Environmental solutions firm invests in green campus
Environmental solutions company I-Cat started construction work on its R22-million, 1 949 m2 environmentally sustainable office and warehouse facility, commissioned by I-CAT Environmental Solutions, at a launch event in October.
The new sustainable I-CAT campus, which is being developed at the N4 Gateway Park, in Pretoria, will feature a 914 m2 office building and a 1 035 m2 warehouse.
Architect firm Earthworld Architects designed the building by incorporating three pillars of sustainability, including environmental resilience, economic demands and social sustainability.
Architect Rudie Botha said at the event that, when designing the building, it was important to understand the local climate and the type of structure as well as its occupants.
“The design of the building in relation to the local climate and environment can have a significant impact on the energy consumption of the building,” he explained, adding that the building is being designed to use as little energy as possible.
All materials that are used in the construction of the building have been locally sourced, thereby reducing the energy needed to get them to site.
“The orientation of the building places the offices closer to the northern side of the building to ensure greater solar access during winter, while the specially designed roof and overhang will reduce solar gain during the summer months,” he added.
Shading devices will be implemented on the northern, eastern and western sides of the building to limit direct sunlight and natural light will still be used during the day, in addition to solar power.
“If the natural light during the day is not sufficient in terms of light levels, the artificial lighting will automatically be switched on,” Botha noted.
In addition to solar power, water in the offices and the showers in the warehouse will be solar heated to reduce energy consumption. To reduce water consumption, rainwater will be harvested from the roof and stored in a tank, which will be used in the landscaping around the building. The harvested rainwater will be further filtered and purified allowing it to be used in the water cisterns.
When designing the building, Botha explained that the overall level of comfort was considered, noting that this encompassed thermal comfort, visual comfort, acoustical comfort and comfort of air quality, and that several systems were designed to ensure improved occupant comfort at all times.
In the summer months, the building will be nocturnally ventilated. This will happen in the early hours of the morning, allowing the internal temperature to drop. The fresh air will then be contained for as long as possible. Once the temperature inside the building gets too high, the windows at the top of the building will automatically open, allowing the hot air to escape.
To maintain the thermal comfort of the occupants, the building will make use of a small inverter air conditioning system which will run from solar power. When the temperature in the office drops below or rises above the comfort level, the air conditioning system will automatically activate to get the temperature back to the thermal comfort level.
The building also features a courtyard at its southern end. Botha points out that this creates a light environment which will draw cool air into the building. Both buildings have been designed with an open-plan layout that can be divided into smaller sections if needed.
“The interior of the office building will be designed to be used as a large open-plan office, or to divide it into smaller offices in the future. “The warehouse features a column-free design, with supporting columns only along the perimeter of the warehouse. This leaves the interior of the warehouse free to be adjusted and changed to suit future needs,” Botha concluded.
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