Bill of 2013. This was met with strong opposition from all sectors, and the definition was amended.

The definition of residential property was amended as follows: ● “Residential property means a property included in a valuation roll in terms of Section 48(2)(1b) [as residential], in respect of which the primary use or permitted use is for residential purposes without derogating from Section 9.”

It is clear that all properties used for residential purposes can be seen as “residential property”. A property that is leased and is used by the lessee for residential purposes is also a “residential property”. The city is now introducing a principle that was mooted by the legislature. Section 19 of the Municipal Property Rates Act prohibits different rates on residential properties, so having

different rates for residential properties is a transgression of Section 19 of the Act and will surely render these tariffs invalid.

Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) project During the 2017/2018 budget process, SAPOA members also raised concerns with regards to the BRT project as well as the survey that was conducted by Great North Transports. Notwithstanding the concerns raised by the members, the city published an article in the Polokwane Observer on 2 November 2017, titled “Market survey to advise city’s bus project”, and stated that the market survey results were signed off.

SAPOA Limpopo Council members had been invited to various meetings to discuss the planning and implementation of the BRT project. At each meeting, there were numerous requests from participants for feedback. No feedback was received.

The issues that SAPOA raised with regards to the implementation of the BRT project were the following: ● Was this gazetted and open for public comment? ● If not gazetted as yet, what is the anticipated date that it will be gazetted for public comment? ● Where and when were public participation forums held? ● Where will the various bus stops and drop-off zones be located? ● Where will the dedicated bus lanes be in the CBD? ● What are the implications on parking within the CBD? Following a non-response from the city, SAPOA wrote to the City Manager and the Executive Manager, requesting a response to the issues raised.

SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

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advertorial

Mitigating risk: Cairnmead – an ideal assessment partner Interview by Mark Pettipher Copy editor Marguerite Lithgow

“M

Christof Lourens, CEO of Cairnmead Industrial Consultants (Pty) Ltd

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SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

y father started the company in 2003. It always seemed the right thing to do – to work in health and safety with him – and I have loved it from the beginning. I studied a building science diploma at Pretoria Technikon, then took part in an apprenticeship programme with a contractor to learn how construction works. I started at the bottom, pumping water out of holes, casting the concrete and setting up the brickwork, before moving on to finishing the building and handing the keys over to the client. I’m a hands-on kind of person, and I worked at the contractor for a year before I joined my father. In December 2017, he went on pension, tasking me with the responsibility of taking over the business. He trained me very well, enabling me to grow into the responsibilities of Acting CEO. “Health and safety is a universal need.

There are not only construction regulations but also standards that are promulgated under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. We require many specialists with a lot of experience and expertise because our spectrum of knowledge needs to be vast

for us to ensure that everyone complies with the standards. There is always something new to learn about safety as the methodology of construction changes; we’re going higher, faster and deeper into the ground. In this regard, the Attacq project was great experience for us: we learnt alongside the contractor to ensure everyone went home safely in the end.

“Regulations require us to be involved at the design stage of a project – but in run-of-the-mill projects such as shopping centres, we come on board when the design has been done, and the project is going out to tender. At this point we make sure the contractor knows exactly what standards will be applicable to the building, and how they will build it safely. We produce a health and safety specification as well as a baseline risk assessment based on the design already concluded, which we submit to the contractors to include with their tender documents for submission. As soon as the contractor is appointed, we draw up the documentation, and construction starts. Our contract with the client ends

advertorial as soon as practical completion takes place; the client’s internal processes take over to ensure that the building runs and operates safely.

“With South Africa adopting more of an international safety standard, and the regulations changing, clients are pulling us in earlier where safety is concerned. For the first time, the discipline is regulated by a statutory body – the South African Council for Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP), tasked with regulating health and safety. It is now compulsory to obtain the necessary accreditation to operate.

This is a fantastic step in the right direction, despite all the growing pains; we have all had to jump through hoops to get registered with the SACPCMP. The backlog is causing delays in registration, making life difficult for many, but I look forward to five or 10 years down the line when the safety industry has caught up with the rest of the professions and we are key role-players.”

HEALTH & SAFETY CONSULTANTS

Cairnmead Industrial Consultants provide Clients with a unique Consulting Service within the Occupational Health and Safety discipline. We take pride in implementing the understanding required in the industry, as well

Christof Lourens Chief Executive Officer

as the theoretical knowledge involved. We assist our Clients with the relevant hands on application of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulations and associated Southern African National Standards in their business. Our Consultants are fully equipped with a mobile office enabling them to compile and issue reports on site.

We strive to protect our Clients by ensuring that documentation and physical audits are done on all Contractors appointed on a Project. We further ensure that the Tenants and their Contractors act to their Legal responsibilities.

OUR SERVICES - Health & Safety Specifications - Baseline Risk Assessments - Health & Safety Plan - Construction Work Permit Application - Legal Audits - Tenant Legal Obligations

tel: 012 346 5752 | fax: 086 685 1118 | email: christof@cairnmead.co.za 78 Kalkoen St, Monument Park, Pretoria, 0181 | website: www.cairnmead.com

SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

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architecture

All under one green roof: Discovery’s 5-star move

Property Review talks to John Robertson, Executive Director at Discovery, and David Pierre-Eugene, Head of Discovery’s Group Facilities, about their new global headquarters in Sandton – a record-breaker in Africa as the largest new building with an impressive 5-star Green Star rating, and a fitting culmination of six years of innovative teamwork, foresight and dedication to excellence Interview by Mark Pettipher Copy editor Marguerite Lithgow

“W

e had a simple reason for building our new headquarters,” says Discovery’s Executive Director John Robertson. “Six years ago, we were scattered across five big buildings in Sandton and Fredman Drive. It wasn’t a very efficient situation – and wherever we looked, we seemed to be running out of space. So we decided to create one central office for our local and international businesses – one that would represent the Discovery brand and all our core values.”

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SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

“Working in several separate buildings can encourage sub-cultures,” says Head of Discovery’s Group Facilities David Pierre-Eugene. “Being in one building has a huge cultural impact, and we wanted everyone under one roof so we could get back to our sense of oneness (one Discovery place, one Discovery brand). On the Discovery Health side alone, our membership of more than three-million across the various schemes we manage has always meant that we are very integrated in the community.

It suits our branding of an integrated product to have Discovery and its various entities under one roof. It reflects our company ethos of integrated care.”

“Discovery’s ambition for 2018, set out for us by our Chief Executive Adrian Gore, is to become the best insurance company in the world – and even more importantly, to be a force for social good,” says Robertson. “It motivated our decision to get a 5-star Green Star rating as part of our ‘good citizen’ consideration. These goals have since informed much of our

architecture

SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

23

architecture design decisions for the new building – such as the chosen style of the open concourse, which is meant to be an open, welcoming space with a piazza feel for our people and for the public.”

“During the six-year run-up to the new building, our project team organised a detailed change-management programme for everyone which, among other things, provided a series of walk-throughs during the construction phases, and again in September through the completed building prior to moving in,” says PierreEugene. “The reaction to the new building was unbelievable. The people loved the ambience, the decor, the spaces, the fact that they could walk everywhere, the staff restaurant, the ‘grab-and-go’ areas, even the coffee! We received positive feedback from the walk-throughs and from people rating the service they got while moving in, with our stats already showing that everyone has embraced the change with improved productivity overall.

“Our ideal is to help people excel and to bring out the best in them through the environment we provide. Knowing that the environment has a great impact on people and productivity has motivated us to provide, through the design, a healthy environment with many spaces that are conducive to free movement,

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SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

John Robertson, Executive Director at Discovery

spontaneous meetings, interaction and communication openings. We wanted to create opportunities to share. The environment needs to be a catalyst for these interactions. Having everyone under one roof is a contributing factor.

As John says, it’s about representing our values – and our values are about innovation, activity, wellness and the widening of prospects for people. We spend the greater part of our lives at work. Whether it’s the new gym, the riding track on the roof or the staff restaurant that creates excitement, it’s important to make it an environment

with facilities that help people to work at their optimal level.”

“Now that we have everyone in the same building – all our product houses (Health, Life, Vitality, Invest, Insure, etc) and the international companies – we’ve seen that a lot of work happens across companies,” says Robertson. “Interestingly, such working groups often choose an open seating area and gather around what we call ‘a cheese grater’ (a divider with a white board on it) with their laptops.

The way the building has been designed, with activity-based or agile working in mind, facilitates collaborative productivity between the product houses and the companies. This collaboration has already started playing out since we moved here, and it is the fuel for innovation. The result we are expecting – and are already starting to see – is a better dynamic skills set among individuals.”

“A research survey we carried out led us to design this building for the next generation, with the next 15 years in mind,” says Pierre-Eugene. “Our generation has always focused on time in attendance, but the new generation is more about delivery. They like to have the tools they need, a super-fast intranet, fibre for the internet, the latest in technology, and the opportunity to choose whether they want to work in an office or in a space. We will need to be very flexible, mobile and agile, with a different way of thinking, to remain a competitor, and it will involve more team collaboration to turn out innovation quickly for the new day and age. We had the opportunity to move ahead with the latest technology but we made our choices three or four years ago – and technology is changing so rapidly that even the lighting and other things we made a call on at the time are probably out of date. Nevertheless, we shall see the efficiency coming through – and because of the turnaround time for technology, we want the environment to facilitate that interaction. We anticipate from the facilities-management perspective that it will be more efficient and cost-effective to be in one new building than to be in several ageing buildings.”

“Six years ago, we presented to our executive committee the historic growth

architecture

patterns of the organisation, extrapolating them within various scenarios to predict what our requirement would be by 2025, and what options were available to us,” says Robertson. “Having presented the options, an overall concept of space and how much was required to make provision for our future needs, it was agreed that we went into the market with Broll – trusted partners with whom we have worked for 17 years. We received 26 responses.”

“A rigorous process involving clear decisions of our own whittled these down to a short list of three, and we requested a presentation from each,” says PierreEugene. “They were Growthpoint, the owner of the site; Zenprop, with whom we are now in a consolidation concept; and Old Mutual. The idea of a joint venture with Zenprop and Growthpoint was actually one of our requests because of the size of the project, and they agreed.”

“We knew Zenprop, having previously worked with them. It’s good to work with people you know. Zenprop also had a huge knowledge of Sandton, and plenty of experience with bigger buildings. We knew them to be innovative in their thinking, always pushing the envelope; and I think we wanted something that was iconic, yet not too ‘over the top’.

Growthpoint had delivered a lot in terms of green buildings so there was drive and experience in that sense. There was also the beautiful site and the advantage of Rudolf Pienaar, then the Chairman of the Green Building Council of South Africa. We felt that the combination of the two working together would bring us something that was really world-class.”

“The end results of the Boogertman design aligned exceptionally well with our values in terms of the flowing lines, and the concepts of infinity and movement,” says Robertson. “There was nothing static about the design; it was always evolving.

It did create challenges for our designer in terms of the roundness and all the curves, but it did represent our values.

Boogertman put a lot of thought into it.”

“Part of the design criteria for the interior, done by Paragon Interiors, was that it should be very solid but easily broken down and reconfigured as and when required in the work and office context,” says Pierre-Eugene. “This has always been a Discovery feature: because the company grows organically, changes and evolves, our environment must always be flexible. Paragon took the cue from the architect, and the same design principles guided the interior decisions.

We were very involved throughout, but pushed back only when there was a principle in the design feature under attack. We ultimately acknowledged Paragon as the experts.”

“If we really had to, we’d do it all again,” says Robertson.“We had a very professional team, our process was quite good, and we have known the people that we worked with for a long time. We managed to negotiate very tight decisions and points simply because we had the strong relationships that we’d built up over the years. Plus, everyone was gunning for the same result, and that was the key.”

“When we started, the project was bigger than all of us,” says Pierre-Eugene.

“Yes, we had the hard discussions, the hard negotiations, the hard debates about particular finishes or whatever the issue might have been. But the project was always going to be the winner, and that attitude and mind-set were at every meeting and at every discussion with all the professional teams, through every disagreement. In the end, we came up with something that was good regardless of the cost implications or the design compromises we had to make. We’d always say that the building – the end product – had to be the aim.”

SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

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architecture

A vision that drove cohesion across all disciplines Billed as the largest single-phase commercial building in Africa, 1 Discovery Place ticks all the boxes and delivers beyond expectations. Property Review talks to Growthpoint’s Office Property Division Director Rudolf Pienaar Interview by Mark Pettipher

Rudolf Pienaar, Growthpoint’s Office Property Division Director

W

hen it comes to such a visible new “kid” on the Sandton skyline, we all begin to wonder about the details. How much? How big? How tall?

And there is certainly no missing 1 Discovery Place, situated on the corner of Rivonia Road and Katherine Street in Sandton. The atrium alone is big enough to hold a Boeing 737, and no amount of prose can come close to describing the cavernous interior that you come into from the street and parking levels.

This resource-efficient, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable global head-office building consists of three towers on eight levels, with approximately 5 200 parking bays. It is within close proximity to the Gautrain station, and has full back-up power and a multitude of green features. It’s a smart building that offers fibreoptics, access control 26

SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

and 24-hour security, along with several coffee outlets, a convenience store and (for those with fitness on their mind) gym facilities. The Discovery bank will also be launching soon.

1 Discovery Place is a collaboration between 55% owner Growthpoint and 45% owner Zenprop Property Holdings with anchor tenant Discovery, who have signed a 15-year occupancy lease with an option to renew. Built at a cost of about R3-billion, the building has rentable office area of 112 000m2 and a basement of 200 000m2, which amounts to a total area of 312 000m2.

This makes it the largest single-tenanted single-phase office building in the southern hemisphere.

From a developer’s point, it took about 12 months (of the six years in total) for the earthworks to be completed, and another 12 months to build the ninelevel parking basements, before the rest of the building could get under way.

“The new Discovery head office is one of the most environmentally sustainable and efficient buildings in Sandton,” said Growthpoint Properties Office Division Director Rudolf Pienaar “It has also become a landmark on the Sandton skyline. Green building plays a key role in providing spaces in which businesses can thrive. For Discovery, it has created a stimulating working environment with reduced building utility costs with sustainable alternatives.”

Upon visiting the building, you can immediately see that statement is true – and it’s clear there’s been tremendous cooperation and coming together of architects, interior designers, contractors, management and the end user.

“It is a privilege to have worked on a building of this magnitude,” says Pienaar.

“The new head office will help set the bar for green building standards for many years to come.”

At the sod-turning ceremony, Pienaar had used Henry Ford’s famous quote: “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, and working together is a success.”

“There were many challenges, all of which were overcome by the team working

The main stats ●● During the construction phase, seven cranes worked for 12 hours a day for approximately 24 months. ●● 2 700 construction workers were present on site daily. ●● 600 000m3 of soil were removed over a 12-month period. ●● On average, a filled truck left the site every two minutes. ●● 2 100km of network cabling were laid, equal to the distance from Johannesburg to Cape Town and halfway back. ●● The building includes 20 escalators and 30 intelligent lifts. ●● The are about 1 200 work stations per floor. ●● The internal open atrium balustrade is 4km long. ●● There is a 620m running track. ●● On the roof, there is a mini soccer field, a basketball court, a gym, and outdooraerobics and yoga facilities. ●● There are six water features. ●● The two auditoriums seat 90 and 200 people respectively.

architecture

together,” he says. “The tone was set by the transparent cooperation between Growthpoint, Zenprop and Discovery.”

The building has a 5-star Green Star rating, making it the largest new building to be certified to date. The rating highlights include automated blinds, thermal comfort, removal of indoor air pollutants, finishes that have low or no VOCs, high-performance double-glazed curtain walls, and high-efficiency aircooled water chillers. In addition, there is C02-based on-demand fresh-air control, where the green building standards are met to achieve a 60% increase in cognitive test results. Water economy includes grey and rainwater harvesting for use in the toilets, as well as smart irrigation systems. All materials were locally

sourced where practical and possible.

The façade is designed for disassembly, and makes use of steel with postconsumer recycled content. There is an integrated fit-out to minimise churn.

There is also preferred parking for fuelefficient and electric vehicles.

Seventy percent of all the construction waste was diverted from landfill, and was either reused on the site or elsewhere.

Special mock-up rooms were built to ensure that specifications and controls would adhere to – and guarantee – the 5-Star rating.

The first building was handed over on 10 October 2017, within the agreed time frames and budget. The second is scheduled for occupancy in March this year.

The team Owners/developers JV between Growthpoint and Zenprop Architects Boogertman+Partners Interior designers Paragon Interface Construction Tyber and WHBO Quantity surveyors Pentad Project managers Mortar Project Management Electrical engineers Claassen Auret Structural engineers Sotiralis Consulting Engineering Mechanical engineers/ESD consultants Aurecon Electrical engineers Conscius Consulting and Claassen Auret Civil and façade engineers Pure Consulting Acoustic engineers SRL South Africa Landscaping African Environmental Design SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

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architecture

Discovering the Zen of 1 Discovery Place Teamwork has created a long-standing relationship, built on trust and a common commitment.

Property Review speaks to Stuart Gibbs, Development Director at Zenprop Interview by Mark Pettipher

Stuart Gibbs, Development Director at Zenprop

Z

enprop’s Development Director Stuart Gibbs goes through the synergy that was formed by working intimately on a day-to-day partnership between Growthpoint and Zenprop.

“Working with Growthpoint Developments, our development counterparts in the joint venture, meant that we had to find a common focus and synergy early on in the relationship,” he says. “On the implementation side, our joint role was to appoint – and manage – the consultants, subcontractors, suppliers and main contractor while continuously assessing the design development and value engineering opportunities.

“It took a couple of months to settle the partnership, because it was essential for us to identify and establish our respective strengths and weaknesses in order to provide optimal development input and thereby manage the inherent risks. We were all cognisant of the fact that this was an iconic development on a world-class level in terms of design, specification and magnitude, and it was unprecedented in South Africa.

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“The sheer size of this project brought many challenges. These included a tight programme, which necessitated the procurement of suitable resources that could work concurrently across all areas of the vast construction site, throughout the various construction processes.

Further to this, many hours of overtime were clocked in order to maintain pace with the baseline construction programme, and ultimately achieve the set contractual deadlines.

“Key to the success of the project was our appointment of Tiber and WBHO as main contractors in a joint venture.

Both companies had previously worked very successfully for Zenprop and Growthpoint on other large-scale developments in Sandton and elsewhere; as a result, solid relationships have developed between our people at all levels. The Tiber/WBHO JV previously delivered the Alexander Forbes head office in Sandton for us, where healthy work-ethic synergies were nurtured and effectively leveraged by them at the time. For them, the Discovery project was an opportunity to build off this platform and to be involved in one of Africa’s most iconic developments. As the developers, we knew that we could entrust them with successfully delivering on what has proven to be a truly unique building. Both companies have a good name in the market, and their extensive site team certainly went the extra mile for us, for which we are most grateful.

“Part of our combined strategy was to look at potential sub-contractor joint-venture solutions, as well as the splitting of work scope across the various trades. The team spent a substantial amount of time looking for these finely tuned cooperation partnerships, which I believe was the key to risk mitigation and, therefore, to eventually delivering

the building on time, to the required standard of quality.

“Our approach was always to get the best possible resources on board, within reason, because we were totally committed to giving Discovery a worldclass building. It’s clearly evident that we have managed to achieve just that – and, as importantly, on budget and on time. Our general policy was to take savings generated in any particular area and put them towards enhancing other aspects of the building that we felt may have been lacking.

“Flexibility is essential for both the developer and the client, and it comes through quite strongly in the way that the treatment of the interior design and planning has been executed. To broaden the general design-related perspective of our team members, we took the key people involved in this project to Australia at inception stage, to see first-hand what the latest design trends and work practices were over there. We chose Australia for a number of reasons but primarily because the conditions are similar to those in South Africa: the major cities have prime commercial developments that are not necessarily high-rise, and Australia has a very similar climate. Importantly, our Green Star Rating Tool was also developed off the basis of the Australian one. This tour proved to be very educational and added serious value to the project. It also assisted with gelling the team and narrowing down our common focus and objectives.

“What is a non-negotiable for us as developers is that we deliver on a promise. Thanks to the use of the latest 3D rendering technology, we were able to simulate almost exactly what the building would be like, both externally and internally, to the extent of developing perfectly scaled and

architecture activated video fly-throughs. This was an effective tool for demonstrating the look and feel to the client so they could provide feedback/input, and for showing the project team what we were aiming to achieve. It is very satisfying for us to see that the end product is not just similar but an enhancement of the original 3D renders.

“The functional aspect of a building is critical, so a lot of emphasis was placed on understanding and anticipating Discovery’s particular culture and range of needs. This was a complex process, especially considering we were dealing with a large, dynamic organisation.

“After considering proposals from various candidates, Paragon Interface was chosen by Discovery for the interior architecture. Key to Paragon’s appointment was an immediate grasp of Discovery’s vision and a willingness to engage on what would be a long and intimate journey, as well as an ability to interpret Discovery and the developer’s combined brief.

Paragon’s solution was based mainly on providing open-plan, flexible work space with generous amounts of natural light and vistas. This was supplemented by a number of informal touchdown spaces, coffee shops, restaurants, pause areas and other meeting spaces. These fresh, colourful spaces provide many attractive options to the occupants.

“When you come into this building, there are many other functional options at hand that enable you to engage with the building – retail outlets, fitness facilities, restaurants.

Uniquely, there is a fully landscaped roof area with lifestyle facilities, such as multi-sports courts and a 630m running track. The whole street feeling of the concourse and atrium allows for the public to come in and utilise the ground floor retail and other facilities. This provision is very much in line with Discovery’s corporate philosophy of inclusiveness and openness.

“This building is a total breakaway from the traditional buildings in South Africa, where we tend to shut ourselves away in closed-off compartments brought about by security concerns. We were determined to create a building that opens up to the urban ethos and welcomes the public in.

Now that the building is occupied, it is exciting to see how it has come alive, and that both employees and members of the public are interacting with the building as anticipated in the design process.

“One of the biggest lessons learnt from this project was about how critical and essential it is to meet, both formally and informally, with the various role-players on a weekly basis (at least). This allows for open, honest and robust dialogue, and encourages everyone to buy into a common objective for the project while always keeping in mind that the building is the real ‘hero’.

“Every development is unique, so we were all constantly aware of the inherent costs and scale risks of this project. We developed a culture of cooperation where all stakeholders had an opportunity to provide input at the meetings. It was an open-table forum, where no one company, personality or ego was bigger than the project.”

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architecture

Boogertman + Partners expertly marries transparency with solidity Property Review speaks to Bob van Bebber, Director at Boogertman + Partners Architects, and Alasdair Forsyth, Associate Director and architectural team leader, about their professional expertise as the designer architects responsible for the Discovery headquarters in Sandton Interview by Mark Pettipher Copy Editor Marguerite Lithgow

Bob van Bebber, Director at Boogertman + Partners Architects

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rom the outset, the brief from Adrian Gore, Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Holdings Limited, was clear: the concourse should feel like a railway station, with plenty of vertical circulation, people moving in and out and entering the building beyond, and easy access.

Boogertman + Partners has achieved that. The final design proposal presented to the board bears a very close resemblance to what has been built in terms of the design’s essence. The team acknowledged certain site boundaries with the main tower, the biggest part of the building, and the concourse responding to an old erf boundary.

Despite these cadastral boundary lines dictating the shape, they were able to build the first 54 000m2 as well as the concourse and hand that over, before continuing with the next portion, moving on to Phase 2 and perhaps even 30

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doing a potential Phase 3 that lies on a separate site.

Essentially, Boogertman proposed a white building that would be a ventilated façade with some sort of white frit on it to give it its white appearance. As it turned out, the firm couldn’t afford to do the frit, and it took many months, many proposals and many renderings to come to the point where they could deliver that original promise of a white building.

Following the project team’s trip to Australia to review a variety of interesting buildings – the Australia New Zealand (ANZ) bank in Melbourne in particular – the team agreed that the frit was not only unaffordable but also perhaps not the ideal solution, particularly from the perspective of being inside a building.

The decision to discard it was later confirmed to be a good one as a much better and more affordable solution presented itself. It was the achievement of the aesthetically pleasing aspects of the building, both outside and in, that demanded Boogertman’s greatest effort. Rudolph Pienaar at Growthpoint insisted that nothing could replace the experience of being inside a fully glazed building, an unusual phenomenon in Johannesburg – and today, the floor-toceiling effect successfully enhances the quality of the light throughout, creating a very special ambience.

The building’s views are a particularly pleasing feature. They lend a sense of personal connection to what’s happening in the rest of Sandton. Boogertman deliberated over many glazing samples, eventually selecting two different glass types for the bottom and the veil

(or camisole), which had to be seen to be separate because of the step in the façade. The decision was taken that, to deliver a white building, a vertical fin should be created – a controversial proposal, because the mind-set at that time was “We don’t want to put anything on the glass”.

Convincing Growthpoint and Zenprop was crucial because it’s the fin that allows the sense of complete transparency while still permitting the white effect inside and outside, no matter where you stand.

If you look directly ahead, you see the transparency – but when you look to the side, you see the solidity of a white building. With the fin, Boogertman created transparency and a sensation of solidity without there actually being a solid building. Importantly, creating the outside of the building is completely repeatable – so it can be produced again for Phase 3.

The big atrium (which is wide enough at the start to cover the wingspan of a Boeing 737) is a tremendous feature.

Conceptually, Boogertman wanted to fully engage the edges of the working floor plates and the atrium with the sky, the clouds and the outside weather.

You can of course see these through the façade – but in the fully glazed environment it’s quite tricky, so from a thermal and shading point of view it became a pivotal design driver. The quality of the light inside is paramount: Boogertman went to a lot of trouble to understand what the light intensity at the bottom should be for the indoor plants to thrive, and the space has subsequently been artistically bedecked

architecture with indoor greenery. The striking outcome, key to the roof design, was the lightness of the material with which the atrium roofs were made, the quality of the light coming through them, and an extraordinary visual engagement with the exterior weather.

The entire roof is essentially a dish with a simple curvature. All its panels are exactly the same size, and it’s tilted to allow water to run off. It has the flexibility to move up and down with any expansion or contraction caused by temperature swings; it also experiences a nominal amount of uplift and downward movement from the normal wind factor.

The roof simply flexes slightly but will not pop out of shape.

The design philosophy of Boogertman + Partners focuses on people and what they need to enhance their lives. The challenge was to create a human-centred building that makes life as comfortable and easy as possible. This design concept, motivated by the Discovery ethos, conveys an open, transparent corporate and a very activity-driven internal culture. While attending meetings with Discovery, the team noticed up to 30 people at a time running up and down passages, searching the building, and participating in an “Amazing Race” induction ceremony. It’s a very engaging business. On a number of occasions, while seated in the lobby of the old 155 West offices, the Boogertman team saw a non-stop flow of people coming and going: the constant through-flow was a general feature. People arrived wearing sneakers (with “smart” shoes no doubt in their backpacks), carrying laptops, lunch boxes, and a takeaway coffee. As a way of life, this was clearly the norm – so this set the tone for Boogertman, who focused on designing a central space for the people that was all about a town hall, about community, and about people always activating their space and creating a buzz.

The concourse was designed in direct response to the culture of the Discovery brand, distinguished by its flat hierarchy, its agility of thought and performance, and its open communication style with the interconnectedness of everyone in

the company. Designing the main atrium was about connecting to all the floors immediately at any given time, and having an instant overview. Discovery didn’t want its building to go tall but to be kept as low as possible, so the atrium piece stimulates a sense of being included, with visibility across the floor plates, into the atrium and from the atrium into the floor plates, and with areas on the edge serving as places where you can connect on your way through, in the way that crowds move in and out.

The community spaces that are placed all around are part of developing an interior space in line with the outer structure of the building: you feel a kind of immediacy when looking across the larger atrium, and when crossing a smaller one, you experience it from the staircase to where all the pause areas are. It prompts you into open, more spontaneous conversation. This inclination to engage spontaneously and communicate with others on the way through the community space is what sparked the style of the atrium.

Both the concourse and the atrium offer the right kind of spaces for communication and collaboration to be lived out.

Recalling the Australian trip, the ANZ building’s proximity to public transport was significant to the Boogertman design, and the direct, uncomplicated way in which it is accessed from the public realm informed the way the Discovery building landed at the corner of Rivonia and Katherine. You walk off the street along a very gentle slope to the main front door, and you’re fully engaged with that front door. A huge feature – and already one of the big positives in the response from visitors – is that ability to cross over and move without restriction into the building, with no steps, ramps or podiums to negotiate.

A core strategy in the Boogertman + Partners philosophy is to design a wide variety of building types. Whether the team is creating a shopping centre, a stadium or a hotel, each experience influences the design language and broadens the design thinking. When they do offices, they’ll think about entertainment, hospitality, the customerclient experience, the crowds of people arriving and departing again shortly, and their design strategy to transition those people smoothly. Every building type they’ve done helps with current projects.

That is the key: the practice doesn’t have people who do only offices.

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interior design

Paragon successfully integrates interior architecture and leading workplace design The fact that the Paragon Group has been responsible for two of the largest corporate fit-out projects in South Africa to date is testament to the practice’s successful integration of interior architecture and leading workplace-design strategies

Claire D’Adorante , Paragon Director

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t the helm of a team of 20 people, Director Claire D’Adorante oversaw the fit-out of the new Discovery Campus in Sandton – the largest single-tenant building in the southern hemisphere – with Phase 1 completed in October 2017 (130 000m2), as well as Sasol Place in Sandton, completed in January 2017 (67 000m2). The sheer scale of the Discovery Campus was a once-ina-lifetime experience for most of the consultants who worked on it.

“The project presented us with tremendous opportunities in terms of the tenant’s willingness to explore quite a dramatic design – one that incorporated new design strategies that drive significant changes to a dynamic workplace culture,” D’Adorante says.

“It has been a wonderful experience, and we cannot wait for it to be finished.”

Phase 2 is due for completion in April 2018.

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Iconic projects such as 1 Discovery Place and the Sasol headquarters have added exceptional depth to the skills base at Paragon, particularly on the interior architecture side of the business.

“The types of skills you acquire as a young designer on projects of that scope cannot possibly be replicated,” D’Adorante says.

D’Adorante worked in Australia for six years prior to joining Paragon, and says that Paragon ticks all the boxes internationally in terms of being a fully integrated practice, and offering its clients a turnkey service that optimises both architecture and interiors. “In South Africa, interior architecture is often seen as a separate entity,” she says. “The architect is responsible for the building itself, and the interior architect then adds the colours and finishes. This is not the ideal way to work.”

She adds that the Australian market tends to be far more holistic in its approach because design and interior architecture are seen as two sides of the same coin. “There the architectural design takes into account how the interiors will be integrated into the final building,” she says. “It is a different way of looking at a building that essentially promotes a common vision. The end user, developer and tenant get the best of both worlds because an integrated approach is far more efficient in terms of design practicality, aesthetics and services integration.”

It also reduces the overall construction time frame, and the quantity of re-work and snagging that has to be done at the conclusion of a project. “Aligning the interior with the architecture is the most efficient process possible, as opposed to coming in at the end and having to adapt a vision for the building.”

interior design Discovery, for example, gives a clear sense that it is the end product of a single solution. Paragon was responsible for much of the interior architectural design that delivered the tenant’s aspiration for an integrated solution to represent its business ideals. Sasol Place was delivered in a similar way.

In terms of her own individual design philosophy, D’Adorante says she is quite flexible and open to new approaches, which is also the underlying ethos of Paragon as a company. “We aim to give our clients exactly what they want, but we encourage them to explore the opportunities that a new space can provide,” she says. “This means we do not have a ‘house style’ as such, as we are constantly adapting and innovating.

Our work is varied because of our broad client base and project diversity.

“In terms of my own personal style, I favour dramatic spaces that take inspiration from the building’s architecture and I like to use a lot of colour – elements that tend to come through in the end. I like to bring branding into spaces as well, which means using corporate colours and marketing elements, and setting these against a more neutral base.”

A key differentiator for Paragon is how quickly it embraces the latest technology and global trends. “In terms of interior architecture, we follow the latest thinking in workplace strategy and design to stay ahead of the curve, which is critical in this market,” says D’Adorante. “Rather than playing catch-up all the time, we get our clients to buy into the leading trends so we can introduce them into the local market.”

Buzzwords in this regard include employee ‘wellbeing’ and ‘engagement’, with D’Adorante pointing to international research that reveals how much more productive employees are if their work space encourages engagement. “There are numerous strategies in this regard, from offering a variety of posture positions to specific spaces in which to relax and reflect,” she says. “This means that workers are healthier and more effective, and naturally more committed to their employers.”

In the Discovery building, Paragon adopted the concept of agile or flexible work spaces that embrace the latest technology. “Here we look at reducing the amount of time workers spend at their desk – for example, by having different settings and spaces that drive different ways of working,” says D’Adorante. “This has been around for a number of years, and we are finding that the South African market is now finally catching up with this trend.” These strategies can really drive cultural changes within the organisations that implement them.

However, in terms of an international trend such as “hot-desking”, D’Adorante feels that the South African market sits “somewhere in the middle”. “There is a sense of ownership here, whereby employees feel entitled to their own

space and desk – and management supports this way of working at present,” she says. “It is slowly changing, with us introducing the ‘third space’, which refers to the support spaces around a traditional work space.

“In Europe, hardly anybody gets their own desk any more, with employees simply arriving and using the first available workstation. This is a great strategy because it reduces a lot of realestate costs, and it is being adopted by major South African corporates such as Absa and Standard Bank in some areas of their facilities.”

Paragon is also diversifying away from the corporate space, where it has played such a huge role, to sectors such as retail, hospitality and even housing. “This will definitely aid our growth going forward, and help us adapt to a changing market.”

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landscaping cities

Changing rooftops When it comes to sustainable food sources, perhaps the most productive and sustainable could be found on the rooftops of inner cities, from New York to Toronto and even Jo’burg. With so much space available, why not?

By Mark Pettipher

Leading the way Nhlanhla Mpati is an agri-preneur who started the rooftop farm on the Chamber of Mines’ building in Johannesburg’s central business district.

Mpati already had some farming experience when the Wouldn’t It Be Cool organisation identified and trained him as one of the initiative’s first rooftop farmers. He produced about 15kg of basil on the 66m2 rooftop space in 21 days, and is now receiving orders that should keep him supplying the delicious herb for the next six months.

He plans to increase his produce range by introducing spinach and carrots to the mix.

As a result of this successful pilot project, the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) has agreed to fund the start-up costs of another 100 rooftop farms in innercity Johannesburg. The DSBD will be reviewing the entire project this year, with the possibility of further funding becoming available.

Property owners in the city have made 60 buildings available for these rooftop farms. The Chamber of Mines intends giving farmers more space as it still has an unused area of 400m² in its 93-year-old heritage building.

Nhlanhla Mpati

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ecently on Carte Blanche, presenter Devi Sankaree Govender spoke to Anastasia Cole Plakias, co-founder of Brooklyn Grange rooftop farm, about setting up rooftop farming in the city (You can view the insert at Carteblanche. dstv.com/new-york-rooftop-gardens).

That broadcast got us thinking: is this something that could be (or is already) happening here in South Africa?

The answer to that is yes. The Urban Agricultural Initiative was established by 34

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the Johannesburg Inner City Partnership (JICP), with the Chamber of Mines as a key stakeholder, and was launched in October 2017. From the Chamber of Mines’ fact sheet, we’re made to understand that the initiative’s main aim is to create an urban agricultural ecosystem by repurposing disused rooftops, and by making use of hydroponics and aquaponics to provide agricultural produce for Johannesburg’s inner-city communities.

What about Cape Town?

There are several urban agricultural initiatives in Cape Town. In August 2016, according to a story by IOL’s Business Report, the Western Cape government announced that it would provide funding and – in some cases – training and extension services to individuals who were interested in starting home or community food gardens. The article went on to outline the government’s objectives “to improve

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landscaping cities food security among the province’s vulnerable families”.

The benefits According to Pierre Heistein, who is an instructor in Applied Economics for Smart Decision Making at the University of Cape Town, initiatives such as this are not intended as a replacement for traditional farming.

They do, however, complement the larger enterprises.

Urban agriculture can lead to increased inner-city employment. The nature of small farming lots in urban settings, he says, means the methods used are more labour-intensive, and hardly involve automated technology.

Employment per tonnage produced is higher than conventional farming.

Urban agriculture makes use of human aptitude rather than machinery, and develops skills that can be applied to other industries in the long run.

The skills developed are greater than just “growing things”: household and community gardens often develop into small businesses and encourage entrepreneurship in trade. Basic business skills such as return on investment, stock control, production management, distribution and product marketing are transferable beyond small farming lots.

Urban agriculture usually has quicker returns and a more flexible response to fluctuating market conditions. The investment costs on a small domestic food garden are low, and allow for easy

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entry into (and exit from) the market.

Because of the low capital requirement, urban farmers are able to respond within one season to changes in tastes and supply shortages. Community food growers typically have personal contact with their clients and are therefore able to get first-hand information on changes in demand.

Urban agriculture may increase the risk for the individual, but it is more resilient in terms of the system as a whole. Individual farmers are definitely vulnerable to crop failure and poor business decisions, and are unlikely to have sufficient insurance – but on a systems level, the food security of a city remains strong as a result of the diversity of planting and the decentralisation of decision-making.

This kind of agriculture also reduces the burden of transport logistics. Urban

food producers live close to their clients, so there is no need for complex and costly cold chains to keep the food fresh until delivery. On a systems level, urban agriculture results in less fuel being used and fewer emissions being produced, and reduces the load on the city’s roads. On an individual client level, it leads to a healthier diet and better nutrition as processed food and carbohydrates are partly replaced with fresh fruit and vegetables.

Property owners who would like to partner with the JICP team and start an Urban Agriculture Initiative should contact WIBC at farming@wibc.biz.

Quick facts Participants in the Urban Agriculture Initiative include the Chamber of Mines, the Johannesburg Inner City Partnership, the Wouldn’t It Be Cool incubation and mentorship organisation, First National Bank, Africa Housing Company, the University of Johannesburg, Stay City, Thebe Investment Corporation, Botha Roodt Fresh Produce Market Agency, and green business support organisation Sophiatown BizCre8. The Chamber of Mines launched the Urban Agriculture Initiative on 11 October 2017.

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water saving

Evolution of Cape homes during the region’s driest period With the Western Cape experiencing one of its driest periods in decades, the property sector is evolving. While some see this as a reactionary measure to temporary circumstances, others see it as a natural progression in the way we design and build our homes. The interaction between our homes and the environment has always been a contentious point, with design purists maintaining that a home should incorporate itself as much as possible into the space it occupies while using indigenous building materials. And while there are few indications that the current weather conditions are adversely affecting property prices, research shows that future buyers will be willing to pay higher prices for energy-efficient homes

By Irene Baily

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hese thoughts are echoed by Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate CEO Mike Greeff. “In response to the Western Cape’s drought, homeowners and developers are encouraged to relook the way they incorporate the ‘green factor’ into their homes,” he says. “By adapting home design and current home features to best suit and accompany the necessary water-saving trends, they are conscientiously changing the landscape for future developers and homeowners in a skilled and mindful manner. The inclusion of energy- and water-saving devices into home design ultimately changes the way we see our homes – and so the homes of the future will have the future of the planet in mind.”

In summer, home gardening becomes popular. However, with the drought in full force, some gardening tips from the experts are an additional aid in how

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to beat the circumstances. Gardening experts Starke Ayres, part of the industry since the late 1870s, share some useful pointers below on how to garden effectively in your home.

TRIM: Reducing the size of shrubs decreases their need for water.

MULCH: Apart from feeding the soil, mulch (organic material such as peach kernels) also dramatically reduces water loss and keeps soil cool.

PLANT: Everyone knows succulents are a must, and there are numerous options. Keep in mind, however, that the water-wise plant list is more extensive – it includes aloes, crassulas, vygies and cotyledons, which are all more likely to require less water than the average plant.

USE BOREHOLES AND WATER TANKS: If you have a borehole or water tanks, water deeply but infrequently. Saturate an area while aiming to mimic good rainfall, and you may get away with only having to water once every few weeks.

FOCUS ON MANAGEABLE AREAS: Hone your gardening efforts by focusing on small areas such as a collection of herbs, succulents or potted plants. Be creative with decking, pebbles and stepping stones to minimise lawn areas.

Additional future design trends Design can be made thermally efficient through the intelligent orientation and placement of windows. Windows allow solar energy to enter a home. While this is desirable in winter, it can be a curse in the summer months. In the southern hemisphere, houses should face north.

North-facing windows should be larger than south-facing windows – but not too large. The sun’s position in the sky changes seasonally, and an appropriately designed overhang or awning will limit sunlight entering the home in summer months and let in more sunlight during winter. The addition of an overhang or awning to your home’s windows is a very cost-effective and sustainable method of temperature regulation.

One of the best ways to make a house more energy-efficient is to reduce the flow of heat into and out of the house.

Ceiling and roof insulation helps to conserve heat in winter and maintain

water saving

cooler temperatures in summer. Climatic regions can make a difference in the level of insulation necessary for a comfortable living environment within a home. In mild climates such as the Western Cape, comfort can be achieved without much heating or cooling, if appropriate thermal designs are implemented.

The inclusion of water-saving features appeals to the sense of responsibility we all possess, and will add to a home’s appeal. Toilets use large amounts of fresh drinking water – but with good maintenance and simple water-saving initiatives, toilet water consumption can be significantly reduced. Older toilet cisterns with a syphon flushing system hold nine to 12 litres of water. Modern toilet cisterns hold about six litres of water. Converting your toilet to a multiflush system (which flushes for as long as the handle is held down) or a dual-flush system (which offers long and short flush options) can cut water consumption by up to 20%.

Water-efficient showerheads deliver about six to 10 litres of water per minute.

They reduce the amount of water that flows out of the showerhead without affecting the quality of the showering experience. This is done by adding air to the flow of water, and increasing the size

of water droplets (like a high-pressure hose). A water-efficient showerhead saves up to 50% of water and reduces waterheating electricity consumption.

Making smart choices when buying a new household appliance can have a significant impact on your water and energy use. Look for water- and energyefficient products. Dishwashers use an average of 40 to 75 litres of water per wash, although very efficient machines can use as little as 13 litres. More efficient machines will also use less electricity.

Machines with economy or half-load cycles will reduce water consumption by 37% and energy use by 29%. Large washing machines use an average of 150 litres per wash – as much water as a bath.

High-efficiency washing machines use about 30% less water and 40 to 50% less electricity. Look for machines that consume 37 to 45 litres of water per wash.

Boreholes and well points draw underground water for irrigation purposes. A well point is usually an installation with a pump mounted at ground level that draws up water via a suction pipe from a maximum depth of eight to 10 metres. Boreholes, in turn, can be shallow at a depth of about 30 metres, or deeper at 100 metres or more.

Installing well points and boreholes is

expensive and should be fully researched beforehand. Also, all groundwater is not necessarily ideal for irrigating plants.

Although they’re generally not considered a sustainable solution to long-term water conservation, boreholes can help reduce our dependence on fresh drinking water for garden maintenance.

Groundwater plays an important role in the environment. During dry periods, groundwater replenishes low-flowing rivers. During wet periods, the opposite occurs: the rivers and surface drainage replenish the groundwater. To ensure that borehole water is not polluted or overexploited, the amount of groundwater that is extracted needs to be monitored, and all boreholes must be registered with the municipality.

“In recent months, we have seen a significant increase in the sale and appeal of homes with boreholes and automated irrigation systems,” says Greeff. “Potential homeowners and investors are on the lookout for homes with suitable green features as they not only makes their living experience hassle-free in dealing with the current climate, but also add value to the home in the event of a future resale. While the current drought status may not be an everlasting issue, energyefficient homes certainly will be.”

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fascinating architecture

Fascinating architecture from around the world With so much architecture rising around us, it is fascinating to see what’s been created in various parts of the world. Inspired by the new book Destination Architecture (Phaidon), we take a look at some of its remarkable buildings Compiled by Mark Pettipher

Cayan Tower, Dubai, UAE Said to be the world’s tallest twisting tower, the Cayan Tower in Dubai, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, stands 75 storeys high – a monument to architectural genius.

The 307m tall reinforced concrete structure rotates a hexagonal floor plate

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1,2° around a circular core, with the top offset 90° from the base. The shift maximises views for each of the 495 apartments within.

Deep concrete exterior columns clad in a metal skin with perforated screens help shield the building’s interior from the intense desert sun. The tower’s innovative shape required equally innovative engineering. The corner and interior columns twist as they ascend, but most of the perimeter columns have an identical shape and tilted relationship to the floor plate. They are simply shifted, a bit more than a single degree, from floor to floor – resulting in a standardised construction method typical to most concrete structures.

Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems are located in the core or within a zone between the central circulation corridor and the residential units, allowing straight vertical paths for these systems as the relationship between the apartments served varies between floors.

Emporia shopping centre, Malmö, Sweden As described by architects Wingårdh Arkitektkontor, the Emporia shopping centre was an urban planning project in which offices, housing and retail came together in a mixed-use development along Boulevarden and Stationsgatan in Hyllie, on the south side of Malmö, Sweden. The main idea was to hide inward-looking retail behind a wreath of residential and commercial buildings.

The curving golden glass stretches across a grid-shell structure, which curves up and back to allow daylight to penetrate the entrance courtyard.

From here, shoppers are led towards three storeys of retail arranged around a figure-of-eight plan.

The roof of the structure accommodates a large park with a faceted landscape made up of lawns, terraces and pavilions. Its vegetation (sedum, prairie grass and trees) and its sun-facing, wind-sheltered patios are

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accessible from both inside and outside the building. The hills that provide protection from the wind are actually hiding mechanical rooms. In the future, the roof will be developed with outdoor dining and a spa facility. (Like amusement parks, shopping centres need to offer new attractions at regular intervals.)

Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, Davis, California A 15 240m2 “Grand Canopy” of perforated aluminium triangular beams, supported by 40 steel columns, is the signature design gesture here – and a massive engineering challenge.

The canopy tops most of the 22 860m2 museum site, which comprises a hardscape entry plaza; separate pavilions for galleries, art making and operations; a courtyard; and a glass-enclosed lobby opening out onto each of these spaces and to views beyond. The plan invites moments of encounter and wonder, and provides opportunities for informal learning. Two outdoor projection walls, free Wi-Fi access and study areas for students will help fulfil the museum’s commitment to 24/7 use.

The qualities of openness and porosity are expressed in ways large and small, from the materiality of the perforated aluminium canopy to the strategic orientation and insertion of smooth, clear, curved glass walls. The open lobby contracts or extends with the push of a button (which controls a glass garage

door), while a metal-mesh, five-metretall ceiling in the primary gallery allows visitors to sense the pitch of the canopy at nine metres, giving a hint of the space between the gallery ceiling and the roof that’s filled with duct work, wiring and other back-of-house requirements.

The sight of quilted farmlands and rows and rows of crops surrounding the museum inspired the geometry of the Grand Canopy and the exterior cladding of pre-cast corrugated concrete. A textured use of materials – aluminium, concrete, clear glass, wood and white walls – responds subtly to the soft light of California’s Central Valley. The orientation and spacing of the canopy’s aluminium infill beams, more than 900 in all, creates a rich tapestry of light and shadow.

balanced by the warm wood and copper colours used for the curved sanctuary ceiling, oak staircase and feather-like metal screens on the main façade.

The aluminium perforated screens (or “feathers”) on the church exterior pay homage to the eagle metaphor, connecting this contemporary architecture to the members of the church on an emotional level. The orientation of every feather is calculated with the Fibonacci sequence, varying by increments of two degrees from feather to feather. Thus the main church façade appears to be soft, transparent and flowing. From inside, the feathers form a sheer fabric that presents the world outside in a different light.

Tainan Tung-Men Holiness Church, Tainan, Taiwan A peaceful refuge among the city’s residential buildings, the Tainan TungMen Holiness Church incorporates a café and a book shop on the ground level, and a simple sanctuary above. The perforated-aluminium screens on its exterior are oriented in accordance with the Fibonacci sequence.

This project symbolises an eagle as a biblical metaphor. It is like an airport, serving as a boarding gate to enter into God’s kingdom.

The church is mainly composed of cool architectural concrete – but this is SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW

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fascinating architecture

The Orange Cube, Lyon, France

UN City, Copenhagen, Denmark

The Orange Cube is part of a programme to renovate the port area, and was originally designed as a symbol of this renovation. This is why the architects chose the most distinctive colour in the ship-building industry – bright orange.

The five-storey cubic building (29m by 33m) differs from surrounding buildings not only in its colour but in its façade as well. Perforated steel, punctured with differently sized holes, has been used to clad the building, making it look from a distance like a giant orange piece of cheese. The steel screen acts as a shade, minimising direct sunlight on the interior while creating intricate patterns and helping to scatter light on bright, sunny days.

An enormous hole penetrates the centre of the building, joining up with a giant “dent” on the side to form an atrium. Balconies radiate from the atrium’s sides, uniting different floors and helping air circulate. There are small hollows and cavities all around the façade, the largest of which is on the ground floor and serves as an entrance to the building. According to the architects, these elements “not only break up the geometry of the building, they also help to create a fundamentally new relationship between the new building and its surroundings”. The building is also energy-efficient and relies on a water-based geothermal heat pump and photovoltaic panels on the roof.

Bringing together the various agencies and functions of the United Nations offices in Copenhagen, the new main office building is located at the northern harbour of the city. Built on an artificial island, it is naturally separated from its immediate surroundings while still being highly visible from both the city and the water.

From above, the eight-pointed star shape is a clear visual reference point:

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like the UN, it reaches out to all corners of the world. Similar to the surrounding rusty pier edges, UN City has a dark, burnished-steel base from which the white main building rises. This is a reference to the elegant white ships that characterise this part of the harbour.

The building has a façade cladding of white perforated aluminium shutters, developed by 3XN and contractor Pihl specifically for UN City. The shutters ensure solar shading without blocking the view or the daylight. Because the façade is divided into three-metre-long modules, it is possible for the employees to control the sunshade from their computers. The result is an improved indoor environment, and a dynamic façade expressing a building full of life.

A daylight filled atrium connects the lobby level that contains all the common functions with the office levels, where the various UN agencies are distributed.

The main office building has more than 90 meeting rooms, including a number of flexible rooms on each floor that staff can use for various purposes. The auditorium is a conference facility with a total capacity

fascinating architecture of 450 people. For smaller conferences and meetings, the auditorium can be divided into smaller rooms by using specially designed partitions.

More than 1 400 solar panels are lining the roof of the building to support the goal of generating renewable energy on site. With an estimated total production of 297 000kWh per year, the solar panels significantly reduce the need for electricity from the grid. Cold sea water pumped into the building’s cooling system almost entirely eliminates the need for electricity to power the cooling cycle. Innovative aerators have been placed in the taps in kitchens, toilets and showers throughout the building.

The low-flow taps reduce water usage.

In addition, pipes on the roof capture almost three-million litres of rain water annually, which is almost enough to flush the toilets of the entire building without using potable water.

Sophisticated solar shades on the building’s façade can be opened and closed to either trap or reflect the sun’s heat. The roof of the building has been coated with a white, recyclable membrane

made from plant-based materials. The environmentally friendly coating reflects sunlight and reduces the solar warming of the building.

World Trade Centre Transportation Hub, New York, USA Known as the Oculus, this state-of-theart transportation hub quietly opened in March 2016, following a US$4-billion construction. It was designed to resemble a white dove (a symbol of peace) taking flight, with a skylight that retracts annually to commemorate the 9/11 attacks.

The architects describe the Transportation Hub as having been conceived at street level as a freestanding structure situated on an axis along the southern edge of the “Wedge of Light” plaza. The plaza is bounded

by Fulton, Greenwich and Church streets to the north, west and east respectively, and Tower 3 to the south. It links the procession of green urban spaces that extend along Park Row from City Hall Park to St Paul’s churchyard, to the gardens of the WTC Memorial and Battery Park along the Hudson River.

The arched, elliptical structure – the Oculus – is approximately 106m long and 35m across at its widest point, and rises to a height of 30m above ground at its apex. The structural steel ribs that form the Oculus itself extend upwards, like outspread wings, to form a pair of canopies that rise to a maximum height of 51m above ground.

Access into the Oculus is provided through two entrances located at the east and west nodes of the building’s central axis, at Church and Greenwich streets respectively. The entrances open onto symmetrical stair landings with cylindrical glass elevators. From this level, visitors descend approximately seven metres to the Upper Concourse level, where the elliptical interior space opens to its full dimensions, and where they have access to the MTA 1, R and E subway lines, Towers 2, 3 and 4, as well as retail galleries.

From the Upper Concourse, visitors descend another six metres via escalators, elevators and stairs to the Concourse level. This level is the main retail level in the Hub. From the Concourse – 50m below the apex of the 100m-long Oculus operable skylight – visitors will be able to look up at a column-free, clear span.

The project’s sculptural form is achieved through modulated repetition of structural steel ribs that unify the complex composition, and provides dignity and beauty to the building’s underground levels and pedestrian walkways. Between the ribs, glass allows natural light – a powerful symbol of hope and vitality – to flood the facility.

At night, the illuminated Oculus serves as a lantern at the reconstructed WTC site. On 11 September each year (as well as on temperate spring and summer days), the Oculus’s operable skylight opens to bring a slice of the New York sky into the building.

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The most expensive skyscrapers in the world Skyscrapers are viewed as a symbol of cultural expression, as new designs and spectacular heights define these enormous buildings. These architectural marvels are usually the result of collaboration between investors, architects and builders. While the costs of constructing a skyscraper have climbed over the past decade, the recent acceleration in expenses reflected in Saudi Arabia’s desire to create the world’s largest clock tower has created a sharp trajectory for dazzling skyscraper expenses

By Raul Amoros/Howmuch.net Howmuch.net/articles/most-expensive-skyscrapers-in-last-30-years

Over two decades, the designs used to create mega-skyscrapers have become more important than the height of these buildings.

Architects have created extraordinary works of art, allowing costs to sky-rocket. In fact, the most expensive skyscraper, completed in 2012, was nearly three times the cost of the prior most expensive building. Since the turn of the century, the cost of the most expensive skyscraper has increased 15-fold, setting a very robust trajectory for future skyscraper costs.

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Ranking top 16 most expensive skyscrapers 1

Abraj Al Bait Towers, Saudi Arabia: Cost to build = US$15-billion This building was completed in Mecca in 2012 and boasts a clock tower and features a hotel.

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Marina Bay Sands, Singapore: Cost to build US$5,7-billion This building was completed in 2010, and is home to a spectacular hotel and retail empire.

3

Wynn Las Vegas resort, USA: Cost to build = US$4,1-billion This building was completed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005, and is the world’s most expensive hotel and casino.

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The Cosmopolitan, USA: Cost to build = US$3,9-billion This hotel was erected in Las Vegas Nevada in 2010 and has two 184m tall towers.

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One World Trade Center, USA: Cost to build = US$3,8-billion The Freedom Tower stands on the site of the original World Trade Center in New York, boasting the largest commercial real estate centre in the United States.

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The Venetian Macao, China: Cost to build = US$2,4-billion The hotel and casino was completed in 2005. It has a sister hotel in Las Vegas.

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The Princess Tower, UAE: Cost to build = US$2,17-billion This residential tower in Dubai was completed in 2012, and is the 24th-tallest building in the world.

8

The Palazzo Las Vegas, USA: Cost to build = US$2,05-billion This casino is the tallest completed building in Las Vegas, representing an Italian Renaissance theme.

9

Taipei 101, Taiwan: Cost to build = US$1,8-billion Completed in 2004, it was formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center.

10

The Shard, UK: Cost to build = US$1,5-billion A 95-storey skyscraper completed in London in 2012, the building is formerly known as the London Bridge Tower.

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Burj Khalifa, UAE: Cost to build = US$1,5-billion This Dubai building was completed in 2009 and is currently the tallest structure in the world.

12

European Central Bank, Germany: Cost to build = US$1,25-billion The ECB HQ was completed in 2013 in Frankfurt. It’s where the central bank determines monetary policy for all members of the Eurozone monetary union.

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The Kingdom Center, Saudi Arabia: Cost to build = US$1-billion The Riyadh building was completed in 2002, and is the tallest building in the country.

The Kingdom Center is the home of a Four Seasons Hotel and residential apartments.

14

Antilia, India: Cost to build = US$1-billion The construction on this skyscraper was completed in 2006 in Mumbai.

This private home boasts 27 storeys and is 173m tall.

15

Petronas Towers, Malaysia: Cost to build = US$1-billion This building was completed in 1999 in Kuala Lumpur. It bore the title of the tallest building in the world from 1998 to 2004, and still boasts the tallest twin towers in the world.

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Bank of China, China: Cost to build = US$1-billion Construction on this state-owned bank building in Hong Kong was completed in 1990.

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Convention exhibitors’ breakfast SAPOA members attended the annual exhibitors’ breakfast, which was held at the Fasken Martineau offices in Sandton Words by Maud Nale

Jane Padayachee, SAPOA Marketing Manager

Charlene Tlhabane, Head of Operations at Scatterlings Conference & Events

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APOA Marketing Manager Jane Padayachee welcomed guests and introduced the 2018 Convention theme, “The future we create. Imagine the possibilities”. She then handed over to Charlene Thlabane from Scatterlings Conference & Events, who highlighted the various exhibition packages available, and assisted delegates with concept ideas on how they could incorporate the Convention theme into their stands.

Delegates got the opportunity to ask questions, and provide constructive criticism and suggestions on what worked at last year’s Convention and what SAPOA could do to improve for this year. It was a fruitful morning of discussion and networking.

Registration for the 2018 SAPOA Annual Convention & Property Exhibition is now open. The Convention will take place at the Durban International Convention Centre from 19 to 21 June.

Companies that would like to exhibit and participate in the Convention can visit www.sapoa.org. za/convention/exhibitors/exhibitioninformation for more.

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Thembi Rosenberg from GladAfrica Group

Gail Batchelor from The Creative Axis Architects

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Exhibitors at the breakfast

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off the wall

Living down the drain At a recent design exhibition in Hong Kong, architectural firm James Law Cybertecture unveiled a cosy micro-home: a five-metre-long tube with a diameter of 2,1 metres. This “water-pipe” home could be the answer to many inner-city housing problems

By Phil Rhuimte

U

nveiled at Hong Kong’s Designinspire exhibition, the OPod features a floor space that covers between nine and 11m2. Each OPod has a fold-out bed, a fridge and a microwave, as well as a small bathroom. Security and access is controlled via your smartphone.

When asked where the idea came from, James Law, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the architectural firm, says he came up with the idea for the OPod while he was on a construction site. “I walked into a concrete water pipe, and I was surprised at how large it was,” he says.

According to an interview on CNN.com, he said, “I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be a really great idea to utilise these leftover concrete water tubes to create vast micro-architecture that could be very low-cost, and also quite interesting for young people in Hong Kong?”

It took the firm one month to develop the idea fully. “We need to live small in Hong Kong because we can’t afford the space,” says Law. “However, it doesn’t mean that we have to live in a squalid or inhuman environment such as subdivided flats or cage homes.”

The OPods cost US$15 350 (R184 000) each to build. Law says that he is able to keep costs low thanks to the water pipes themselves being inexpensive.

The transportable nature of these structures, and the fact that the homes inside them are incredibly easy to assemble, are a bonus.

“Each water pipe can be put on the back of a long truck via a crane, and easily moved from place to place. They pipes are quite heavy – each is about 20 tonnes – but it’s manageable!”

To read more about this and to view the original article, search “OPod” at CNN.com.

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