Design trends and projects • Steel and wood trusses • Products for high traffic zones

IN THIS ISSUE: Shop construction with ceramic tiles

VOL 12.5 JULY/AUGUST 2011 R38 incl. VAT

WINNER: SAPOA Property

Publication of the year

2010

Agrob Buchtal is part of the Deutsche Steinzeug Cremer & Breuer AG group, and also a famous German brand that offers a full range of ceramic tiles for all residential and architectural purposes. In this month’s issue we look at Agrob Buchtal’s shop construction with ceramic tiles. We also discuss their tile creations, innovations and classics as well as their great flexibility concerning tailor made products.

Find out more about Agrob Buchtal on page

ContentsVolume 12 • Number 5 • 2011

RegulaRs|| SHOPFRONT08 New clean colorbond TM

|| CONCEPTS & VISIONS10 The Seed Cathedral

|| GREEN DESIGN12 My ‘Big 5’ ideas for sustainable design

|| TECH SaVVy100 A guttering company meets

exceptional designs

|| aRCHITECTIVES104 Bursary opportunity available

FeaTuRes|| CEMENT aND aDMIXTURES16 Green cement and adhesives

32 Incorporate style into your home

|| MODERN HOUSING40 Modern housing trends

48 Compact housing trends

52 Silver-ion technology

|| ROOFING SySTEMS60 Corrosion in roof sheeting

76 White Roofs

80 Waterproofing of Bestmed building

|| SHOPPING CENTRES82 South Africa’s shopping centres

88 Earth-retaining solutions

94 The new material for facade treatment

Agrob buchtAl It was the first time that AGROB BUCHTAL had a stand of its own at the Euroshop in Düsseldorf. This premier could not possibly have gone any better as the target group who comprised of shop designers and architects was particularly impressed by company’s fair trade concept.

The display not only showcased the current new products offered by ceramic tile specialists, but also the actual stand design which demonstrated how these ranges can

be implemented in practice. The stand was almost 30 square meters in size and was presented as a modern boutique thereby drawing a close association to one of the contributions to the Tile Awards 2010.

The original design was penned by Philipp Herrich at Stellwerk in Dresden. The display’s theme was implemented in an exciting manner on the wall and floor using the REFLEX range of tiles by AGROB BUCHTAL. These specific tiles are attributed a material, almost textural haptic and look by the finely-patterned surface. They display a layer-like structure which is attributed a patina thanks to the subtle interlay by colours, textures and varying degrees of gloss.

Roger SkudderAgrob Buchtal

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M U LT I P L E AWA R D W I N N I N G P U B L I C AT I O N

TRade CommenT

Design trends and projects • Steel and wood trusses • Products for high traffic zones

IN THIS ISSUE: Shop construction with ceramic tiles

VOL 12.5 JULY/AUGUST 2011 R38 incl. VAT

WINNER: SAPOA Property

Publication of the year

2010

on The CoveR

PRODUCT & trade INfO

ONLINE fOR

freewww.mediainafrica.co.za

vol 12.5

PUBLIshER:Media in Africa (Pty) Ltdwww.mediainafrica.co.za

CONTACT INfORMATION: International: Tel +27 12 347 7530 • Fax +27 12 347 7523

E-mail walls@mediainafrica.co.zaPO Box 25260, Monument Park, 0105, Republic of South Africa

First Floor, Unit G, Castle Walk Corporate ParkCnr Nossob & Swakop Streets, Erasmuskloof Ext. 3

ThE WALLs & ROOfs TEAM:Editor: Marlene van Rooyen – 083 327 3746

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Reproduction & Printing: Business Print Centre

WALLs & ROOfs focusses on the aesthetics of walls and roofs and

technicalities pertaining to the aesthetics. Readers are welcome to contact

us for any information. WALLs & ROOfs is published six weekly by

Media in Africa (Pty) Ltd. The views expressed by contributors are not

necessarily those of the editor or publisher. We accept no responsibility

for the accuracy of information published.

INsPIRED ARChITECTUREIf you know me, you would know that I am the complete opposite of naïve,

but at times, design and architecture simply humbles me.

One such example which I found beautiful in its simplicity, yet ingenious in

its creativity, is the Seed Cathedral that was created for the Shanghai World

Expo 2010. The 6000 m² cathedral was designed as the UK pavilion for the

expo and featured 60 000 transparent rods housing optic fibre lights and

plants seeds. Although it looks like a pin cushion from the outside, the

simplicity masks a complex design and waterproofing structure beneath.

This is one of my pet loves. I get goose bumps just telling people about this

extraordinary building.

See more in our Concepts & Visions section from page 10.

roofing And corrosionHi spec roofing is becoming a necessity, whether at the coast or inland.

Choosing durable roof covering is essential in sustainable design and in

determining the quality of buildings. A beautiful roof however, might have

a hidden cancer, slowly eating away at it and which will greatly influence

both the performance of the roof and its longevity. Specifying the incorrect

roofing system can serve up its own challenges. In this issue, we examine

the most suitable coatings for roof sheeting and fasteners in various

environments.

Read more about the requirements for roof fasteners and the local

standards on page 60.

We are very interested in hearing about exciting projects you are working

on: we’d love to feature them. Email me on: marlene@mediainafrica.co.za.

Marlene van Rooyen

InsIghTs FRom The edIToR

WINNER: SaPOa Property Publication of the year. fINALIsT: PICa awards 2010

Get the latest PRODUCT & TRADE INfO

ONLINE fOR freewww.mediainafrica.co.za

MULTIPLE AWARD WINNING PUBLICATION

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At the Intersolar trade fair held in Munich, Germany, recently, Schott Solar and BASF presented a new roof-integrated photovoltaic concept based on the Schott Advance Series.

NEW photovoltaic double-glazing module

The concept employs only two parts: a specially developed, multi-functional pan made from the BASF resin Ultramid B High Speed, and a frameless double-

glazed module from Schott. The product has been designed for large roof areas on industrial or agricultural buildings and is very light and easy to install.

The roof-integrated lightweight plastic pan is a one-piece plastic pan that can be installed directly onto the roof substructure of a building in place of conventional roofing, and it combines several functions and employs a new fastening method.

tool-free instAllAtion of the PV moduleAfter the plastic pan has been fastened to the roof substructure at four points, the only remaining step is to insert the rugged double-glazed module into the pan’s precision mounting system and secure it in position by means of an integrated latch.

The PV module from the Schott Protect Series employs proven double-glazing technology for reliable protection against rain, hail and other adverse weather conditions.

To ensure safe handling of the double-glazed module, handles that are also made from Ultramid are provided on the back. This makes the PV module easy to carry, place emphasis on the integrated support edges of the plastic pan and simultaneously secure it at all four attachment points quickly and without the need for tools, by sliding the module into the latching mechanism on the pan (click and go).

The new bayonet connection and screw-free attachment to the pan also provide automatic tolerance compensation. The pan itself is stackable, thus minimising shipping volume.

rAin chAnnels, bAck VentilAtion And cAble chAnnels includedChannels integrated into the pan ensure that rainwater drains away easily. Additional channels in the pan’s structure facilitate the installation of electrical cables. Thanks to the large opening in the centre of the pan, the plastic part of the 1,7m² photovoltaic module weighs only 8kg and has adequate back ventilation.

As with a classical roof tile, specially-designed edges permit overlapping with adjacent modules, providing further protection against rain.

PlAstic And PArt designThe approximately 1,2m x 2,0m plastic pan presented a challenge for the engineering resin (polyamide) and the part design: the long flow paths and sometimes thin walls require an easy-flowing resin in order to produce the part by means of conventional injection moulding.

For this reason, the application development engineers at BASF recommended Ultramid B High Speed, one of the new especially easy-flowing grades in the polyamide 6 range. The good flow characteristics of the resin, in conjunction with the opening in the pan, also help to reduce manufacturing costs: it can be processed on injection-moulding machines with a lower clamping force.

An additional benefit of the special Ultramid grade for this part is its toughness. To withstand the strong solar radiation, the resin must furthermore exhibit high strength, even at elevated temperatures, as well as exceptional UV resistance and resistance to weathering.

In terms of fire behaviour, Ultramid B High Speed satisfies the criteria required for such construction applications (material class B2).

doubly beneficiAl PV moduleThe dimensions of the double-glazed PV module, which has been designed for large roof areas, combine exceptionally good product characteristics with a high efficiency per unit area. The integrative solution ensures a considerable reduction in the number of steps necessary for installation. Working direction during roofing is left to the roofer.

The ease of handling provided by the built-in handles permits the use of frameless double-glazed modules, thereby preventing the accumulation of dirt on the surface.

Anyone seeking more information should visit the websites at www.schottsolar.de and www.ultramid.de.

BASF Holdings South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Tel: 011 203 2422 Fax 011 203 2430 E-mail: petra.bezuidenhout@basf.comWebsite: www.basf.co.za • www.autospec.com

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ARCELOR MITTAL

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ARCELOR MITTAL

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Clean COLORBOND™ steel – a firm favourite for many years – continues to set new performance benchmarks. Marketed in this country by BlueScope Steel Southern Africa, the latest innovation is an innovative pre-painted coating technology that has been proven to keep roofs cooler and has greater appearance retention than ever before.

The ability to keep roofs cooler is maintained by using infrared technology to reflect heat away from the roof surface, and Clean COLORBOND™ steel provides

buildings that last longer through enhanced chalk-resistance properties that offer a higher resistance level to paint breakdown, which often happens in hot climates.

Extensive exposure testing has proven that the topcoat provided by the advanced paint system enables Clean COLORBOND™ steel to deliver a film erosion rate that is significantly lower than before, which ensures that buildings that have these roofs and cladding installed enjoy an even longer lifespan and increased durability.Clean COLORBOND™ steel is also provided with a gloss-retention coat that protects the sheen of the brand new roof, and keeps it in a pristine condition for longer.

The innovative usage of infrared technology in the coating maximises the reflection of solar heat radiation away from the roof surface, thus providing a reduction in roof sheet temperature for both insulated and uninsulated roofs, which means that less heat is radiated downwards into the interior of the building, which is kept cooler.

Clean COLORBOND™ steel also provides excellent dirt resistance – outperforming conventional pre-painted steel significantly. In fact, this paint system prevents dirt from bonding onto the surface, which means that any dirt particles remaining on the surface remain loose and can be washed away easily during rainfall.

Finally, this exemplary roofing and cladding system is available in a wide range of colours that will suit any environment, rural or urban, in providing strong traditional colours such as HERITAGE RED and COLONIAL GREEN to earthy colours, and colours that will keep the building cool in hot African conditions – such as OFF-WHITE.

New Clean COLORBOND™ steel colours launched in SA

exciting new colours thAt now suPPlement the cleAn colorbond™ steel rAnge AZ150 Are:

JASPER•

HERITAGE RED•

DUNE•

SHALE GREY•

DEEP OCEAN•

PALE EUCALYPT•

BUSHLAND•

LOFT•

An additional colour, SAHARA SANDS, now compliments the Clean COLORBOND™ ULTRA steel range. This range may be used from 100 metres of the breaking surf, or under industrial fallout conditions.

Clean COLORBOND™ steel offers up to four times greater corrosion performance than prepainted galvanised steel in a similar environment.

BlueScope Steel Southern Africa (Pty) LtdTel: 021 442 5420Email: wayne.miller@bluescopesteel.comWebsite: www.bluescopesteel.co.za www.autospec.com

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Use the new Fluke 381, a new clamp meter with a detachable remote control to do the job quicker and easier. Fluke, global leader in hand-held electronic test and measurement, developed this new clamp meter which allows one person to do a job that previously required two people. Clip the device around a conductor, remove the display and walk up to 10m away to operate controls, while getting real-time readings. The Fluke 381 is designed to be hand-held while wearing protective equipment.

The measurement capability statistics of the device is: 1 000 A ac and dc current measurement with fixed jaw, 2 500 A ac current measurement with iFlex™, 1 000 V ac and dc voltage measurement, true-RMS ac voltage and current for measurements on non-linear signals, frequency measurement to 500 Hz with both jaw and iFlex™, 60 kΩ resistance measurement with continuity detection and minimum, max, average and inrush recording to capture variations automatically.

Comtest Distribution (accredited Southern African partner to Fluke)Tel: 011 608 8520E-mail: info@comtest.co.za Website: www.comtest.co.za

HaNDHElD EqUIPMENT REDESIGNED

A new clamp meter design with a detachable remote control allows one person to do a job that previously required two people.

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The structure stood where it was built, at a cost of £25-million, at the expo. The 6 000m² Pavilion used 60 000 transparent rods – each 7,5m long – that gently

quiver with each passing breeze. The internal wood and steel supporting structure was pierced with 60 000 holes for each of the aluminium sleeves that hold the fibre-optic rods.

The rods act like fibre-optic filaments that draw sunlight in to light the interior during the day. At night, light sources at the bases of each of the rods set the entire structure aglow. The tip of each rod contains tiny seeds from the Millennium Seed Bank, an international conservation project for which the Pavilion hopes to raise awareness.

Heatherwick Studio explained that the holes in the 1m-thick wood diaphragm structure forming the visitor space inside the Seed Cathedral were drilled with great geometric accuracy to ensure precise placement of the aluminium sleeves through which the optic-fibre filaments are inserted. This was achieved using 3D computer modelling data, fed into a computer-controlled milling machine.

Heatherwick Studio describes its approach as engaging “meaningfully with the Shanghai Expo’s theme, ‘Better City, Better Life’, and standing out from the anticipated trend for

technology-driven pavilions, filled with audio-visual content on screens, projections and speakers”.

meeting key exPectAtionsHeatherwick Studio’s initial design for the UK Pavilion established three main goals to meet the key expectation of becoming one of the five most popular attractions at the expo.

The first aim was to design a pavilion whose architecture was a direct demonstration of what it was exhibiting. The second aim was to ensure a significant area of open public space around it so that visitors could relax and choose either to enter the pavilion building, or to see it clearly from a calm, non-queuing vantage point. And thirdly, it would be unique among the hundreds of other competing pavilions, events and programmes.

The Chinese public have nicknamed the pavilion “Pu Gong Ying”, which translates as “The Dandelion”.

“After the expo, just as dandelion seeds are blown away and disperse in the breeze, the Seed Cathedral’s 60 000 optic hairs, each one containing the huge potential of life, will be distributed across China and the UK to hundreds of schools as a special legacy of the UK Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo.”

The tip of each rod contains tiny seeds from the Millennium Seed Bank. Lead designer: Heatherwick Studio, Key construction materials: steel and timber composite structure, 60 000 fibre optic filaments, aluminium sleeves, Site area: 6 000m², Seed Cathedral dimensions: 25m x 25m x 20m, Seed Cathedral floor area: 105m². Source: www.lucitelux.com

The seed CathedralThe UK Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010, widely known as the Seed Cathedral, was a sculpture structure built by a nine-member conglomeration of British business and government resources, directed by the designer Thomas Heatherwick. It referenced the race to save seeds from around the world in tanks, and housed 60 000 plant seeds at the end of acrylic rods, held in place by geometrically cut holds with the rods inserted therein. The cathedral’s architecture was an elaboration of Heatherwick’s 2003 work of the Sitooerie II in Essex, United Kingdom.

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The UK Pavilion (a.k.a the Seed Cathedral) at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. Seeds in Seed Cathedral: 217 300.Source: Red6hosting.com

The project scooped the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) prestigious RIBA Lubetkin Prize for the most outstanding work of international architecture by a RIBA member.

“The RIBA Lubetkin Prize is an important prize as it epitomises how international the business of architecture is,” said Ruth Reed, the RIBA Lubetkin Prize jury chair and RIBA President. “Many architects are as well-known for their overseas work as they are for what they have done in their own country and in some cases, more so. This year’s shortlist represents some of the most innovative architecture of the decade – so picking a winner was more difficult than ever. Congratulations to Heatherwick Studio for their first Lubetkin win with an outstanding emblem for Britain and its architecture amongst its peers in Shanghai. We would also like to extend our thanks once again to UK Trade and Investment for supporting the award.” For more information, visit www.heatherwick.com, to which full thanks and acknowledgement is given.

Lead designer: Heatherwick Studio Key construction materials: steel and timber composite structure, 60 000 fibre optic filaments, aluminium sleeves site area: 6 000m² seed Cathedral dimensions: 25m x 25m x 20m seed Cathedral floor area: 105m² Optic fibres: 60 588 Optic fibres length: 7,5m seeds in seed Cathedral: 217 300 Landscape area: 4 490m² Public park area: 2 405m² Accommodation area: 1 525m² Exhibition area: 1 280m²

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Optic fibres: 60 588. Optic fibres length: 7,5m.

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Our work is already becoming increasingly scientific, calculated, and dependent on technology and virtual communication networks. Our ability to deliver value

to clients will increase: we will be more necessary and more needed as a community of professionals.

Our professional work and the information we process in our businesses will deal more often with concrete issues, with empirical data, with performance measures, with material questions and with measurable things. We will, as a profession, be faced with more complex decisions that we will be paid to make on behalf of our clients and the end-user communities we also work for.

the missing link in the sustAinAbility debAteThere is a “missing link” that is easily and conveniently overlooked in the sustainability debate as it applies to architectural practice: the daily business process of making discretionary decisions about buildings and communicating these decisions. I believe that the value we add to the world will increasingly be defined by the questions we ask. These, in turn, are informed directly by the values we hold and the opinions we have. Our work will be validated less by the aesthetic qualities of our buildings, and more by the ethical principles that underpin our conduct as professionals in our working world.

I have identified five ideas/values/attitudes that I believe should form part of our own understanding and participation in the sustainable design debate. I think that if we get comfortable with these ideas, turn them into values that we hold and believe in, and act them out with an attitude that informs our work and our relationship with others in our working world, we will add more value and be more valued as architects.

My BIG fIVE IDEAs ARE: the future There is a long history of architects being connected to “the future”. We are the purveyors of visions, the creators of dreams. People have eternally been coming to architects to obtain a picture of what the future could be like. Sometimes, these visions remain visionary and sometimes these visions are built.

Architecture forms the backdrop to all heroic depictions of the future. At a fundamental level, architects should be connected to the future. As South Africans, we are particularly challenged in the relationship we have to the future. I have a personal theory that, back in 1994, the average South African had a “future horizon” of about six months. By 1999, this horizon had crept outwards to perhaps two years. By 2004, it had become a possible hazy guesstimate territory of perhaps three years. Now, in 2011, I have a sense that South Africans, on average, have a future horizon of about five years.

More and more, the world is expecting us to provide answers and solutions to its challenges in a future horizon that is of the order of magnitude of 30, 50, 100 or more years. I firmly believe that there is hardly a South African that can conceive of the idea of a future that has a dimension of 100 years. This is partly due to the fact that as a nation and a

My ‘Big 5’ ideas for sustainable designBy Henning Rasmuss

All of us, whether we are architects or not, have a choice: to continue interfacing with the world in the way we have become accustomed to, or to reinvent our way through the world by trying new and sometimes irrational ways of doing things.

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community, we have finally advanced to the point where we acknowledge that we should have a problematic relationship to our history, stretching back 6 months, two years, three years, five years, or 30, 50 or 100 years.

Our conflicting relationship with the past and the future is a positive thing, and we should learn not to be afraid of the future. We need to learn to love the future as an idea, and to be aware that we need to think of it as a real dimension in our work, our life, our community, our country.

PeoPle As A resource In the recent past, most of us have gotten used to being aware of material things as “resources”. We have learnt to speak of the sustainable use of resources and to think a bit more critically about what we choose to command to be at our disposal in terms of what we choose to consume. We realise now that things like electricity do not come out of a wall socket, but that there are complicated supply chains with large environmental impact behind a simple thing like switching on a light bulb.

We think of steel, wood, cement, glass, aluminium and stone as resources. And we talk of

making better buildings in a globalised world. About two

years ago, I was fortunate enough to visit

Kuwait, where the

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compression ring of the Cape Town Stadium’s roof was made. Here, in abject conditions of heat and dust, Pakistani labourers worked for a wage of a dollar a day, three meals per day and one return flight home per year. Their living conditions and space standards were worse than these provided in apartheid-era mineworkers’ hostels.

If we are going to move forward into a more whole and more equitable future, I believe that we have both a right and an obligation to ask uncomfortable questions about the whole production chain of the materials we use. Because who makes something, and under what working conditions, is as important as how dirty the production process is. We cannot think of buildings as being “green” without thinking about the people who make these resources. We need to think of these people as something precious and irreplaceable.

And this applies not just to the building sites we work on for clients, but in equal measure to our own offices, where we employ architects to work on the designs. Exploitation of people is just as detrimental to the future of our industry, and exploitation of resources is detrimental to the future of our planet.

choice is luxury We have been coerced, mainly by technology, into believing that the world is a global village and that everything is very close and very accessible. In the perverse landscape invented around the invented city of Dubai, there is even a place called Global Village, one of a never-ending series of themed escapist compounds in the dreadfulness of Dubai’s cultural context.

The global village is one of the prime capitalist myths, and many of us have learnt to consume the world as if we had a right to all of it. This is a fundamental flaw of thinking. We do not have the right to consume the entire world and all it has to offer. We do not have the universal right of access to all places and all they have to offer. Not in a world that is becoming more polarised, more unequal and more discriminatory.

Going forward, we need to sharpen our senses to the fact that choice is an immense luxury. It is not difficult to do: try to imagine away the discretionary choices you have made for yourself, as an individual, and imagine yourself having had no choice. No concept of choice. No power of choice. No information to make choices. No system to deliver the knowledge. The world unravels pretty fast when you picture going down this road.

Why is this pertinent for us as designers or architects? Quite simply because of this: others pay us to make choices on their behalf. They trust us to be their arbiters and advisors in question of choice. Yes or no. Up or down. High or low. Wide or narrow. Bright or dark. Transparent or solid. Inviting or defensive. So if one set of people in society should understand the moral burden of the concept of choice, and the extent of the freedom with which choice is acted out on the material world, it should be us as designers and architects.

innoVAtionWe have been brought up to think of innovation as residing in high-tech industries, as something driven by billion-dollar R&D budgets. We think that innovation is about making gadgets, or about making new things out of new materials or for new uses. Like the face-recognition water faucet that adjusts your bath water temperature to your personal profile, to the transparent glass-sided toaster: the list of devices is endless.

Perhaps we like to think that “different” is the same as “new”

or in fact that “new” must be “different”, and therefore project some kind of value of desire into rather ordinary objects. The real question, going forward, is: how much value is there really in reinventing the proverbial wheel? And is the reinvention worth the material and ecological cost? Or more directly, for designers: how much of our life force and creative energy is spent on pointless work that may appear to be different, but does not make the world a better place? These are questions that will perhaps become central to how we are educated, how we think and how we act.

Around us are great inventive examples of how everyday objects are transformed by combination, adaptation and subversion into other types of everyday objects. The image of a Chinese mechanised street-sweeping machine using traditional grass brooms tied to a gear-driven wheelbase capsule is a case in point.

The question is truly how much energy and resources need to be invested to achieve confounding simple goals. Perhaps adaptation and subversion could become central techniques of enquiry in design education for the future.

the Point of resistAnce It is my considered personal opinion that our ability to function as designers, and our value to wider society as designers, is grounded in the extent to which we can develop, hold and continually evolve a personal set of ethical standards. This is becoming, quite simply, a matter of survival in a complicated world.

I believe that design is about making choices all day, every day. The responsibility that comes with the practice of design is about how we apply the luxury of choice for the benefit of the largest number of participants in our world.

Are we going to make the world a better place if we do not know how to guide our own actions? This is unlikely.

The day-to-day issue is this: our cheese is being moved. Every day. By everyone in our industry. For all sorts of reasons. Our ethical standards will be challenged, but this is what they were made for.

One of my favourite instruments in the world is a penetrometer. It is used in various industries to determine the physical limits of materials, at the point of refusal: normally, the point at which a material cannot be easily compressed further.

The point of refusal is one of these things that we all need. We need to understand how far we are prepared to be pushed on any issue at any given time. And as designers or architects, we need to know when we refuse to be pushed further.

In essence, each of us needs to develop our own personal penetrometer, which can give us a gauge for the limits of negotiation and compromise. Where values rub up against each other, decision-making becomes really interesting. That is my fervent belief.

So with this in mind, and with the Big Five attitudes forming our horizon, we can engage with a designed future that is complex, challenging, shifting, beautiful, contested and filled with tough but rewarding decisions to make. All we need is a good toolbox in our hearts and minds. Or better still, our souls.

This article was presented by Henning Rasmus at the 2011 Corobrik Student Architecture Awards. Walls & Roofs would like to give thanks and acknowledgement for contributing this insightful piece to the magazine.

Continued from page 13

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A green lease is seen to be the future of lease agreements in South Africa and something that both SA tenants

and landlords are increasingly demanding, according to recent research conducted by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) and the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA)).

According to Bruce Kerswill, executive chairman of the GBCSA, a green lease lays out certain contractual lease obligations between a landlord and a tenant of a building that require or encourage the adoption of environmentally-friendly practices.

“Although green leases are rapidly becoming the norm in countries such as Australia and the United States, they are a relatively new concept in South Africa. The GBCSA is working with SAPOA to develop a guide to green leasing with recommendations and guidelines that will allow owners and occupiers of buildings to draw up green leases.”

There are a number of factors driving the introduction of green leases in South Africa: Tenants are increasingly demanding green buildings as they provide a healthier and more productive indoor environment. They also reduce the consumption of energy and other resources, which is becoming more and more important. The green lease can be used by tenants to ensure that the space meets these requirements.

From the landlord’s side, if tenants don’t buy into the concept of a green building, their behaviour can defeat the purpose of the building – especially in areas like energy and water usage, recycling schemes and so forth.

According to Kerswill, the rapidly increasing interest in green buildings is leading to developers building sophisticated Green Star SA-rated buildings, which improve performance and access a range of environmental indicators – and green leases, which set out the responsibilities of each party, are a way of measuring and maintaining this performance and dealing with cost issues, and therefore make sense in such buildings.

“A green lease can ensure that a building which is designed to be sustainable is operated in a sustainable way,” says Kerswill.

“What’s more, property-owners will be under pressure to improve the energy performance of their buildings as more and more SA tenants want to lower their energy costs, as well as reduce their carbon footprints.

“Green leases are also being seen as a way of attracting tenants. Nearly 80% of our waking time is spent at work and there are indications that green buildings are better for overall health, wellbeing and productivity. Companies are also seeing green buildings as a way of attracting high-level staff. “Green buildings offering green leases will ultimately attract and retain tenants for longer periods and at optimal rentals. Additionally, green leases can ensure that tenants and landlords both benefit from the cumulative reduction in operating expenses of a green building. Accordingly, green leases are generally collaborative, with both parties committing to certain obligations,” says Kerswill.

The GBCSA recognised the need for a new approach to leasing

back in 2009 by introducing the green lease credit in the Green Star SA – Retail Centre tool (a tool which facilitates the rating of a new green building), which incentivises and rewards property-owners who draw up a green lease with their tenants.

whAt is in A green leAse?“Some examples of a landlord’s obligations as contained in a green lease may be to measure and report on the energy and water consumption of each tenant separately, to provide certified evidence that all building elements and systems are installed and operated with maximum efficiency, to prohibit the use of ozone depleting gases in air-conditioning systems, to ensure that dedicated recycling facilities are easily accessible, to monitor and adjust air-conditioning levels to reduce energy usage and to provide appropriate numbers of bicycle storage and changing rooms.

“Examples of a tenant’s obligations might include monitoring good levels of indoor air quality and ventilation efficiency, ensuring that their office fit-out avoids the usage of toxic materials, uses recycled materials and energy-efficient office equipment, and that they recycle in accordance with the building’s waste management and recycling policy,” says Kerswill.

Other examples may be for landlords and tenants to mutually establish an environmentally-friendly purchasing policy covering ongoing consumables, such as paper, office supplies, printer cartridges, cleaning chemicals and other low-cost items that are regularly used and replaced through the course of business.

The structure of a green lease is one that motivates all the parties involved to invest, operate and work in a building in the most environmentally and socially responsible manner. All parties stand to benefit and it is vital for landlords and tenants to adopt co-operative approaches and to work together to address the issue of reducing their carbon footprint.

“The GBCSA and SAPOA are responding to demand from their members for guidance on green leasing that is practical and understandable, and so we have set up a working group of members that are jointly developing a guide to green leasing. We are very excited to see the results of these efforts and anticipate an informative document that will take South Africa forward towards global best practice in terms of green leasing,” concludes Kerswill.

GBCSA Tel: 021 659 5990E-mail: info@gbcsa.org.za Website: www.gbcsa.org.za

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exPAnding the sustAinAbility of cement in constructionCement is an important construction ingredient produced in virtually all countries. This ingredient, however, comes at a cost. Cement production accounts for about 4% of the global total CO2 emissions – about half of it from calcination and half from combustion processes. Besides the greenhouse gas emissions, cement production is also a highly energy-intensive production process (energy consumption by the cement industry is estimated at about 2% of the global primary energy consumption and almost 5% of the total global industrial energy consumption).

According to Industrial Energy Analysis (www.industry-energy.lbl.gov), the estimated total carbon emissions from cement production in 1994 were 307-million metric tons of carbon (MtC), 160 MtC from process carbon emissions and 147 MtC from energy usage. Overall, the top 10 cement-producing countries in 1994 accounted for 63% of the global carbon emissions from cement production.

new cement industry figures show co2 reductionLast year, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) showed a reduction in CO2 emissions intensity per tonne of cement produced. Data made available by 46 companies, with over 900 production facilities globally, show a 3,8% reduction in specific net CO2 emissions since 2005 and a 14,3% reduction since 1990.

“The figures are encouraging because they demonstrate that modern blending methods, alternative fuels and the improved energy-efficiency of new cement kilns are providing a reduction in the amount of CO2 emitted per tonne of cement produced,” says the WBCSD.

According to the CSI, the most important aspects of the findings are the specific, not absolute, reduction. “Building and infrastructure projects, particularly in developing countries, will continue to increase demand for concrete – of which cement is the key ingredient. Independent predictions show that this demand will see cement production almost double in the next 20 years,” explained Dr Howard Klee, programme director at the CSI.

China, which is responsible for almost 50% of the cement produced globally, has reduced net emissions significantly, thanks to an ongoing programme of kiln replacement. “The technologies used in the region for building new cement plants are now among the most advanced in the world,” says Klee.

“In South Africa, the cement industry is active in reducing energy consumption and in particular in reducing the amount of non-renewable fossil fuels through the introduction of modern technology and equipment. This includes the use of alternative fuels and resources. The introduction of waste tyres in current kilns will also address the sustainable management of used tyres,” says Adéle de Lange, human settlements technical marketing consultant of the Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI)

“It is important to bear in mind, however, that structures are not constructed out of cement but rather out of concrete – of which cement is but one ingredient”, De Lange further explains.

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enVironmentAl benefits And life cycle costing “The increasing focus on green practices and energy-efficiency has resulted in the emergence of global ‘greenwashing’ with its inherent unsubstantiated, or misleading, claims about the environmental benefits of products or materials. As a result, it has become necessary to delve deeper into the manufacturing processes of materials to distinguish the truth from fiction in this regard,” says De Lange.

She further explains that the Cement and Concrete Institute commissioned a firm of consultants, InEnergy, to determine the CO2e values for all the ingredients in concrete and ultimately, the concrete itself, within the South African context. The results from this report are available on the C&CI website.

“Any so-called ‘green’ material should be evaluated against its ability to contribute towards the overall sustainable future of South Africa. In order to do that, one needs to consider that true sustainability is the result of a balance between environmental, economic and social factors,” says De Lange.

“As a professional architect, I am infinitely inspired and excited to be a witness to an era where environmental awareness and sustainable construction practices have now moved onto the main agenda on the table. Unfortunately, as a result, ‘green’ has become a very fashionable colour to wear. Consumers should be weary of selecting expensive and complicated high-tech systems over cost-effective conventional methods just for the sake of it being ‘green’, without first having evaluated the long-term added-value benefits and appropriateness of the system within our local South African context. Minor adjustments and innovations to the traditional way of doing things, such as incorporating recycled aggregates into the manufacturing of concrete blocks, or filling hollow concrete blocks with insulation, may produce similar or even better results. A truly ‘green’ material or construction method will contribute towards balancing all three tiers of sustainability – environmental, social and economic,” says De Lange.

“The ability to incorporate recycled and industrial by-products into the concrete masonry manufacturing process not only reduces the embodied energy of the units significantly, but also has immense environmental benefits. It decreases the demand for non-renewable resources by reducing the amount of virgin aggregates to be sourced,” continues De Lange.

life-cycle costs“A life-cycle cost analysis is a powerful tool used to make economic decisions for the selection of building materials and design. This analysis is the practice of accounting for all expenditures incurred over the lifetime of a particular structure. Costs at any given time are discounted back to a fixed date, based on assumed rates of inflation and the time value of money. A life-cycle cost is in dollars and is equal to the construction cost plus the present value of future utility, maintenance and replacement costs over the life of the building.” – Concretethinker.com.

Concretethinker.com explains that quite often building designs with the lowest first costs for new construction will require higher maintenance, repair, replacement and energy costs during the building’s life. “Even with their low first cost, these buildings can have a higher life-cycle cost. Conversely, durable materials such as concrete often have a lower life-cycle cost. In the world of selecting the lowest bid, owners need to be made aware of the benefits of a lower life-cycle cost so that specifications require durable building materials such as concrete.”

An LCA of a building includes environmental effects due to:Extraction of materials and fuel used for energy. •

Manufacturing of building components. •

Transportation of materials and components. •

Assembly and construction. •

Operation, including energy consumption, maintenance, repair •

and renovations. Demolition, disposal, recycling and reuse of the building at the •

end of its functional or useful life. A full set of effects includes land usage, resource usage, climate change, health effects, acidification and toxicity.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology developed a building life-cycle cost (BLLC) software programme that provides an economic analysis of capital investments, energy and operating costs of buildings, systems and components. The software includes the means to evaluate costs and benefits of energy conservation and complies with ASTM standards related to building economics and Federal Energy Management Programme requirements.

The service life of building interiors and equipment is often considered to be 30 years, but the average life of the building shell is in the range of 50 to 100 years. Studies that use too short of a service life, for example, 20 years result in too much emphasis on construction materials and not enough on maintenance and operational energy.

Sustainability practitioners advocate that the foundation and shell of new buildings should be designed for a service life of 200 to 300 years. Allowing extra capacity in the columns for extra floors and floor loads, and extra capacity in roofs for roof-top gardens, add to the building’s long-term flexibility (Concretethinker.com).

De Lange comments: “It is inevitably a challenge to marry short-term affordability and severely restricted budgets with the long-term benefits of life-cycle costing. Ultimately, the low-hanging fruit here is specifying affordable, but good quality products and to insist on good quality construction, which will limit maintenance and repair costs over the lifetime of a structure.”

Below: Recycled concrete can be incorporated into the concrete masonry manufacturing process.

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reducing secondAry energy consumPtion“Secondary energy consumption generated by long-distance transport of aggregates from quarries to manufacturing plants can be reduced by using locally available building rubble. At the same time, it eases the pressure on landfill sites by decreasing the amount of rubble and waste material to be transported to, and dumped at, landfill sites. Concrete masonry manufacturing plants also have the unique ability to become zero-waste manufacturing sites by recycling their own manufacturing waste back into the process,” says De Lange.

“The inherent cost-effective, durable and low-maintenance qualities of concrete masonry have long since rendered it the material of choice for the South African context. The labour-intensive nature of concrete block-laying provides the opportunity to create numerous jobs in the unskilled labour market – all of which contributes immensely towards social and economic sustainability,” says De Lange.

thermAl mAssThe Cement & Concrete Institute recently published an informative booklet called “Sustainable Concrete”, which is available as a free publication in electronic format downloadable from their website at www.cnci.org.za or in printed format from their information centre. According to this publication, a combination of three basic properties is required for a material to produce a useful level of thermal mass:

High specific heat capacity – to maximise the heat that can be •

stored per kilogram of material.High density – to maximise the overall weight of the •

material used.Moderate thermal conductivity – so that heat conduction is •

roughly in synchronization with the diurnal heat flow in and out of the building.

Due to concrete’s inherent high density, high specific heat capacity and moderate thermal conductivity, the exposed thermal mass of a concrete structure has the ability to absorb heat or cold, which increases the time lag between peak heating and cooling loads and outside temperatures, allowing the use of off-peak energy as a top-up instead of the primary source.

“This also allows the use of smaller, more efficient heating and cooling equipment, with less energy usage to maintain the same interior temperatures. In urbanised parts of the world, the towns and cities are generally hotter than the surrounding rural areas – this phenomenon is known as the urban heat island effect. The light colour of concrete aids passive climate control by reducing lighting energy consumption as well as the heat island effect in urban areas, which can further aid at combating global warming,” says De Lange.

Trends in cemenTiTious producTsCassandra de Iongh, a marketing assistant at Cemcrete, answered some questions about trends in their industry. “Cementitious products are steadily on the rise to become one of the top modern and trendy materials to be used to finish your home. There is an ongoing demand for cement-based products like Cemcrete’s coatings. Clientele tend to go for sleek finishes with solid, natural tones. In this sense, the furniture, accessories and other finishing touches can change over time, and the base of the space may remain the same. Cement coatings offer clean lines alongside easy maintenance, making them favourable in the market, and a classic trend,” explains De Iongh.

The Cement & Concrete Institute recently published an informative booklet called “Sustainable Concrete”, which is available as a free publication in electronic format downloadable from their website at www.cnci.org.za or in printed format from their information centre.

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cleaning your building’s exteriorsyour no.1ceilspray offers a unique service that is helping a range of clients maintain the appearance of any structure.

Using various methods and chemicals, Ceilspray can clean any type of substrate. The company can also assist you with high access cleaning and maintenance programs.

clean tough exteriors with easeHard-to-clean building exteriors, such as sand stone and other types of surfaces that can’t be cleaned with harsh chemical cleaners, can now easily be cleaned with Cleispray’s Whisperwash Systems. Not only do our high-pressure systems make the process quick and easy – it is also more efficient.

types of surfaces:• Parking garages • Oil stations • Factory floors • Driveways

large surface area coverage: The Whisperwash Systems are able to cover large areas, ranging from 300m to 1000m) at a time, making it your most effective surface cleaning solution.High pressure nozzle: Uncompromised cleaning thanks to an angled, rotating high-pressure nozzle.

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OUTsTANDING CONCRETE sTRUCTUREsThe International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib - fédération internationale du béton) is a non-profit organisation created in 1998 from the merger of the Euro-International Concrete Committee (CEB - Comité Euro-International du Béton) and the International Federation for Prestressing (FIP - Fédération Internationale de la Précontrainte). The fib Awards for Outstanding Concrete Structures demonstrate the versatility of concrete as a structural meeting. Winners of the 2010 Awards for Outstanding Concrete Structures include the following:

IsLAND TOWER sKy CLUB, JAPAN

Owner: • Shinei Jyutaku Corporation.Design Engineer: • Joint venture of Takenaka Corp and Tsukasa Architect Design Co. Ltd. Contractor: • Joint venture of Takenaka Corp and Matsumoto Gumi Corp.Number of stories: • 42 floors on the ground, one basement floor.height: • 145,3m.Total floor area: • 60 831,26m².structural type: • RC (partly SRC, S).structural system: • Moment resisting frame with RC core wall.foundation type: • Steel tube in-situ driven concrete enlarged base piles.Construction period: • June 2006 – August 2008.

Island Tower Sky Club is a 145m-tall, 42-storey super high-rise in Japan. The tower comprises three slender buildings, each with a challenging aspect ratio of seven. It is the world’s first super high-rise condominium with three connected towers. The buildings are connected by three-tiered steel-truss structures incorporating high-strain super-plastic alloy dampers.

Island Tower Sky © fib.epfl.ch

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERy, CANBERRA, AUsTRALIA

The National Portrait Gallery stands inside the Parliamentary Triangle in Canberra, Australia, between the High Court of Australia and the National Gallery of Australia. Designed by Richard Johnson and Graeme Dix of architects Johnson Pilton Walker, the gallery stands largely on one level – on a human scale, like the portraits it displays – and spreads over parkland as a grouping of five interconnected fingers – bays, the architects call them – separated by mighty beams of cast-in-place concrete.

Giant cantilevered concrete blades define the forecourt, which serves both King Edward Terrace and the elevated walkway to the National Gallery. The building combines off-form and precast concrete, terrazzo panels, metal roofs, stone and timber flooring, rich timber accents and relatively plain plaster backdrops for the display of art.

National Portrait Gallery. © fib.epfl.ch

ThIRD MILLENNIUM BRIDGE OVER ThE EBRO RIVER, sPAIN

The Third Millennium Bridge at Zaragoza, Spain, was a showpiece of the city’s Expo 2008 and one of the world’s most amazing bridges. With its elegant complex structure surmounted by a concrete bowstring arch, the €36-million structure by architect Juan Jose Arenas involved a unique feat of hydraulic engineering.

The construction company Dragados used the advanced Enerpac PLC-controlled hydraulic technology to perform the world record in the crown-jacking of the arch of the Third Millennium Bridge (which has a total length of 270m, a 216m span, a 48m-wide deck and a total 68m overall width, including 6 traffic lanes and 2 bicycle lanes. The entire structure is made of high-strength concrete).

Third Millennium Bridge. © fib.epfl.ch Continues on page 22

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INSTITUTE RECOGNIzES INNOVaTION aND EXCEllENCEThe Cement and Concrete Institute (C&CI) honoured the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) with its new award for innovation and excellence in concrete.

SANRAL received the award at the Fulton Awards ceremony in the Drakensberg on 4 June. C&CI is the anchor sponsor of the Concrete Society of Southern Africa’s Fulton Awards. Bryan Perrie, managing director of C&CI, presented the award to Nazir Alli, chief executive of SANRAL.

“SANRAL has consistently promoted, researched, developed and adopted new technologies for concrete construction. It has led by example when it comes to innovation. At a challenging time in terms of technical skills and capacity, SANRAL has been willing to take risks and push the boundaries of concrete construction in new areas,” Perrie says.

He explains that SANRAL made use of ultra-thin, continuously reinforced concrete pavements that are being constructed over significant lengths on SANRAL contracts in Gauteng and the Western Cape. This technology is highly innovative. He says that in terms of economics, pavement life and the reduction of materials for pavement construction, this approach has been very successful.

According to him, SANRAL also stood out when they used performance-based durability specifications for reinforced concrete construction. “Using the South African developed durability-index approach, SANRAL has adopted performance-

based durability specifications in key infrastructure such as bridges and other highway concrete elements.” He says this allowed a genuinely South African innovation to be forced from the laboratory into practice. “This has resulted in a far greater awareness of the need for durability in concrete, and the beginning of a culture of durability in the concrete construction industry.”

Cement and Concrete Institute Tel: 011 315 0500E-mail: info@cnci.org.zaWebsite: www.cnci.org.za

Louw Kannemeyer and Edwin Kruger of SANRAL, Nazir Alli, chief executive officer of SANRAL, and Bryan Perrie, managing director of C&CI, after SANRAL received the new C&CI award for innovation excellence in concrete.

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Walls & Roofs magazine would like to give thanks and acknowledgement to the Cement & Concrete Institute and Cemcrete for their contribution to this article.

sVRATKA RIVER PEDEsTRIAN BRIDGE, CzECh REPUBLIC

The deck of the Svratka River Pedestrian Bridge is formed by a 43,50m-long stress ribbon, supported by a flat arch. Since both the stress ribbon and the arch are fixed in common-end abutments, the structure forms a self-anchored system that stresses footings by vertical forces only.

WADI ABDOUN BRIDGE, JORDAN

A novel “S”-shaped cable stayed bridge in precast segmental concrete with “Y”-shaped towers; the Wadi Abdoun Bridge in Jordan has several advancements in design and application. The form is in response to the available land and the seismic criteria. The deck form comprises edge-box girders with “T”-transverse deck elements.

The towers are twin leafs below the deck to give flexibility and robustness under the seismic loads. The stays pass through saddles at the towers, thus giving a slender tower. The saddles were a unique design developed with the consultant and the stay supplier to ensure that the strands were not locally overstressed.

Svratka River Pedestrian Bridge © fib.epfl.ch

Wadi Abdoun Bridge © fib.epfl.ch

World-class quality concrete is now more accessible to South African contractors in remote locations with PMSA’s introduction

of the Fiori Concrete-Batching Vehicle (CBV), an upgraded version of the highly popular Fiori self-loading mixer, to the local market.

“The Fiori Concrete-Batching Vehicle (CBV) is gaining popularity with its state-of-the-art onboard weighing system, which gives contractors the ability to deliver certifiable concrete batches in rural areas where fixed batching plants are not available,” says PMSA director Walter Ebeling. He points out that the new Fiori CBV range offers increased accuracy and flexibility in the production of certified concrete.

“New technology developed by Fiori has resulted in the CBV being the only mixer in the world capable of producing certified concrete at remote and isolated sites in faster production times, thanks to an advanced weighing system and a state-of-the-art controller, which calculates the precise weight of the aggregates being loaded,” he explains.

The Fiori CBV has a standard USB port, which enables all records of batched concrete to be electronically retrieved. “Fiori has developed a system whereby the operator is provided with a comprehensive overview of what is required for the production cycle. If the incorrect amount of aggregate

is added, a warning light will come on and an alarm will sound to notify the operator. If the operator still loads the incorrect amount in the mixer, an error report will be printed for that batch,” Ebeling continues.

Ebeling adds that the Fiori CBV is extremely manoeuvrable, thanks to three steering mechanisms, namely: standard front wheel for moving forward, crab steering for moving sideways and pinch steering to turn sharp corners.

“The new CBV range has a slump-detection system, which allows the operator to achieve the desired slump for each mix design and a concrete-mixed indicator, which enables the operator to determine the exact homogenous mix,” he says.

Looking at the future, Ebeling believes that the demand for Fiori CBVs will continue to rise, as an increasing number of contractors are required to produce certified concrete before being awarded work on a project.

“Fiori has consistently remained at the forefront of technological innovation and the self-loading system has proven to be an invaluable tool in manufacturing the highest quality concrete, which is becoming an increasingly important prerequisite in modern building and construction,” he concludes.

PMSA Phone: 086 100 7672 E-mail: waltere@panmixers.co.za Website: www.pmsa.com

CERTIFIED CONCRETE MaNUFaCTURED ON SITE IN RECORD TIME

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Projection Plaster

MP75 Projection Plasterfully available in South Africa

are you in the know?

MP75

Call Riaan Alberts - 083 445 3085Email: info@constructionwarehouse.co.zawww.constructionwarehouse.co.za

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introduction to knAuf mP75The aim to build affordably with world-class quality is achieved when trusted international players are involved, such as Knauf and PFT. Knauf and PFT is already for four decades a household name in the plaster and drywall sectors in numerous countries around the world. Since 2009, Knauf has established a footprint in South Africa by bringing alternative building methods right to the doorstep of every building site in the country, making the benefits of years of experience available locally.

whAt is mP75?MP75 projection plaster is a single-coat gypsum plaster that is applied either by hand or spray-on technology. This material is due to its properties sprayed directly onto walls and ceilings without the need of a bonding liquid. MP75 dries out in 24 hours and is paint-ready in 48 hours. During the curing time, MP75 can be manipulated and reworked to ensure a prefect finish the first time.

When compared to traditional sand and cement plaster with a gypsum top-coat plaster, MP75 will save the user on average 35% in costs. Here is how:

Comparison between the traditional two-coat plasters and MP75:Knauf MP75To finish a two-coat specification wall with MP75 you will need:1. MP75 gypsum plaster.2. One PFT projection plaster machine. 3. Three skilled labourers for one coat plaster application.

The results: Two-coat plaster finishes in 24 hours.

Traditional plaster and gypsumTo finish the same wall to a two-coat specification with traditional plaster and gypsum you will need:1. Sand and cement delivered to site.2. Labour for mixing sand and cement on site.3. Skilled labour for one coat plasters application.4. Cleaners for removing waste material on floor.5. Minimum seven days dry-out time.6. Gypsum for top coat.7. Labour for mixing gypsum material for top coat.8. Skilled labour for top-coat plasters application.

The results: Two-coat plaster finishes in minimum eight days.

It is proven that the benefit is five ways:35% financial saving.•

Quicker completion of project.•

Improved quality and better overall quality.•

Reduced waste. •

Improved thermal isolation. •

Pft for sPeed And eAse of work:MP75 is uniquely designed to be sprayed onto surfaces such as brick walls, concrete walls, concrete soffits and dry walling. PFT (pump flow technology) is used to mix and convey the MP75, contributing greatly to the success of the product.

A team of three plasters can finish more walling per day than a team of nine plasters by using PFT equipment. This is not just getting the job done quicker, but it also ensures better mixing and less waste. For more information regarding pump flow technology, please visit www.constructionwarehouse.co.za or www.PFT.de.

PROJECTION PLAsTER sPRAy making it all betterKnauf MP75 gypsum plaster spray is contributing to the success of building projects by reducing the completion time for plaster work, improving overall quality on the walls and ceiling plus significantly reducing waste.

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A key benefit of PFT is the removal of the back-breaking effort of mixing, conveying and applying of the plaster by hand. The PFT method has a wide range of equipment available to ensure that the correct application is using the right machine.

For MP75 the Ritmo range or the G4 range is used – both ranges are having an option to be supplied in either single-phase electricity or three-phase electricity.

The full PFT range is available for purchase or rental options from Construction Warehouse (www.constructionwarehouse.co.za).

The combination of PFT equipment and Knauf MP75 ensures several obvious benefits to the contractors, as well as to the end-user.

benefits to the contrActor: Quick set-up and plaster ready times. •

Consistent material mixing. •

Zero labour costs for mixing and conveying. •

No on-site material movement. •

24-hour rework ability of material. •

Seamless patching. •

Significantly less waste. •

Quicker application speeds. •

Better material quality. •

No first coat plaster required. •

No paint primer coat required. •

No bonding material required for painting. •

benefits to the end-user: Excellent fire resistance. •

Insulation characteristics. •

Superior finishing quality. •

Improved paint finish. •

This is a environmentally-friendly product.•

bAck-uP And suPPly: Construction Warehouse is the proud partner and distributor of Knauf and PFT products in the Southern Africa market. Their services include material and equipment supply, as well as advice on product requirements, the training of workers, maintenance of equipment and to keep a regular stock of spares. Construction Warehouse is based in Capital Hill Business Park, Midrand.

Construction WarehouseRiaan Alberts - Tel: 083 445 3085Email: Info@constructionwarehouse.co.zaWebsite: www.Constructionwarehouse.co.za

freQuently Asked Questionshow does mP75 comPAre with two-coAt PlAster? Knauf MP75 is applied as a single-coat plaster, which means that there is no cement-based product required between the building surface and the finishing coat. Fire-resistant ratings remain the same as cement-based products and since it is a natural gypsum product, the thermal insulation is significantly better.

how long do i hAVe to wAit before i cAn PAint? MP75 dries out to a smooth white finish and as soon as the wall is touch-dry and evenly white, you can start to finish the wall. Complete dry-out of material will vary to a maximum of two weeks, depending on the thickness of application and the ventilation of the room where it is applied.

whAt is the minimum And mAximum APPlicAtion thickness? MP75 can be applied to a minimum of 6mm thick as a second coat and up to a maximum of 120mm thick. If it is applied to more than 20mm thick, the spray of material needs to be limited to 20mm at a time, with a minimum of 30 minutes waiting period in-between.

how much mP75 will i need for 1m2 single-coAt PlAster? If you plaster at 15mm thickness (which is a single coat of plaster) you will need 11Kg/m2.

how much does mP75 cost? MP75 costs R144 per 40kg bag. The added benefit of single-coat plaster ability and the smooth white finish in 48 hours paint-ready surface is making it a significantly cheaper option.

do i need bonding mAteriAl before i PAint? The answer to this question is no. MP75 is a natural material and provides natural bonding to paint materials.

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Second only to water, concrete is the most consumed material

on earth. Each year, approximately 12-billion tons of concrete is produced, using nearly 1,6-billion tons of portland cement.

An estimated 5% of the world’s total CO2 emissions come from cement manufacture. Chryso assists the industry in reducing its carbon footprint through a systematic approach, beginning with the raw mill.

Chryso plays a crucial role in assisting the cement industry to reduce its CO2 emissions through a systematic approach, starting in the raw mill. In the raw-mill stage of the process, where the raw meal is manufactured, it effectively defines the chemistry of the finished cement, and has a huge effect upon the efficiency of the whole manufacturing process.

Therefore, a grinding aid has been developed specifically for raw meal. This grinding aid plays a crucial role in improving the grinding of raw meal and can increase the productivity of a raw mill from 6% to 12%. The real value in the grinding aid lies in that it improves the pyroprocessing of raw materials, and assists in milling the raw meal more consistently and to a finer particle size, improving its granulometry.

The grinding aid also reduces the amount of course silica. Improved granulometry means better burnability of the raw meal and a reduction of course silica leads to improved performance of the cement produced. Lower silica build-up in the raw mill offers the manufacturer the opportunity to further optimise the process due to lower standard deviations.

Chryso Grinding aids in assisting a cement plant to optimise the fineness of raw material and clinker, while using as little energy as possible. The Chryso ADM range offers direct energy savings through grinding efficiency. Their grinding aids can offset Van Der Waals forces to significantly decrease

agglomeration. It is a range of organic polar products that cause the grinding-aid molecule to absorb onto the surface of cement particles and form a mono-molecular film around the charged particles, reducing or neutralising the electrostatic charge. This results in blockages and separator return to be significantly reduced. Cement fluidity is increased and there is an improvement in cement-handling and particle-size distribution.

Cement companies aim to decrease the percentage of clinker in the cement by increasing supplementary cementitious materials (SCM). Chryso’s patented technology, EnviroMix, is used to boost SCMs in both cement and concrete. The use of Chryso Activators is part of EnviroMix®.

Chryso Activators allow for the increased use of SCMs in blended cement without downgrading on cement quality. It can improve early and/or late strengths. There is a vast CHRYSO® Activator range and each product is used according to the influence of the SCM on the cement performance.

Chryso Activator offers good mill performance, even with relatively high moisture contents in the mill. They also provide activators that can be introduced in the clinker mill or the slag mill, depending on the individual customer needs. Their latest range was developed primarily for limestone extension and gives remarkable strength development, as well as good mill throughput. If customers need project-specific blends or need a particular cement additive to suit their clinker and SCM selection, Chryso will work with their technical team to develop a product that meets their needs.

Chryso SATel: 011 395 9700E-mail: hannes@chrysosa.co.zaWebsite: www.chryso.com • www.autospec.com

Additives a powerful solution fOR GREEN REVOLUTION

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Industry-first co2 RATING sysTEM of cement productsAt the end of 2009, AfriSam introduced a “CO2” rating system on all of its cement products, which indicates the carbon footprint of each product relative to the world average as calculated by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. The industry-leading initiative was recently honoured at the Mail & Guardian (M&G)’s Greening the Future Awards – an initiative that has been recognising action in environmental sustainability for the past eight years. The judges singled out AfriSam for setting new benchmarks in the construction industry during the 2011 awards.

M&G reported that the judges said that AfriSam’s CO2 rating is a market-changing approach, seeing that cement production is a key source of carbon emissions worldwide. The company also won the environmental category of the Nedbank Capital Green Mining Awards for its world-leading cement- CO2 measuring and rating system in 2010.

Claudene Moorgas, Environmental Manager at AfriSam tells Walls & Roofs magazine: “We believe that AfriSam has for years been at the forefront of energy efficiency initiatives across its operations. We are proud to have won the energy efficiency and carbon management category at the 2011 Mail & Guardian Greening the Future Awards. As a company we are serious about the impact of our operations on the environment and especially on climate change, hence our great focus on minimising our carbon footprint. This has been achieved through various initiatives, from the installation of state-of-the-art energy efficient equipment to blended cements. We continue to explore new and innovative ways to optimise efficiences.”

trAcking co2 emissionsAfriSam officially implemented its CO2 reduction programme in 2000, but can track its CO2 emission monitoring programme back to pre-1990, and other gaseous pollutants back to 2002.

“The reduction of our carbon footprint is a vitally important environmental target for us and we are constantly looking for ways to improve on our achievements in this regard,” says AfriSam’s chief executive officer, Dr Stephan Olivier.

Since 2009, AfriSam has been measuring the CO2 emissions for all its cement products. The model to measure the emissions not only takes specific types of direct and indirect emissions into account, but also weighs up the effects of interplant transportation. Emission calculations and summations are based on a “cradle-to-gate” approach, where the “gate” is the factory gate at which the cement is finally sold.

imProVing energy-efficiency And reducing emissionsOver the years, the company has installed energy-efficient equipment at their operations, leading them to improve electrical

energy consumption per ton of cementitious products by 19% between 2000 and 2009.

The effect of energy-efficiency initiatives and focusing on producing less CO2-intensive products enabled AfriSam to reduce the average CO2 emissions per ton of cement by 22% between 2000 and 2008.

Following the introduction of the rating system, AfriSam launched their Eco Building Cement in 2010, which has a carbon footprint less than half of the world’s average for cement without compromising the stringent quality required by the SABS for cement in its strength class (currently, the world average emission of CO2 per ton of cement is 633 kg as per the CSI global cement database). (CSI - Cement Sustainability Initiative developed by the WBSCD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development)).

“The cement is extended using slag, which has a far lower carbon footprint than CO2- clinker,” says Moorgas.

Last year, the company also completed a process to assess the carbon footprints of each and every one of its 40 readymix concrete operations, as well as its 16 quarries and aggregate-processing plants, an initiative which the company believes is also a world-first in the industry.

AfriSam (Pty) LtdTel: 011 670 5500Fax: 011 670 5793E-mail: victor.bouguenon@za.afrisam.comWebsite: www.afrisam.co.za

Characteristics of low CO2 cement could include low fuel consumption, high mineral component extension (fly ash and GGBS or a combination thereof within SaBS standard requirements) and low clinker content.

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NEW eco-friendly waterproofing system is a successThe new “green” cementitious waterproofing system developed by a.b.e. Construction Chemicals has already proved its worth in the building industry. Matryx K11, one of a new range of eco-friendly waterproofing products launched in May this year by a.b.e., protects and waterproofs concrete structures by crystallisation. It recently proved to be the answer to deal with hydrostatic pressure on all the concrete floors of the new Netcare Private Hospital at Waterfall City in Midrand.

Paul Nieuwoudt, a technical sales consultant at a.b.e., says a.b.e. was approached by Group 5 for a fast-track solution to lower the unacceptably high moisture content of the concrete floors to below 3% to allow vinyl flooring to be placed on an extremely tight schedule.

“Initial moisture content tests showed that there was more than 20% moisture in the concrete. We recommended the use of our new Matryx K11 system which, although relatively new on the market, has already proved to be exceptionally effective for waterproofing problems at structures such as the new Basil Read head office in Boksburg and the Gautrain tunnel at Park Station.”

“Matryx K11 was applied to a test area of the floors, and within only eight days the moisture content had dropped to below 3%. This was sufficient proof for Group 5 to approve the application of Matryx K11 to the entire floor area. The project was successfully handled by Suburban Waterproofing, an approved a.b.e. applicator,” Niewoudt stated.

“We expect major market acclaim for Matryx K11, which is a revolutionary product. The active chemicals in Matryx K11 react with the moisture in the concrete to crystallise in the pores

and capillary tracts of the concrete. In this way, the concrete is protected against penetration by water or any other liquids – from any direction. The new environmentally-friendly product strongly resists impact and abrasion, provides corrosion protection, and is suitable for both positive and negative waterproofing of concrete structures,” he explained.

Group 5 then asked a.b.e. to suggest a cementitious self-levelling underlay (compatible with Matryx K11) to accept the vinyl flooring provided by Polyflor.

“We suggested our 6mm abescreed SLCP system, incorporating SLCP primer, which was duly accepted by both Group 5 and Polyflor. Another approved a.b.e. applicator, Indufloor, was then appointed to apply the system. The flooring project was successfully completed and – despite the tight time schedule – with time to spare,” Nieuwoudt added.

Matryx K11 is one of seven new a.b.e. “eco-waterproofing” products to augment the company’s already impressive and long-established range. The other new products include an acrylic water-based primer, a liquid root-resistant polyurethane (PU) waterproofing membrane, a thermoshield heat-insulating and shielding waterproofing, an eco-friendly PU liquid waterproofing membrane, a flexible acrylic waterproofing system and a cementitious system for concrete roofs.

a.b.e Construction Chemicals (Pty) LimitedTel: 011 306 9000E-mail: pauln@abe.co.za Website: www.abe.co.za • www.autospec.com

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Sephaku Ash designed and built a state-of-the-art fly-ash beneficiation plant at Eskom’s Kendall power station, which was fully operational in 2009. Ash from

the power station is sold as unclassified fly-ash, known as hard-ash, and classified fly-ash, known as smart-ash.

The plant is capable of extracting 250t fly-ash per hour and is coupled with the two classifiers and has no difficulties in keeping a 3 000 ton silo filled with saleable products.

Sephaku Ash took the market by storm, with its dispatch office manned for 24 hours per day, including 6 weigh bridges and one of the fastest bulk out-loading points in the country with tankers fully loaded in under 8 minutes.

The company received the SANS mark (SANS 1491-2:2005 Portland Cement Extenders, Part 2: Fly-Ash) in the 4th quarter of 2010 for their smart-ash product. Although South Africa doesn’t have a specification to which hard-ash is produced, Sephaku Ash introduced the ISO 9001 quality management system to ensure quality control.

In the cement-hydration process both hard-ash and smart-ash form calcium silicate hydrate when these pozzolans products react to calcium hydroxide.

The simplified reaction is:2S + 3CH C3S2H3

The pozzolanic reaction of smart-ash and hard-ash both contribute to the long-term strength development and excellent durability characteristics of fly-ash concrete. Some advantages of incorporating hard-ash or smart-ash into your concrete are:

Extender type Mass concrete shotcreteConcrete in chloride conditions

Concrete in sulphate conditions

Concrete in AsR conditions

hard-ash smart-ash

FA content of ≥ 30% will significantly reduce the risk of internal thermal cracking.

Increased paste content will improve cohesion and adhesion, reducing wastage.

FA content of ≥ 30% will significantly reduce chloride attach on reinforcement steel.

FA content of ≥ 30% will significantly reduce sulphate attach on reinforcement.

FA content of > 20% can control potential ASR when using potentially reactive aggregates.

In properly designed concrete mixes using 30% smart-ash, it is possible to reach 125% to 130% of 28 days strengths at 56 days. This magnitude of long-term strength development holds financial benefits.

Sephaku Ash has also been successfully applied by Skyline Readymix on precast elements utilized along the current N12 upgrade project in Gauteng.

Sephaku Ash Tel: 012-686 4800 E-mail: khethiwe.mthembu@sephakucement.co.zaWebsite: www.sephakucement.co.za

Use ash to strengthen concrete

Above: Fly-ash silos.Left: A tanker loading at the Kendall plant.

Sound-barrier walls.

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Cemcrete’s elegant range of cement-based wall, floor and swimming pool coatings are a sure way to bring a touch of style to any home. While Cemcrete’s product range offers you the innovation of cement, it also produces unique finishes that are trendy and long-lasting.

The large surface areas of walls and floors are predominant features in a home. These features can become focal points for style and a base to

which accessories and finishing touches can be added to.Cemcrete’s wall coatings are versatile and attractive, giving

you the freedom of choice to texture, smooth over or carve into your wall to create a design of your choice. Cemcrete’s SatinCrete is a smooth suede-like finish that offers subtle colour variation and leaves the room with an elegant appeal. Select from warm decadent hues to clean, industrial whites to compliment your design. SatinCrete is also an alternative to use in bathrooms and showers – as it is waterproof – to create a classy finish throughout your home.

CemWash is another superb wall coating that Cemcrete has to offer. The beauty of this product lies in its application, due to its coarse texture. It may be brushed on in various directions to create lines and cross hatchings, heavily trowelled on to create decadent swirls or simply brushed on regularly to coat the wall with a smoother texture. The CemWash finish is a great alternative to wall paper, as it offers the variation of colour, texture and design, becoming a chic focal point in a space.

Incorporate style

CemCote is applied by brush to create a smooth, subtly-textured coating with slight colour variation. It is available in numerous colours to suit your design theme and style. CemCote can also be used to create a trendy industrial concrete off-shutter look with grey tones. You can also try a different colour for a truly unique design.

For a more creative and individual twist to creating a wall “piece”, Cemcrete offers DecoCrete. DecoCrete, an artistic product in the Cemcrete range, can be used successfully in wall applications and can also create unique textures. The product allows for the addition of carvings, wood or pebble inlays. DecoCrete can be applied in excessive thickness to allow for it to be carved as desired to form different affects such as rocks, bricks, slate and various other styles. It can also be imprinted for more definition and effect. As with most of Cemcrete’s products, it is available in a variety of different colours that are either lavish or refined in effect to suit specific tastes, and that are fade-resistant.

With Cemcrete’s extensive product range and an innovative application process that goes hand in hand with each coating, your imagination can inspire the finish of focus features. The sheer strength of cement, coupled with easy maintenance and longevity, enhance the appeal of Cemcrete’s products and make them suitable for any design requirement.

Cemcrete: The cement innovation companyTel: 011 474 2415 Fax: 011 474 2416 E-mail: info@cemcrete.co.za Website: www.cemcrete.co.za

into your home with wall coatings

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Since 2008, Coreslab is one of the leading manufacturers of rib and block slabs. They were not long in business before manufacturing hollow-core slabs. A Spiroll

machine was imported from England to ensure the highest quality standards in the manufacturing of hollow-core products.

Pre-stressed hollow-core units are concrete panels containing hollow cores from end-to-end, manufactured from top quality high-strengh concrete in a controlled environment. Pre-stressed wires and strands are used to reinforce the hollow-core units.

Research and development of hollow-core slabs took off in Belgium fifty years ago. Today this technology is used throughout the world. The effective combination of hollow cores, high-strength concrete and pre-stressing produces a relatively light-weight, durable and superior panel which outclasses, by far, any conventional flooring or precast system in all respects. Coreslab’s pre-stressed hollow-core units increase efficiency on site, markedly reduce construction time and increase the quality of the structure.

The company also makes use of its own workshop and maintenance team to keep the machines running for optimum performance and their design department uses the latest high-tech software from Floorcad.com, based in Ireland, to make full use of resources.

Coreslab initially started out in the housing sector, but the cost-effective technology they use made way for them to expand in new markets, including office buildings, reservoirs, showrooms, shopping centres and a number of government projects.

Their diverse client base includes homeowner builders to big corporate and government institutions. To ensure quality installations, they subcontract to Corestruc.

At Coreslab, SABS specifications are strictly adhered to. They are currently in the process of registration with the SABS and their quality stamp will appear on all their products in the near future. The quality of their products is tried and tested as Coreslab does daily tests in their fully-equipped onsite laboratories and test cubes are sent to independent laboratories for tests.

For Coreslab, quality is a strategy as a fundamental business principle. Their team is committed to excellence and strives to exceed client expectations at all times.

Coreslab Tel: 082 677 7469 E-mail: info@coreslab.co.za Website: www.coreslab.co.za

hollow-core slAb technology still a market leading product

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When it was found that several buildings needed high quality repairs for the rehabilitation of deteriorated structures at the Nelson Mandela Metro University in Port Elizabeth, Africoast Engineers specified Sika’s Concrete Repair & Protection System, with Ibhayi Contracting as the main contractor.

Rehabilitationof Eastern Cape University

Sika FerroGard-903+, a migrating corrosion inhibitor, was applied to the old steel-reinforced concrete. Based on organic and inorganic compounds which

penetrate the concrete (up to a depth of 60mm), it forms a protective monomolecular layer on the reinforcing steel, and decreases the corrosion rate by such an extent that the service life of aesthetically valuable fair-faced concrete can be increased by up to 15 years.

It can be used where other repairs or prevention options are not viable, does not change the appearance of the concrete, and can be applied to the surface of existing repairs to prevent the development of incipient anodes.

As a primer for bonding the repair mortar to the old concrete, SikaTop-Armatec 110 EpoCem was used. This sprayable coating has excellent adhesive qualities, acts as an effective barrier against the penetration of water and chlorides, and provides a strong bonding coat for Sika’s repair mortar.

Sika MonoTop-612, a cementitious, polymer-modified, high-strength mortar, contains silica fume and synthetic fibre reinforcement, and is particularly suitable for application on overhead and vertical surfaces as the wet-spray method may be used (up to 30mm thickness). It provides good mechanical strength and has excellent slump resistance.

Sikagard-720 EpoCem, a three-part, epoxy-modified cementitious, micro mortar was then applied for the re-profiling, smoothing and levelling of the concrete. This offers easy and fast application and, besides providing excellent protection of concrete in aggressive environments and good chemical resistance, it is impervious to liquids but permeable to water vapour. As there is a minimum waiting time prior to the application of Sika finishing products, SikaGard 720 EpoCem is the ideal preparation for smooth surface finishes.

SikaGard-550W Elastic is the high quality coating product used to complete the repair and protection system. This one-part, plasto-elastic coating, based on UV-curing acrylic dispersion with excellent crack-bridging properties, offers first-rate resistance against weathering and ageing.

This project involved working at night to break the old concrete to avoid disrupting daytime classes. Stringent safety measures had to be adhered to during the day because of the continual movement of students and staff on campus.

Sika South AfricaTel: 031 792 6500Email: headoffice@za.sika.comWebsite: www.sika.co.za www.autospec.com

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Ga-Rankuwa Extension 24, which is a fully-subsidised government housing project, is being provided with durable, productive and very attractive building

materials with the use of Diamond-Maxi concrete bricks, concrete roof tiles and bevelled concrete pavers.

Funded by the Gauteng Department of Local Government and Housing (Tshwane Region) and situated in the Northwest Province, this is a cross-border project which entails the construction of 1 516 houses for the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.

Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) director, Hamish Laing, comments that properly selected and deployed precast concrete building materials form an extremely effective combination, especially when used for the construction of housing.

“This project is an excellent example of how precast concrete products can transform dull uniformity into the visually appealing. These precast concrete materials each contribute to the overall effect, providing affordable yet aesthetically pleasing accommodation in which the owner can take considerable pride,” says Laing.

The 40m² houses comprise two bedrooms, a combined kitchen and living area, and a room containing a shower and toilet. Currently there is no electricity supply to the development. This and the installation of solar water heating will take place at some future date.

“Because the bricks used on this project have an attractive diamond-face finish, the walls don’t require plastering, only painting, and the inner walls are bag-washed – both processes saving on costs,” observes Laing.

Measuring 140x90x290mm, the bricks are being supplied by Delta Bricks and Eckraal Quarries, and are used in a single-skin

application. The roof tiles are being manufactured by West End Claybrick and Coverland.

They are being laid on galvanised steel trusses supplied by Vela Steel Building Systems. The paving blocks, 50mm thick and rated at 25MPa, are being produced by Technicrete. Laing says that concrete pavers are superior to in-situ concrete for paved surrounds thanks to their superior durability and visual appeal.

Construction work commenced in January under the control of the main contractor, Jade Africa Developments. The project is being built in three phases, the first comprising 516 houses, and by the end of May, close to 150 units had been completed.

During this period three sub-contractors employed 207 labourers on site, of whom 70% were recruited in Ga-Rankuwa. Of that total, 82 were skilled, 115 unskilled and approximately 10% comprised women.

Commenting further, Laing said that apart from being commendable in terms of quality construction, the labour-intensive method of building also contributes to job creation with the labour-cost component of the housing units amounting to 20,5% of the total cost of construction.

The CEO of Jade Africa Developments, Lawrence Esterhuizen, said at the beginning of June a further three sub-contracting teams had been brought on board to speed up the construction process and that at least 70% of the core building skills for the new teams had been recruited locally in Ga-Rankuwa.

This means that the anticipated completion date has been brought forward from early 2013 to the first quarter of 2012.

Concrete Manufacturers AssociationTel: 011 805 6742Fax: 086 524 9216 E-mail: main.cma@gmail.com • www.autospec.com

PRECAsT concrete ideal for Ga-Rankuwa housing project

An example of the masonry work at Ga-Rankuwa Extension 24, using single-skinned and economical diamond-faced concrete bricks.

Ga-Rankuwa Extension 24, where aesthetically-pleasing concrete roof tiles are being used to cover the houses.

Some of the completed houses at the Ga-Rankuwa Extension 24 development.

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Trends change over time – what was popular, practical and sustainable 10 years ago, may draw completely different consumer reactions today. Walls & Roofs

looks at ultra-modern houses, dwelling units and speaks to an interior design guru and two local architects to find out what’s happening in the South African and international housing markets.

moVing AwAy from grAndiose, Pretentious designsHelen Henzen, an architect at Studio 3 Architects in Pretoria, says South Africans are moving away from “theme park”-like structures and foreign influences. “In the past, clients might have been prone to giving architects briefs for Tuscan, Bali and French Provencal-style homes, whereas today we see more educated clients who are looking for individual solutions for their personal needs,” says Henzen.

“There has been a realisation that these ‘theme-park’-like, exaggerated houses have lived their life and are too costly to run. Today clients are much more individualistic and are moving away from the type of estates that restrict them to specific building styles,” says Henzen.

“More clients are educating themselves – through design expos, the Internet and television – which has broadened their minds to the possibilities and options they have for modern housing architecture and design,” says Henzen.

good design cAn’t be boxed inPieter J Mathews – Principal of Mathews & Associates Architects, says:” Good design principles have become paramount; form, proportion, scale, light, progression, articulation, site constraints and spirit of place have taken precedence to a mere style name.

This makes the discipline of design more abstract as it cannot be labelled, resulting in better outcomes. A client asked me the other day what I would call the style of his house. His response said it all when I replied that I don’t know. If something is beautiful should we care what to name it?” asks Mathews.

reusing mAteriAls And more comPAct houses Henzen explains that the economic downturn has influenced local design trends in a number of ways. “Clients are more open to downscaling and revamping their homes and drawn to more compact buildings.

Mathews agrees, saying that he believes the credit crunch and recession have made people think more and carefully consider their design decisions. “I think current architecture is becoming more paired down which I thoroughly enjoy to see. There is also a move towards the nostalgia of our own lifetime, looking back to when our age group were kids the 60 and 70 `s,” says Mathews.

which residentiAl clients Are using Architects?According to Henzen, many South Africans still see architects as a service that is reserved for the elite. “People need to be more informed about the full spectrum of services that an architect can provide. South Africans still see architects as a luxury service – like a dressmaker or tailor – that only creates customised solutions for the wealthy, which isn’t the correct way to look at architects. Your house needs to be customised to your lifestyle, and optimised in terms of space, lighting and orientation. People underestimate the effect that a well-built home will have on their psyche. When you buy a one-size-fits-all home off-plan from a developer, you might sit with a number of problems – such as poor plumbing, imposing columns, impractical planning and incorrect building

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orientation – if the developer has created a sub-standard home and has cut corners in order to save money. When you work with architects, you have a dedicated group of people who get to know you and your needs in order to create a livable space for you and your family. Architects aren’t here to create monuments and sculptures for themselves – they’re here to assist in creating your dream home for you,” says Henzen, with it being a pleasurable and professional experience adding value to your investment.

Henzen told Walls & Roofs that they are currently working on a new “Proudly South African” residential estate in Faerie Glen. “We are going to create an estate which suites the lives of the people who live there – South Africans. We are going to focus on creating

TEMPE URBAN LIVING PROJECT – MINIMALIsT DWELLING UNITsBaldinger architectural Studio designed the Tempe Urban living residential project in the university town of Tempe, arizona. The project consists of fifteen units of residential houses designed as modern tri-level units with an open stairwell that connects all the levels. The stairwell also acts as a light shaft where a large skylight catches the light for the dwelling units.

The open-plan, uncomplicated design of the units features solar shading, energy-efficient mechanical systems, enhanced daylighting and minimalist architectural detailing. The modern minimalist architecture was combined with extensive Italian tile surfacing, Italian kitchens and cabinets, as well as European appliances and plumbing fixtures. The exterior of the building features exposed sandblasted masonry contrasted with brightly-coloured exterior “rain screen” cement-board cladding.

hOUsE BURGER – REUsING WhAT yOU’VE GOTThis residence is situated in the old established area of lynnwood. The client wanted to impose a new lifestyle on their existing home and well-established garden.

“New facilities and luxuries that the client needed had become defined over many years,” says Henzen, before listing his-and-hers study areas, a gym area, en-suite bathrooms for the four bedrooms, a large flowing entertainment area and a front and back kitchen as some of the changes they needed to incorporate in the re-design.

The existing envelope of the house was maintained, however, the tiled roof – in need of repair – was replaced at a higher wall-plate level to accommodate new flat roof “clip-on” elements onto the old plan layout. Pic credit: Andre Moller

These flat roof elements project and help to articulate the southern facade; in shape – being curved, and material – red facebrick in contrast to the plastered paint finish.

Left: The bedrooms received “clip-on” balconies to help articulate and modernise the northern facade in a similar way to that of the south; in shape – being curved, and material – painted steel members with timber floor inlay. Pic credit: Andre Moller

Right: This was house Burger before the revamp.

Internally, spaces were modernised to create open, interactive areas defined by floor finishes and ceiling heights. The richness of natural materials of red brick, solid timber and travertine warms the interior. The strong and inviting entrance axis, with open wooden trusses and track-lighting, takes one from the entrance deck, through the main entertainment space, to the opposite side where the timber deck continues, and takes you to the large open-truss gazebo which is elevated above the naturally featured garden, looking over the vanishing edge of the pool.

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patios, optimising shade and there won’t be fences between the houses – the units will be demarcated with indigenous planting designed by an appointed Landscape Architect. We are going to ensure that this residential development is true to the South African lifestyle and needs,” says Henzen.

sourcing locAl mAteriAls is still A chAllengeHenzen explains that sourcing and using local materials is still a challenge. “Many of the products still come from China, but an increasing number of architects are trying to incorporate South African products into their projects. One of the challenges of this is educating clients to honour sustainability, because it often happens that they want the smartest and cheapest products – and this is when green or local products go out of the window,” says Henzen.

“Clients – in both commercial and residential projects - may still be reluctant because they don’t want a 25-year return on their investment, so it’s not always easy to justify rainwater collection, PV (photo voltaic) panels, gas, natural heating and cooling as well as solar water geysers. Overseas, this is much more prevalent. In Canada, for example, you will often see large black PV panels as part of the aesthetics of the building – but we are not there yet,” says Henzen.

“We as architects have a responsible, committed role to create better environments for people, starting with the residential core and extending into other levels of decision-making, such as government town planning and so forth.

Mathews comments: “Lately many clients are also very open to ‘green’ design ideas. However these good intentions usually fade somewhat when they discover the price tag of going fully green.

Luckily though we have always applied sensible passive design principles in all our work, and through these basic cost effective principles of correct building orientation, sun shading, screens and the effective use of natural lighting and ventilation we already fulfil many of the primary green design principles which ensure that our buildings are naturally comfortable and sustainable.”

uPcoming trends“Some of the upcoming trends in modern home materials include simplified roofs and the increased usage of glass, sheeting, lots of concrete, natural stone and steel,” says Henzen, before adding that LED lighting is also a huge part of new modern housing trends and this offers phenomenal possibilities, especially relating to the energy saving factor plus having an amazing aesthetic value.

“Local architects can’t complain about the amount of new materials available on the market. There are always new ideas and products and there are always sales representatives coming up with new products that can solve any problem you may have.”

When asked which design trends he predicts for the future, Mathews says he foresees a better appreciation of our own heritage and recent modern heritage. “The 70 `s Pretoria House of the architect Karel Jooste is testimony of this as well as the big media coverage the modern house Coromandel by Zanuso in Mpumalanga. Another trend is that inherent form would become more important than cosmetics like colour schemes and add-ons like the fake facade. We already see a trend in the increased use of white to show off spaces more effectively. I hope to see more poetic designs in the future and more brave clients being rewarded by trusting their architects. We can definitely all do with more poetry in our daily lives,” says Mathews.

hOUsE BOOGERTMAN – MAGALIEsBURG Nestled in the Magaliesburg hills, a country restaurant was converted into an expansive modern private home, which is set amongst the farm’s breeding trout dams. The existing large kitchen and dining room were maintained and used as the base from which the house was developed.

The new roofscape was simplified into separate roof elements, which define spaces within. Pic credit: Andre Moller

a three-storey stone-clad “drum” structure was introduced to respond to the scale of the house and the topography of the site. This towers above the slate roofs, which are linked by flat concrete slabs and provides a 360 degrees platform for telescopic hobby activities.

On the main axis, the flush edge of the deck meets the grating of the pool edge, which becomes organic on its vanishing edge into the dam. The guest rooms on the side, with separate private decks, enjoy different views across the trout dams and mountain backdrop. looking back over the water, the house reflects the colours and textures found in nature.

All public and private spaces extend onto a vast timber deck that wraps around the house pushing out, on pillars, into one of the trout dams at the main bedroom suite. Pic credit: Andre Moller

Materials, textures and colours were kept natural for the exterior and interior with subtle accents of rich colour. On the exterior, shades of grey move from the slate roofs and adjacent slabs into the natural stone built elements. Earthy flush-jointed brickwork panels help to articulate the natural plaster and painted walls. a solid timber deck and steel pergola/roof combination is continuous along the main facade.

The interior features of House Boogertman include finger-plastered walls and rich coloured “art glass” wall lights, which formed part of the original building. Rustic flush-jointed brick walls and concrete beams define the structure of large spans and spaces. Butt-jointed light-coloured tiled floors are taken throughout. In the dining and lounge areas defined squares of timber inserts give the effect of larger tiles being used.

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W&r: Why is there a need for an interior design trend forecast report?

Dave Nemeth: Having been in the industry for the past 17 years and in recent years doing trend forecasting for a leading retailer, it became apparent as to how few creative forecasting services the design industry actually has access to. There are a host of international companies, but their services are generally too costly for most design agencies and smaller retailers.

With the amount of time spent on research, it is not possible for interior designers to concentrate on their businesses, as well as to have a very good understanding of where trends are headed. The IID Nemeth trend report is aimed at all spheres of the industry, including furniture, décor, retail, architecture and of course manufacturers.

MACRO Vs. MICRO TRENDsMacro trends are the big trends that evolve. Micro trends are small high fashion trends, which are better suited to the retail market that changes their ranges seasonally. These reports do not replicate trends that happen overseas, but rather interpret trends that will be relevant to South Africa, but still giving the information over at the same time that international design businesses and retailers get it. This means that designers have a guideline to work with so that work can be produced which is on trend at the same time as other markets. This will hopefully open more avenues of trade within this already talented industry. The reports are also adapted for the local industry due to us having a different spread of consumers, different colour preferences, as well as things like different light and climate.

The report also explains why trends are moving in a certain direction – we don’t expect designers to take the information and replicate it, but rather to take the information and innovate with

concepts and designs that have longevity. It is also there to help them reach a larger audience and relate to the ever changing consumer.

W&r: How does sA’s unique interior design industry differ from the international design arena?

Dave Nemeth: The biggest difference is that we have never educated or informed the consumer. The industry to a large degree has been seen as elitist and only for a very select few, where in fact design within all sectors is to create value-adding solutions and not merely the expensive trimmings. In my personal capacity, I am on a big drive to promote local design and industry and have addressed various public forums, where these misconceptions by the public came to light. As an industry, we need to engage more with consumers and inform them. International markets have been design-driven for decades, constantly informing and engaging the public.

I have done more than 150 international flights all over the world in the past four years, and I can honestly say that our design in all areas is world-class. I am passionate about South African design and believe we have the potential to be a world-leader in this industry. We need to stop being scared of our own shadows and learn to collaborate, share information and never stop learning. Top industry players need to get more involved with knowledge sharing and mentoring, as well as community projects. Why does low-cost housing have to look like low-cost housing?

Continued from page 42

Continues on page 46

The industry to a large degree has been seen as elitist and only for a very select few, where in fact

design within all sectors is to create value-adding

solutions and not merely the expensive trimmings.

INTERVIEW WITh INTERIOR DEsIGN GURU – DAVE NEMEThDave Nemeth, a trend forecaster specialising in interior design, collaborated with the IID (Institute of Interior Design professionals) to launch South Africa’s first specialist interior design trend report.

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W&r: How have consumer

attitudes towards interior design changed over the past few years?Dave Nemeth: What I refer to as the “new consumer” or the post-recession consumer has a different set of values and wants personalisation. With this in mind, I personally believe there are possibly more opportunities in this industry than there previously were. We will also see more and more consumers buying with a conscience, wanting sustainable products, wanting to know where and how it was manufactured – this in itself presents new and exciting opportunities, but business models need to change.

W&r: How has the role of interior designers changed over the past few years?

Dave Nemeth: Interior design in the past was all about creating spaces using lavish furnishings, fabrics and object d’art. The so-called new design is all about creating exciting spaces with existing items, recycling as well as upcycling. There will always be lavish interiors with exotic furnishings and fabrics, but on the whole the dynamics of design are changing. We are also entering an era of the DIY consumer, so we need to address how we will get the client more involved with the entire process. We are also starting to see “open source” design or “free design”, where top designers post free designs on the Internet with plans on how to make or manufacture these items yourself. Studies of this and the effect this will have on the industry as a whole will be featured in future reports.

W&r: What about trends in the actual design of modern houses?

Dave Nemeth: It goes without saying that there is a huge focus on sustainable materials, as well as energy-efficient establishments.

Integrating houses within the landscape is a trend that’s here to stay, designing with nature and not against it. We will see a lot of tactile finishes such as raw concrete and reclaimed wood, also a lot of glass to let in natural light. Integration of vertical gardens both internally as well as externally.

W&r: do you think architects and interior designers should be working more collaboratively

during the design phase?Dave Nemeth: Collaboration is the way of the future, and makes for far more interesting and creative projects. I believe not only architects and interior designers need to collaborate, but also with graphic designers, fashion designers and product designers as well as trend agencies. These different insights from different

disciplines can only result in innovative outcomes. Internationally we are seeing Armani, who is collaborating with architects to produce leading-edge hotels, as well as the fashion label Diesel, who is creating exciting homeware. The age-old adage of keeping everything in-house to maximize profits is already an outdated philosophy. We are also seeing less design and architecture companies hiring individuals – instead providing workspace, and where there are synergies in projects, collaborations take place – this really is a win-win situation that does not hinder creativity.

W&r: Are there any specific walling trends you can mention?

Dave Nemeth: We are seeing new eco-friendly concretes emerging which provide innovative solutions as well as a host of different claddings, which add colour and texture to buildings. Internally we are seeing raw concrete as well as distressed paint finishes. Wallpaper continues to gain popularity and developments in this area see easy-to-apply solutions for a variety of different textures, tones and patterns. Overall, we are seeing an age of tactility,

it’s all about texture, tone and feel, from solid timbers to knitted throws. One theme takes influence from the industrial revolution whilst another, a completely hi-tech approach to design, using bright colours and new advanced materials. The cross-cultural theme recognises that the world around us is becoming so much smaller due to the immediacy of news and events through social media.

W&r: What do you believe is the area in need of the greatest innovation in south African

architecture and design?Dave Nemeth: Definitely public spaces! From government institutions to hospitals and even public parkades, why do these have to be so drab and dreary? Add colour, clever lighting, large windows, make these attractive and productivity will increase, as well as people’s perception and attitudes.

Walls & Roofs would like to give thanks and acknowledgement to Pieter J Mathews, Helen Henzen and Dave Nemeth for the information they generously contributed for this article.

Continued from page 44

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LEADING PUBLICATION strives for excellenceSA Décor & Design magazine is proud of its reputation of excellence. The magazine’s reputation was steadily built over the past 15 years. Today the publication is a niche market front-runner and a leader in the local décor and design industry.

The Buyers’ Guide brings readers instant access to a plethora of design information and thousands of carefully vetted and accurately listed suppliers and service providers in every décor and design trade category available. From furniture, lighting, accessories, window treatments and flooring to appliances and the latest automation and eco-conscious products for the home or office – it can all be found bound together in this one volume.

Over 3 500 contacts appear in this bumper issue filled with reputable providers of every element that might be considered when designing or decorating a home, an office environment or a garden.

Be inspired by the latest standout market offerings by reading the Style Spy features, which are giving readers a bird’s eye view of the latest and hottest products. Also check out the comprehensive calendar of local and international exhibitions, in addition to listings of training colleges and professional institutes, trends from some of South Africa’s leading editors and more.

Included in the 2012 edition is a competition, in conjunction with Air France and Maison & Objet, with a chance to win a trip to Paris, France. The prize, which is worth R60 000, includes airfares, accommodation and entry to the Maison & Objet show in September 2012. Get your copy of the Guide now for your chance to enter this competition. Check out their website for details on this and other great competitions on offer, as well as a chance to win a bedding package from Sealy and flooring from Belgotex.

SA Décor & DesignTel: 021 465 5720 E-mail: elly@sadecor.co.zaWebsite: www.sadecor.co.za

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Compact housing trendsAccording to the 2011 edition of “Emerging trends in Real Estate,” co-published by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Urban Land Institute, mansions are out and compact housing is in.

Not only are aging homeowners downsizing and looking for more manageable homes, but first-time buyers are entering the market with extremely

different tastes than their parents.While the population grows, individuals curb consumption

out of necessity and increase savings rates to ensure more secure financial futures. As a result, developers realize “we won’t need as much space” on a per-capita basis in the future and continue on an enforced holiday.

“Homeowners will slowly accept that they can live comfortably and more affordably in smaller houses or apartments and gain

economically from driving less. Infill areas and 24-hour neighbourhoods in cities and urbanizing suburban nodes become more desirable locations for the large population cohorts of aging, empty-nest baby boomers and their young adult, echo-boomer offspring,” reads the report.

APArtments outrAnk All other sectorsApartments easily outrank all other property sectors: favourable demographics and the housing bust should increase renter demand, and some interviewees forecast rent spikes by 2012 in some infill markets where development activity has ground to a halt.

Perennially higher survey ratings for apartments and industrial space reinforce interviewee contentions that these property types are “the only reliable” cash-flowing real estate asset categories suitable for core investors.

The micro-compact (m-ch) is a lightweight compact dwelling for one or two people. Its compact dimensions of 2,6m cube adapt it to a variety of sites, such as amidst small trees and shrubs.

Informed by aviation and automotive design and manufactured at the micro-compact home production centre in Austria, the m-ch can be delivered to Europe with project-specific graphics and interior finishes. The product was first launched in Munich in November 2995 Query: Must this year be 1995 or maybe 2005? with the development of a case study village sponsored by Germany, which is currently occupied by students of Munich.

For more information, visit www.pwc.com and www.microcompacthome.com, to which full thanks and acknowledgement is given.

The micro-compact (m-ch) is a lightweight compact dwelling for one or two people. Its compact dimensions of 2,6m cube adapt it to a variety of sites, such as amidst small trees and shrubs.Source: api.photoshop.com

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sILVER-ION TEChNOLOGy used in paints to combat

bacteriaThere are various environments where hygienic surfaces are absolutely crucial. Whether it is hospitals, abattoirs, veterinary practices or restaurants, crèches or schools, effective hygiene is vital. It is also difficult to achieve, since the surfaces requiring this tend to be high-traffic surfaces that require regular scrubbing down.

Dawid du Plessis, technical services manager at Prominent Paints, says the problem is that most antibacterial paints use chemicals to

inhibit the growth of bacteria, but these chemicals become a little less effective each time the surface is cleaned, which in most cases is frequently.

“For this reason, Prominent Paints developed its Microbarr range of antibacterial coatings, which makes use of silver-ion technology,” Du Plessis said. He explained that the silver ions are part of the coating and cannot be wiped off, even if the surface is often cleaned. “The silver ions remain effective as long as there is a paint film, so the coating will not lose its efficacy over a period of time,” he said. “More importantly, silver ions tackle the bacteria problem in a three-pronged manner, rather than simply inhibiting growth.”

According to him, this technology restrains the reproductive process, preventing bacteria from multiplying. “It also prevents cell-respiration and disrupts the cell-metabolism. With three separate ways of killing bacteria, there is little likelihood of these organisms developing any kind of resistance,” Du Plessis says.

He points out that the coatings are quick-acting too, with 99,9% of bacteria eradicated within 18 hours. The Microbarr range is also effective against most types of bacteria and is known to protect against over 150 different strains.

“The silver ions only kill bacteria that come into contact with the paint surface. Therefore, the surfaces need to be cleaned regularly – if dust is allowed to build up, it will provide a foothold for the bacteria,” Du Plessis continues. “The Microbarr range should therefore not be seen as a substitute for good hygiene control, but rather as a coating that complements good cleaning practices,” he explains.

He says this range of coatings is designed with architects and specifiers in mind, and will be suitable for any project where hygiene is crucial and where it is easy for germs to breed. “The Microbarr range can also be tinted to suit specific colour requirements,” he says. “Where traditional white can be provided for hospitals and vets, restaurants and crèches can demand brighter colours more suited to that type of environment.”

There are five coatings in the Microbarr range, namely Aqua Matt, Aqua Sheen, Aqua Gloss, Aqua Epoxy and Aqua Ceiling Coat. “These products ensure that whatever the surface, there is a coating developed for it. As their names suggest, they are all water-based products and are all low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), conforming to the Green Building Council of SA’s VOC guidelines,” Du Plessis says.

While the coatings are applied in the same way as any equivalent paint, there is very specific on-site preparation required. For example, nooks and crannies where bacteria can breed have to be eliminated before painting begins with a specific cleaner available in the range.

“For this reason, Prominent Paints has a technical team that will assist you throughout the process. The team will perform an on-site evaluation and will also provide you with a full written specification based on this assessment,”

concludes Du Plessis.

Prominent Paints (Pty) LtdTel: 011 389 4600

Fax: 011 389 4654Website: www.prominentpaints.co.za

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The bottom line to this breakthrough was an ‘out of the box’ design that can be built at approximately half the price

of a conventional structure of the same size.The first glimpse of hope to achieve this

goal was when suppliers like Safintra, who are world-class roofing and steel suppliers, started playing a prominent role to help make the cost-effective design for building a reality.

One way of cutting the costs was by building the houses quicker. The erection process is initiated with a light steel frame (0.89mm) that is joined and erected on the slab. For the external panels, a water resistant zincalume profile (0.47mm) is attached as an outer skin to the frame work.

The internal part of the framework is then cladded with a 9mm MGO board (Magnesium Oxide), after which the frame is infilled with an insulating aggregate called Perlite.

The internal panels are clad on both sides of the frame with the

MGO boards, and infilled with Perlite. This results in a thickness of 125mm for the external walls and 107mm for the internal walls. These walls display great strength which is at least equal to a standard brick wall and more.

Safintra made the designer’s job easier by securing zincalume profiles for roof covering and wall cladding. These products

are specifically moulded to avoide an iron effect to the overall finishing of the house. The product is certified by Agrément South Africa.

The roof panels have the appearance of ordinary tiles, which is quite convincing and is comprised of large 825mm panels. Top Paints provided a water repellent, latex based paint which adheres perfectly to the zincalume.

Considering the components of these walls, it comes as no surprise that it is a prime factor in the promotion of the overall thermal qualities of the house. The interior 8 °C warmer in winter and 8 °C cooler in summer, if compared with outside temperatures.

These thermal conditions are also enhanced by insulated ceilings. As a welcome by-product, the quality of these materials not only withstood a highly competent fire test but also contributed to the overall acoustical values of all the rooms in the house.

In an attempt to become greener, the house is fitted with a gas stove, gas geyser and solar lighting. Even the effluents are treated with a Bio-Mite system which is installed in the absence of a municipal sewage system.

Safintra Roofing & SteelTel: 086 172 3542Email: info@safintra.co.zaWebsite: www.safintra.co.za • www.autospec.com

Jabulani Eco Projects presents a solution to South Africa’s housing problems on current building cost structures, and aims to make the gap between the rich and the poor smaller.

GREENER DEsIGNs more affordable

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Forming part of the “Efficient Building with Lafarge” Group initiative being rolled out globally, the company is actively developing innovative solutions

for architects to design more efficient buildings. The aim is to ensure, through Lafarge’s research and partnership programmes, that however efficient buildings are, the cost remains as low as possible in order to provide everyone with decent and environmentally-friendly housing.

Building methods are determined by geography, climate, urban planning and the level of the country’s development. From a sustainable construction perspective, there is no “ideal” building. The characteristics of an energy-efficient home will vary according to the building’s size and its spatial organisation.

Lafarge Gypsum South Africa is proactively generating product solutions as close to specification requirements as possible with the implementation of the SANS 204 energy-efficiency programme.

“Lafarge Gypsum is one of only two local producers which generate the full system of plasterboards, ceiling tiles, plasters, cove cornices, suspended-steel ceiling grids, and stud-and-track steel partitioning,” said Jean-Paul Croze, managing director of

Lafarge Gypsum South Africa.“Our aim is to become the

benchmark for intelligent building systems, offering the best sustainable and pioneering solutions for customers. We want to offer the possibility of translating visual concepts into actual on-site reality,” Croze said.

The Lafarge Group works in partnership with architects and engineers from the design stage of buildings in order to

incorporate construction systems which effectively contribute to improving their energy performance.

Lafarge bases its approach on the environmental footprint of its products according to several criteria, including greenhouses gases, air pollution, water consumption and transport.

According to Croze, Lafarge Gypsum has developed the quality of its plasterboards to a level where the company can offer a superior product that is much lighter than the product of market competitors.

“This puts our products a step up in terms of environmental and sustainable development, using less raw material and energy to produce our products, and less fuel to transport products because we can fit more square metres on a truck.”

The Lafarge plasterboard “specific systems” are designed to not only meet fire- and moisture-check properties, but are also complemented by high performance products that are specifically designed for thermal and acoustic applications.

Lafarge skimming plasters were also developed so that they can be applied in thinner layers, enabling optimal surface coverage per bag, while Lafarge cove cornices have been improved in order to be stronger than these of competitors, generating fewer damages, breakages and losses.

With the world’s leading building materials research facility, Lafarge places innovation at the heart of its priorities, working for sustainable construction and architectural creativity.

The reduction of Lafarge’s carbon footprint was acknowledged just last year when the Group was ranked sixth in the Carbon Disclosure Project and entered into the global Dow Jones Sustainability Index in recognition of its sustainable development actions.

Lafarge Gypsum South AfricaTel: 011 389 4500Fax: 011 864 6816Website: www.lafarge.co.za • www.autospec.com

Architectural creativity through sustainable construction Because buildings represent nearly 40% of global energy, they have become an environmental, economic and social challenge to explore, develop and propose intelligent building solutions that promote sustainable and efficient construction throughout a structure’s lifecycle.

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SECURE yOUR ValUaBlES wITH a qUalITy SaFEBe sure your valuables are safe with the help of Mutual Safe & Security (Pty) Ltd. They are in the business of manufacturing and designing secure safes to keep criminals at a distance.

lAyers of security designed into A sAfeA good quality safe door made to SABS specifications has an inner and outer plate with a barrier-material sandwiched in-between. An intricate arrangement of bolts, locks and locking devices are also included in the design. Thieves often attempt to pierce the door using a high-speed drill or angle grinder to bypass these mechanisms. Good quality safes are designed to withstand these attacks and all vulnerable points are gathered into a small area to provide maximum protection. Explosives would seem to be the solution for the determined thief wanting to destroy a lock, but new locking devices are activated by an explosion and built into certain modern safes to prevent this. The bolt-work system in the door is a further foil against explosives.

lock, stock And bArrelSafe and vault doors have either key locks, keyless combination locks, time locks, digital locks or a combination

of these. A combination lock provides the best safe locking. A combination lock can be readily changed, but don’t be careless by using obvious combinations or displaying

the code in a place where it can be sourced.

Use multiple controls by installing more than one key lock, a combination lock or both. Remember to strictly supervise the use of keys, codes and time settings. Safe manufacturers and locksmiths require a registered owner to provide a letter of authority to make duplicate keys. Duplicate keys or copies of codes should be housed under seal at a bank. To ensure an owner has absolute control, a safe manufacturer keeps no records of lever combinations or the shape of keys.

Safe keys are often long and are made in two parts. The essential part of the key, the bit, is detachable and can be carried on a key ring while the stem, valueless on its own, remains at the safe or door.

Time-delay locks delay the opening of a safe for a period as short as one minute after the safe door has been activated by key or combination.

Mutual Safe & Security (Pty) LtdTel: (012) 803 6051 / 810 9814E-mail: info@mutual.co.za Website: www.mutual.co.za

fURThER BRAzILIAN hONOUR fOR LANxEssInorganic Pigments, a business unit of Lanxess, was recently honoured in Brazil as the best supplier of iron-oxide colour pigments by the respected trade journal Paint & Pintura.

“This award is extremely important to us. It shows that we are able to clearly distinguish ourselves from our competitors in the growing Brazilian market – thanks to highly efficient manufacturing processes, outstanding quality, continuous product innovations and a high level of environmental protection,” said Lothar Schwarz, head of sales and marketing at the Lanxess Inorganic Pigments business unit in Latin America.

Lanxess Inorganic Pigments also won the first prize in the category “Best Advertising 2010”, garnering first-time honours for the company with the advertising campaign “Sustainability – a matter of principle”. In this series of advertisements, the

business unit communicated the twelve principles according to which it voluntarily implemented a production process for iron-oxide colour pigments that protects the environment, conserves raw materials and resources, and is both safe and energy-efficient.

Iron-oxide production in Porto Feliz, Brazil, exemplifies the sustainable approach to raw materials taken by Lanxess. Bagasse, a waste product of sugar cane processing, is used as an energy source in the power plant located on the site. Power generation for the site is thus completely CO2-neutral.

LanxessTel: (+49) 214 30-54529Fax: (+49) 214 30-44865E-mail: udo.erbstoesser@lanxess.com

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south African student wins hunter douglas Award at Archiprix

Jacques Laubscher, a University of Pretoria (UP) alumnus, recently reaffirmed that graduates from the university’s Department of Architecture are ranked amongst the best

in the world. Ruann van der Westhuizen, a MArch(Prof ) graduate of UP’s 2009

architecture studio, was announced as one of eight winners of the prestigious Hunter Douglas Award at Archiprix International 2011, which rewards the work of the world’s best graduates in architecture, urban design and landscape architecture.

The Archiprix Awards is a biennial event and Hunter Douglas has been sponsoring the awards for the past six occasions. Luigi Zito of Hunter Douglas says in recognising the local talent, it is important to encourage the participation of these young graduates to provide them with the international exposure that they receive.

“In turn, I think it is fantastic that South Africa managed to attain three nominees in this year’s final, one of whom won a top award,” he says

Hunter Douglas SA is a specialist company fabricating aluminium cladding, sun louvres and ceilings for the architectural industry, with its head office and manufacturing operation situated in Randburg.

Kool Aluminium (now Hunter Douglas SA), which has been in existence for over 50 years, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Dutch multi-national corporation, Hunter Douglas. This association offers international experience, innovation, well-established and proven systems on a global basis.

Archiprix International is an international network for young, talented architects throughout the world that biennially invites

1 400 universities worldwide to select and submit their best graduation projects.

For the 2011 edition, which was held in the United States of America, Archiprix International received over 300 projects from 70 countries, a new record number.

The jury reviewed all submitted projects and nominated 24 projects for an award. Out of these nominees they selected 8 winners. The chairman of the jury, Yung Ho Chang, announced the winners of the awards at a ceremony held in New York’s Guggenheim Centre with more than 450 guests in June 2011.

According to the jury: “The winning projects are related to the DNA of recognisable architects or architectural styles, but they are another evolutionary step beyond that DNA, and stand out because of the authentic voice of the individual designers and the clear positions they take. They are all very powerful projects and go beyond style. What they have in common is poetics.”

Van der Westhuizen’s dissertation, completed under study leader Jacques Laubscher and mentor Marianne de Klerk, achieved top honours in the Department of Architecture in 2009.

It proposes a public bathhouse in the Marabastad precinct in Tshwane and investigates the ritual of cleansing in an urban environment, thereby celebrating a fundamental human act. Informed by the context and the potential of social integration, the built form is layered to provide graded levels of privacy. The full document of his study is available at upetd.up.ac.za

Laubscher, who also coordinated the 2009 final-year studio, said that he believes this award once again positions UP’s architecture graduates amongst the best in the world.

Two other South African graduates were nominated in this year’s awards: Willem Steenkamp of the University of the Free State’s Department of Architecture in Bloemfontein for his “Herero Cultural Centre & Genocide Memorial: Architectural Intervention in a Desert/Cultural Landscape”, and Marlene Wagner of Technische Universitat Wien Fakultät Architektur und Raumplanung in Vienna, Austria, for her “A Place under the Sun for Everyone: Basis for planning of integrative urban development and appropriate architecture through the analysis of formal and non-formal space practices in Cosmo City, Johannesburg”.

Further information on Archiprix International 2011 is available at www.archiprix.org.

Hunter Douglas SATel: 011 793 3641Fax: 011 793 6864Website: www.hunterdouglas.co.za

Left to Right: Luigi Zito (Hunter Douglas), Fred Burkett (Osmond Lange), Clive Jearey (TPSP) and George Elphick (EPA) in New York..

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In Journal 2 of Walls & Roofs, the managing director of Kare Industrial Supplies, Reitze Hylkema, discussed the standards, challenges and common problems associated with corrosion in roof sheeting and fasteners. In this issue, Hylkema discusses the selection of the most suitable coatings for roof sheeting and roofing fasteners in the various ISO environments; the contributing effect of dissimilar metals and incompatible materials to corrosion; as well as compliance and testing.

“As with roofing fasteners, the first step is always to select a coating for the steel roofing that will be suitable for the ISO environment in

which the roofing will be used. It is very important to take cognisance of the activities that will take place within the building as these can create very aggressive micro-environments, which can determine the ISO environment that the coating has to comply with,” says Hylkema, before listing animal shelters and indoor swimming pools as an example.

The most common coatings for steel roofing are:Galvanized coating.•

Zinc/aluminium coating.•

Galvanized/paint duplex coating.•

Zinc/aluminium/paint duplex coating.•

“One must always refer to the sheeting or coil manufacturer’s warranties to determine the expected life of a roofing material and use compatible materials for the fasteners, washers, flashings and gutters.

Hylkema gives the following tips on choosing roof fasteners and other roofing materials:

Separate incompatible materials by using an impermeable non-•

conductive barrier. Use materials with similar life-spans. •

Concealed fix roofing systems are preferable on spans in excess •

of 18m – this will prevent excessive stress on the fasteners

Using materials that aren’t compatible with one another can result in serious corrosion around the fastener.

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caused by the expansion and contraction of the sheeting. It also prevents elongation of the holes drilled through the sheeting. Concealed fix systems allow for expansion and contraction and no fasteners penetrate the actual roof sheeting. Use neutral-cure silicone sealant. Acid-cure sealants react with •

the protective coating on the sheeting. Remove metal filings off the roof after cutting and drilling. •

These filings start corroding almost immediately and will start staining and corroding the roof sheeting. Keep walking on the roof to a minimum to protect the coating •

on the sheeting. Use work boards to protect the sheeting. •

Protect the sheeting during transport, storage and installation. •

When fixing the screws, use proper electric or battery powered •

screwdrivers with a depth gauge and / or clutch to prevent overdriving of the fasteners which results in denting the roof sheetingDesign to keep unwashed areas to a minimum. •

VAlley-fixing roof sheetingHylkema explains that one should never valley-fix roof sheeting. “Valley-fixing restricts the flow of water off the sheeting, especially in profiles with a narrow valley. This type of fixing also results in debris building up behind the head of the fastener, causing premature corrosion of the fastener, washer and sheeting. Another reason is that valley-fixing restricts expansion and contraction, resulting in elongated fastener holes that can cause water entry,” says Hylkema.

use non-conductiVe wAshers And seAlsLeft: Seals with and without carbon after being fixed to a section of sheeting.

The picture shows EPDM seals with carbon (the black seal) and

without carbon (the grey seal) after being fixed to a section of sheeting. “The grey rubber lacks the elasticity or ‘bounce’ to return to its original shape. In roofing applications this results in water entry. EPDM seals and washers too high in carbon fillers promote galvanic cell-corrosion, so only non-conductive washers and seals should be used,” says Hylkema.

comPliAnce And testingHylkema explains that there are currently three ways to comply with the SANS 1273 (AS3566.2) standard:

Accelerated lab testing.•

Deemed-to-comply method.•

Real-world testing.•

ACCELERATED LAB TEsTING

clAss 2 fAsteners:Fasteners must be tested in a salt spray test according to •

AS2331.3.1. The screws must withstand the test for 240 hours without showing 5% red rust.Fasteners must be tested in a sulphur-dioxide test according •

to DIN 50018. The screws must withstand the test for 5 cycles without showing 5% red rust.

clAss 3 fAsteners:Fasteners must be tested in a salt spray test according to •

AS2331.3.1. The screws must withstand the test for 1 000 hours without showing 5% red rust.Fasteners must be tested in a sulphur-dioxide test according •

to DIN 50018. The screws must withstand the test for 15 cycles without showing 5% red rust.

“Remember that the screws must be driven through 1,5mm galvanized steel or into timber prior to lab tests,” says Hylkema.

reQuirements for Zinc And tin-Zinc coAted fAsteners:

Corrosion-resistant class

Minimum porosity rating of mechanically-plated coatings

Coating typeCoating composition (by mass)

Minimum local metallic coating thickness µm

Passivation

1 Electro-plated zinc 98% zinc 4 AS 1791 – Type C

2 Electro-plated zinc 98% zinc 12 AS 1791 – Type C

2 6 Mechanically-plated zinc 98% zinc 17 AS 1791 – Type C

2 6Mechanically-plated zinc-tin

20 – 30% tin balance zinc

12 AS 1791 – Type C

3 Electro-plated zinc 98% zinc 30 AS 1791 – Type A, B, C or D

3 Hot-dip galvanized 98% zinc 30 Type A, B, C or D

3 8 Mechanically-plated zinc 98% zinc 40 Type A, B, C or D

3 8Mechanically-plated zinc-tin

20 – 30% tin balance zinc

25 Type A, B, C or D

4 Hot-dip galvanized 98% zinc 50 Type A, B, C or D

4 8Mechanically-plated zinc-tin

25 – 30% tin balance zinc

45 Type A, B, C or D

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DEEMED TO COMPLy

Fasteners are deemed to comply if they conform to the following requirements of Table B2 of SANS 1273:

Coating thickness.•

Coating composition – zinc/tin coatings.•

Porosity ratings.•

“Unlike laboratory testing, real-world testing has the fasteners in contact with washers, cladding and purlins, as is the case in the actual application of roof sheeting. Real-world testing shows the combined effect of acid, salt, UV rays, humidity and varying temperatures and not one single aspect of the environment in isolation – as is the case with laboratory testing,” says Hylkema, before adding that reliable product performance from outdoor test facilities can be obtained in 6-12 months.

“In Australia, roofing materials such as washers, seals and fasteners are tested and monitored in real-world tests by the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), which gives the industry an independent and reliable source of information regarding the expected lifespan of roofing materials.

south AfricAn roofing scenArio“Although the SANS 1273 was published in November 2009, very little has been done to market the revised standard to the industry. Very few role-players within the industry have adopted the revised standard and very few fastener distributors supply fasteners that genuinely comply with the standard,” says Hylkema.

“There are also very few architects and engineers who specify the roofing fasteners for projects, and there is only one flat-steel manufacturer who specifies the corrosion-resistance requirements of the fasteners that are to be used on their products,” continues Hylkema.

“There is still very little or no inspection or control over the type of roofing fasteners that are used on projects. Tests done by independent laboratories are very expensive – up to R45 000 for 10 samples in a sulphur-dioxide test. These tests are supposed to be done on an ongoing basis, making it prohibitive for any manufacturer or importer,” says Hylkema.

Hylkema explains that most of the so-called Class 3 fasteners sold in South africa do not comply with the standard for the following reasons:

Screws are not prepared according to the standard before •

tested in salt spray and sulphur-dioxide tests. The tin content in zinc/tin coatings is much lower than specified •

in the standard (tin is 12 times more expensive than zinc).Test results used by fastener distributors are not independent •

and are unreliable. Fasteners without head-markings make identification and •

traceability very difficult, if not impossible. There are currently no independently monitored real-world test •

sites in South Africa where roof sheeting and fasteners can be tested properly.

“Of the many companies selling roofing fasteners into the market, who will be able and/or willing to honour claims if the products they are supplying into the market fail?” asks Hylkema.

In order to overcome the shortcomings in the roofing industry, Hylkema suggests that a number of solutions must be investigated and implemented. “Independently monitored real-world test sites must be established where roof sheeting, roofing washers and roofing fasteners are tested. Products to be tested must be purchased from suppliers without the possibility of preparing samples especially for the tests. The results of each

product should be made available to the supplier of that specific product and the supplier of the product can then make the results available to customers on request or use it as a marketing tool to the industry at large. Manufacturers should also be able to rectify and retest non-conforming products, and products should be tested on an ongoing basis to ensure that its quality is consistent,” says Hylkema.

“Another solution is to get architects and engineers to specify the fasteners that should be used in conjunction with the cladding they have specified. Roll formers must also specify which fasteners should be used with various types of roof sheeting,” continues Hylkema.

“We need to use fasteners that have a written warranty that matches the sheeting life and all coil manufacturers should specify what type of fasteners should be used on their different products. If these solutions are implemented, followed through and monitored, it will lift the overall standard of roofing and cladding in South Africa significantly, which will be in the long-term interest of all parties concerned,” concludes Hylkema.

Testing roofing materials in outdoor conditions.

“Of the many companies selling roofing fasteners into the market, who will be able and/or willing to honour claims if the products they are supplying into the market fail?” asks Hylkema.

Continued from page 61

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Safintra Roofing and Steel has been chosen as the preferred roofing supplier for the Middelburg Mall which, designed by MDS Architecture, is currently under construction and due for completion in April 2012, when it will provide a gross lettable area of 42 000m².

Sean Pearce, the partner at MDS Architecture who is heading the project, says that the design for the Middelburg Mall Consortium took its inspiration from

modern mining houses’ wrap-around verandahs and roof sheeting.

The exterior features natural materials such as red brick, stone, steel, roof sheeting and exposed timber, as well as a contemporary cement finish. The outdoor restaurant area will feature verandah roofs and red brickwork.

The entrances will feature dynamic concrete buttresses. Large illuminated feature courts resemble lanterns at night while providing the interiors with natural light during the day. Lighting inside the mall includes soft accent lighting and washed light, which accentuate the rustic materials used.

Exposed timber trusses in the roof design and concrete floors create a farm feel, whilst timber and steel signage have been incorporated throughout the development.

The mall will feature five promotional courts in total. Volume is a distinctive feature of the courts with hanging feature lights, as well as the use of red brick and natural lighting.

Each court will feature a themed design inspired by Nguni mats and cow hides, translated through mosaic tiling.

The landscape design includes galvanised pots, indigenous vegetation and manicured hedges between the entrances that will help to create pedestrian zones.

“Boulders from the site were kept and will be used as entrance features at the mall’s entrances

and at the traffic circle. Stone cladding will be used as paving,” says Pearce.

The Saflok 700 concealed fix-roof sheeting system will be

used for this project, where the design incorporates the use of large overhangs to assist with temperature control.

The concealed fix profile can be manufactured on site

by means of a mobile mill, thereby avoiding unnecessary

handling, end-lapping and piercing of sheets. It also has a

unique clipping system, which combines strength and agility to enable the sheet to

expand and contract under normal conditions with no damage to the material, whatever the length.

In addition, Saflok 700 has undergone both local SABS-, CSIR testing and uplift testing in Australia, where the results reflect that the system can withstand high wind speeds in various terrain categories, depending on the material used.

ProfessionAl teAmArchitects: MDS Architecture•

Leasing agents: Flanagan & Gerard•

QS: Norval Wentzel Steinburg Quantity Surveyors•

Structural/Civil engineers: L&S •

Electrical engineers: RWP & Taemane•

Roofing supplier: Safintra Roofing and Steel•

Roofing erector: The Roofing Guarantee•

mds ArchitectureMDS Architecture is an award-winning practice that has designed buildings that attract the business, the people and the activity that lead to a sustained performance. With a proud reputation spanning over 50 years, the practice is renowned for its skills in the sectors of hospitality and leisure, retail developments, offices, residential buildings and interiors. For more information on MDS Architecture, visit www.mdsarch.co.za.

Safintra Roofing & SteelTel: 086 172 3542Email: info@safintra.co.zaWebsite: www.safintra.co.za • www.autospec.com

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Wayne Miller, the general manager of BlueScope Steel, argues that a massive opportunity exists for South Africa to jump onto the sustainability bandwagon at this stage

of its building environment development. “As the country develops as part of the global economy, surely it is important to ensure that each new project or retrofit should give the best possible in-life service and low maintenance benefit to the community at large,” says Miller.

BlueScope Steel believes that property owners and developers are not receiving the benefit of the best advice and most sustainable service life from roofing materials currently in the marketplace.

“Corrosion is a major issue along South Africa’s coastline, threatening project sustainability in the medium term, as well as placing the reputations of the architect and project developer on the line,” says Miller.

Since taking up the helm of the company in 2007, Miller and his team have surveyed the local steel-roofing market and have found two overriding factors that are of concern, especially along the coast.

Corrosion• – early failure of the roof because the wrong grade of steel was used.Fading – many pre-painted steel-roofing materials fade in a short •length of time, affecting both the appearance and property values.

BlueScope Steel recommends using only premium metallic-coated steel such as ZINCALUME® Steel or pre-painted grades such as Clean COLORBOND™ Steel, with an aluminium/zinc alloy coating (AZ150 coating) if building within 5km – 400m from the sea. When building close-up, for example, within 100 – 200 metres from the water, use Clean COLORBOND™ ULTRA Steel, with an AZ200 coating – coated to a mass of 200g/m2 over the steel substrate.

“In addition, the usage of Class 3 or Class 4 fasteners as indicated is of critical importance. Users should contact product manufacturers prior to beginning the work to get further technical information and find out more about warrantees,” adds Miller.

Ronnie Graham, Chief Operating Officer of Safal Steel (PTY) Ltd, agrees that there is an urgent and definite need to educate the market on suitable roof coatings for the different applications and environments. “Far too often local and imported coated steel not suitable for roofing is being sold into the market,” he says. Safal Steel is the only local producer and supplier of Aluminium Zinc coated steel and pre- painted Aluminium Zinc coated steel under the ZincAL and ColorPLUS brands. The technology used is under the worldwide license from BIEC International INC.

retrActAble roofs And skylightsSolar Innovations Inc, a leader in skylight design, provides suggestions for ventilation-incorporation ridge vents, eave vents, operable skylights and retractable roofs. According to the company, retractable roof panels or retractable skylights provide the largest amount of ventilation with a maximum panel size of 2,7m by 2,7m. The company uses a variety of technologies to link numerous panels to one another to open the entire ridge line of the structure.

Walls & Roofs would like to give thanks and acknowledgement to Reitze Hylekma, Ronnie Graham and Wayne Miller for the information they contributed to this article.

COMMENTs fROM ThE INDUsTRy

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Marley Roofing, a well-known concrete tile manufacturer in South Africa, is looking to diversifying its product range in order to satisfy

a broader range of roofing needs in the market. Walls & Roofs spoke to Alwyn Cronje, the newly appointed head of commercial activity at Marley Roofing, to find out how the company is expanding and growing its business.

well-Positioned for growth“Marley Roofing has seen tremendous growth up to 2007. Being an established and recognised brand, coupled with the fact that we have five modern manufacturing plants, dynamic

management and profiles in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Polokwane, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, puts us in a strong position to take advantage of new possibilities and growth opportunities,” says Cronje.

Cronje explains that the company’s new business growth consists of a two-pillar strategy. Firstly, the company will continue to focus on supplying cutting-edge concrete roof tiles to cover the entire spectrum. “We are

involved in all types of projects and we will continue to perfect our solutions for commercial, residential, low-cost housing and social institutions such as schools and clinics,” he continues. Cronje’ that successfully pioneered the total roofing solution for low cost housing in early 2000 confirmed that making a diffirence, uplifting the standards of the previously disadvantage and growing this market will remain key for Marley.

ABOUT ThE NEW COMMERCIAL MANAGER Cronje with a longstanding track record of success, vats international experience backed with a Honors in Economics and a Masters Degree took up the position as head of commercial of Marley Roofing at the beginning of May. He has over 30 years experience in the building industry and 15 years experience in the roofing sector and says that after a two year break he is honored to be back in the industry and specifically with Marley that are clearly “years ahead in roofing”

Cronje has held various executive positions in the construction industry and he has held titles such as sales and marketing director, as well as Group MD for well-known construction material brands. He also served in the prestigious position of president of the Concrete Manufacturers association and director of the Concrete and Cement Institute of South africa.

local roofing leader diversifies product range

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bAcked by internAtionAl exPertiseSecondly, the company will be diversifying its product range to include a broad range of roofing solutions. “Marley Roofing is Etex’s South African subsidiary,” says Cronje, when referring to an international roofing materials company, Etex Group, who has been growing their footprint in emerging markets such as Brazil Argentina and other emerging markets.

“Etex’s building materials inclusive of roofing covering and cladding materials are taking other countries by storm. Based on a profound knowledge of the local market, their roofing elements are adapted to local needs for a variety of building projects. We are going to capitalise on their international footprint, technical knowledge and product expertise in order to provide South Africans with even more great products from Marley Roofing,” says Cronje.

AlternAtiVe roofing mAteriAls“Marley Roofing has been providing concrete roof tiles to the local market for many years, but the company’s new strategic shift to include alternative roofing materials in their product portfolio will take them to the next level,” says Cronje.

“Concrete roof tiles take up approximately 30% of the local roofing market – which is significant, but Marley Roofing now wants to be part of the 70% market share that is attributed to other roofing materials,” says Cronje.

deVeloPing A systems APProAchCronje says that Marley Roofing will also be focusing on providing industry professionals with a complete system. “Roofing product manufacturers tend to focus on their single product without taking the entire roofing/wall systems into consideration, but from a developer’s point of view – a roof without an understructure isn’t a roof. We need to look at the roofing

accessories, insulation, components such as boarding as well as trusses, so that we can provide the people on site with an all-inclusive solution,” says Cronje.

“Marley as one of the leading roof covering manufacturers are looking to work with support system manufacturers, suppliers, contractors and developers to continue to perfect the systems approach to roofing and wall board solutions. Whatever is needed to make the system/roof work – we need to be part of the solution,” says Cronje.

“Capitalising on the strength of Etex Group and diversifying our product range will now enable Marley Roofing to cover the whole spectrum of roofing and cladding materials, which will enable us to provide our clients with the products that they need to grow their businesses,” concludes Cronje.

Marley Roofing ProductsTel: 011 316 2121E-mail: olifants@marley.co.zaWebsite: www.marleyroofing.co.za

GREEN sOLUTIONsCronje explains that Marley Roofing is aware of the impact that manufacturing can have on the environment, which is why they have been optimising their processes and sourcing greener materials for production.

“Marley Roofing’s high standard of manufacturing and processes reflects in our various Certifications, ie

ISO 14001 - Environmental Management Systems•

OHSAS 18001 - Occupational Health & Safety •

Management SystemsSANS 542 - Concrete Roofing tiles product mark for •

QualityOver and above these we are also currently •

implementing the ISO 9001 Quality Management System throughout our business

The Company is proud on the progress made on development and transformation and now holds a BBBEE level 5 status, ” adds Cronje.

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comPAny is known for its nAil-PlAted timber trusses MiTek is well-known worldwide for its nail-plated timber roof-truss system (Gang-Nail). It was invented in 1956 in the United States of America and grew in popularity. Today the nail-plated timber roof-truss is the standard for most timber-roof constructions.

When a nail-plated construction is utilized outside the roof-truss environment, such as formwork on bridges and tunnels or even for grandstands in arenas, great engineering plays a huge role. In some North-European countries, it is common to make large clear-span (35m) trusses out of timber using nail-plates for connectors. This is possible due to the higher timber grades and bigger section sizes available in conjunction with high-strength nail plates.

Matek cc gusset-plate bolted laminated trusses used at Serala View Church. Also a MiTek-licensed supplier.

light-gAuge steel trusses enhAnce the roof-truss industryThe introduction of light-gauge steel as a structural material has further enhanced the roof-truss industry by offering economical roof-truss solutions from small low-cost units to large 40m clear-span commercial applications. MiTek provides its own brand “Ultra-Span®” light-gauge steel truss system since 1989. On larger applications, the combination of light-gauge steel with hot-rolled steel may offer the greatest economic advantages. The biggest advantage is that these light-gauge steel trusses, unlike the nail-plated trusses, can be supplied as kits to be assembled anywhere in the world.

The Zambezi Mall Shopping Centre’s roof structure was built by Maxspan and the roof erection was done by All Africa Truss Systems. Both companies are Mitek-licensed suppliers.

Technistrut (Pty) Ltd used nail-plated trusses in a bridge project. They are a MiTek-licensed supplier.

engineering remAins core function of the comPAny Engineering is still the backbone of the industry as it was there before software development and nail plates. That is why engineering still remains in the centre of MiTek’s research, while progress was made in creating one of the finest structural roof design software packages. MiTek employs numerous engineers worldwide, with six registered engineers working at the South African operation. Having engineers stationed at the various operations ensures that the company can assist customers with innovative and economical roof solutions, irrespective of the type of connections utilized. MiTek’s worldwide operations still remain involved in highly challenging structural roof designs to create a platform where great engineering and aesthetics meet. This results in unique and beautiful structures.

ExAMPLE Of MITEK PROJECTs:

The 40m clear-span sports hall and 38m ice-rink were both done using Greimbau, a Mitek steel plate and pin system in the Czech Republic.

MiTek Industries (Pty) LtdTel: 011 237 8700Email: marketing@mitek.co.zaWebsite: www.mitek.co.za

Engineers play a huge role in developing great roofs

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Coating extends service life of steel

Az coating GI coating

Continuous hot-dipped process Continuous hot-dipped process

55% aluminium 0,2% aluminium

1,5% Silicon -

0,01% lead 0,1% lead

43,5% zinc 99,7% zinc

Superior corrosion resistance: Aluminium offers barrier protection, zinc offers sacrificial protection. *AZ 150 after 240 hrs of salt spray testing, no signs of deterioration.

Medium corrosion resistance: Zinc offers sacrificial protection. *Z275 after 240 hrs of salt spray testing, red rust appears.

Excellent heat reflectivity: Roofing applications creates a cooler internal temperature in summer and a warmer temperature in winter. Appliance applications: aluminium zinc increases the application’s efficiency and lower energy consumption.

Moderate heat reflectivity: Roofing applications: the heat-loss is greater; therefore the internal temperature is much hotter in summer and much colder in winter. Appliance application: the efficiency of the application is not increased, therefore higher energy consumption.

Heat resistance: AZ can reach temperatures up to 675ºC. The product can be used up to 315ºC degrees before discolouration.

Heat resistance: GI can reach up to temperatures of 480ºC degrees. The product can be used up to 400ºC before discolouring.

Superior cut-edge protection. Superior cut-edge protection.

Super formability. Super formability.

Superior weld ability: generates less zinc fumes. Medium weld ability.

Small, uniform unique spangle. Medium/large irregular spangle.

Silver, white in colour. Silver, grey in colour.

Matte finish offers excellent thermal properties. Shiny, bright finish offers low thermal properties.

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Safal Steel (Pty) Ltd, part of the Safal Group, is the first to have set up an aluminium-zinc coating mill based in Cato Ridge, South Africa, using the patented aluminium-zinc technology under license to BIEC International INC.

INNOVaTIVE PRODUCT a kEy TO TEMPERaTURE CONTROl IN BUIlDINGS

The innovative Multigum system from Iluz Brothers with waterproofing as its main aim, is one of the most popular white roof waterproofing systems in South Africa, because of the white top coat that is highly influential to the temperature control of the building. Thanks to its insulation properties, it can cool down the temperature within the area that has been sprayed with up to 2-4 degrees.

Multigum is a professional combined-polymers basis sealing and coating material. After it has dried, the product becomes a very resistant, long-lasting sealing membrane. The high flexibility, combined with its resistance to tear, endow the material with a high bridging capability over structural cracks.

The greatest advantage of Multigum is its spraying application. The product is a paste material, and is easy to use for spray-, roller- or brush-spreading. It is a water-based, user-friendly and non-inflammable material.

Use the product for sealing new concrete roofs, old bitumen sheets coated with aggregates, old acrylic coatings, old polyurethane coatings and metal roofs. Multigum’s matt version can also be used for coating and sealing external walls.

If you are looking to go green make use of Iluz Brothers’ Liquid Thermal Insulated Seamless Waterproofing system. This system is an effective and economical alternative to tearing off your roof and starting over.

The CL coating system is a four step system using CL surface cleaner, CL crack filler, Bitum MS primer and Bitum Multigum top coat. Used together, this system allows you to fix leaks in a

existing roof, instead of replacing it.The coating of the Bitum Multigum reflects 84% of the sun’s

energy from your roof. The high reflectivity and low absorption also lowers the temperature of a roof by as much as 30 or even 50º, which means less money spent on cooling a building.

All the products mentioned are SABS approved. For the SABS test report visit the company’s website: www.iluz.co.za or www.bitum.co.za.

Iluz Brothers SATel: 011 262 4000E-mail: reception@iluz.co.zWebsite: www.iluz-brothers.co.za

Steel is an important part of economic development in most countries. Its usage extends to almost all sectors of the economy, such as engineering, construction,

railways, shipbuilding, automotive and consumer goods. Steel does, however, have an inherent weakness in that when it is used unprotected and exposed to the environment, it corrodes easily.

To extend the service life of steel, it’s generally coated with a corrosion-inhibiting coating. The two most commonly used coatings to protect steel are aluminium zinc (AZ) and galvanizing (GI) coating.

Safal Steel (Pty) Ltd, part of the Safal Group, is the first to have set up an aluminium-zinc coating mill based in Cato Ridge, South Africa, using the patented aluminium-zinc technology

under license to BIEC International INC. When used in the correct application, it will have a considerable increase in service life and is a cost-effective solution with superior thermal protection and eco-friendly credentials with added aesthetic value.

Information sourced from the BIEC International INC. worldwide licensor of aluminium-zinc technology.

Current operations at the SAFAL steel include cold reducing, galvanizing, aluminum zinc coating and color coating facilities.

Safal SteelTel: 031 782 5500E-mail: sales@safalsteel.co.zaWebsite: www.safalsteel.co.za

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The roof of a building provides many opportunities to lessen a project’s environmental impact since it spans the entire lifetime of a structure. Clotan Steel’s Craft-

Lock© system will enhance the roof structure’s capability to remain secure in varying environmental conditions.

The system was again the roofing system of choice when construction began on the Carnival Toyota project in Brakpan.

A new car showroom with administrative offices, a parts store facility, workshop area and used car display area were all roofed with Clotan Steel products. Retha Heyns from Dimension Studio Africa, the architect who worked on the project, says the amount of material used in the project called for a durable product to ensure total building sustainability. “Metal roofing was a natural option for the project, especially in today’s economic and sustainable climate.”

She says the client’s brief entailed that the project had to endure and to provide long-term savings. “The facility called for large display areas to be covered, protecting vehicles but also creating a spacious workshop area with the addition of natural light in this area.”

For her recognizing the product benefits such as durability, longevity and customer service, has led to the use of the Clotan Steel team on the project. The entire facility is covered in Clotan Steel’s Craft-Lock© system.

According to her, Clotan Steel’s team assisted with the product specification, installation method and was present on site to conduct the necessary inspections during the course of the project, making it a pleasure to work with them. “It was a sensible option to include the Clotan Steel team in another successful project.”

Gerhard Schoeman from Rainbow Sheeters & Erectors CC, the contractor of the project, says that Clotan Steel’s craft-lock system made all the difference. “This system allows us to secure the roof in position and increase wind-resistance of the building.” He says Clotan Steel gives a guarantee on their product and workmanship. “You only need to get approved as an erector at the company.”

According to him, they will use the Clotan Steel craft-lock system again in a project in East London, where roofs are exposed to windy conditions. “I would recommend using the craft-lock system in coastline developments, where environmental conditions play a huge role in the stability of buildings.”

AdVAntAges of using the crAft-lock systemClotan Steel’s unique fixing method allows for expansion and contraction of the sheeting without subjecting the fasteners to fatigue or loosening. The double-capillary brake design of the interlocking mechanism of adjoining sheets ensures the prevention of ingress of rainwater by capillary action.

The craft-lock sheeting can be erected with the minimum effort, requiring the minimum tools. Clotan Steel’s technical team remains actively involved throughout the installation period, ensuring that work is carried out according to specification. The narrow width of sheets simplifies handling and erection procedures.

Another advantage of the system is the long-span capacity that the product creates. Owing to the depth and rigidity of the profile, long spans between purlins are possible. Technical data and test reports are available on request.

economicAl AdVAntAgesAs fasteners are concealed, roof sheets cannot easily be removed from the outside, which is also increases security. The narrow width of the sheet reduces wastage or the necessity for cutting of sheets, thus saving on material and labour and making economical sense. Craft-lock sheets can be profiled on site to reduce transport costs and to eliminate transport damage. Wet-storage corrosion resulting from the extended unprotected storage of stacks of profiled sheets on the building site is therefore prevented. Another unique advantage of craft-lock sheets is that they can be re-used. If a building is going to be demolished, the hold-down clips can be removed to recover the roof sheets. Re-use is possible as there are no holes in the sheets.

As is the case with other profiled sheets, the maximum length of sheets is limited by transport criteria. When profiled on site, virtually any lengths can be used. As the side-lap contact area of the profile is minimal and is well ventilated, trapped moisture cannot remain and the danger of overlap corrosion is eliminated. All accessories such as closures, poly-closures, ridge-capping, fasteners and sealant, which are necessary to complete the most intricate roofing project, can be ordered from the suppliers.

Clotan Steel Tel: 016 986 8000E-mail: info@clotansteel.co.zaWebsite: www.clotansteel.co.za

Turbulent conditions not a problem

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Over the past 20 years, Thatch Protection Services has been involved in many developments. Project managers and developers alike have continued

to partner with Thatch Protection Services due to their professional approach and ability to offer a one-stop solution for all their clients’ needs.

Kevin Heatlie, the business development manager at Thatch Protection Services, explains that the company is filling a unique gap in South Africa’s property development market.

“The importance placed on having one entity that can manage a complete solution on a thatched roof project has certainly become an increasingly important factor for property management companies, not only in terms of point of contact,

but also for accountability. As a result, we have been appointed at many developments to provide the service of refurbishment and fire protection to the thatched roofs that they include,” says Heatlie.

The projects that Thatch Protection Services has been involved with range from exclusive lodges to large city developments, such as the 12 000m² roof area at the Sondela Nature Reserve in Bela-Bela, the 2 250m² area at Thanda Thula in Douglasdale and the 1 600m² roof area at Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve in Kromdraai.

“We are currently working on a 2 400m² project at Shimbali Sands in Sunninghill and an 11 500m² area at PheZulu Game Estate in KwaZulu-Natal,” adds Heatlie.

ongoing mAintenAnce solutions“As you know, maintenance on a thatched roof development is an ongoing process, especially since the construction is often staggered over a period of time. Our approach and ability enables us to refurbish and protect the roofs within a short timeframe, reducing the irritation factor of contractors on site and providing peace of mind for the balance of our guarantee periods,” explains Heatlie.

Besides the assessment of complex roofs, quotation detailing of each roof’s cost and presentations to body corporate and homeowners associations, Thatch Protection Services also works with major insurance institutions in South Africa to complete the company’s service offering. “The reduction of risk for the insurers that we provide with our fire protection allows them to look far more favourably at an insured risk that is either existing or a potential new client,” concludes Heatlie.

Thatch Protection Services Tel: 011 422 4593 Fax: 011 422 6280 E-mail: thatchprotection@mweb.co.za Website: www.thatchprotection.co.za

ONE-sTOP ThATCh PROTECTION sERVICEs fOR hOUsING DEVELOPMENTs

PROTECTION sERVICEs fOR DEVELOPMENTs:

Fire protection contractor. •

Roof structure engineering.•

Building and fire protection of roof.•

Design, layout, construction and fire protection of •

complete development.Lightning-mast installation and testing of existing masts.•

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ThaTch ProTecTion ServiceSTel: 011 422 4593 • Fax: 011 422 6280 • e-mail: thatchprotection@mweb.co.zaWebsite: www.thatchprotection.co.za

Thatch roof solutions that work

Thatch Protection Services has protected over 900 000m² of thatch since its inception in 1991. The company is able to provide a complete project management solution, giving property management companies and developers a high quality, reliable solution for any project.

Protection services

• Fire protection contractor. • Roof structure engineering. • Building and fire protection of roof. • Design, layout, construction and fire protection of complete development. • Lightning-mast installation and testing of existing masts.

comPlete solution

Thatch Protection Services offers the following on all housing complex developments: • Assessment of the complex roofs. • Compilation of a comprehensive report detailing the work required on the roofs. • Compile a quotation detailing each roof’s cost. • Presentation to body corporate/homeowners association of the quotation and scope of work. • Timelines and deadline scheduling.

Past Projects • Hollyoak Gardens – Boksburg, 2 500m² • Tulusisa – Benoni, 6 600m² • Kiepersol – Kya Sands, 900m² • Harrogate – Boskruin, 2 600m² • Shimbali Sands – Sunninghill (currently underway), 2 400m² • PheZulu Game Estate – Bothashill, KZN, 11 500m² • Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve – Kromdraai, 1 600m² • Sondela Nature Reserve – Bela Bela, 12 000m² • Thanda Thula – Douglasdale, 2 250m²

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The researchers used a detailed global land surface model from NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre, which contained regional information on surface variables,

such as topography, evaporation, radiation and temperature, as well as on-cloud cover. For the Northern Hemisphere summer, they found that increasing the reflectivity of roof and pavement materials in cities with a population greater than 1 million would achieve a one-time offset of 57 gigatons (1gigaton equals 1-billion metric tons) of CO2 emissions (31 Gt from roofs and 26 Gt from pavements). That’s double the worldwide CO2 emissions of 28 gigatons in 2006. The results were published online in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

cool roof technologies to be imPlemented in the u.s.In July 2010, US Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced a series of initiatives at the Department of Energy to more broadly implement cool-roof technologies on DOE facilities and buildings across federal government. Chu directed all DOE offices to install cool roofs, whenever cost-effective over the lifetime of the roof, when constructing new roofs or replacing old ones at DOE facilities.

“Cool roofs are one of the quickest and lowest cost ways in which we can reduce our global carbon emissions and begin the hard work of slowing climate change. By demonstrating the benefits of cool roofs on our facilities, the federal government

The idea that white rooftops could have a significant effect on energy consumption has been around for years, but a new study (released in 2010) by researchers at Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory has proved this fact.

WhITE ROOfs saving energy and cooling buildings

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can lead the nation towards more sustainable building practices, while reducing the federal carbon footprint and saving money for taxpayers,” said Chu.

sAVing electricity And cooling down buildingsRuareigh Brassey, managing director of Thermoshield Coatings, says that an increasing number of South Africans are starting to realise the benefits of white roof technologies.

“In the past, electricity was cheap, but many people are starting to realise the significant amount of money they will be able to save by looking at more holistic solutions,” says Brassey.

“We have done a range of white roof projects all over the country for various types of buildings – some clients are looking to save electricity and others want to cool down their buildings,” said Ruareigh Brassey, managing director of Thermoshield Coatings.

“We recently applied Thermoshield to the roof of a packaging shed for Unifruitti. The fruit – specifically mangoes – would come in from the orchid and be stored in the shed that would reach temperatures of 50º in the summer. Our insulation paint was able to bring the temperatures down to between 27ºC - 29ºC,” says Brassey.

“While this project aimed to increase the longevity of the fruit stored in the packaging facility, we were also able to reduce their electricity consumption due to the fact that less cooling is now needed,” continues Brassey.

white roofs Are cooler – regArdless of whAt they’re mAde of The managing director of Ceilspray, Nico van der Merwe, commented on the usage of different colour paints to increase insulation. “Most roof paints are dark and these paints tend to absorb heat and do not contribute to the thermal insulation of a building. While many companies sell white roof solutions that include ceramic particles and other features, simply painting a roof white will also have an effect on lowering the heat gain of the building – especially paints that are pigmented with titanium dioxide,” says Van der Merwe.

Ceilspray has done a number of white roofing projects, including Unitas Hospital, a Nissan building in Gauteng and various clinics throughout the Limpopo Province.

new white roof At VitAl heAlth foodsVital Health Foods has joined the ranks of Meerlust Winery, KWV, South African Breweries, Coca-Cola, Distell and Spoornet by painting the 7 780m² roof of their head office and pharmaceutical-quality production facility with Thermoshield.

The project forms part of Vital’s journey towards a carbon-neutral status and the landmark office in Kuils River has reduced its electricity usage since painting the roof.

Peter Tremlett, maintenance manager at Vital Health Foods, says that when the building’s electrical consumption for the period March 2009 to Mar 2010 was compared to the following period of Mar 2010 to Mar 2011 that over R 400,00 had been saved in consumption and demand costs, a ROI of less than 2 years. However more importantly there was a savings of about 800,000 kg in CO2 emissions as a result of the lower consumption.

how it worksThermoshield is a special white coating, developed by NASA research, which reflects and repels heat and sunlight. The coating forms a barrier against the sun with millions of hollow ceramic beads clustered together, forming “air pockets”. The beads tolerate heat for up to three hours and then the heat is transferred to the beads below. Essentially, it takes much longer for heat-transfer.

When the sun shines on a roof, the temperature inside the building rises between 75% and 95%. By coating the roof with Thermoshield, which repels sunrays like a mirror, the heat isn’t transferred into the building. It’s cooler inside by up to 45%. Thermoshield also helps the building to stay warm in the winter.

Walls & Roofs would like to give thanks and acknowledgement to Vital Health Foods, Ruareigh Brassey from Thermoshield and Nico van der Merwe from Ceilspray for the information that they contributed to this article.

“In the past, electricity was cheap, but many people are starting to realise the significant amount of money they will be able to save by looking at more holistic solutions,” says Brassey.

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With 62 years of experience Coverland, is a leader in the South African pitched roof-tile market, and they launched their new Lumino range into the market earlier this year.

The Lumino range is a new-generation roof tile developed exclusively for and with Monier Roofing and tested by the Monier Technical Centres in Germany.

The intense colour-coating is a result of the unique L2-coating technique, which enhances the colour of the roof tiles significantly. The product gives them a fresh, brighter look, making their appearance significantly richer than existing products on the market. The coating technique is formulated so that it is UV-resistant and prevents efflorescence.

two Premium stylesThe LUMINO range offers two premium styles, namely LUMINO Crystal, available in farmhouse brown, farmhouse Kalahari, farmhouse red and farmhouse terracotta, and LUMINO Flair, which is available in white and green.

In the LUMINO Flair range, the new coating is used in combination with pigments, creating an even more intense colour-coated finish. The premium tile colours are bright and beautiful and don’t fade over time.

The LUMINO range is the ultimate way to uplift the image of a drab home. Customers are able to match the roof tiles with the other features of the property to create a beautiful house.

During the unique L2-process the coating, which consists of a straight acrylic dispersion, a specially formulated mix of polymer emulsion, is applied to the wet tile. Thereafter

the coating is cured onto the surface and dried, creating an inseparable bond of the colour-coating with the tile.

The sealed tile pores stop salts and minerals from rising to the tile’s surface, thereby preventing efflorescence. Monier Roofing’s L2-coating technique gives the LUMINO tiles the unique positive attributes that create the longest-lasting tile finish in the South African market. The LUMINO tiles are

specifically designed to protect the tile finish against ultraviolet rays and weathering. Through the optimised L2-filming process, the tightly-bound molecules prevent the tile from weathering and fading.

The ultra-solid finish has been tested by the Monier Technical Centres with the European Standard QUVB test, a test simulating ten years of extreme sunshine

and rainfall. After being exposed to such extreme conditions, the tiles showed amazingly little colour variations. Monier Roofing is worldwide experts in roofing and in acrylic coating techniques in particular.

The durability and colour intensity of their acrylic coatings has withstood extreme heat and sun exposure in climates such as Malaysia and Indonesia, making the tiles well-suited for the sun extreme conditions of South Africa.

Coverland Tel: 011 222 7300 Fax: 011 222 747E-mail: willem.grove @monier.comWebsite: www.coverland.co.za

NEW ROOf-TILE RANGE BRIGhTENs UP hOUsEs

www.mediainafrica.co.za

MULTIPLE AWARD WINNING PUBLICATION

UPCOMING fEATUREs• Windows & glazingWindow regulations & standardsCurtain walling

• steelSteel awardsCMA awardsLSFB advanced & innovations

• Interior & decorativeDecorative finishesProduct choicesDesigner trends

• Exterior finishesExterior doors & walling optionsConcrete finishes

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a.b.e. Construction Chemicals supplied the products that were used to waterproof the main roof slab and parapet walls of the Bestmed building in Pretoria.

Greg Underwood, a technical sales consultant at a.b.e., says the project – involving surfaces totalling about 1 000m² – was handled by Amco

Waterproofing, specialists in industrial and commercial waterproofing, and approved a.b.e. applicators.

“Initially, the roof slab and parapet walls were prepared by removing the existing, deteriorated waterproofing system. This was followed by an application of a.b.e.’s bituprime, and bituminous priming and sealing solution containing petroleum solvents. Bituprime can be used for effectively sealing and priming all porous and non-porous surfaces prior to waterproofing treatment.

“Amco then applied a.b.e.’s Index Unigum 4mm, a dual-carrier torch-on membrane made of distilled bitumen with polymers added to produce a mix where the bitumen is dispersed into a polymeric continuous phase. Unigum membranes are covered on the top face with evenly-distributed fine talc, which allows the membranes to be unrolled easily.

WATERPROOfING of Bestmed building

The product provides excellent durability and dimensional stability,” Underwood stated.

“a.b.e’s super laycryl acrylic and rubberised waterproofing compound was used in conjunction with the Index Unigum membrane to maximise the waterproofing. Super laycryl is the industry standard in liquid waterproofing products and provides superb performance on both old and new buildings.

“Next, a.b.e.’s silvakote, a UV-protected bituminous aluminium-pigmented paint, was coated onto the waterproofing membrane. Silvakote is highly reflective, simple to apply and can be used on concrete, metallic and bituminous surfaces,” he added.

The waterproofing system used for the Bestmed project carries a 10-year guarantee from both the manufacturer and applicator.

a.b.e.’s acclaimed range of waterproofing products and systems include specialised bituminous sheets, liquids, putties, cement-based products and silanes. The company – part of the Chryso SA Group – is constantly researching and developing new waterproofing products ideally suited for the South African market and recently launched a new range of environmentally-friendly products to augment its impressive range.

It has been estimated that the company’s products have, in the past 72 years, been used for the waterproofing of at least 900 000 homes in South Africa.

a.b.e. Construction Chemicals (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 306 9000 E-mail: gregu@abe.co.za Website: www.abe.co.za • www.autospec.com

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South Africans spend over R524-billion a year in its 1 617 formal shopping centres. According to Property24, about 500 000 people are employed in retail stores

throughout the country and the retail sector currently contributes about 14% of South Africa’s growth domestic product.

less isn’t moreAccording to a UK-based property research group, IPD, South Africa has been the most lucrative retail property investment destination among 23 countries. Figures from IPD also revealed that super-regional shopping centres (malls exceeding 100 000m², like Sandton City in Johannesburg and Canal Walk in Cape Town, delivered a total return of 16,9% in 2010. That compares to 9,5%-13,3% for smaller malls.

design trendsAccording to a report on shopping centre design trends by Ingham Planning, which was prepared for the Shopping Centre Council of Australia Shows, shopping centre design continues to evolve and changes to fit the needs of consumers. While these centres used to simply fill the gap created by a need for convenient and efficient distribution of fast-growing populations, they now need to be designed to encompass a number of different aspects – such as various forms of entertainment, lifestyle, retail, cafés, cinemas, large car parks and more.

The market is now also demanding an environment where the basic aspects of daily life can be accommodated in a way that is convenient and enjoyable. The establishment of mixed-use areas where people can work, rest and play have become the focus of both new areas and urban renewal projects. The shopping centre plays an integral part in this process and in some cases provides the basis for the creation of new and revitalised town centres.

driVing the need for better designThe market itself is generating a demand for more integrated, multi-use and well-designed centres. “It is not only customers that are driving the need for better design, the expectations of the relevant planning authorities have also increased. These days, shopping centre designers know that their proposals will be subject to intensive scrutiny by a vast range of professionals, politicians and the public,” reads the report.

Developers now take the issue of design very seriously. In keeping up with changing expectations, planning authorities have been taking greater interest in shopping centres and urban design generally.

design issues for shoPPing centresThe report emphasises two financial aspects of shopping centre design that sets it apart from other forms of development:

financial return: • The first is that shopping centre owners/developers are in the vast majority of circumstances, committed to a financial return over a long period. Unlike some other forms of development, the shopping centre developers’ involvement does not end upon the completion and sale of the building.

financial viability: • Shopping centres are affected by changes in the market, including competition. Competition is an integral part of the retail environment and the risk from competition is acknowledged in feasibility analysis. However, changes to the retail hierarchy brought about by poor planning decisions are a risk that cannot be predicted. Given the significant amounts of capital required to develop and redevelop a shopping centre, the developer needs to be confident that there is no unforeseen threat to achieving an appropriate return on their investment.

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LARGE fORMAT RETAILINGThe need for shopping centres to provide large, unrestricted spaces for major tenants is a significant element in the design of a centre. Department stores can require up to 9 000m² of floor area per level over a number of levels and supermarkets between 2 000m² and 5 000m². These large buildings usually have a range of design restrictions, such as plan dimensions being rectangular or square and requiring strong visual identification (such as signage and external colour).

morningside shoPPing centre

The Morningside Shopping Centre is a two-year-old retail development on the corner of Rivonia and Outspan Roads that replaced the outdated centre with the same name. The building comprises approximately 10 500m² retail space on two levels, reflecting the latest design trends in a sophisticated and refined manner.

The large naturally-lit double-volume space forms the central internal focus of the centre. The Morningside Shopping Centre offers a unique blend and diversity of shopping and leisure activities with an interior design incorporating landscape features, refined colours and materials.

“Our strategy was geared to create a AAA-grade retail centre with an exceptional tenant mix designed to provide convenient, quality lifestyle retail to the immediate trade area, which includes some of South Africa’s wealthiest suburbs,” explains Patrick Flanagan of property developers Flanagan & Gerard.

MDS Architecture was tasked with creating an aesthetically outstanding centre to house this hand-picked mix of tenants. “The result was inspired by clean lines expressing simple elegance and a pallet comprising shades of white, creating a timeless and classic design,” notes John Williamson of MDS Architecture.

Last year, the centre scooped the prestigious Spectrum Retail Design and Development Award at the South African Council of Shopping Centres’ annual Retail Design & Development Awards (RDDA).

Property developers: Grapnel Property Group and Flanagan & Gerard Property Development and Investment Architects: MDS Architects size: Approximately 15 000m²

killArney mAll refurbishmentKillarney Mall, which is situated in the heart of Joburg’s northern suburbs, has undergone a facelift in order to house a whole new dimension in entertainment, restaurants and retail. The R90-million refurbishment has resulted in the Killarney Mall being extended by an additional 5 500m².

The new section includes top restaurants, such as Jozi Steakhouse, Ocean Basket, the Italian cuisine maestro Del Forno Cucina, the stylish Indian spice of The Capital and famous “Chow-Patty” food from Mumbai Café. Besides a range of fashion stores such as Suave 212 men’s boutique, the new section also boasts the Killarney Cine Centre, which includes the first full-3D cinema complex in the country. The Cine Centre has five screens and houses a total of 708 seats. Each screen has the latest in 3D technology available, as well as state-of-the-art Dolby Digital surround sound. It is the only totally-3D cinema multiplex that has the facility to screen 3D movies in any of its cinemas.

The Office Towers at Killarney Mall have also undergone a recent renovation, and now boast stylish and modern offices, which are also conveniently located near the Post Office, various banks and other amenities within the centre.

Property owner: Octodec Investments Ltd Property manager: City Property Administration Cost: R90-million Extra space added: 5 500m²

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ZeVenwAcht mAllSituated in Kuilsriver, Cape Town, the 25 000m² Zevenwacht Mall is a contemporary interpretation of Cape vernacular. The initial concept for the retail project (when the centre was first envisaged as a neighbourhood centre) was to look at a grouping of buildings viewing the development as a precinct, rather than a single building.

The architects and client felt it was important that the development was rooted in its Cape winelands context, which is why palette using stone, “gable silhouettes”, timber and steel detailing was chosen to articulate the building both internally and externally.

Considerable effort went into reducing the overall scale of the building when viewed externally in order to avoid the typical

“suburban mall” image, where large blank facades surround an almost industrial roofscape. The facetted layout of the plan, as well as the central ridge profile with additional lean-to roof elements, is successful in modulating the large roof area.

Architects: VMD Architects Project managers: WT McClatchey Associates Concept and design: Imraan Ho-Yee, Zenprop Property HoldingsMain contractor: JT Ross & Son size: Approximately 25 000m²

Walls & Roofs would like to give thanks and acknowledgement to Jacklyn Lovell and www.scca.org.au for the information contributed to this article.

UPCOMING PROJECTs

middelburg mAllThe new Middelburg Mall, which opens on 19 April 2012, is set to become one of Mpumalanga’s premier shopping destinations. The mall has substantially increased its size from the initially announced 34 000m² to 38 100m², following confirmation that retailers such as Edgars, Jet, Legit and CAN will be joining the existing tenant mix of some 90 popular retailers.

South African retail centre developers and investors Flanagan & Gerard Property Development & Investment and Moolman Group are driving the Middelburg Mall development.

The Middelburg Mall regional shopping centre is superbly situated off the busy N4 highway and enjoys excellent access via both the Fontein Street off-ramp and Tswelopele Avenue in Middelburg. Other tenants include Checkers, Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Game, Nedbank, Standard Bank and a range of restaurants such as Spur, Cappuccino’s and Wimpy.

Patrick Flanagan of Flanagan & Gerard comments: “We are pleased to report immense retailer support for the Middelburg Mall. The project is on schedule and we are looking forward to bringing a full retail experience and exceptional overall offering to shoppers – all in a vibrant, quality, contemporary centre – when the Middelburg Mall opens in April next year.”

Developers: Flanagan & Gerard Property Development & Investment, Moolman Group size: 38 100m²

nicolwAy bryAnston shoPPing centreConstruction of the new, chic Nicolway Bryanston Shopping Centre commenced in May 2011. The 23 000m² centre will feature about 100 shops, a 2 200m² Food Lovers Market and a 3 200m² Woolworths concept store along with retail giants such as DionWired, Dis-Chem, Exclusive Books, @Home and Look & Listen.

The R500-million Nicolway Bryanston niche community shopping centre will be accessed from William Nicol Drive and it is being developed by The Rodrigues Group and Flanagan & Gerard Property Development & Investment.

MDS Architecture has designed a sculptural building which centres on subtle sophistication and minimalism. John Williamson, a partner at MDS Architecture, says that visibility and relationship to the street have been important design considerations for Nicolway Bryanston, given that the site is in a residential area. “In fact, all the servicing for this retail development is housed in a tunnel to the rear of the building that is entirely hidden from view and appropriately sound-proofed,” explains Williamson.

The building’s exterior finish is a mix of steel and glass, and the structure will be spectacular at night by virtue of the height of the facade and lighting design. Emphasizing the inclusion of energy-efficient elements and green building techniques in the design, Williamson notes that elements above the walkways and glass have been used to reduce light and heat, with natural ventilation in the restaurant area.

Main contractor: WBHO Developers: The Rodrigues Group, Flanagan & Gerard Property Development & Investment Architects: MDS Architects size: 23 000m²

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vol 12.5Solar Shading Industries is the sole Southern Africa distributers of Colt Solar Shading Systems Technology and Products

GautenGTel: +27 11 608 4640 • Fax: +27 11 608 4643

Chris Edwards: 082 855 9776Email: chrise@robventind.co.za

Eric Whelan: 082 452 2257Email: ericw@robventind.co.za

Kwa Zulu natalTel: +27 31 307 4640Fax: +27 31 304 6640

Ron Burns: 082 936 0562Email: ronb@robventind.co.za

Fixed Solar Shading Systems • Fixed & Controllable Solar Shading • acoustic louvres

Glass Solar Shading Systems • Screening louvres, Rain Defence & Performance louvres

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Company refined the Art of sustAinAbility in the building industry One of the ways to establishing a business in the building industry for the long run is to reinvent a company regularly. Govender’s Aluminium and Glass is no stranger to this as they change their goals frequently. The company is founded on sound relationships and strong ethic principles.

Govender’s Aluminium and Glass’s foundation helped them to become the preferred supplier to a number of

building partners that makes use of them time and again.

Being AAAMSA registered, the company’s main objective is service delivery that is why they work closely with customers to ensure that projects run smoothly, without having to follow-up or check if the work done, is up to standard. The company has closely knit ties between management and workers. The workers in turn strive to keep clients satisfied.

Their workmanship is guaranteed and materials used are of high quality. Complaints are handled with care and rectified as a priority and products used by Govender’s are always maintenance efficient.

Raj Govender has been in this industry for 21 years and has proven on a regular basis that value engineering is always a smart way to go forward. Saving money for the client has often resulted in repeat business where the synergistic effects of cost saving are beneficial to all parties concerned and illustrate a winning business ethic.

Govender’s glass-work is supplied in a wide range of forms, colors, finishes and strengths, allowing for the most imaginative architecture and interior design, and the best exploitation of natural light, space, energy and views. Because Govender’s glass

is made to protect against the hazards of modern living and working environments, peace of mind is part of the deal.

Despite of the economic challenges the building industry faces in recent times Govender’s Aluminum and Glass relies on competent staff, that has been hand-reared through the system to keep their service delivery standards high.

Employees on site, is schooled into holistic business thinking trained to work in a rewards-based quality and excellence system. In the glazier’s workplace there are a number of larger tenders available. It would appear that the second half of 2011 is going to be better than the first.

Govender’s Aluminium and Glass has recently completed a visually impressive glass facade at the Basil Read energy-efficient head office in Hughes. The end-result is a spider-fitted flush-glazed entrance that leaves an impression on visitors who enter the building.

Following the realignment of the marketing strategy, the company has launched a new logo, more fitting with their revitalized marketing strategy. A busy second half of the year is going to lead the company into celebrations of their 21st year. These celebrations will unleash a few surprises on the staff and the marketplace.

Govender’s Aluminium & GlassTel: 011 334 2621Fax: 011 334 6051E-mail: dennis@gag.co.zaWeb: www.gag.co.za

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Govenders Aluminium & GlAss cc

With quality to be proud of ...we have it covered

Team players in glazing project management specializing in always being;

• With exceptional levels of technical expertise

• Highly competitive

• Timeous

• On budget

• Programme conscious

Govenders Aluminium & GlassCnr. Durban & End streets, City and Suburban, Johannesburg 2001Tel: (011) 334 2621 • Fax: (011) 334 6051Web: www.gag.co.za • E-mail: dennis@gag.co.za BEE RATING LEVEL 1

GAGGovendersaluminium & glass

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A brand new shopping complex on the R44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset West in the Western Cape required an innovative approach to earth-retaining solutions. It had to be cost-effective and compatible with aesthetic and environmental demands to function within the constraints dictated by site and viability considerations.

The cut-and-fill scenario on the site required two major walls. At the back or delivery side of the building a 6,7m high by 215m long wall at a steep 75º angle was

required to provide sufficient space for delivery vehicles to operate effectively. The available space of approximately 2m between the boundary and the kerbline demanded a gravity wall partially strengthened with reinforced concrete infill.

The Terraforce retaining wall system was specified by iCOS, the engineering company responsible for the wall designs, and built on an 800 x 350mm concrete foundation with an Y12 rebar encased in 20mpa concrete, extending to a height of 2,5m in every second L11 Terraforce block.

Behind the bottom blocks a subsurface drainage system was installed in combination with cement-stabilized sand backfill. Above that level, a coarse-sand drainage layer was specified with a clay cut-off plug and an open drainage channel.

Another similar wall was specified by iCOS for the front or parking side of the centre. This wall is 120m long and 3,8m high, which allowed the foundation size to be reduced to 500 x 350mm.

A total of 13 000 L11 smooth-face blocks were delivered to the site. Infill above the reinforced level was specified to be 80% topsoil mixed with 20% 19mm crushed rock for added friction between the rows of blocks.

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Dassenberg Retaining Systems, the subcontractor of the project, finished this R1,2-million contract within three months, experiencing minimal delays due to waiting for services being installed ahead of them.

Today, the walls are virtually invisible, thanks to good plant cover and regular maintenance, and Terraforce blocks that are specifically designed for providing good plant cover. This adds to overall wall strength and environmental value.

Holger Rust, owner of the company, explains the remarkable versatile nature of the blocks that make them so popular. According to him, concrete retaining walls constructed using the Terraforce system are easily formed into complex-curved shapes or into walls in which the upper and lower profiles are continuously changing.

“The system also allows you a choice between round face, (plant-supportive) or flush face (smooth or split version) to suit your specific requirements, and they present a closed vertical

surface structure that provides the maximum amount of soil mass within the wall and prevents backfill spillage, while at the same time offering uninhibited permeability and plantablity,” he says.

Stellenbosch Square retained the prime property, Marriot Properties developed it and Grinaker/LTA was the main contractor on the project. Liebenberg & Stander were the consulting engineers, Dassenberg Concrete Products (Pty) Ltd was a subcontractor, ICOS Engineers CC was also a consulting engineer and Langverwacht (Pty) Ltd was responsible for the landscaping of the project.

TerraforceTel: 021 461 4939 Cell: 082 558 7997E-mail: karin@terraforce.comWebsite: www.terraforce.com

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safety solutions for your projects Mutual Safe and Security Group is experts when it comes to the safe keeping of valuables. Established in 1984, they are at the forefront of designing and customising a wide range of products to give their customers peace of mind.

Their range of products includes hotel, wall, gun and office safes. They also supply safety deposit boxes, FD40 cabinets, fire-resistant cabinets for documents

and data, record room, strongroom and vault doors, portable vaults, bullet-resistant pay windows, anti-bandit doors, specialised cash-in-transit safes and access-control booths.

Mutual Safe and Security Group is known for supplying many of South Africa’s retail chains and fast-food chains with their safe requirements. The company supplies some of the leading brands in the security industry like Mutual, Austen, Giant and Bischoff. They are also the preferred supplier to the petroleum industry, and also supply a variety of other industries like the construction, hospitality and banking sectors with their security needs.

Locks are not a problem as the company holds exclusive agencies for imported high-security locks and cams-locks used in high-risk places such as banks, casinos and jewellery outlets. Austen Services, a division of the Mutual Group, has a cell-lock manufacturing plant in Pretoria.

The company has an irrefutable reputation as they have years of experience and took on projects such as the high security installation of the South African Reserve Bank’s Johannesburg headquarters.

Dunja Toussaint, director of the Airtube and CIT division at the company, says Mutual Safe and Security Group regularly keep up with the modus operandi of criminals to help customers secure their valuables. “We develop and design products that consider the mindset of the criminal in order to stay one step ahead and ensure that the customers’ goods are safe,” says Dunja.

She says the company is a one-stop shop to create a safe business environment. “The company works with various insurance requirements to comply with the needs of customers,” continues Dunja.

Dunja says their services are unique because they sit down with their customers to design a product, according to the customer’s specifications. “The customer can be involved in the designing and developing process of the product from the start to make sure the product satisfies the needs of the customer,” says Dunja.

She says products are regulated by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). “We hold ISO 9001/2000 accreditation, we are approved by the Underwriting Laboratory of the USA amongst other international qualifications and we are listed on the European Safe Ratings,” says Dunja.

The company is not only a local supplier, but also exports to various countries in Europe, the United States and Africa. “We have established an excellent market for our products worldwide,” says Dunja.

The Mutual Group’s largest foreign office is situated in California, where the company warehouses and distributes, on a nationwide basis, a full range of UL and other safes.

Mutual Safe & Security (Pty) LtdTel: (012) 803 6051 / 810 9814E-mail: dunja@mutual.co.zaWebsite: www.mutual.co.za

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Considering it was the first time that Agrob Buchtal had taken a stand of its own at the recent EuroShop (the world’s largest special trade fair for investment needs of retail business) in Düsseldorf, Germany, this premier could not possibly have gone any better.

The target group, comprising shop designers and architects in particular, was impressed by the company’s trade fair concept. On display were not only the current new products offered by the ceramic tile specialists, but also

the actual stand design, which demonstrated how these ranges can be implemented in practice.

The stand was presented as a modern boutique, thereby drawing a close association to one of the contributions to the Tile Award 2010 (a creative ideas competition of Agrob Buchtal for young architects to create unconventional and sensational interiors during a workshop held at Marrakesch, Morocco).

The original design was penned by Philipp Herrich at Stellwerk Architekten in Dresden, Germany. The result was surprising as, despite the application of hard ceramic, a room evolved which was full of softness, sensuality and organic material aesthetics with the haptic qualities and properties of the materials used merging to form a harmonious whole.

This theme was implemented in an exciting manner on the wall and floor using the Reflex range of tiles by Agrob Buchtal. Typical characteristics of these tiles are an almost textural haptic and the special impression of the finely-patterned surface.

They display a layer-like structure, which is attributed to a patina thanks to the subtle interplay of colours, textures and varying degrees of gloss. Indirect lighting applied specifically in the intermediate areas also underlined this particular feature.

But Agrob Buchtal did not only manage to attract with its Reflex range. The other tile creations and series also displayed the variety of possibilities that ceramic tiles offer for contemporary shopping architecture.

Agrob-BuchtalEmail: agrob-buchtal@deutsche-steinzeug.de Contact in South Africa: Roger Skudder, Email: rskudder@global.co.zaWebsite: www.agrob-buchtal.de

shOP CONsTRUCTION with porcelain stoneware tiles

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shOP CONsTRUCTION with porcelain stoneware tiles

In today’s architecture, architects are looking for

SOmETHING dIffERENT.

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In today’s architecture, architects are looking for something different and the RHEINZINK angled-standing seam can offer

a variety of options in both colour and design module in an affordable package.

RHEINZINK facade cladding has a life cycle of more than 75 years. It requires no maintenance, upkeep or cleaning because of the material’s natural property to develop a patina that offers effective surface protection. To sum up, this is a highly durable material that has a low environmental impact throughout its life cycle.

The angled-standing seam modules can be arranged at any inclination and are easy to install because all it takes is the closing of a single seam. Angled-standing seams are predominantly used where they can form part of the visual design because the seams give even large flat surfaces a lively and elegant character.

RHEINZINK has two finishes. This pre-weathered look of the titanium zinc surface is available in blue-grey and graphite-grey. The surface quality is achieved through a specially-developed, unique corrosion technique, which meets the highest environmental standards and complies with the current German environmental protection legislation.

RHEINZINK Tel: 021 671 2600E-mail: info@rheinzink.co.zaWebsite: www.rheinzink.co.za

The new material for fAcAde treAtment

The Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town is an example of how angled-standing seams can enhance a design.

The Vodacom Data Centre in Cape Town features angled-standing seams.

Visitor Centre - Rheinzink Head Office

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Castle Walk Shopping Centre in Erasmuskloof Extension 3, Pretoria East, owned by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), took top honours in the refurbishment category of the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) recent Innovative Excellence in Property Development Awards 2011, sponsored by Nedbank Corporate Property Finance.

Castle Walk was constructed about 15 years ago and the original centre was distinguished by a country feeling, which was achieved by repetitive pointed gables,

terracotta floor tiles and timber cottage-pane windows.Having worked with them before, PIC appointed Boogertman

+ Partners to design the external refurbishment of this approximately 6 700m² development, with DLR Projects as the principal contractor. The design approach was to create a fresh and modern facelift to the building’s existing structure and inherent depth.

One of the challenges of this project was that the centre would carry on trading throughout the renovation process. Lood Welgemoed, the project architect, assisted by Anushka Vente de Bruyn, recognised that this project would resemble a theatre-set design, where the heart of the original building would remain, including the pointed gables – however the perception from outside had to provide for a very different experience.

It was also felt that an increase in scale would assist in re-establishing this centre as a local landmark, particularly as the centre is visible from far away.

In order to do this, the existing buildings were carefully analysed to determine which elements should remain and which had to be demolished.

In essence it was decided to enhance the more prominent

gabled roof areas to create a series of landmark towers’; to remove and raise the low walkway canopies; and to conceal the pitched gables by constructing a fibre cement-panelled parapet wall in front of it. The existing external stairs were also replaced with new feature stairs, which fit seamlessly into the facelift aesthetic.

In contrast to the existing, horizontal emphasis, the illusion of height was created by emphasising the vertical proportions of each tower without actually increasing the height. Orthogonal lines were strengthened and any excessive decorative detailing was replaced with Spartan simplicity.

The material is textured plaster in neutral, calm colours and the masonry elements, punctuated by dark grey steel-framing elements and new dark framed-aluminium shopfronts.

Large-format porcelain floor tiles and frameless-glass balustrades add to the modern feel. This is offset by the natural hues of treated hardwood slats, which add warmth to the building. Finally, to enhance the brand identity and landmark location, lime-green centre signage and ‘light boxes’ were added to the tower elements, which are particularly striking at night.

Lood Welgemoed said that in meeting the client brief, the aesthetic appeal of the complex has been changed to a modern, vibrant centre, and the fact that it has won the prestigious SAPOA award endorses the efficacy of the design concept, which is very gratifying.

CGA Fenestrations supplied and fitted a total of almost 1 300m² of Hulamin Building System’s products for this project, including the Nuklip Shopfront System and NuKlip Casement Window system, together with Vistafold sliding folding doors.

The NuKlip Casement Window system can be built to the same size and strength as shopfronts, which means that it is much more than just a window. Hinged doors can also be incorporated into the NuKlip Casement facades and entrances, thus providing more flexibility.

In addition, the Nuklip Casement Windows can be fully integrated into the NuKlip Shopfront System, which means that sections left over from one job can be used on another, dramatically reducing wastage.

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The Vistafold sliding folding doors by Image Glass Projects that were installed are completely waterproof and can be manufactured to any design, using a wide range of powder- coated colours.

Architect Lood Welgemoed said although he had never personally used CGA Fenestrations before, he found them to be very accommodating and the end-result was completely satisfactory.

Herman Prinsloo, CGA Fenestrations’ business development manager says that on a project such as this the timing is crucial, because the opening and closing of the window area must be done on the same day. On refurbishment projects there are invariably surprises that need to be overcome.

“However, with the cooperation of the main contractor, DLR Projects, this work was carried out and concluded satisfactorily, and we are proud to have been involved in this award-winning project,” he says.

Commenting on these awards, SAPOA Awards Committee chairman John Truter said, “The recognition that these awards provide, both locally and internationally, has lead to an exceptional quality and scope of entries received. We’re delighted at the continued enthusiastic response from the property sector and the esteem which they have bestowed on the awards.”

CGA Fenestrations (trading as Glass & Aluminium (CGA)) is one of the leading manufacturers and installers of bespoke glass and aluminium solutions to the construction and infrastructure development industries, and is a subsidiary of Accentuate Limited.

CGA is expected to qualify and participate in the pilot programme for the newly-developed Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) standard for construction management systems in Gauteng.

CGA Fenestrations (Pty) LtdTel: 012 666 8000E-mail: sales@cgaf.co.zaWebsite: www.cgaf.co.za • www.autospec.com

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Two of the new vitreous enamel-steel writing walls developed and manufactured by Vitrex have been installed at the University of Cape Town’s library.

The writing walls, which are produced by using the company’s architectural cladding panels to create large writing surfaces, were supplied and installed by

Vitrex’s Western Cape agents, Facade Projects CC, as “study walls” at the library’s facility for the UCT Under-graduate PC Study Group, and another one was fitted in the library’s Post-graduate Business Centre.

Amanda Ellis, the MD of Facade Projects in Cape Town, says the writing walls - a “first” for South Africa – can be custom-made by Vitrex to suit specific room layouts and wall sizes. The writing walls offer greatly increased writing surfaces compared to traditional writing boards.

“The writing walls for the UCT library were produced in ‘Singapore white’ as the lower gloss level of this colour has been found to assist in the use of writing surfaces that may be coupled with interactive equipment,” Ellis states.

The walls comprise individual panels, manufactured with a maximum face width of 1 160mm and a maximum height of 3 000mm. The use of fabricated panels allows for the introduction of return corners (internal and external) and wrap-around elements at the end of a wall.

“Vitrex writing walls can be supplied with graphics and screening options, as well as cut-outs for video screens and other interactive equipment, and offer an ideal design solution for meeting rooms, boardrooms, computer rooms, laboratories and ‘think tanks’, ” Ellis adds.

Vitrex is now also offering writing panels, which are stand-alone

surfaces that, in contrast to traditional writing boards, eliminate the need to have an aluminium surround: the writing surface becomes a distinct, raised portion or part of the wall. Writing panels are available in a height of 1 200mm and optional widths of 1 200mm/1 500mm/1 800mm and 2 400mm.

The first installation of a Vitrex writing wall was completed in 2010 at the Sandton premises of a leading advertising agency. Five white VE panels make up the 5m-long writing wall, which is 2m high. Vitrex subsequently also secured a contract for a 5,6m long and 2,4m high writing wall for the Venue Operations Centre meeting room at the 2010 Soccer World Cup Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

Cristian Cottino, sales and marketing director of Vitrex, says alternative painted steel surfaces – often classified with vitreous enamel under the generic banner of “magnetic surfaces” – as well as high-pressure density laminate writing surfaces (“non-magnetic”), may be more economical in the short term, but cannot match VE steel for material construction, properties performance and durability.

A vitreous enamel (VE) steel surface is created when an inorganic coating of glass, oxides and minerals is fused to a quality steel base at temperatures of around 820ºC.

The resultant surface is ideal for writing, particularly in high- use applications, because it provides easy cleaning; extreme surface hardness; resistance to chemicals, colour fastness and the elimination of “ghosting” over time. It is also hygienic due to the absence of pores.

“Vitrex guarantees their vitreous enamel writing surfaces, in respect of normal usage, against fading of colour, deterioration or failure of component vitreous enamel parts, for 20 years,” Cottino added.

VitrexTel: 011 826 6057 E-mail: vitrex@vitrex.co.za Website: www.vitrex.co.za

Writing walls for UCT library

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Despite the continuing general malaise in the construction industry and the gutter sector in particular, Longspan Gutters is still forging ahead

with the expansion programme that it initiated last year to meet the demands of its business growth and an increasing client base.

Longspan Gutters has been in business for over thirty years and last year the company purchased land in Atlas Gardens in Cape Town – a high-security industrial park – where it has built a 1 500m² office and warehouse of exceptional design, having realised that its existing premises were too small.

“We needed to expand in order to continue offering our ever-increasing list of clients a comprehensive service to their rainwater problems in a professional manner, whilst producing system solutions that meet the most stringent world-class standards,” says Longspan Gutters’ owner, Gus Behn.

To achieve this, Tim Hughes Architects was commissioned and given a brief from Longspan Gutters to design a building of exceptional architectural quality.

“He certainly achieved this objective and, in doing so, we now occupy an aesthetically-pleasing and highly functional building which will never date due to the careful selection and use of high-quality construction materials and specifications throughout the

building,” says Behn.“The main contractor for

this project was Granbuild, and they provided us with a turnkey construction programme and handed over the completed building for us to occupy in just less than three months! We are totally satisfied with our new building and can only commend the outstanding quality of the construction and the professionalism experienced from the entire team at Granbuild,” he says.

exPAnding in this economyWhen asked why Longspan Gutters is expanding while many other gutter companies are seemingly short of work, Behn attributes this to his dedicated, ethical and committed team of young and dynamic people who don’t stop until the job is well done – together with the company’s investment in state-of-the-art capital equipment and machinery.

The company is BEE compliant, a Proudly South African founder member company and a member of the Master Builders Association in both the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. This expansion has resulted in the company being able to assist in job creation by bringing its total workforce in both its Cape Town and Durban companies to around 60 employees in comparison to 42 employees two years ago.

Behn explains that in order to facilitate the company’s growth, high-tech equipment has been purchased to diversify Longspan Gutters’ product range. “The company has not only purchased new seamless aluminium gutter machinery and related rainwater product tooling, but has also expanded into general sheet-metal work,” he says.

“Two Durma machines have been purchased and imported from Turkey – one is a six metre, 226 tonne, fully computerised hydraulic bending brake and the other a four metre, fully computerised shearing machine that allows us to diversify to the extent that it can manufacture purpose-made gutters, cappings, flashings and anything to do with sheet-metal bending,” he says.

“We have also purchased a state-of-the-art decoiling and recoiling facility that enables us to purchase large quantities of coil and decoil it into smaller quantities for customer-specific needs, which enables us to sell coil at highly competitive prices.”

Behn says they manufacture 95% of the products that Longspan Gutters sells, with the rest being consumables that are purchased. “This level of manufacturing is responsible for a big part of the company’s growth, and onsite manufacturing provides us with peace of mind, because we know the quality of the products is high and consistent and we are not relying on.any third parties for the provision of our service,” he says.

Longspan Gutters installs a full range of seamless aluminium gutters, purpose-made flashings and claddings, fascia and barge boards, and an extensive variety of gutter products and accessories from its office, manufacturing and warehouse facilities in Cape Town and Durban.

Longspan Gutters Tel: 021 521 0000 0861 GUTTER E-mail: info@longspangutters.com Website: www.longspangutters.com

One of south Africa’s leading GUTTERING COMPANIEs meets exceptional design

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Green design at Lynnwood BridgeGlobal engineering, management and specialist technical services group Aurecon recently moved into its 19 100m2 Tshwane Delivery Centre at the 73 000m² Lynnwood Bridge Office Park development in Pretoria. These offices have been registered with the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) with the aim of achieving a 4-star GreenStar SA – (Office Design v1) rating.

Aurecon is a silver founding member of the Green Building Council of South Africa and chief operations officer, Gustav Rohde, says that “going

green” not only reaffirms the company’s commitment to playing a leading role in promoting environmentally-sustainable development, but it has also realised a number of operational benefits, such as reduced electricity consumption and water usage.

As the developer and co-owner of the building, Atterbury Property was responsible for the project management of the entire project, with Aurecon responsible for all the engineering design disciplines. Having gained vast experience on similar projects, including Phase II of Nedbank’s head office in Sandton, which was certified as South Africa’s first GreenStar SA building, the group was certainly ready for the challenge.

building designAurecon and Atterbury Property entrusted Barnes van der Walt Architects with the design of the building. A building that reflected the culture, ethos and status of Aurecon was required.

The architects have designed a building that provides an open environment, promoting connectivity and communication between its occupants while embodying the principles of open planning, and incorporating natural light and external views. This was achieved by designing deep-space offices with the introduction of a large multi-volume atrium, and also led to the reduction of the external facade area, producing an energy-efficient design. The interior spaces were designed to be flexible to meet the ever-changing and developing needs of the dynamic tenant.

Project chAllengesOne of the challenges included the site area, which was close to a tributary of the Moreleta Spruit (conventionally, green buildings

aren’t allowed to be built within 100m of a wetland and Aurecon’s allocated site fell within this restriction as the area is classified as a wetland).

“There are good reasons for this rule,” explains Aurecon’s national green building expert, Martin Smith. “Potentially harmful water run-off from buildings can negatively affect the surrounding flora and fauna.”

This led the entire project team to explore innovative ways of ensuring that stormwater run-off from the building wouldn’t in any way harm the nearby spruit. The solution, which consists of various species of plants affixed to the building’s northern car-park facade, which acts as a natural filtration system, is a first for South Africa and led the GBCSA to reconsider their ruling.

Due to the fact that a GreenStar SA rating involves so many different elements of sustainability, it was crucial that Aurecon had a GreenStar SA accredited professional on their team. Smith, who fulfilled the role of this accredited professional, comments: “A thorough understanding of each one of the GreenStar SA criteria, and how these interact with each other, doesn’t guarantee a successful rating, but it improves your chances of success because it enables you to unify the many sustainability concepts required on a single project.”

Green building initiativesreducing electricity consumPtionAn energy-efficient facade, which consists of high performance glazing, extensive external shading and insulated wall panels, was designed for the building.

Besides energy-efficient light fittings and motion sensors, the building is also designed to ensure that a maximum amount of natural daylight is brought into the space, reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day.

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A main element of this design includes a central atrium with a reflective high-level ceiling, designed to reflect daylight into the windows on the southern facade of the building, simultaneously maximising natural light and ensuring minimal solar heat gain as windows on this side of the building do not receive direct sunlight.

The building’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system is extremely efficient and includes carbon dioxide (CO2)

sensors to ensure that enough fresh air is supplied to the building. Its full economy cycle ensures that free cooling is possible when outside conditions are favourable. In addition, a central chilled water plant circulates chilled water throughout the building.

Importantly, the HVAC refrigerants and gaseous fire suppression systems used have an ozone-depletion potential (OPD) of zero. All HVAC systems containing refrigerants are contained in a moderately airtight enclosure and a refrigerant leak-detection system has been installed to cover high-risk parts of the plant.

Also, sub-metering has been installed for all major energy uses. This will enable the building owner and/or facilities manager to verify that the equipment and systems are operating in accordance with the design specifications, and to identify areas where potential energy savings can be achieved.

building mAteriAlsThe building materials used were selected to minimise the possible negative effect on the environment. The project team replaced 83% of the total cost of PVC content with alternative materials, sourced timber products from a Forest Stewardship Council certified forest and ensured that 20% of the total contract value was represented by construction materials or products that had been sourced from within 400km of the site, minimising excessive transportation emissions.

reduced wAter consumPtionThe project team was able to reduce the amount of potable (fresh, drinking) water supplied to and consumed by the building through a number of measures, including:

Water-efficient plumbing fixtures have been fitted onto the •

taps and shower heads.All taps throughout the building have been fitted with •

flow restrictors so that no water is wasted through unnecessary usage.The potable water consumption for landscape irrigation has •

been reduced by more than 90% by making use of plants which require no water (xeriscaping), and indigenous plants which need a minimal amount of irrigation. The small portion of landscaping consisting of grass and flowerbeds will only be irrigated at night and will make use of soil-moisture sensors so that only the necessary amount of water is used.

A rainwater harvesting system will collect, store, treat and use large quantities of rain from the roof of the building and surrounding hard surfaces, such as paving. This treated water will then be used in applications where potable water is conventionally (and unnecessarily) used, e.g. for flushing toilets. Potable or municipal water will be used in the remainder of applications within the building, e.g. bathroom and kitchen taps, change room showers and tea bays.

Only a portion of the stormwater collected will be re-used for flushing – the remainder will be stored and slowly released

through the innovative vertical filtering system.A water-treatment system for the air-conditioning condenser

water has been installed to help maintain the efficiency of equipment by reducing the amount of scaling and algae growth in piping systems.

Water meters are installed for all major water uses in the project, as well as an automated, effective mechanism for monitoring water consumption data. This building management system will mean that water leaks can be identified and attended to straight away.

Furthermore, each floor is fitted with a sprinkler system that has isolation valves or shut-off points for floor-by-floor testing (using recycled water). These measures ensure that large quantities of water are not wasted through routine fire-system testing.

imProVing building design And mAnAgementAfter handover, the building owner will implement tuning of all building systems. Monthly monitoring will be undertaken and the outcomes will be reported to the building owner quarterly to allow corrective action to be taken. Full re-commissioning will be undertaken 12 months after practical completion. These initiatives will ensure that the building systems perform optimally in the manner in which they were designed.

“It’s important to realise that a green building is a long-term commitment,” comments Rohde. “What we set out to achieve, is the creation of an office that doesn’t harm the natural landscape which surrounds it, and benefits the people who use it. I believe we’ve succeeded in achieving this vision.”

AureconTel: 012 427 2000Fax: 012 427 2010E-mail: Tshwane@aurecongroup.comWebsite: www.aurecongroup.com

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BURsARy OPPORTUNITyAVIALABLE TO yOUNG GREEN ENThUsIAsTs

A bright future winks for Simon Alger, from Cape Town and Lisa Mniki, from Durban as they both walked away with a ZAR15 000 bursary from the South African Association for Energy Efficiency (SAEE) in November last year.

This opportunity is again available for the 2012 academic year. SAEE invites students in their second and third year of study in Engineering, Built Environment and Environmental fields of study, who do not have any existing financial assistance, to apply before 30 September 2011.

Successful candidates will receive their bursaries at the SAEE Annual Banquet and Awards Evening and opening ceremony for the Energy Efficiency @ Work Convention and Exhibition on 16 November 2011 at Emperors Palace in Gauteng.

The bursaries are awarded to students, who are enthusiastic in their quest to a greener and energy secure future for the country.

Mniki’s field of study is Town and Regional Planning. She learned more of environmental compliance and law enforcement as a trainee at Pravin Amar Development Planners. Her dream is to become actively involved with development initiatives and the building of green cities through town planning.

Alger is conscious of his personal carbon footprint and uses a bicycle to University whilst encouraging his friends to do the same. “My dream is to start a business to develop and implement technologies to improve energy efficiency in industrial operations in the manufacturing and metallurgical sectors,” he says.

The South African Association for Energy EfficiencyTel: +27 18 293 1499Email: info@saee.org.zaWebsite: www.saee.org.za

Simon Alger from the University of Cape Town was awarded a bursary by SAEE for the 2011 academic year.

A student at the Durban University of Technology, Lisa Mniki, received an SAEE bursary for her studies in the built environment for the 2011 academic year.

For 30 years Den Braven SA (Pty) supplied South Africa’s construction community with quality silicone sealants. Professionals and consumers from diverse fields celebrate their 30th anniversary. With the technological infrastructure to cater 100% for the South African climate, this company has proved its reliability time and again.

The company’s sealant products have been used in projects such as the OR Tambo International Airport upgrade, the new highway barrier system around Gauteng, the Moses Mabhida Football Stadium and the Saxon Boutique Hotel in Houghton.

Den Braven South Africa imports most of its products from Den Braven manufacturing operations in other parts of the world. Products not imported are sourced from a partnership with local suppliers. All the products are warehoused in Gauteng, Durban and Cape Town.

They achieved world-leadership in sealant technology by developing products for general and specific applications, with a wide variety of unique sealants in their range.

The company stays on the forefront of product development by investing in research with state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment to ensure that Den Braven products remain the vanguard of sealant technology and produces sealants for the building, glazing, plumbing, fenestration, automotive, general, manufacturing, DIY and hardware markets.

A dedicated sales team is on hand to guide clients and answer any basic or technical questions that customers may have about their wide range of products, which are used as adhesives, sealants, coatings and heat insulators.

Den Braven SA (Pty)Tel: 011 792 3830E-mail: sales@denbraven.co.zaWebsite: www.denbraven.co.za

BIG sEALANT COMPANy CELEBRATEs 30 yEARs

aRChITeCTIves

new sAles & mArketing

mAnAger for PmsA Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA) – one of Africa’s leading suppliers of concrete equipment solutions and technology, is proud to announce the appointment of Quintin Booysen as the company’s new sales and marketing manager.

Booysen has comprehensive experience in marketing industrial products – particularly concrete and building equipment – in developing economies. He has visited more than 50 countries on six continents, where he has worked on projects ranging from community and housing to rural schooling and community development projects.

Booysen holds an honours degree in BSc Building Science (Wits), a PDBA (GIBS) and an MBA (GIBS), and has received several academic awards, including academic honorary colours from University of Pretoria.

Having attended and presented at several international conferences on the construction of housing, schooling and buildings in developing economies, Booysen’s wealth of knowledge and expertise makes him a valuable asset to PMSA. The management would like to welcome him to the team and wishes him well in his new position.

PMSA Tel: 086 100 7672 E-mail: quintin@panmixers.co.za Website: wwwpmsa.com

Do you need...A new brochure? Copywriting? A full service is available from design to final print from JACQUERIE. We also undertake research and copywriting for press releases, articles or sales leaflets.Whatever your needs, contact us for full details and rates.

Dave Soons, Jacquerie Marketing cc

Tel: 012 807 7012: e-mail: dsoons@mweb.co.za:

Fax to e-mail: 086 601 7842

sUDDEN PAssING OfBRIAN ADDIsThe Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI) has announced that Dr Brian Addis, former deputy-director of the Institute, passed away suddenly on 20 June.

Addis, who obtained a PhD on the subject of high-strength concrete from Wits in 1992, was well-respected in the industry for his technical knowledge and competence. He was the author and co-author of numerous articles published both locally and internationally. He wrote and edited many of the technical publications of the C&CI, including three editions of Fulton’s Concrete Technology.

In his private capacity, he found an outlet for his creative side in concrete sculpting. Two of his sculptures can still be seen in the C&CI’s Information Centre in Midrand. More recently, after taking early retirement from the Institute in 1996, he turned his artistic flair to woodwork, using his amazing creativity to produce many wooden mechanical masterpieces such as pachinko’s, automatons and clocks.

Addis is survived by his wife, Helene, three children and six grandchildren.

ASh ReSOuRCeS weLCOmeS New mAN iN ChARgeAsh Resources shifted gears and now aligns the company’s vision with that of Daniel Pettersson, the new managing director since 6 months ago. Pettersson, half-

Swedish and half-Nigerian, grew up in Sweden and started his career in the cement industry, where he previously worked with strategy and business development in Africa and the Middle East. South Africa is not uncharted territory for him as he spent five years in the country earlier in his career. His previous experience helped him to understand the local dynamics of South Africa, which is now familiar to him.

Ash ResourcesTel: 011 657 2300E-mail: info@ash.co.zaWebsite: www.ashresources.co.za

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MBsA DIsMAyED By PWD MORATORIUM ON TENDERsIn a recent press statement issued by Master Builders South Africa (MBSA), CEO Pierre Fourie says MBSA has deep dismay at the Public Works Department’s decision to place a six-month moratorium on the department’s tenders, describing it as another major blow for the beleaguered building sector.

Fourie said MBSA was shocked by the announcement by Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde. “MBSA is at this stage studying the minister’s surprising decision in an attempt to assess the potential effect on the building sector and members of MBSA. It is, however, a pity that the minister took such a drastic decision before taking time to consult the building sector,” he stated.

Fourie said the Department of Public Works is a key client of the building industry and the decision to halt tenders would undoubtedly negatively impact on a sector of the economy that is currently struggling to regain momentum after a major downturn in 2009.

“The moratorium on PWD tenders will especially hurt smaller contractors who are desperate for new work. The department’s moratorium appears to be in sharp contrast to the government’s job-creation policy,” Fourie added.

ITALIAN sTONE ThRIVING AGAINAccording to Ettore Riello, president of the exhibition organiser VeronaFiere, the 46th edition of the Marmomacc International Exhibition of Stone Design & Technology, which takes place in Verona, Italy, from 21-24 September 2011, is already showing positive signs for the stone industry – from raw materials to finished products, technology and accessories.

Italy’s “natural stone” is back on its feet, and the data processed by Marmomacc speaks for itself: 2010 showed an increase of +8,8% in the total national exports for marble and granite, finished and semi-finished products, the export of crude products recorded 21,6% in the fourth quarter of 2010, and semi-finished products reached +5,1% in the fourth quarter of 2010.

A recovery that is consolidated in the first two months of 2011: The total exports of domestic and semi-finished marble and granite, rough stone ornamental and building stone, limestone, gypsum, chalk and slate touched the quota of 192,6-million euro against 172,2-million for the same period of 2010 (+11,9%), while the total imports stood at €62,5-million against €58,6-million in the first two months of 2010 (+6,6%).

“The numbers in the latest edition of Marmomacc, with exhibitors from 56 countries and professionals from 132 countries, confirmed the world’s largest festival,” he said.

For more information visit Website: www.marmomacc.com

During a recent South African Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA) suppliers’ evening in Bedfordview, Wayne Williams, the industrial product manager of CJP Chemicals, warned that the South African paint industry is facing a serious shortage of titanium dioxide – used as pigment for whitening paints – and prices of the mineral are likely to escalate astronomically soon.

Williams said the shortage of titanium dioxide and the global quest for new sources of the mineral were likely to push prices of the pigment up with over R40 per kilogram by the end of this year. In South Africa, a major environmental row has now erupted over plans by a mining group to replace eco-sensitive wetlands with titanium-strip mining close to the outskirts of Mtunzini on the KZN coast.

“However, paint manufacturers can cut their titanium dioxide dependency substantially. It is possible to reduce titanium usage by using diatomaceous earth, of which there are abundant sources all over the world. A combination of diatomaceous earth and talc could replace 40% of paint producers’ titanium requirements. The talc component has been proved to be most effective as pigmentation enhancer and flattening agent,” Williams stated.

He also warned that nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) could – because of environmental considerations – soon be banned in the local coatings industry, as it already has been banned in

South African agricultural products. NPE surfactants are being increasingly banned globally because of its pollution of waste water and extreme toxicity, thereby forcing industries throughout the world to use alternatives.

“For this there are also alternatives available. Tomadol ethoxylates, for example, are excellent wetting agents, emulsifiers and detergents and provide a suitable ‘green’ alternative. The coatings industry should be proactive and change to safer substitutes before legislation forces it to do so,” Williams added.

SAPMATel: 011 455 2503Website: www.sapma.org.za

Pictured at a recent SAPMA suppliers’ evening were (from the left): Wayne Williams (guest speaker) and Let dos Santos of CJP Chemicals, and Deryck Spence, the executive director of SAPMA.

ALTERNATIVE TO TITANIUM DIOxIDE fOR PAINT

COMPETITIONs COMMIssION AT sAPMA ExEC MEETING The South African Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA) recently invited

the Competitions Commission to attend a SAPMA executive committee meeting for mutual edification about the operations of the two organisations.

SAPMATel: 011 455 2503Website: www.sapma.org.za

Andile Mangisa (left), advocacy and stakeholders relations co-ordinator of the Commission, who made a presentation on behalf of the Commission, is pictured with Mandy Linossi, SAPMA’s training course co-ordinator, and Deryck Spence, the executive director of SAPMA.

aRChITeCTIves

107

CREATING A LEGACy fOR TOMORROWHaving worked at Lafarge for eighteen years, Lafarge Gypsum South Africa’s managing director, Jean-Paul Croze, brings extensive international experience to the local business unit.

With a strong technical and performance background, encompassing manufacturing, logistics, purchasing and the environment, Croze also brings a strong customer orientation and service quality to his role. In his previous position at Lafarge, Croze was in charge of manufacturing and technical performance for the entire Lafarge Gypsum division, travelling to more than 30 countries and in excess of 80 plants.

“The context of the business and the South African market has given me the opportunity to address most of the company’s challenges. We are not yet at the level I would like, but we have managed to positively turn the business around, despite strong competition in the market and tough economic conditions,” Croze said.

“Lafarge is an organisation committed to innovation and thought leadership. We want to create a legacy for tomorrow and as such all our initiatives are geared in that direction.”

Lafarge Gypsum bridges the divide between architectural

lessons of the past and the most advanced technology with intelligent building systems. “We are proud of the strong technical performances of both our plants in Roodekop and Alrode, Gauteng. In June, our Roodekop plant marked two years without any lost-time incidents.”

Lafarge Gypsum South Africa generates a full range of products, including standard and technical plasterboards, dry- walling solutions, ceiling systems and compounds. According to Croze, all Lafarge Gypsum’s products in the residential and retail markets are recognised as superior materials with strong reference to quality.

Lafarge Gypsum South AfricaTel: 011 389 4500Fax: 011 864 6816Website: www.lafarge.co.za • www.autospec.com

The South African Facilities Management Association (SAFMA) will be holding a conference and exhibition in the Galaxy Room at Focus Rooms, The Core Shopping Centre, Sunninghill, Gauteng, on 23-24 August 2011.

Under the banner “From upgrading old infrastructure to ensuring future structures are sustainable, when is the right time to get involved?” an expansive collection of essential topics

will be addressed by key speakers, small group discussions and invaluable case studies.

Anyone wishing to attend the conference or who wants to book space at the exhibition should contact the Kim Veltman of the SAFMA Secretariat on 079 514 9298 or send an e-mail to conference@safma.co.za.

DATE sET fOR sAfMA CONfERENCE AND ExhIBITION

erratIUMIn journal 3, 4 and 5 of Walls & Roofs, we omitted to credit the official photographers ©neciraphotography.com for the photos they provided for CGA articles in these issues. Centurion Glass & Aluminium (CGA) is a niche company specialising in the design and erection of bespoke glass and aluminium solutions. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Accentuate Ltd group. The company is currently one of the leading manufacturers and installers for the commercial, retail and top-end residential markets of glass facades, shop fronts, windows, doors and aluminium composite panel cladding.

Jean-Paul Croze

vol 12.5108

aRChITeCTIves

The first results of a benchmarking exercise carried out amongst members of the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) were recently announced by Kobus de Beer, an SAISC industry development executive, in Johannesburg.

The scattergram shows how South Africans compare with similar industries throughout the world. Not only is the average 10% better than the comparison

group of similar companies, but most of the participants are in the “contenders” quadrant where good practice is matched with good performance, using internationally tested measures.

This exercise is done in the interest of assisting the improvement of individual companies by comparing their own practices and performance in 50 different areas of their business with best practice worldwide. These confidential results are then used by management teams to identify areas of weakness or where performance can be improved – a sound base for

problem-solving or annual strategic planning and budgets. “This exercise took five hours of our management team’s

time and has given us a clear and balanced view of where we stand compared to the best in the world and specifically what we can do to get better. We have already booked for next year’s session, which will measure our progress during the year and also give us a basis for the next year’s budget plans,” says one of the participating member companies.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation was commissioned to introduce this approach by the DTI and they made contact with various industry associations.

The SAISC responded positively and was one of the first registered SPX Centres (Subcontractor and Procurement Exchange Centres).

Mr Mikkel Christiansen of Rheo Systems was contracted to conduct the benchmarking exercises at SAISC member companies.

SAISC Tel: 011 726.6111 Fax: 011 482.9644 E-mail: info@saisc.co.za Website: www.saisc.co.za

hOW DO yOU COMPARE?

Kobus de Beer, an SAISC industry development executive

not Sephaku Cement

A proud sponsor of the 2011 Fulton awardst: +27 (0) 12 686 4800 • f: +27 (0) 12 686 4959 • www.sephakucement.co.za

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