The new No 1 Silo office building at Cape Town’s Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront has been awarded a six-star Green Star SA rating by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA).
The Green Star SA rating system was established by the GBCSA in 2008 with the aim of evaluating the potential environmental performance of buildings.
The No 1 Silo office development was South Africa’s largest green office building, the second building to be awarded a six-star green rating in the country and the first in the Western Cape.
“We have adopted a rigorous approach to green construction and sustainable design principles, and the efficient use of natural and energy resources,” V&A Waterfront CEO David Green said.
The No 1 Silo development was currently under construction and due for completion in June. Among its environment-friendly features was the use of seawater from the Atlantic Ocean, which would be used to reject waste heat from the cooling plant and allow for significant potable water savings, while improving overall energy efficiency.
To further save drinkable water, a grey water system had been installed, which would collect and treat wastewater from hand washbasins and showers to be reused in the toilets.
Another key innovation of the building was the double-glazed, double-skin and high-performance façade that reduced solar heat gain, while maximising the natural light penetration into the building.
The underfloor mechanical air-conditioning system supplied cool fresh air from the raised floor, which then absorbed warmth as it rose and extracted at ceiling level, thereby effectively preventing the build-up of pollutants.
To add to its energy-saving abilities, No 1 Silo had been equipped with an efficient and environment-friendly lighting system, with highly efficient fittings having been selected. In addition, an intelligent individual addressable lighting system, fitted with appropriate sensors, would ensure lights were on only when needed.
The building was constructed using 60% less concrete compared with its conventional counterparts and Forest Stewardship Council-certified timber was being used, which had been procured from environmentally sustainable and ethical sources.
Further, more than 70% of all waste generated on site would be recycled.
Meanwhile, the V&A Waterfront was upgraded to a gold-level recipient of the global eco-labelling and rating system, the Heritage Environmental Rating Programme, in December. This followed the waterfront receiving the 2012 Eskom eta Award for energy efficiency in the commercial category, as well as the 2012 Energy Efficiency Forum Awards for commercial buildings in November.
“We are committed to ensuring our environmental and sustainability measures and initiatives are at the forefront of all our business practices. This is core to our business ethos and ensures we remain the benchmark for world-class waterfront developments,” Green stated.