13_5 December 2008

With so many urban-renewal, improvement and new projects under way in cities across South Africa, positive change is becoming reality.

For South Africa’s built-environment professionals and their clients, 2008 was a significantly busy year. They had to ensure countless infrastructural and property-development projects were (and will be) delivered on time. Indeed most landscape architects, architects and engineers were busier than ever before.

In many ways, South Africa has become an exciting place. In recent years, there has been an abundance of opportunities to work on remarkable projects. But, even more encouraging, is that the fruits of this labour are becoming tangible. Sports stadiums and precincts are taking shape at a rapid pace while projects, such as the Gautrain, Jo’burg’s bus rapid transit system and the greening of Soweto, are all within sight.

When reading the insightful articles in this edition, one is left with a general impression of optimism. It seems, all over the country, the public and private sectors are coming together to deliver an improved city landscape.

The articles on Soweto (page 14) and Karatara (page 22) show hope that once dusty townships can be transformed into quality city or town precincts while the story on OR Tambo International Airport’s new anti-pollution system illustrates that pollution can always be prevented as long as everyone is proactive.

South Africa seems to have embraced a positive attitude in terms of urban development and, no doubt, efforts expended in recent years will leave a vastly improved legacy for future urbanites. But the work is not yet over. In fact, the easy part is to implement new projects while the real challenge is in the more mundane, albeit more important, task of ongoing urban management and maintenance.

Here’s to a 2009 filled with quality urban management but free of litter and ready to host the world during the Confederations Cup and, more importantly, the FIFA World Cup in 2010! Enjoy the December break!
Gerald Garner
Editor

Olympics go green
Urban Green File was fortunate to have one of its very own staff members compete as a fencer in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. While in Beijing, she took note of the many initiatives to green the Olympics and, more importantly, the facilities that will serve Beijing for many years to come. Read on page 8 how energy and water was saved in the athletes’ village.

Readers of Urban Green File will be interested to know that South Africa is making its own effort to green the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In fact, the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism has funded an extensive study in which green building experts evaluated the various stadium designs and made recommendations on the improvement of a stadium’s green performance. Not all the stadiums have participated but it seems that green building is high on the agenda in most cases.

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LETTERS

Rather invest in renewable energy
In Germany, the electricity generated from renewable sources – wind mainly – equals that of 35 pebble bed modular reactors, a reader claims. Why then does South Africa not embrace renewables?

Your articles Climate change tackled (Urban Green File October 2008) and On the right track? (African Energy Journal October 2008) refer. I am shocked by the prognosis of increasing carbo-dioxide emissions and statements by Eskom. I wish to add some comments on nuclear energy and how incentives for electricity from renewable sources work in Germany. A few weeks ago, I attended a public-participation session of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR) planned for Koeberg. I note, in Germany, a PBMR was built but never switched on because of safety and cost concerns.

The EIA states the only high, but unlikely, risk posed by the reactor is radioactive pollution of marine life in case of a major accident.

The authors of the EIA seem to have no idea what a nuclear accident is. I lived in Germany at the time of the accident at Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986 where 70 000 people died (according to independent research by the Radiation Institute in Munich). Only around 50 deaths were officially acknowledged.

These were the workers who covered the melted reactor with concrete immediately after the accident. All died painfully within weeks. The whole of Europe and, possibly, the entire Northern Hemisphere had a share of radioactive fall-out. We were advised to keep children indoors and eat preserves. In Italy, all markets were closed, and vegetables and fruits harvested at the time of the accident destroyed. These were not measures of hysterical Westerners. In Germany, nine months after the accident at Chernobyl, the number of babies born with Down’s Syndrome was several times higher than normal; friends of mine have one of them.

A few lessons were learned. In Germany, a brilliant piece of legislation – the Renewable Energy Sources Act – provides incentives for electricity produced from renewable sources.

Between 2000 and 2004 alone, small- and medium-sized power plants – mainly wind turbines – were built with an electricity output of 14 000 MW. This is the capacity of 35 PBMRs or four reactors of the type Nuclear 1 planned here. It is rarely acknowledged that only renewable energy can be brought on stream quickly because technology is available and safe. If we have the political will, we can start now with renewable energy and will not increase our carbon-dioxide emissions.

Electricity from renewable sources is more expensive than it is from fossil fuel but cheaper than it is from nuclear reactors when risks and storage of nuclear waste are factored into the calculation.

In Germany, funds for renewable-energy plants were raised in the private market. Instead of investing in the stock exchange, many people bought a wind turbine or shares in wind and solar parks. Now, instead of anxiously monitoring the stock exchange, they can watch the turbines spinning money for them and electricity for all.
Susanna Godehart PhD Eng, Durban

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UPFRONT

Grand parade revitalised
Work has begun on the new urbanscaping of the Grand Parade in Cape Town – in many ways one of the most culturally and historically important public spaces in the city; indeed, the country. The consulting team on the project is ARG Design, Urbanscapes Landscape Architects and Iliso Consulting. The project is being undertaken in phases. Noteworthy aspects include the footprint of the fort that existed before the castle. It will be visible in the paving. The lower part of the square will have permeable paving. Stormwater will flow towards this area and penetrate the ground. The design team has specified stone pines to flank the square in order to recreate the original square as it looked in the early 1800s. These trees, they argue, have become an integral part of the Cape landscape even though they are exotic.
Urban Green File is planning an in-depth article on the design and construction of the new Grand Parade for an upcoming edition – Ed.

47 examples of sustainability unpacked
More than 40 South African examples of sustainability in industry and business are unpacked in the Sustain 2009 yearbook. Published by the owners of Urban Green File, Brooke Pattrick Publications, Sustain 2009 is a collection of summarised articles already published across the various titles in the Brooke Pattrick stable during 2008 and late 2007. Articles cover the fields of architecture, building, construction, energy, water, environmental planning, facilities management, and mining and quarrying.

Reading Sustain 2009 it is clear South Africa’s business community is fast realising the importance of water and energy efficiency. This is not only due to greater awareness of climate change and environmental issues but also because of the stark reality the energy crisis presented the country early in 2008. Sustain 2009 states the formation of the Green Building Council of South Africa was probably the most important development regarding sustainability in the past year. Copies of Sustain 2009 are available for R200, including VAT and postage within South Africa. A subscriber to the combination of any print magazine and e-mail bulletin within the Brooke Pattrick Publications stable qualifies to receive a copy free of charge.

Carbon credits fund ash-reduction initiative
Since its Lawley factory switched from coal to natural gas firing in 2004, Corobrik has reduced its annual CO2 emissions by 17 500 t, MD Dirk Meyer claims. As a result, Corobrik has become the first company in sub-Saharan Africa to be awarded carbon credits by the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism. “For 2005 and 2006, we have been issued 35 130 certified emission reductions (CERs),” Meyer elaborated. “One CER is equivalent to 1 t of CO2 reduced.”

By switching to natural gas, the company has eliminated airborne ash contamination in its factory. Previously it had burned 25 000 t of coal per annum, which emitted an ash content of 8 000 t.

Corobrik has sold its carbon credits to Statkraft Markets, a European electricity producer. “The funds we receive go back to Lawley to offset the cost of financing the project,” Meyer informs Urban Green File.

12-property city-renewal project under way
A multi-building conversion of more than a dozen neighbouring properties in Johannesburg promises to create one of South Africa’s most exciting residential suburbs and an urban-renewal initiative on a flabbergasting R580-million scale. This is according to Amdec Property Development and the Affordable Housing Company (Afhco).

Starting with the conversion of the former 26-storey Nedbank building in End Street, near Ellis Park, into 924 affordable apartments and a 6 000 m� shopping centre, Amdec and Afhco have jointly purchased another 12 properties surrounding this building.

The project partners tell Urban Green File they have entered into a joint venture with City Parks in terms of a long-term management agreement over the neighbouring, now derelict, municipal park. The park will be upgraded by the Johannesburg Development Company together with Amdec and Afhco to include playground equipment and two mini soccer fields.

Town seeks alternative energy supply
The Blue Crane Route Municipality is looking for suppliers of alternative energy, African Energy Journal, Urban Green File’s sister publication, has announced. The municipality has expressed its frustration with restraints imposed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa. It stated it could not afford economic development to be hampered in a region plagued by poverty and unemployment.

The municipality, situated in the north of the Eastern Cape, comprises the urban areas of Somerset East, Cookhouse and Pearston. It has issued a tender for a potential supplier of alternative energy to be generated according to standards set by Eskom and municipalities.

Renewal a reality in Alex?
Slowly but surely the many urban-renewal initiatives in Alexandra, Johannesburg, are beginning to make a difference. The area is seeing much needed development taking off with the Gautrain station at Marlboro, affordable housing, and the Pan African shopping centre and taxi rank as the most visible. It seems private sector investment is finally coming to the township – perhaps as a result of the initial work done by the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP).

The Pan Africa complex is, according to Julian Baskin, director of the ARP, a complicated partnership between government and the private sector. It is being funded by the city, the province and national government. The development is being undertaken by Tebfin Developments in partnership with local entrepreneurs and the two main taxi associations in

Alex: ATA and ARMSTA. It will comprise a 50 000 m� taxi rank and 16 000 m� of retail. The two buildings will be linked by bridges and boast contemporary architecture. A food court will open up onto a public square flanking 2nd Street.

Development of better public space will be welcome in densely-populated Alexandra. Hopefully the private and public-sector projects, expected to take off as a result of the ARP, will consider public space and developers will use reputable landscape architects and urban designers to deliver the goods – Ed.

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GREEN BUILDINGS

Olympiad of green buildings
Beijing’s Olympic Green lived up to its name. Urban Green File was there to take a closer look at this noteworthy urban development and green building project.

It is obvious much planning went into Beijing’s sprawling Olympic development in order to host the world in August 2008. The emphasis was not only on ensuring the various venues could host sporting events but also on making them environment-friendly and sustainable, Elvira Wood found. Wood attended the 2008 Olympic Games not only as a representative of Urban Green File but also as a participating fencing athlete for Team South Africa. Some of the key competition venues used in the Olympic Games, such as the Beijing National Stadium (Bird’s Nest), the Beijing National Aquatics Centre (Water Cube), and the Beijing Olympic Village, collectively made up the city’s Olympic Green.

LEED gold achieved
The Beijing Olympic Village became the first neighbourhood development programme to be awarded Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification by the US Green Building Council. LEED certification is independent, third-party verification that a development’s location and design meet accepted high levels of environmentally-responsible, sustainable development.

On arrival at the village, one could see just why this project had received the award. It was noticeable how lush and green the village was with numerous water features creating a calm and restful atmosphere – even with 16 000 athletes inhabiting the village. Apartment buildings were set far apart from each other with lush gardens and walkways connecting them. Massive underground parking areas would become available to people who bought these flats after the games were over. This, in turn, would help preserve the park-like atmosphere; ensuring thousands of cars wouldn’t obstruct gardens and walkways. For residents to use public transport, bus routes ran past the village while the new South Gate of Forest Park Subway Station was within walking distance of the complex.

More than 20 sustainable technologies
Apart from its good looks, the village boasted more than 20 different technologies to ensure sustainability, including solar heating for buildings and water, and solar thermoelectric cogeneration.

Solar energy-collecting tubes were installed on rooftop gardens over an area of 6 000 m�. The system, used to heat bath water for the 16 000 athletes, could support 2 000 households after the games have been played.

World’s first ‘solar wall’
A major environmental feature of the village (although one had to know where to look for it) was the world’s first economically-viable hybrid “solar wall” system to be deployed on a commercial scale. This solar wall was combined with photovoltaic panels to produce reheated air and solar electricity at the same time. Wastewater in the village was treated through a water system featuring the animal and food chains. Up to 200 t of water could be recycled daily and reused for landscape irrigation in the village.

Efficiencies also achieved in operations
The “green” aspect of the Olympic Village stretched further than just the obvious technologies. For the duration of the Games, the day-to-day running of the village also showed attention had been paid to detail.

For example, linen and towels were not changed every day (linen every four days and towels every two days) as part of a drive to limit washing. It was reported the 200 washing machines in the village used new, double-wheel turning technology, which did not require detergent. The machines apparently saved up to 30% energy and water, and there was much less of a wear-and-tear effect on clothing.

In the dining hall, recycled paper plates, cups and bowls were used. Special environment-friendly fridges stored cold drinks. The moment the fridge door was opened, the unit shut down and started up again when it was closed. In the village (and also throughout Beijing), solar-powered street and traffic lighting were common. Throughout the village, special permeable paving blocks were used to enable rainwater to seep through and to encourage grass to grow. After the Games, the flats are due to be converted into ordinary apartment buildings – apparently all had been sold at the time of the Olympics. The village would then suddenly solve the obviously dire need for housing.

Prominent buildings designed sustainably
The Olympic Green hosted a multitude of environment-friendly buildings. The two most prominent were the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube – both sustainable architectural wonders.

The Bird’s Nest boasted a nano-filtration-membrane rainwater recycling system using underground pools to process up to 100 t of rainwater an hour; 80 t could be reused for landscape irrigation and cleaning. Keeping in mind, Beijing’s average annual rainfall of 609 mm, the water savings could be substantial. This water would also be piped under the playing surface to gather heat to warm the stadium in winter, and provide coolth in summer.

Although the Bird’s Nest might have somewhat overshadowed the Water Cube in its grandeur, the Cube’s environment-friendly technologies made it an honourable neighbour. The Water Cube was constructed of two layers of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETEE) filled with air to look like water bubbles. The building was distinguished more by the greenhouse created by the ETEE bubbles than its aesthetics. When it came to heating, the Water Cube used 30% less energy because of its design. Translucent walls allowed sunlight to passively heat the building and the pool water.

More venues were green
The Bird’s Nest and Water Cube were not the only venues that boasted green technologies. The National Indoor Stadium (which hosted the gymnastics events) had photovoltaic generators installed under the roof. These generated as much as 100 kW of electricity every day.

The Beijing Olympic Green Convention Centre, which hosted the media center and was also the venue for the fencing competition, had a special rainwater-collection system on its roof. The collected water was used to flush toilets and for landscape irrigation. The Olympic Green Tennis Centre featured a zero-discharge sewage-treatment system. This facility was able to treat 100% of sewage through membrane biological reactors.

Public art set the scene
Apart from the impressive architecture, the Olympic Green (including the village) featured numerous exterior art works and lush landscaping. Many “statues” were created depicting Olympic events, such as cycling, by using small flower pots inserted into wire frames. Many of these were in full bloom during the Games.

Sprawling layout problematic
As with any project, there were drawbacks. Most noticeable was that the Olympic Green spread over a massive area. Although this created a very spacious impression, it was simply too far for people to walk from one point to another. The new underground substations were within walking distance of the village but this was a fair walking distance. One could argue, Beijing’s heat and rain may, in future, drive people back to their cars.

Greening temporary?
Many of the features that made the Olympics green were temporary installations.

For example, athletes made use of the green laundry service but permanent residents would probably use conventional washing machines so greater volumes of water and detergent would be used ordinarily. Athletes also dined in central dining halls, which made use of green technologies, but most ordinary citizens would not have this luxury and would most probably make use of conventional stoves and kettles that use significantly more energy.

What happens next?
It was obvious, for the duration of the Olympic Games in August and the Paralympic Games in September 2008, great measures were taken to make these the “Green Games”. Billions of dollars were spent on installing green technologies in specially-designed buildings while construction and other industries were halted to ensure clean air.

But, when it was over, one had to question what would happen next. Only time will tell whether or not these new technologies will really take hold in Chinese culture and industry. There were many reports indicating, over time, the green practices may not continue. One would also have to wait and see how these systems would be maintained and whether or not they would be used long after the Games.

However, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games proved, beyond doubt, green technologies could be implemented and used on a massive scale – even for an entire neighbourhood, if integrated from the initial conception of the development.

More about LEED

The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System was developed by the US Green Building Council. The system provides a suite of standards for environmentally-sustainable construction.

A building that is LEED certified is said to use key resources more efficiently compared to conventional buildings and is also healthier to work in. For a building or project to achieve gold status, it must score between 39 and 51 points out of a maximum of 69 points. Points are awarded for the site (14 points), water efficiency (five points), energy and atmosphere (17 points), materials and resources (13 points), indoor environment quality (15 points), and innovation and design process (five points).

The Green Building Council of South Africa has launched a similar rating system, Green Star SA. At this point, though, Green Star SA only applies to office buildings. Rating tools for other types of buildings are due to be launched within the next year or two.

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GREEN BUILDINGS BRIEFS

Water bill reduced by drip irrigation
Green building is not only about building structures itself. Often the most significant volume of water on a property is consumed by landscape irrigation rather than building services, such as toilets, urinals and basins. For this reason, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront has embarked on a programme to switch its landscape irrigation system to drip irrigation.

Colin Devenish, executive manager: facilities at the waterfront, told delegates at the Green Building Council of South Africa convention this initiative came about as part of the waterfront’s environmental strategy but also with the aim to save costs and improve efficiencies. About 90% of the waterfront’s irrigation is based on sprayers with only 10% as drip irrigation.

The aim is to change this to 70% drip and 30% conventional irrigation. This, Devenish claimed, could save as much as R82 000 in a dry month, like December, alone. The waterfront has apparently already saved R320 000 by switching off the irrigation system completely during the four wet winter months of 2008. Devenish believes, if a ratio of 70% drip irrigation could be achieved, the V&A would save as much as R670 000 per annum just on water costs.

95% less potable water the goal
Cape Town will soon boast a very visible green building. The second phase of the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC 2) will be developed on the harbour side of the highway leading into the city centre.

The intention is to reduce energy consumption by 40% from that of the existing convention centre (CTICC 1) and to use 95% less potable water than CTICC 1. The design is being handled by VDMMA Architects as part of the Foreshore Architects consortium while the sustainability consultants on the project are AGAMA and Arup. The development is a partnership between Sunwest, the City of Cape Town and the provincial government of the Western Cape.

The design will attempt to celebrate the building’s environmental features by making them as visible as practically possible. The building will boast sunscreen devices that incorporate photovoltaics, ventilation towers (turbines) and a green roof. Up to 11% of the off-peak electricity load will be generated from renewable sources. A biowaste digester will be combined with LP gas as one alternative source of energy. Waste to landfill will be reduced by 25% through the introduction of on-site sorting and recycling with some waste utilised for the generation of energy through the biowaste digester.

Low-carbon footprint housing proposed
A proposed R2-billion affordable housing project in Diepsloot, Johannesburg, will reportedly be based on green principles. The 237 ha Tanganani development will cater for the gap in the lower-end market, as well as traditional, credit-linked, affordable housing.

More than 12 000 housing units are envisaged by SafDev Tanganani. Some of the funding is provided by Nedbank Corporate Property Finance: Affordable Housing.

The CEO of SafDev, Grant Wheeler, tells Urban Green File his company believes it is the responsibility of developers, as global citizens, to reduce their carbon impact. “Not enough is being done in the initial urban and engineering designs of residential townships to ensure the lowest possible carbon footprint. Our goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of this development, when compared to a standard approach, by around 500 kg of carbon emissions per unit. This excludes the normal electricity consumption savings achieved by using solar geysers, CFL light bulbs and so on.”

If the level of buy-in and cooperation by the provincial housing board, in terms of the provision of subsidies and funding, as well as institutions such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the local-authority structures, are anything to go by, “this project is going to be an amazing success”, Wheeler adds.

Green star office tool launched
South Africa’s first tool for the green rating of office buildings was officially launched at the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) convention in Cape Town in early November 2008.

With more than 600 delegates at the convention – a sizable portion of property owners and developers – it is clear the GBCSA will have a profound influence on South Africa’s property sector. The GBCSA came about through the initiative of a property owner, Bruce Kerswill of Spire Property Management as a not-for-profit organisation. With Nicola Douglas as the CEO, the GBCSA has already, in a short time, managed to attract high-profile founding members, corporate sponsorship, and stage a convention and launch a rating tool.

It was also apparent at the convention that green buildings are now becoming standard.

Soon a green building will no longer be special but simply the way all new buildings and retrofits are being done. Many delegates indicated they intended to submit their building projects for Green Star SA Office Version 1 ratings.

Energy-efficiency standard announced
A new standard for energy efficiency in buildings has been announced. South African National Standard (SANS) 204 will, at first, be voluntary but the departments of Minerals & Energy and Trade & Industry will make it mandatory as soon as practical.

While intended for mandatory application in new buildings, SANS 204 can also be used for voluntary energy-efficient retrofits in existing buildings as the owners strive to reduce electricity and energy accounts. Each part of SANS 204 covers a different aspect. The standard is made up of three sections, which include:
* SANS 204 gives the general requirements for energy efficiency.
* SANS 204-2 covers naturally-ventilated buildings.
* SANS 204-3 is for artificially-ventilated buildings.

Office development opts for green
Architects and property developers are embracing the concept of green buildings at a rapid pace. In Hyde Park, Johannesburg, Farquharson Projects’s new 5 000 m� office development is being designed green by Krige Architects. According to the property developer, 60 trees have already been transplanted for reinstatement on the site after building completion.

Andre Krige tells Urban Green File, although site selection is an important aspect in green building, it is equally important that the existing ecology of the site is maintained. All indigenous and mature trees on the site are, therefore, either being preserved or transplanted.

“The surrounding landscaping is designed to be low-maintenance and water-efficient,” Krige elaborates. “The irrigation system will be fed from the rainwater-harvesting system; collecting water from the flat roof areas.” The building makes use of natural ventilation where possible in order to reduce the energy load of the air-conditioning system. To make this possible, much emphasis is placed on reducing solar heat gain. In terms of the roof, all flat areas are covered with a crushed rolled stone for shade while insulation is also installed inside the roof spaces.

In terms of the fa�ade, sun screens provide shade over windows along the northern fa�ade. “These are designed around the path of the sun in order to reduce the heat gain in summer but increase the heat gain in winter,” Krige tells Urban Green File.

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CITY VISIT

No longer temporary
Originally established as a temporary, apartheid-style township, Soweto is fast becoming a sustainable and contemporary city region within Johannesburg. Urban Green File takes a closer look at Nasrec, Orlando eKhaya and the Soweto Greening programme.

Officially housing 1,3-million residents and R8,9-billion in annual household spending, the complexities and dualistic nature of Soweto’s growing economy are largely unknown.

Historically, in line with apartheid policies, the township’s economy was not supported by local government. The primary function of Soweto was to provide labour to Johannesburg. Not planned as a sustainable urban unit, the lack of an economic base resulted in Soweto’s dependency on the larger metropolitan economy. The township suffered from significant leakage of “spend” with the majority of goods and services bought and sold outside of its boundaries.

In terms of the Group Areas Act, specialist businesses one would need on a daily basis, such as laundries, pharmacies, bookshops, drapers and outfitters were prohibited until late in the 1970s. Homebased businesses, even for qualified professionals such as lawyers and doctors, were not allowed. The only commercial activity African people could undertake was hawking.

A township transformed
But today’s Soweto is different. It has become a vibrant, dynamic, “Afro-cosmopolitan” part of Gauteng. Since 1993, Soweto has continued to lead the way in township transformation; seeing the development of new shopping malls, townhouses, offices and recreational facilities.
The past five years have seen significant public and private-sector investment. To date, the City of Johannesburg has spent as much as R6-billion on infrastructure, as well as urban upgrade and renewal projects. The city has allocated a further R365-million to be spent on infrastructure over the next two years. The private sector, in turn, has realised the significant opportunity in Soweto and invested close to R325-million to date.

Politically, in terms of a focus on regeneration, Soweto and the inner city of Johannesburg are the only two regions within greater Johannesburg boasting dedicated Section 79 committees. This, according to Liana Strydom of the city’s Department of Development Planning & Urban Management, provides projects with political status and pull. Projects are elevated through political layers to ensure transparency and public participation.

3 projects improve urban environment
Of the many projects under way, Urban Green File is taking a look at three strategically-located projects with spatial frameworks. These include Nasrec, Orlando eKhaya and the Soweto Greening Project. All are contributing towards improving the environment through linkage, economic development, accessibility and sustainability.

Soweto at a glance
* 301 000 households
* urban area appears monotonous with housing as predominant land use
* brick house is the main type with a formal or informal
* structure in the backyard
* 30% of Sowetans own their homes, according to the Johannesburg Property Company’s Doornkop Business Plan produced in 2006
* historically, very little demand for office space – a changing trend following significant investment in Soweto

* population densities vary greatly from below 20/ha to more than 130/ha
* most land is owned by the City of Johannesburg and managed by Johannesburg Property Company
* a process of land regularization to release title to relevant home owners is under way

Strategies guide: Soweto’s development
Since 2005, various strategy and framework documents have guided the City of Johannesburg’s investment in Soweto yet development has sometimes taken place prior to finalisation of these strategies.

* 2008: SISF
This comprehensive document was developed by the Department of Development Planning & Urban Management to fill a gap as an overarching strategy document. This department viewed the Regional Spatial Development Framework (RSDF) as a high-level guiding document and wrote the Soweto Integrated Spatial Framework (SISF) to answer spatial questions and facilitate the “where, how and why” of development. The SISF states the vision for Soweto as being “to create an enabling, equitable, sustainable and memorable spatial structure that will maximize access to a variety of opportunities for Sowetans and make them proud citizens”. It embraces the slogan “from temporary to contemporary”.

* 2008: Soweto Economic Transformation & Development Plan
Developed by the Department of Economic Development, it builds on the Soweto Investment Framework, written for the same department.

* 2005: Soweto Development Initiative
It outlines the development strategy and is used mainly by the region to guide investment.

* 2005: Soweto Investment Framework
This document’s objective was to build onthe RSDF and Soweto Retail Study, and develop them into an investment framework to guide public- and private-sector investment in Soweto. This framework aims to provide a broad strategic economic-development vision and strategic direction. It identifies 20 nodes; creating a profile and vision for each. The nodes are each ranked according to criteria such as size, scale of impact, population density in adjacent areas and access to the public transport network in order to determine a hierarchy of development potential.

* 2004: Soweto Retail Strategy
This strategy was developed by the then Economic Development Unit in support of the fact that “the City of Johannesburg recognises Soweto is under-provided with retail facilities and has, as part of its plan for the development of Soweto, identified the need to support expansion of the retail sector”. The objective was to develop a model to understand demand for goods, and to help in decision-making relating to supply facilities.

* 2003: Soweto Economic Activity Analysis
This details economic trends and identifies activity areas of varying size and potential.

* Nodal development frameworks
In addition to these high-level strategy documents, each node has its own development framework taking concepts to finer-grained detail. For example, the Soweto Open Space System or nodes, such as Jabulani, Dube, Orlando, Baralink, Bara Central, Kliptown, Doornkop and Protea.

Academics and consultants have added to the research of renewal and development, mostly from an economic-development and housing perspective. It would seem a dearth of information is available on Soweto yet up-to-date primary research is often lacking. Assisting with technical expertise and capital projects, the Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant has put significant funding into a number of township-upgrade projects.

Nasrec: vibrant precinct in the making
Nasrec promises to form a vibrant precinct linking Soweto with the inner city. But red tape seems to be hampering its development.

Strategically located between Soweto and the inner city, Nasrec has the potential to develop into a world-class sports, tourism and exhibition node; bringing economic activity to the underdeveloped south. This is according to the Nasrec Urban Design Framework (UDF) of 2005. Andrew Barker, development consultant to the Nasrec Landowner’s Forum, states planning for Nasrec’s development began in the early 1980s. But it is only now, with 2010 momentum, that these plans and visions are beginning to be realised.

While not part of “true” Soweto, Nasrec is included in this article because of its ability, in terms of location and function, to link Soweto with the inner city. “Nasrec can support Soweto just as the northern suburbs support the inner city,” Barker claims. Prepared by the Nasrec Consortium in 2005, the Nasrec UDF is a synthesis of previous and present planning efforts and seeks to provide the tools for viable, sustainable and appropriate development at Nasrec. The precinct is home to Soccer City (the 2010 FIFA World Cup flagship stadium), the Expo Centre and Crown Mines golf club. The precinct inherently has many opportunities to develop into a sports and expo hub.

The notion of sustainable development is addressed upfront in the precinct’s vision: “to create a unique destination at Nasrec by leveraging existing sports and exhibition facilities in such a way that it fuels real and sustainable economic growth.”

On the public sector side, Nasrec comprises three main projects:
1. Upgrading the station through Intersite.
2. Construction of an intermodal transport facility, including the construction of a pedestrian bridge, linking the facility with the Expo Centre and Soccer City, and creating a quality pedestrian environment.
3. Upgrading the Soweto Highway to form a direct link from the inner city to Soweto.

These projects are being implemented by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) as part of its Area Regeneration Programme with the objective of attracting private sector investment.

Sustainability considered?
But how sustainable will the Nasrec precinct be? Will it improve the quality of lives for surrounding communities?

The private sector (iProp and the Expo Centre) are key to the Nasrec development and they are represented on the Nasrec Landowner’s Forum together with the JDA, the Department of Public Works (DPW) and FNB.

According to Richard Bennett of iProp, the precinct meets sustainable development requirements in many ways, most importantly through the focus on public transport. “Nasrec is one of only three truly intermodal public-transport nodes in Johannesburg; facilitating access to the new bus rapid transit system, rail, and metered and combi taxis.

The precinct is about public transport, sports and exhibition, and the aim is to create a hub with a sporting focus around these facilities. Land use will include a national training facility, retail, sports academies, extensive sporting facilities, and tourist and sporting accommodation. Once established, the hub should generate economic growth around these specific industries; even hotels and related infrastructure.

In terms of job creation, to date, the JDA reports 800 jobs have been created at Nasrec. This, it claims, could treble by 2010. Public participation has been high on the agenda throughout the process. The Soweto community is well-represented and councillors are actively involved. The Nasrec Landowners Forum (NLF) is unique in that stakeholders have agreed on one vision, which has facilitated agreement around processes and ultimately accelerated the implementation; adding value on an integrated basis. Facilities to integrate the informal sector into the development are planned as part of the new facilities.

Strong linkages a plus
Nasrec boasts strong spatial linkages with its context through the bus rapid transit system and the soon-to-be-upgraded Soweto Highway, bus routes, taxi and feeder routes, and the upgraded Intersite station. In future, symbiotic economic relations may develop with the Soweto Empowerment Zone at Bara Central, as well as small businesses such as restaurants.

Property owners in the precinct have seen an increase in land value since the start of development. According to Barker, Nasrec needs to become a high-value opportunity node as this would lead to an increase in the value of rates collected; in so doing, decreasing the financial burden on the city.

The NLF plans to form a Section 21 company with terms of reference that will focus on managing the precinct; providing similar services to a city improvement district, such as supplementary urban management over and above what the city will provide.

In terms of environmental concerns, energy efficiency, surface permeability stormwater issues and indigenous planting, are all either on the agenda or detailed in proposed plans. It seems the UDF and landscape architecture will ensure an upgraded pedestrian environment designed around the sports facilities and intermodal public transport facilities. All landscaping will use robust indigenous planting.

2010 legacy established
All the facilities being prepared to meet FIFA requirements for 2010 will be available for use by residents and communities with management agreements extending beyond the two-year horizon. The upgraded Soweto Highway will not only act as a link but provide opportunity for economic growth as an activity spine.

Public Works’ land problematic
However all is not well at Nasrec. More than 20 years is a long time to realise the potential of such a strategically-located node. According to the JDA, implementation was, at one stage, held up by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Environment. In addition, there seems to have been a delay in agreement between the JDA and DPW regarding development of the DPW owned land.

Private-sector investors reportedly feel the land owned by the DPW will not necessarily be developed for its highest and best use. This, they argue, is problematic for the remainder of the precinct and may erode the rates base. The land is proposed for a mixed-income residential development yet the NLF feels, as the land abuts the Crown Mines Golf Course, higher values could be realised closer to the golf course with higher densities and mixed income housing developed on the eastern land portion.

Hospital and hotel shelved
It is disappointing to learn iProp has made land available, drawn up plans and secured funding to build a hospital within the Nasrec Precinct but the national Department of Health has refused to issue a licence.

This is apparently because the black economic empowerment (BEE) development company is not considered to be “BEE enough” for the department’s requirements. Construction has, therefore, been shelved, Urban Green File has learned.

iProp has also made land available to a well-known hotel group, which drew up plans and was ready to go ahead with development but has walked away from the deal due to unrealistic time delays around decision-making on the part of the city council. In addition, the proposed housing plans, as part of the International Broadcast Centre, are on hold as the JDA has reneged on part of its agreement with the developers, it is claimed. iProp offered to assist but this proposal has not been taken up.

Another concern is that the Expo Centre spends significant amounts of budget on maintaining its grounds yet is surrounded by neglected DPW land and the result is a dirty, unmanaged visual perception of the entire precinct. However, viewed holistically, it still seems the positive aspects of Nasrec far outweigh the challenges. Nasrec is

Key role players
* Landowners: iProp, Joburg Expo Centre, Department of Public Works, City of Johannesburg
* Project manager: Johannesburg Development Agency
* Lead consultant and consulting engineer: PD Naidoo & Associates
* Strategic development consultant: Andrew Barker
* Landscape Architect: Insite
* Public participation: NMA

10 years of project roll-out
Some key projects completed or under way in Soweto include:
1. Land Regularisation Programme: to determine the location of all council owned land in order to determine its best use to inform council’s decision whether or not to retain, transfer the title or to sell the land.
2. Baralink, Baralink public-transport facility and Bara Central
3. Diepkloof Business District & Hostels Upgrade
4. Orlando Stadium Precinct
5. Orlando eKhaya
6. Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication, Kliptown Node
7. Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital upgrade and decentralisation
8. The Greening Soweto Programme
9. Maponya Mall

Orlando eKhaya: an ambitious development
A vibrant mixed-use development with quality public space is proposed.

Orlando eKhaya is the largest and most ambitious development yet undertaken in Soweto. It promises to transform the area into a sought-after destination for investment, business and tourism, the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) claims. Up and until March 2008, the JPC followed a development approach directed by township establishment.

The JPC ensured rights were in place for development, secured the required bulk infrastructure and ensured feasibilities were in place for land agreements and project implementation. In so doing, the JPC adopted a parallel process of township establishment, branding and place marketing, preparation of landscape architectural plans for the public spaces, undertook environmental assessments, and developed site development plans for each of the seven proposed projects.

This 300 ha precinct is located at Soweto’s best-known eastern entrance along Old Potch Road. It is within close proximity to Baragwanath Hospital, opposite the site of the old Power Station and Orlando Dam. It is important to note two adjacent projects will have a significant bearing on this development: Sontonga Hills (being developed into a cultural, heritage and environmental facility by City Parks) and the University of Johannesburg’s Vista Campus, which is expanding to accommodate 10 000 students.

More than R100-million of public funding is being invested in the precinct as part of site preparation, servicing and development of strategic projects. A large amount of this funding is sourced from National Treasury’s Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant. More than

R1,1-billion will be invested by the private sector in the first phase of development.
Orlando eKhaya will witness the development of
* 1 200 mixed-income homes;
* 30 000 m� of retail space;
* 60 ha of world-class open space;
* upgraded campus for 10 000 University of Johannesburg students;
* R100-million infrastructure upgrade;
* Orlando Towers Extreme Adventure Bungee Jump; and
* 2 700-seat music centre.

In March 2008, Albonico Sack & Mzumara (ASM) Architects & Urban Designers developed an Urban Design Concept Framework (UDCF) to establish a clear relationship between the initiatives around the dam and within the precinct. The UDCF also defines the relationships between the site and the developments, thereby protecting the integrity of the site while also seeking ways to pull the strategies together.

Sustainability considered?
But how sustainable will Orlando eKhaya be once completed? Will it improve the quality of lives for surrounding communities?

According to Nic Sack of ASM, Orlando eKhaya is achieving a balance between the conservation of a sensitive environment and progressive development. The aim is to create a vibrant mixed-use precinct so the UDCF focuses on adaptive reuse; grappling with the right balance. Environmental issues have certainly been addressed during the planning phase. For instance, a network of open-space systems will stretch around the dam and through the wetlands. Sensitive ecological areas, such as reed beds, have been identified and are being protected. A sound ecological approach to management of the water and the spruit has been adopted and a clear environmental management plan is being adhered to.

The precinct also has a cultural, visual and symbolic link with Sontonga Hills on the Vista campus. Insite Landscape Architects has prepared a framework for the open-space system; addressing interaction between the public spaces and the proposed developments. This framework details robust street furniture, indigenous planting, boardwalks over sensitive areas, the establishment of a bird sanctuary, as well as the treatment of dam edges and wetlands. The framework also focuses on protection of the reed beds and even ensures two corridors are left open to facilitate the migration of fauna from Sontonga Hills to the dam.

Market gaps being filled
As a dormitory township, Soweto used to function like a large suburb. A gap analysis conducted by JPC showed retail, office and entertainment land uses lacking, as well as mixed-income residential developments.

It also did not have a golf course or cultural facilities. “Development is now almost filling in the gaps of a matrix,” Alan Dinnie wrote in a 2008 report, “with the golf course in Pimville, theatre at Jabulani and music center at Orlando, for example.”

The UDCF, as well as the landscape architectural framework, has its focus on creating a quality public and pedestrian environment. The precinct displays good access and is integrated with public transport along Old Potch Road. Commercial uses will be located at intersections along the internal road network. Multiple points of entry ensure the precinct is connected into Soweto as well as a positive relation-ship with adjacent neighbourhoods.

Orlando eKhaya will ensure activities previously only found outside of Soweto become accessible to all residents. An intermediate public-transport facility will accommodate taxis at the entrance opposite Elangeni and the main entrance to the Vista campus. Residents will also be able to enjoy access to the enhanced natural open-space system and dam undergoing comprehensive water management. Niche land use, such as the music centre, the extreme adventure centre and the Isango Retail Mall in the old power station, will attract feet at scale while stimulating tourist visits and spend in the precinct. At a cost of R700-million, the Soweto music centre will be based on the successful and iconic Sage Centre at Gateshead in Newcastle. Using this model, it is hoped the music centre will have a significantly positive impact on Soweto; attracting local visitors, increasing tourism and related economic opportunity, as well as cultural spending, and attracting hotels and related infrastructure. As an economic node, Orlando eKhaya adds an exciting dimension to the surrounding urban form; providing landmarks and iconic buildings, and capitalising on sensitive ecological aspects to create a quality public realm; all adding to the sense of place. Following a preliminary proposal, a feasibility study into the establishment of a Section 21 company in the form of a city improvement district is in progress. The urban management company aims to ensure the investment is protected with security, additional cleaning, and by marketing and partnering with City Parks on optimal maintenance of the open-space system.

But many challenges remain
Orlando eKhaya faces significant challenges. As part of the UDCF, a transportation and traffic study was conducted around the precinct. Results show the road infrastructure cannot cope with the rate of development. All roads are at capacity with frequent traffic jams.

The proposed mixed-income housing towards the north of Orlando eKhaya may be gated for security reasons. Apart from a host of reasons gated communities are not sustainable, this may form a physical barrier; cutting Orlando eKhaya off from the urban fabric on the northern boundary – the housing almost turns its back on the context.

This precinct has also experienced significant delays in implementation due to bulk installation backlogs, most notably electricity. This begs the question: Why do proposed structures not seek to become more energy-efficient? However, as a truly mixed-use precinct, Orlando eKhaya is becoming a destination of note!

Key role players
* Developers: Johannesburg Property Company, Linsela Holdings, Crowie Group, Old Mutual Investment Group, Katavi, Orlando Towers, Elangeni, University of Johannesburg, Johsco
* Urban designer: Albonico Sack Muzumara
* Landscape Architect: Insite
* Environmental consultant: Strategic Environmental Focus
* Urban management: Urban Inc
* Planner: Maluleke Luthuli
* Consulting engineer: Hlaganani

Soweto greening: a dusty township transformed
More than 200 000 trees and several parks are changing the face of Soweto. It is becoming another leafy suburb of Johannesburg.

Tackling a dry, dusty township with prolific tracts of vacant, unmanaged space left over after planning (“sloap”), the Soweto greening project was implemented by City Parks in 2003. Well under way, the greening is capitalizing on the momentum of 2010 and is taking place at various levels; flagship parks, neighbourhood parks, community parks, cemeteries, traffic island planting and street-tree planting. The 200 000 tree planting campaign has already reached 120 000 trees to date!

The goal is to turn Soweto into a green oasis on par with other developed suburbs in Johannesburg. City Parks and its partners (Talk Radio 702, Rand Water, Jody Scheckter, ACSA and the governments of Norway and Denmark) have their work cut out over the next few years. This project has not only used 2010 as leverage to accelerate implementation but has also attracted the attention of Nelson Mandela, the World Conservation Union and the Liveable Communities Awards in London.

Part of a comprehensive open-space framework
In 1998, a comprehensive open-space framework was developed by Newtown Landscape Architects (NLA). According to Johan Barnard of NLA, a large part of the success of the greening programme is due to the significant amount of time JCP spent in thorough planning and preparatory work. The framework details a complete open-space system developed along the Klipspruit and Klip River with parks of different scales. The framework identifies priority areas, the Klipspruit and Klip River, and goes into detailed design; ensuring integration with proposed transportation nodes and economic development nodes.

“JCP has really become proactive and innovative. Prior to 2001, only two parks were developed in 10 years. Since 2001, there has been significant work done around city greening, park establishment and park upgrades,” Barnard informs Urban Green File.

Among some of the noteworthy parks that form part of the Soweto greening programme are:
* Dorothy Nyembe Park and Environmental Centre
* Mofolo Regional Park
* Thokoza Park and Moroka Dam
* Diepkloof Extreme Park
* Klipspruit & Klip River Rehabilitation
* Inkonyesi Stimulation Park (for handicapped children)
* Mapetla phases 1, 2 and 3

Remarkable success
The success of these parks has been phenomenal – even leading to a decrease in crime within some communities. More than 10 000 learners per month visit the environmental centre at Dorothy Nyembe Park.

After school, children are mesmerized by Graeme Joffe’s Township TV initiative in the Diepkloof Extreme Park (users exceed the park’s carrying capacity).

At Inkonyesi, children in wheelchairs use the roundabouts while the bedridden now have swings adapted to their needs. According to Jenny Moodley of City Parks, the loss of street trees has been less than expected.

But how sustainable is it?
The parks act as a catalyst for the development of community ownership and civic pride. Established and well-maintained parks, such as Dorothy Nyembe and the Diepkloof Extreme Park, also bring socioeconomic benefits to the community by attracting supporting leisure as well as retail infrastructure. NLA and Insite agree integrating sustainability into park development, over and above using indigenous plants, is not easy.

Yet, wherever possible within the programme, paved surfaces have been kept to a minimum, pathways have been designed around existing paths of movement, stormwater is encouraged to run over as much of the site as possible, canalisation of water is avoided while park and street furniture is designed and manufacture to be robust.

NLA is of the opinion City Parks has come a long way in terms of its approach to city greening. The Soweto initiative has demonstrated its willingness to be innovative and “do things differently,” Barnard tells Urban Green File. According to City Parks CEO, Luther Williamson, “developing truly green parks will be a key focus from now on”. Williamson says this will include building solar-powered ablution systems, recycling water, harvesting rainwater and using green equipment. City Parks would also re-evaluate landscaping to move away from traditional to more innovative designs.

Education to prevent tree loss
But even a project with such obvious good intentions is not without its challenges.

Tree loss is costly although it happens less than expected according to City Parks. In order to minimise tree loss, City Parks has initiated an adult education initiative based on teaching children in Soweto’s schools so that they will, in turn, teach their parents.

Budgets for park upgrades are not always sufficient and it has been shown, where larger budgets are allocated, the parks, once completed, are better received by the community; they were not vandalised as often as others.

Maintenance remains a challenge
Fritz Coetzee of Insite Landscape Architects believes City Parks is under strain when it comes to maintenance and management.

“In order to address this, consultants have begun to deliver turnkey projects where the installation contractor is also employed to provide maintenance for one year.” Part of the problem is that the City of Johannesburg has failed to adequately increase the City Parks operating budget over recent years with the result that, outside of the flagship projects, smaller parks do not receive as much attention as they need. “There is also an issue of capacity; skills are needed for maintenance,” adds Barnard.

Despite these challenges, the Greening Soweto project has added significant value to the urban fabric of Soweto while creating a platform to facilitate further education and awareness.

Progress becomes tangible
City departments have successfully worked on various projects; bridging previously impenetrable silos. The SISF has seen the most active and effective participation “internally” ever recorded in a framework-development process.

Most of the nodal developments embrace sustainable-development notions of mixed-use, mixed-income housing and increased density along transportation corridors.

In so doing, they maximise potential for local economic development while the quality of the public realm is significantly improved. Success has largely been due to transparency. The community is active and organised in Soweto, and ward councillors have been involved in each planning and implementation process from the start.

It is ironic, due to traditional blueprint and master planning followed by the apartheid government, all the basics in Soweto are there. “Almost true blueprint planning was applied; allocating a certain number of facilities per area and certain allowances for bulk infrastructure; ensuring correct road reserves and space for parks in each neighbourhood, Strydom points out. However this approach resulted in many park spaces becoming sloap. “Now it’s merely a matter of filling in the blanks; ensuring the community is supported and linking various elements together,” continues Strydom. As with any investment in the urban environment, maintenance will be key for the future.

Although this is partly being addressed by the private sector and key stakeholders forming Section 21 companies, and partly by city departments, evidently more budget needs to be dedicated to maintenance in order to ensure sustainability.

Many other Soweto initiatives have not been mentioned in this article, such as Pikitup’s 100 Spots campaign, the Johannesburg Roads Agency’s road upgrade and cycle-track development, as well as the many projects undertaken by communities and NGOs.

Key role players
* Developer and project manager: Johannesburg City Parks
* Open space master planners: Newtown Landscape Architects
* Landscape architects: Newtown Landscape Architects, KH Landscape Architects
* Insite Landscape Architects
* Contractors: Countryline Africa, R&D Contractors
* Consulting engineers: PBAI & Inroads Consulting Engineers
* Public participation: NMA
* Environmental consultants: SRK, Strategic Environmental Focus

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ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & DESIGN

Integration achievable?
Can Karatara – a small community near Knysna – be transformed from three apartheidstyle settlements into one new town? An entrepreneurial school for environmental sustainability believes it is possible.

Many towns in South Africa still bear the scars of their apartheid past; not only overt symbols, such as Hans Strijdom Road or the statue of a long-forgotten politician, but “real” scars: informal settlements, gated communities and ethnic separation. These remind one, far more callously, of South Africa’s past.

The community of Karatara is no different; slap bang in the middle of South Africa’s beautiful Garden Route, it bears the disfigurement of a country once divided. Karatara is not really a town by definition but a collective of three separate urban settlements in close proximity to one another. It has a peculiar past of racial segregation, discrimination and neglect but this seems to be changing. The Knysna Municipality is in the process of reintegrating the separate communities into a single functional town. Another force in the town, however, is accelerating this process dramatically. Eden Campus, South Africa’s first rural enterprise campus, has pulled Karatara out of relative obscurity and lifted it onto the world stage. Urban Green File visited the town and returned believing it, once the embodiment of institutionalised segregation, is in the process of becoming a benchmark for rural sustainability.

A story of three settlements
Although much has changed over the past 15 years, the integration of previously-separated communities is still as rare in South Africa’s towns as it was two decades ago.

To this day, white people still dominate the town’s suburbs while coloured and black people live in separate communities on the town fringes. The problem is not political, as so many believe, but mostly practical and economical. For some the choice is based on familiarity with surroundings; others simply cannot afford to live in the suburbs.

“The situation in Karatara is somewhat different, though,” Lauren Waring, director of planning and development at Knysna Municipality, tells Urban Green File. “In reality, the town is not economically sustainable as most people are unemployed and live off government grants. Physical integration has to be preceded by social integration. At least we are starting to see it now in Karatara with more coloured and black people moving into Welsynsdorp and white people moving into Bosdorp.”

Municipality inherits settlements
Karatara comprises three non-continuous urban settlements known as Welsynsdorp, Bergvallei and Bosdorp. The land once belonged to the national Department of Public Works but, after a long handover process, Karatara was officially transferred to the Knysna Municipality in March 2008. The biggest problem with the transfer was the different ownership structures and development of the three urban settlements. For instance, Welsynsdorp was owned by the provincial government and was home to mainly white ex-forestry workers. Bosdorp housed mainly coloured and black forestry employees, and the town itself was owned by the old Department of Forestry and administered by Safcol. Bergvallei was created for black workers, and could hardly be called a village as it received very little attention and funding. The entire area now falls under the jurisdiction of the Knysna Municipality, which makes it easier to manage all functions in a coordinated manner.

Knysna Municipality now has the responsibility for future development of the community. “Firstly, we are planning to close down Bergvallei,” Waring informs Urban Green File. “It is just too expensive to service. It will cost the municipality more than R12-million per year to provide basic services to less than 10 households. The people are more than willing to move to Welsynsdorp and the existing structures will be demolished.”

Subdivisions and transfer of ownership considered
During the 1990s, a project was launched to provide the people of Karatara with ownership of their stands through subdivision but an environmental impact assessment (EIA) showed it would not be sustainable when these people are no longer employed by the Department of Forestry. Warring says the municipality has launched a three-phased plan to subdivide and provide ownership to these plots as part of land-reform projects but an enormous amount of time will go into the third phase, which will be looking at making the community from an economically-sustainable perspective.

“We first need to identify the appropriate economic drivers, primarily agriculture; we are looking to purchase land surrounding the community for use by residents for farming,” says Waring, stressing the municipality wants to prevent Karatara from becoming a dormitory town. Against the backdrop of the integrated development plan (IDP) for the Knysna Municipality and severely limited resources, strategic intervention is necessary to address the fundamental needs and problems within the local communities of Karatara and to optimise public spending.

School of environmental sustainability
Eden Campus was established when Steve Carver began teaching volunteer students under a tree in 2006. Carver, who lives on a nearby farm, had a vision to set up a free-to-student university in Karatara with its purpose as the education of previously-disadvantaged students from all over the district, according to the latest principles of entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability.

As interest grew and students multiplied, Carver and his pupils eventually moved into the derelict retirement home and started renovating it for use as an institute of higher learning. “We want to create a campus that is completely self-sufficient within the next few years by combining business and social development into a sustainable model for rural upliftment,” says Carver.

It was quite a culture shock for the town to suddenly see a number of black and coloured students from other communities moving in but the community has become increasingly supportive of the school over time as it has the potential to greatly contribute to the town’s development as well as the education of its youth in line with the plans of Knysna Municipality.

“Eden Campus will be the first of many small giants we want to build all over South Africa and the continent, and we look forward to working with anyone interested in making this dream a reality,” Carver tells Urban Green File.

However all was not plain sailing as there were many issues regarding rent, occupation and right to the land. Most of these have since been sorted out and the municipality is now leasing the building to the school. “We have received the first draft of a proposed lease for our premises in Karatara and were overjoyed to see that one of the conditions of acceptance laid down by the municipality was that the mayor must be appointed as a director of the campus,” says Graham Lashbrooke, MD of the school, in a recent newsletter. The facility is run completely on private funding or by generating income through student enterprises, such as a vegetable garden and secondhand clothes shop. “The building was in a dismal state and abandoned for years,” elaborates Lashbrooke. “We have spent more than R250 000 and much effort on upgrading the facility and now take in 30 students per year, and provide them with accommodation and proper education facilities.”

Permaculture garden, green mall planned
The school has plans of its own regarding development of the area. It plans to work closely with the municipal authorities going forward. “We see great potential for cooperation with the municipality in this regard to enable it to get maximum publicity for its “green” commitment by talking about and showing off a building it owns is reducing its carbon footprint dramatically.

Being “green” plays an important role in the Eden philosophy. Lashbrooke says the campus has planned an entire permaculture garden on neighbouring public open land. It is hoped this initiative will provide employment and financial opportunities for the local community. “We have already established various academies covering green agriculture, building and tourism,” adds Lashbrooke, indicating Eden Campus is there to stay and committed to playing a fundamental role in creating a sustainable future for Karatara and the surrounding communities. “Our intention is to develop the town by building a green mall and implementing agricultural projects in the surrounding areas.

Rural growth point established
The community of Karatara is becoming increasingly involved in taking ownership of its future destiny. A recent development was the launch of a fresh-produce market and guest house by local community members as the town starts making a bigger impact on the surrounding area. “It is significant to note the Outeniqua Spatial Development Plan (SDP), although not a statutory document, identified Karatara as a potential new rural growth point after analysis of the urban hierarchy of towns in the Southern Cape. In this regard, the document states land use at this growth point must reflect the rural character of the surrounding area and respect the environmental quality of the area,” Willem de Kock, town planner of WM de Kock Associates tells Urban Green File. He is working on the new SDP for Karatara.

SDF sets the tone
A variety of land uses may be considered for further development but industrial activities should be small, preferably cottage-type activities, or linked directly to the local primary sector. De Kock says: “The settlements of Karatara are typical of the distorted spatial pattern that developed through previous ad hoc and ‘apartheid’ planning. Land uses related to the tourism sector should be encouraged to create employment, as endorsed in the draft Knysna SDF. Although an integrated economic plan is still lacking, various efforts to promote the local economy, and provide employment and income for the area, are encouraging”. A proactive housing programme is being implemented by Knysna Municipality to secure ownership and subsidies for existing residents while key elements of the Karatara SDF will focus on:

Guiding future development of the two settlements towards each other.
* Providing space for all components needed in a balanced town.
* Providing opportunities for denser housing in Welsyndorp for affordable housing.
* Providing space for greenfields development of subsidised housing.
* Proving housing opportunities for various income groups according to the socioeconomic gradient model (based on provincial guidelines) stating groups that do not differ too much could stay much closer to each other.

Natural resources, such as the forest, agriculture (rich in dairy products), and indigenous medical and herbal plants, provide a base for a sustainable economy and community. Karatara has so much potential with amenable people in the municipality and Eden Campus. It will be a matter of implementation. With care, communication and planning, Karatara could unleash its potential; creating a prosperous, sustainable and integrated community.

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WASTE & POLLUTION MANAGEMENT

Jet fuel spills prevented
An anti-pollution system at OR Tambo International Airport, forming part of the facility’s bulk stormwatermanagement system, should help Airports Company South Africa prevent a repeat of previous jet-fuel pollution incidents.

When millions of litres of jet fuel spilled across the apron at OR Tambo International Airport in 2005 and 2006, no proactive measures to deal with such a crisis were in place. It was presumed the checks and balances on the fuel farms themselves were sufficient to prevent any leakage. But hard lessons were learned in the space of 16 months. The costs entailed untold millions of rand and this finally spurred the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) to put in new anti-pollution measures to ensure such accidents never recurred.

At the time of the accidents and resulting clean-up, not even a baseline study existed to guide those involved in the clean-up. Pieter van Eeden, founder of EcoMonitor, therefore proposed a comprehensivevecological assessment on sediments, fish, frogs and plants in order to determine the baseline “Then, should there be a spill, we would know what to work towards but that was never approved,” he tells Urban Green File.

Massive investment in anti-pollution system
What was approved, though, is equally important. In July 2007, construction began on a R45-million anti-pollution system. WSP Group was appointed to undertake the design while the Kaulani Mascrete JV proceeded with construction at the edge of the airport; between the apron and Blaauwpan. The idea was to prevent any possibility of repeating a pollution disaster.

WSP was already working on the bulk stormwater-management system at OR Tambo at the time of the November 2006 spill and knew the system well. But designing an anti-pollution system required analysis of the hydrology of the entire site.

“Because, where this spillage occurred, most of the jet fuel runoff from the airport found its way into the Blaauwpan,” says Kevin van Blerk, principal associate at WSP. “We had to see where the runoff was going. With the midfield development planned to happen between now and 2018, we had to consider the total solution.”

Holistic solution required
Van Blerk informs Urban Green File the hydrology of the airport property is such that water drains to the north and to the south from the centre of the apron areas.

“There’s a watershed south of the main terminal running towards Jet Park; the northern drainage area goes towards Blaauwpan and Bonaero Park.”

The fuel spill occurred in the latter area and found its way into a nearby spruit on the northern side of Taxiway 5 and from there into a larger spruit that flowed into the Blaauwpan. The first step was identifying a location where an anti-pollution facility could be built. It would act as the first step in managing any future spill. It would catch all the stormwater and, secondly, reduce the flow velocity and energy head so that the seperation process could take place.

Technologies combined
The facility itself is a combination of technologies developed by WSP Group in conjunction with American stormwater technology developer BaySaver Technologies. While the specific detailed inner workings cannot be divulged due to intellectual property rights, generally speaking, it separates jet fuel from water. Because jet fuel is a hydrocarbon, it has a lower density (specific gravity) than water and will, therefore, float if it is not in suspension.

Water rushing through a stormwater system will have high turbidity and, according to WSP environmental consultant, Grant von Mayer, hydrocarbons could even be dissolved. “The hydrocarbons would either be in a dissolved state or they would form an emulsion. When there’s too much turbulence, it forms a mixture and you really need a bit of still water to separate it.”

Stormwater monitored by hydrocarbon sensors
The requirements for the solution dictated the facility should be capable of handling up to 400 m� or 400 000 l of fuel spillage. This facility is a primary separator and measures about 46 m long by 16 m wide by 4,5 m high. The stilling chamber allows the runoff to collect and slow down before entering the facility. Upstream of the facility, the stormwater is monitored continuously at two strategic points by optical hydrocarbon sensors specified by WSP. Basically, these sensors “look” at the water and, if they detect hydrocarbons on the surface, a message is sent electronically to ACSA’s control centre. From there, another electronic system in the main separator determines the volume of hydrocarbons and relays this information to the same control centre.

The water then fills the separation tank area. The slow-moving water allows the hydrocarbons to float to the top and an extraction pump uses suction to draw off the hydrocarbons. Thereafter water is allowed to flow out of the facility. Downstream of the separator similar hydrocarbon sensors monitor the water for the prescence of hydrocarbons. “Waste” hydrocarbons can, according to Van Blerk, be used for low-grade firing of furnaces. “It’s essentially paraffin,” he says.

But what if a storm occurs?
Now imagine a big storm comes along and dumps a huge volume of rain onto the airport. But it’s just a storm; there’s no fuel leak. Water will rush into the facility at high speed. It is designed to handle stormwater moving at a maximum flow volume of 2,5 m�/s, which is still quite large. “Any flow volume greater than that will bypass the system,” Van Blerk elaborates. But, if there’s no leak, there’s no problem.

Now imagine this disaster scenario: a 1:100 year flood and a major jet-fuel spill occur simultaneously. Jet fuel pours across the apron and into the stormwater runoff. It enters the stormwater facility at a very high flow rate; in excess of the 2,5 m�/s maximum.

Now what? The attenuation area downstream of the primary seperator facility then comes into play; slowing the speed of the water flow. The water enters a secondary separator located near the boundary with Bonaero Park. “A sluice gate at the outlet point to the secondary unit can be closed in the event of 1:100 flood,” Van Blerk states. This would prevent the water from reaching any natural spruit or the Blaauwpan. “In such a case, the stormwater would back up into the attenuation facility and, if hydrocarbons are present, they would be trapped and then flow through the secondary separator.”

What if the attenuation pond reaches capacity?
Because storms are dynamic events, the design team imagined the worst-case scenario would mean stormwater would continue to accumulate behind the facility in the attenuation pond. It’s not a bottomless pit so what happens when the maximum volume is reached? The team came up with an answer.

Van Blerk elaborates: “There comes a point in time where you can’t contain the water any longer so we’ve designed a double-inverted siphon system. When the water reaches maximum pressure flow, the siphon starts operating and allows for the water to be drawn off from below the hydrocarbon level. Essentially clean water is coming out while pollutants are being drawn off the top. This is the emergency system”.

Borehole safety considered
While Van Blerk’s work focuses on the civils side of the project, Von Mayer is focused on ensuring the technology is safe for everyone and everything that lives in the vicinity. “The reason it is important for the Department of Water Affairs & Forestry, as well as residents of Bonaero Park, is that boreholes are used in the area,” he says. “We were able to successfully show there was little risk of contaminants impacting on boreholes.”

The type of contaminants monitored are naphthalene, xylene and gasolinerange organics. Von Mayer followed up sampling and modelling with risk assessment to draw his conclusions. He then used the risk assessment to help develop an environmental-management plant for ACSA with the aim of putting a proper monitoring programme in place. The challenge for Von Mayer is that most monitoring programmes are designed for continuous slow discharge. But, in this case, one is talking about a dynamic single event.

“They’re going to be sampling the discharge at three points,” Von Mayer says. “Following a 10 mm rain event during the dry season, obviously very little monitoring will take place.”

Water quality targets considered
The next step was to determine waterquality targets. National and local targets didn’t consider the specialised contaminants of concern at the airport. They also did not stipulate the water regime. “If you’ve got a fast-flowing water regime or a dam, such as the Blaauwpan, you’re going to get different levels of biological oxygen demand or chemical oxygen demand, which vary greatly depending on the nature of the system,” says Von Mayer.

Water-quality targets were based on international publications. The most applicable to South Africa came from the Australia & New Zealand Environment & Conservation Council. Although there are significant differences when compared to South Africa, Von Mayer says the same concepts can be used to develop a specific South African set of targets. Von Mayer’s work in determining water-quality targets is being used in the application for the water-use licence from DWAF.

Additional midfield development planned
The anti-pollution facility was commissioned in October 2008 and covers only the existing airport development. Future midfield-development plans have been public for some time and WSP has included another four anti-pollution stormwater facilities in its bulk stormwater-management plan. Construction of the second is expected to begin in 2009 and is planned for the remote apron slabs in the midfield.

The other three are still only on paper. Ekurhuleni department of infrastructure services engineer, Nathalie Smal, tells Urban Green File she feels very comfortable with the WSP solution. “I questioned whether or not they had taken the scenario of a combined disaster - a 1:100 year flood and a fuel spill into consideration,” she says. “They’ve established back-up measures in the valve chambers to make sure, if a leak does occur, it’s detected straightaway and not hours later. And, if the water comes out at the other end and it’s polluted, they have another back-up system. I think there are enough measures in place to be able to prevent such a massive spillage and, if one does occur, it could be stopped before 1-million-plus litres of fuel reached the wetlands again.”

Chemical hangover
Van Eeden and other local environmentalists believe the ramifications from the spills of 2005 and 2006 are, and will continue to be, felt for some years to come. Although he remains unsatisfied with the clean-up efforts from the last spills, it seems ACSA is serious about preventing further spills. Van Eeden and the Bonaero Park Community Precinct, though, continue a legal battle with ACSA regarding the previous spills.

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WASTE & POLLUTION MANAGEMENT BRIEFS

Environmental forum wins
The Bonteheuwel Environment Forum in Cape Town is one of seven national winners in the 2008 Jet Community Awards and the only winner in the environmental waste-management category. The seven winners were selected from 36 regional finalists across southern Africa, and each received R75 000 cash and R1 000 in Jet vouchers. In the environmental waste-management category, the Jet Community Awards recognizes organisations that reduce or eliminate waste. What made the Bonteheuwel Environment Forum a winner is how closely it works with the local municipality to improve the community environment – by preventing illegal dumping and the establishment of a food garden, children’s play areas and parks. The fresh produce grown in the food garden is used for feeding schemes, sold to the community at below market rates and to supplement the incomes of the community members paid by the city council to keep Bonteheuwel clean, Jet informs Urban Green File. Seedlings from the garden are also donated to community members involved in the project.

The group has worked with the municipality in the installation of street lighting and floodlights in parks, and their partnership with the city council has created jobs to keep parks and community facilities clean.

Jet Club manager, Tessa Lloyd, comments: “We commend the Bonteheuwel Environment Forum for its dedicated and passionate service to the environment within the Bonteheuwel community. Since the group was established almost 10 years ago, it has been responsible for some remarkable achievements from an environmental, safety and social point of view. We trust that the prize money we provide will see the forum continue to thrive and also make a sustainable difference to the local environment.”

Spanish interest in local waste management
Urbaser, a Spanish company specialising in waste treatment and disposal, recently visited South Africa. On the schedule was a meeting with the municipality of eThekwini to discuss potential business opportunities. According to MD Jose Moreno, Urbaser is a world leader in waste treatment and disposal although the company also provides waste collection, street cleaning and water-management services.

Moreno informs Urban Green File, although the company does not develop technology, it provides turnkey services and funding, as well as selecting and buying the most appropriate equipment and technologies for waste treatment and disposal. Urbaser is open to business proposals from other municipalities.

Carpet waste significantly reduced
Waste minimisation has often more to do with out-of-the-box thinking than hi-tech systems and big budgets. This was clear from a presentation made by Lindsay Parnell, CEO and president of Interface Flor Europe, Middle East and Africa, at the 2008 Green Building Council of South Africa Convention. Interface Flor simply mimicked natural floor patterns to significantly reduce waste. The company made a breakthrough when it embraced the concept of “biomimicry” in its carpet-tile designs.

Rather than striving to have all carpet tiles look exactly the same, each tile is now made to be unique. This is based on the look of natural “floors”, such as a pebbled beach or leaves on a forest floor – each individual component is unlike any other. By manufacturing unusual carpet tiles, the company has managed to significantly reduce waste generated from off-cuts and this prevents reinstallation of carpets at the outset.

As each tile is not the same as the other, “discrepancies” do not bother the human eye. The result is a reduction in waste, and a significant environmental and cost saving. Parnell claims Interface Flor has saved as much as 372-million British pounds (about US$585-million) since 1996 by avoiding the cost of waste – a truly inspiring story that proves sustainability pays!

Complex laws apply to contaminated land
Various laws overlap when it comes to environmental management and this can cause confusion with regard to the most appropriate course of action and compliance with regulations. This is according to environmental hydrogeologist, Ritchie Morris, and environmental lawyer, Glendyr Nel.

“It is especially important to understand the overarching requirements of the various laws when it comes to dealing with contaminated land,” Morris of Morris Environmental & Groundwater Alliances informs Urban Green File. “Existing and prospective landowners will need to familiarise themselves with a variety of laws or regulations that relate to contaminated land and how these interact with one another,” Nel of Cullinan & Associates points out.

“The recent amendments to the National Building Regulations, which became effective on October 1 2008, now require the assessment and management of contaminated land before construction can take place.” These requirements will be complicated further when the new National Environmental Management:

Waste Bill becomes law. This Bill was adopted by the National Assembly in October 2008 and, at the time of writing, was awaiting the president’s signature.

Legislation governing contaminated land includes the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA Section 28), the National Water Act 36 of 1998 (NWA Section 19), the recently amended National Building Regulations 107 of 1977 (NBR Regulation F3), the pending Waste Bill and, to some extent, the Department of Water Affairs & Forestry’s minimum requirements for the handling, classification and disposal of hazardous waste, given that contaminated land in certain circumstances can be considered as “hazardous waste”. The environmental impact regulations also have relevance in terms of contaminated land. Ritchie points out, from experience with several complex contaminated land situations, “it has been possible to ‘drive’ the remedial process using one or more of the regulations as a basis for motivating a particular course of action”. The National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Bill 2008, if adopted in its present form, may also affect those holding land contaminated in the past as it provides for the retrospective application of Section 28. Hidden legacies on industrial sites can, therefore, have serious financial consequences for sellers and unsuspecting buyers.

In terms of the imminent Waste Bill, a landowner, with land regarded as significantly contaminated, is obliged to report it to the Minister as soon as he becomes aware of it (or ought to have become aware of it).

Nel notes “under the Waste Bill, provisions relating to the transfer of land are more onerous than before. A seller is obliged to inform the buyer that his land is contaminated before transfer. If land also happens to have been declared a remediation site, the

Minister or MEC must be informed of the pending transfer of this land and no transfer can take place without permission. Any conditions of a remediation order would need to be complied with before transfer or the Minister or MEC would have to first be satisfied that the person to whom the land is to be transferred is willing to undertake the necessary remediation”.

Beer sludge turned into compost
Effluent emanating from SABMiller’s breweries is being processed into soil-boosting compost. This is as a result of tests done by Kubashnee Venkatraman, water process officer at SABMiller’s Durban Prospecton Brewery and Peter Allen of Veolia Water.

They tested the waste sludge in the effluent balance tanks and found it suitable for a fertiliser-type additive in compost.

The sludge, residue from the malted barley, hops and yeast ingredients of beer, used to be removed from the brewery three times a week and then dumped at a landfill site without any recovery of the materials. These trips have been reduced to just once a week, resulting in a saving of R343 000 a year while also putting nutrients back into agricultural soil, Urban Green File’s sister magazine, Water Sewage & Effluent claims.

Three tanker loads of sludge are removed each week. The sludge is then blended into windrows among the sugar plantations north of Durban. “We make some money on the transport and from selling the compost while SAB still saves on its transport costs so everyone is winning,” Allen points out.

Slowly, but steadily and continually, Johannesburg is being transformed. While the city is still facing major challenges, years of hard turmoil are beginning to pay off. On a city-wide scale, levels of investment in property and infrastructure have, in recent years, been impressive.

In the city centre and Braamfontein, various renewal projects have made a tangible difference. Today one can sit at a pavement caf� on a tree-lined street and work on one’s laptop.

In many ways, the city has become as impressive as any famous city I have visited in the world. Somehow the citizens of Johannesburg seem to have enough energy to constantly think up new ways to transform this once grey and dusty Highveld grassland into a world-class African city.

When last did you look around in Jo’burg? Have you noticed the ambitious bus rapid transit system rolling out, upgrading of the entire highway system, construction of the Gautrain and the stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup?

At last, the beginnings of a decent public-transport system are promising to transform the culture of Johannesburg. Soon it will be possible to get around without having to endure a traffic jam! No wonder Neil Fraser of Urban Inc wrote in his weekly CitiChat newsletter on November 21: “While I was in Rotterdam a couple of weeks back, the ex-mayor of Washington DC, Anthony Williams, visited the university where I was lecturing and gave a talk to the students about the DC ‘turnaround’. During question time, one of the students asked him which city in the world he would consider to have the most future potential. Without hesitation and, I think much to the student’s surprise, and my delight, he said ‘Johannesburg’”.

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INSULT

Derelict, depressed city precinct
Although the City of Johannesburg is awarded inspirational status this month (opposite page), some areas of the city continue to sink into disrepair, crime and grime. Immediately south-east of the city centre – in close proximity to Ellis Park, Jeppestown and Droste Park – is a city precinct in a shocking state: Wolhuter. It seems local authorities are oblivious to the sub-standard delivery of essential services in this area. Everything from street cleaning to waste management is sub-standard. One also has to wonder where the owners of the many derelict buildings are.

It is a disgrace that any city precinct could be as neglected as this. The location is excellent. Why does the city not turn it into a highquality, affordable housing precinct?

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VIEWPOINT

Expensive or not?
Although the environmental benefits of permeable paving cannot be denied, it is often claimed this type of paving is simply too expensive. But is this true?

Some landscape architects and their clients have told Urban Green File they find permeable paving too expensive to be considered as an option for municipal and public-space projects. However permeable paving cannot be regarded as simply another form of paved surface, John Cairns, director of the Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA), says in response. “It is considerably more than this. In fact, it is very much a green product, which offers an extremely cost-effective method of water management, conservancy and purification.

Normally, paved surfaces have no water-management attributes. On the contrary, by facilitating the rapid runoff of stormwater, they place a considerable burden on stormwater and flood-control mechanisms, which are far more costly to install and maintain than permeable paving.

Stormwater and flood control is one of the major benefits of permeable paving. It was, therefore, specified in the first permeable-paving project in Fairland, Johannesburg, and a subsequent project at the University of the Witwatersrand.

The alternative route of increasing stormwater capacity would have been far more expensive and disruptive. Installing ‘normal’ paving and not increasing stormwater capacity was, of course, an option in both projects but it would, ultimately, have led to flooding and, as we well know, ensuing damage to property can run to prohibitive figures. In countries such as Germany, the technology has been used for the past 20 years. The Germans regard it as a vital adjunct to flood control – so much so they levy taxes on conventional paved surfaces. And, in a waters carce region such as South Africa where effective water management is critical to our survival, permeable paving offers an inexpensive and very effective storage and water-harvesting tool. Water can either be stored in tanks to be used for watering plants and for sanitation or it can replenish underground water tables.

Moreover permeable paving offers the additional benefit of removing more than 90% of pollutants in the water, which is certainly not the case with runoff from normal paved surfaces.

When one weighs these benefits against the costs, permeable paving looks anything but expensive. Our local authorities know this, which is why we are likely to see a rapid acceleration in the number of permeable-paving projects in the years ahead.”

When the real cost to the environment is considered, the cost of buying and installing permeable paving is no longer a concern. If local authorities, landscape architects civil engineers and property developers are serious about sustainable development, permeable paving should be more widely used in South Africa. Incidentally, software to help landscape architects and engineers with permeable paving designs is now available in South Africa from the CMA.

The software is authored by two Australians, world-renowned concrete block paving (CBP) expert Dr Brian Shackel, visiting professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of New South Wales, and Professor Simon Beecham, head of sustainable water resources at the University of South Australia.

“PermPave offers considerable design scope and can be used with various paving products. The local version has been programmed with South African rainfall data and it allows further downloading of local climate and rainfall information.

It also guides the user in selecting paving blocks best suited to the application and facilitates designing for specified volumes of water, either for storage and reuse, or for replenishing underground water tables,” the CMA states – Ed.

More about LEED

----- CITY VISIT No longer temporary Originally established as a temporary, apartheid-style township, Soweto is fast becoming a sustainable and contemporary city region within Johannesburg. Urban Green File takes a closer look at Nasrec, Orlando eKhaya and the Soweto Greening programme.

Nasrec: vibrant precinct in the making Nasrec promises to form a vibrant precinct linking Soweto with the inner city. But red tape seems to be hampering its development.

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CITY VISIT

No longer temporary
Originally established as a temporary, apartheid-style township, Soweto is fast becoming a sustainable and contemporary city region within Johannesburg. Urban Green File takes a closer look at Nasrec, Orlando eKhaya and the Soweto Greening programme.

Nasrec: vibrant precinct in the making
Nasrec promises to form a vibrant precinct linking Soweto with the inner city. But red tape seems to be hampering its development.