Contents of December 2009

COMMENT
Urban renewal cannot be done in isolation

LETTERS
Energy efficiency of clay-brick houses deliberated

UPFRONT
What’s new and happening

GREEN BUILDINGS
Menlyn Maine’s ambitious ‘green’ goals
Improvement of ecological systems envisaged

South Africa’s first ‘green’ stars
Nedbank Phase 2 achieves a four-star green-design rating

GREEN BUILDING BRIEFS

CITY VISIT
20 Alexandra: renewal in the offing
A wide array of urban-renewal inventions under way

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & DESIGN
A preview of the new Green Point
An urban park and stadium precinct of international standard

Willem van Riet’s remarkable career
An iconic landscape architect celebrated

WASTE & POLLUTION MANAGEMENT BRIEFS

INSPIRATION
A sculpture in the urban landscape: Circa on Jellicoe

INSULT
Who switched the lights off?

VIEWPOINT
Railways should be optimised
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COMMENT

Urban renewal – not in isolation

The key to urban renewal is linking a depressed area with its surrounding urban context where better conditions prevail.

In this edition, two articles focus on the transformation of former derelict areas: the first is the ambitious Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP) in Johannesburg and the second is the Green Point Precinct in Cape Town. Urban Green File readers would probably want to know what lessons there are to be learned from these two case studies.

In Alexandra, it is most obvious that it takes much more than one single intervention to bring about sustainable change. For many years, many initiatives have been undertaken to change the face of Alexandra. Without doubt, these interventions are beginning to make a difference but it is still a long way before victory can be claimed.

A concern I harbour about Alexandra, though, is that most of the renewal interventions focus inwards. One almost gets the sense that Alexandra is seen as a separate entity that does not form part of the surrounding cityscape. What is needed in Alexandra is an opening up – links with the surrounding suburbs and economic hubs, such as Sandton, should be improved. At this moment, the apartheid-era buffer strips are continuing to isolate Alexandra; ensuring that it remains very much apart from the city.

Green Point, however, sets an important precedent for city linkages. Most remarkable about Green Point are not its many recreational facilities, the iconic stadium, the wetlands and lakes or parkscape. What is noteworthy is the way that this entire precinct fits in to the urban context.

Every possible link with its surrounds has been enhanced. Cycling tracks and pedestrian walkways connect the city and beyond. At the same time, the integrated rapid-transit system has been designed as part and parcel of the entire precinct. Careful positioning of bus stations ensure that pedestrians can reach the stadium precinct in a convenient manner.

No doubt, Green Point will be a success story; mostly because any Capetonian or visitor to the city will simply not be able to avoid it. As a park and urban public space, it will thrive.

While the many initiatives of the ARP should be lauded, I do believe that Alexandra will only reach its full potential once the City of Johannesburg has opened up the area to become an ordinary suburb of the city rather than a separate world; buffered by the legacy of apartheid.

In this regard, the development of the Gautrain, with the Marlboro Station adjacent to the East Bank of Alexandra, bodes well for the future.

This link will be the necessary impetus for urban renewal and new property development!

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LETTERS

Local climate should be considered

When you build in an area experiencing high diurnal temperature fluctuations (drier inland regions, generally), you are better off building with brick or, if building with a light-frame system, have elements of brickwork or concrete with a high thermal mass in order to absorb or let off heat and moderate internal temperatures. However, if you are building in areas with low diurnal-temperature fluctuations (coastal, moderate areas, generally, where the sea does the job of moderating day/night temperatures), you’d be better off building with a lightweight, highly insulated wall. In this case, you don’t require thermal-mass retention but insulation, and insulated lightweight-wall homes are easier and less costly to heat up than homes built of brick. Think of a brick house as a castiron bath, which absorbs the heat from the water until the bath is warm; requiring a lot more hot water to have a warm bath, and a lightweight-wall house as a fibreglass or Plexicor bath (lower mass) – a lot less hot water and, therefore, energy is required to have a warm bath.

So to say that either brick or lightweightframe houses are more energy-efficient is a bold claim as a lot depends on where you are building and also, as your article mentions, factors such as orientation and glazing play a major role.

Jacques Cronje of Jacques Cronje Timber Design

Energy efficiency drives product choice

An article on energy efficiency and product choice, first published in the October 12 2009 (#75) Urban Green File e-mail bulletin, solicited fervent response.

Energy efficiency and “green” attributes are, increasingly, determining the choice of building materials and methodologies. This is clear from the aggressive stance taken by Corobrik at a recent media function.

Corobrik is taking on the Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association about its claims that light steel-frame houses are more energy-efficient than conventional clay-brick houses. Corobrik commissioned WSP Green by Design to undertake thermal modelling studies.

“The findings on the influence of insulation (R-value) in different wall types on the thermal characteristics of houses leave no doubt that conventional clay-brick homes, in South Africa’s climate, demand less electricity for heating and cooling over their life cycle than a comparable light steel-frame, lightweight walled alternative,” Corobrik claims. “The real world is far from a ‘steady state’ with factors such as air movement, reflectivity, thermal mass, constantly changing temperatures, day and night, and various degrees of thermal bridging across the insulation layer of lightweight walls all playing their part.”

Urban Green File believes that the study proves the obvious: that clay bricks, as an “earth material”, offer good energyretention properties for buildings. However it must be noted that energy efficiency in a building does not only depend on material choice but on a whole gamut of factors including orientation, the choice of windows and insulation material. In this sense, it is strange to compare a building material (clay brick) to a building system (lightweight-steel frame). In the case of the latter, different walling materials and insulation products could be used. It is the choice of the combination of materials that will influence the ultimate energy efficiency of a building and not one product alone. Urban Green File plans to investigate Corobrik’s findings thoroughly and to publish an article on this topic in an upcoming edition.

Cobus Kotzé

Combination of clay-brick and insulation propsed

Passive solar design should consider shading, ventilation and correct orientation to the path of the sun through winter and summer in order to optimise the thermal performance of a house. It is also true that there is a correlation between the magnitude of diurnal swings in the different major climatic zones of South Africa and the value of thermal mass in the passive solar-design equation. Essentially, the more pronounced the diurnal swing, the bigger the role thermal mass has to play in conjunction with sound passive solar-design interventions such as different combinations of insulation. In the case of a 132 m² house thermal-modelling study conducted for the Upington, Cape Town and Bloemfontein climatic zones, savings ranging between 52% and 63%, when compared to an insulated lightweight-walled alternative, were recorded.

A study undertaken by the faculty of built environment and engineering at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane – The potential for increasing thermal comfort through selection of construction types in Brisbane, destination renewables from research to market (Williamson JB and Demirbilek FN), 41^st annual conference of the Australia & New Zealand Solar Energy Society, Melbourne, November 26 to 29 2003 – as well as two separate thermal-modelling studies undertaken in South Africa have confirmed the value of thermal mass for subtropical coastal climates such as that of Durban. Annual electricity use for heating and cooling of a 132 m² and 40 m² house was around 14% lower for the conventional, uninsulated clay-brick masonry option when compared to the lightweight-walled alternative insulated to South African National Standard 204 “deemed-to-satisfy” standards.

In this climatic zone, insulation was deemed to be an unnecessary cost for a clay-brick house.

Moving to the temperate coastal climates, high thermal mass was found still useful with the insulated lightweightwalled house securing a moderate 2,3% advantage over the uninsulated clay-brick alternative in the case of the 132 m² house. In the case of the smaller 40 m² house, the twoleaf uninsulated clay-brick option outperformed the insulated lightweight-walled house.

Interestingly, when insulation was applied to the cavity of the 132 m² clay-brick house, annual electricity use for that house dropped to 63% below the insulated lightweight-walled alternative. Combinations of thermal mass and insulation enhanced the thermal performance of walling envelopes by considerable measure (31,5% to 63,3%) when compared to the insulated lightweightwalled house over the six major climate zones.

So, if the results of three research studies referenced are substantially correct, Jacques Cronje’s assessment is right in respect of the value of insulation in the temperate coastal zone. But it is not as correct in respect of the combination of walling materials and insulation.

In the case of the lightweight-walled house with insulation, the energy-efficiency performance was not much better than the high thermal-mass insulated alternative and certainly not by a significant factor.

Corobrik is busy updating and adding to Edition 1 of the study document of the findings of five Southern Hemispherebased research studies dealing with the thermal performance of walling envelopes and will be posting Edition 2 as a downloadable document on its website in due course.

Peter Kidger of Corobrik

Trend towards high-rate wetlands

I read the article “Wetland solutions appropriate?” in your October 2009 print edition with interest. Purpose-directed design of small wetlands integrated with development – of various types – is a relatively advanced science and has migrated substantially from the “wetlands-catch-all” approach of yesteryear. Wetland design is now supported by informed models as well as many years of practical experience regarding what works and what doesn’t. More recently, there has been a move towards high-rate wetlands, which support very high levels of treatment or sequestration of specific pollutants within a much smaller footprint than previously possible – and they are marvellous with greywater whereas “conventional” wetlands are not. The latter approach is very closely aligned to the concepts underpinning green design.

Bill Harding of DH Environmental Consulting

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UPFRONT

Climate-change guide

In Climate change: A guide for corporate – published by Unisa Press – Hennie Stoffberg and Paul Prinsloo offer a novel method of corporate climate-change response benchmarking, reporting and accounting. This includes a corporate climate-change response checklist covering governance, management strategy, risk exposure, opportunities, carbon-performance improvement, stakeholder engagement, public disclosure, assurance, operational impact and adaptation. All in all, the book maps out some indispensable pointers for the business world: factors to consider when formulating appropriate and effective responses to climate change.

Polluters will pay!

The National Environment Laws Amendment Act 2008 came into operation during September 2009.

In terms of this legislation, regulating air and water is now regarded as “specific environmental management acts”, which fall under the umbrella of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) 1998.

“The implication is that environmental management inspectors (EMIs) are entitled to enforce the obligations contained in these acts. In addition, NEMA has been amended to provide EMIs with additional powers, including those of peace officers and non-commissioned police officers.

“Any person who does not comply with a compliance notice issued by an EMI may be liable for a fine of up to R5-million and/or imprisonment for up to 10 years,” Tina Costas, senior associate of Garlicke & Bousfield tells Urban Green File.

The National Environment Laws Amendment Act 2009 came into effect at the same time. “As a consequence, penalties for offences in respect of a number of activities have been substantially increased,” elaborates Costas. “In terms of the Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act (APPA) 1965, fines of up to R5-million or five years’ imprisonment may be imposed on conviction for a first offence and subsequent convictions have potential sanctions of fines up to R10-million or 10 years’ imprisonment.

According to Costas, until Section 60 of the Air Quality Act 2004 takes effect and APPA is repealed entirely, APPA continues to regulate industrial pollution by requiring operators of scheduled processes to obtain a registration certificate before a process is undertaken.

Non-compliance with that certificate could result in a company being liable for the increased penalties. The amendment act also amends the Air Quality Act 2004 in order to specify that a person convicted of an offence is liable to a fine or imprisonment of the same magnitude as those now specified in APPA.

Recycled road surface

The building sector is not alone in embracing the concept of “green building”.

The civil-engineering industry is following suit by adopting green construction principles. A current example is the rehabilitation of the 23 km stretch of highway before the Huguenot Tunnel in the Western Cape where Roadmac Surfacing Cape is using the highest percentage of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) ever specified in South Africa.

Urban Green File can disclose that the bitumen course comprises 25% RAP and the wearing course 15% RAP. Apparently the road-surfacing material has been prepared to Vela VKE’s stringent specification by Much Asphalt on behalf of the South African National Roads Agency Limited.

Sustain 2010 now available

A new edition of the Sustain yearbook is now available from Brooke Pattrick Publications.

Sustain 2010 contains 47 examples of sustainable development initiatives in the fields of architecture, building, construction, facilities management, energy, urban planning, water, mining and quarrying. The 96-page book, printed in full colour, contains summaries of articles covering sustainability; published in the magazine titles of the Brooke Pattrick Publications stable.

The publication is edited by Dr Elvira Wood.

Among the headlines are:
• ‘Green’ bricks
• Paint that loves nature
• ‘Green’ road construction
• ‘Clean coal’ is coming
• Sun-powered city
• Automation saves energy
• Earthworms to the rescue
• Waste becomes resource
• Master plan for ‘green’ city
• Beer as fertiliser?
• From wine to water
• A sustainable future for mining communities
• Sweet power.

‘Green’ mine lauded

A biodiversity- and sustainable-management programme run by Rio Tinto Quebec Iron & Titanium (QIT) Madagascar Minerals (QMM) is the winner of the environmental category in the 2009 Nedbank Capital Green Mining Awards. The QMM heavy-minerals mine in southern Madagascar is the first place worldwide where Rio Tinto has introduced its environmental policy: “the way we work”. This policy advocates the concept of “net positive impact” on the environment. Urban Green File has learned that a full-time environmental and social programme was initiated at QMM in the mid-1990s.

The social and environmental impact assessment resulted in two volumes, 17 appendices and 25 supporting documents that were submitted to the government of Madagascar in 2001. An environmental permit was issued after a comprehensive technical review with the assistance of international experts and a public consultation process. “The specialist studies set in motion a series of long-term and far-ranging studies on all pertinent aspects of the biophysical and social environments in collaboration with globally recognised experts. Much of the research is ground-breaking and has contributed significantly to the knowledge and understanding of the threatened littoral forests in southern Madagascar, which were previously under-researched,” claims Nedbank Capital. A team of 85 employees at Rio Tinto work on several environmental initiatives at QMM:
• tree nurseries, seed storage and propagation facilities;
• ecological restoration and reforestation of mined areas;
• creation of non-invasive fuelwood plantations;
• research into the viability of non-timber forest products for the community;
• creation of new protected areas inside and outside the mining areas (the latter being offsets  against the negative impacts of mining);
• endemic flora-species programme; and
• monitoring and management of more than 15 indicators, including small mammals, primates, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, invertebrate populations, marine species, corals, vegetation and forest areas.

EVENTS

Climate Change Leadership Awards 2010

Staged by Carbon Protocol and Food & Trees for Africa, the Climate Change Leadership Awards 2010 will recognise South African business, community-based organisations and individuals involved in voluntary activities to combat global warming. Entries close on January 18 2010 and the awards ceremony is scheduled for March 11 2010 at the Sandton Sun in Johannesburg. Website: www.ccla.co.za

Awards for Sustainable Architecture

The AfriSam-South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) Awards for Sustainable Architecture will run over a two-year period. Architectural projects, research or works of social importance, completed and occupied beneficially from January 2000 to December 2008, are eligible for entry. The deadline for the submission of entries is February 26 2010. Website: www.saia.org.za

Landscape architecture... adding value

An Institute for Landscape Architecture in South Africa conference – to take place in Sandton,

Johannesburg, on May 6 and 7 2010 – will focus on the value that landscape architecture can

add to the development of South Africa’s built environment.Topics will include “green

building” within the context of “green” cities, regenerative landscapes (“brownfield”

developments and projects that involve reclamation and rehabilitation) and the role that

public precincts, squares and parks can play to help facilitate urban densification.

E-mail: ilasa@ilasa.co.za

3^rd ‘green building’ convention

The 3^rd annual Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) Convention & Exhibition is scheduled for September 20 to 22 2010 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. E-mail: lisa.parkes@gbcsa.org.za

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GREEN BUILDINGS

Ecological systems improved

Menlyn Maine intends to improve the city’s ecological systems rather than only minimise potential negative impacts. But is this attainable?

Menlyn Maine, a new high-density, mixed-use precinct in Pretoria is being marketed as a “truly globally connected green city”. According to the developers, this ambitious project aims to be as ecologically and socially sustainable as current legislation and policies will permit.

Urban Green File asked the development team how they intend to attain this goal. Since its conception in February 2007, the brief for Menlyn Maine has evolved from a high-density urban-renewal project to a ground-breaking “green” design project. Accordingly, the underlying concept for the precinct’s identity is to combine a vibrant urban character with sound environmental principles.

According to Anton van Wyk, MD of Menlyn Maine – the landowner and developer – the 11,4 ha precinct comprises 16 land parcels. “We had been looking for the ultimate space for a new city and found all the makings of a mixed-use node here, including critical mass and buying power,” he tells Urban Green File. “We have bought and demolished 105 houses following a market analysis indicating the need for approximately 40 000 m² retail, 140 000 m² office and 100 000 m² residential space. However the phasing of the project will be tenant-driven. We are installing services, which should be completed in early 2010. The total project budget is between R6-billion to R7-billion.”

Permeable precinct envisaged

In the planning of Menlyn Maine, careful consideration has been given to the “new urbanism” principles of connectivity, mixed land use, legibility, “walkability”, robustness, visual appropriateness, biodiversity and security. This is according to Dr Gwen Theron, of Golder Associates, who undertook the environmental impact assessment. The new urbanism concept advocates the notion of living and working within close proximity with the intention that the balance between office, retail and lifestyle reduces traffic congestion, increases the supply of affordable housing and reigns in urban sprawl.

Rather than being cut off from its urban context by perimeter fencing and various traffic-management devices, the precinct is being designed to be interdependent with, and connected to, the surrounding city fabric. This means that it will be accessible to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. “We wanted to create something that’s properly controlled; where the right infrastructure is put in from the start,” adds Van Wyk. “We found that the historic approach to development in South Africa and the concept of closed-off, self-contained precincts are no longer successful. Menlyn Maine, therefore, needs to be connected to, and feed off, the surrounding area and activities, especially in the case of retail.”

Ecological approach followed

“In terms of landscape architecture, the approach is more ecological than purely a design exercise,” states Karen Botes of Interdesign Landscape Architects. Along with Abbigail El Mohamadi and Peet van Eeden, she explains that the landscape development of Menlyn Maine has been undertaken within the broader ecological context of the Tshwane Open Space Framework. The intention is to establish biodiversity systems that reflect immediate site conditions as well as the broader context of the nearby Faerie Glen Nature Reserve and Bronberg.

“We see the series of green spaces at Menlyn Maine as part of the wider context of Pretoria’s green spaces, and as a stepping stone between them,” adds van Eeden. “In terms of stormwater, for example, whatever we do here will influence what happens downstream so our responsibility is also to the local river system.”

At the centre of Menlyn Maine are green ‘spines’ that accommodate an open space and stormwater-attenuation system.

Biodiversity enhanced

Theron observes that, in any city, one finds two systems dealing with biodiversity – the stormwater-management system and the open space areas, including streetscapes. “Menlyn Maine looks at how these systems can work together, within the context of development, to contribute to the ecological conscience of the area. The idea is to form a connection between spaces and systems where urban parks connect to more isolated design components such as the green spaces in and on buildings – for example, roof gardens. This means, for instance, that trees in the streetscapes are not planted in individual boxes but are linked into common systems; working together as groups of trees and functioning on several different levels. Even the basements and the buildings are designed to allow for this ecological component. The whole idea is that all systems work together and are chosen for very specific purposes.”

This vision is being implemented rigorously – a roof garden has been approved for one of the first two buildings to be constructed. In fact, roof gardens will replace buildings’ green footprints wherever possible.

“Within an urban area that is planned from its inception, many opportunities can be exploited to optimise biodiversity systems,” comments Theron. “In an urban context, ecological systems do not function as they do in nature so they need to be designed optimally. Our recommendation has been for all the different components of these systems to be designed holistically. These systems must work together. For example, the soil that is brought in must be well-aerated with microorganisms while the contribution of plants, in terms of shade and air amelioration, must be considered carefully rather than just from an aesthetic perspective.”

‘Green’ axis accommodates stormwater

It is the integration between landscape and infrastructural design that sets Menlyn Maine apart from many other precinct developments. In this regard, the primary vehicular road, Aramist Avenue, has been designed as a green axis that comprises a piazza and three interlinked parks. The concept entails an evolution of space – from the hard open space of the piazza through a formalised park and a more informal space to a completely natural environment in the final park. All the open spaces are designed to contain locally indigenous vegetation.

“This creates a habitat that reflects that of the natural surroundings,” observes Botes. “As the parks evolve from hard to natural spaces, there is also a feeling that the spaces unwind and move from vibrant to tranquil.” Van Eeden adds: “The main landscaping principle, however, derives from stormwater management. We are implementing a bioswale in the median island of Aramist Avenue as a pilot project for the City of Tshwane. This bioswale is designed to collect most of the run-off from the southern carriageway that runs in a westerly direction. The idea is to store the water, filter it with aquatic plants and let it infiltrate into the soil to recharge groundwater resources. In the case of large volumes of run-off, excess water overflows into the municipal stormwater system.” Van Eeden is particularly excited about the bioswale pilot project as the city authorities have indicated an interest in implementing the same concept elsewhere if successful at Menlyn Maine.

The progression of green spaces plays an active role in terms of stormwater management. Water gathered in the piazza at the top drains to the first park where it is discharged onto the green space. Stormwater from the roofs of adjacent buildings also drains into this space. Downpipes discharge into planters, full of water-purification plants, with spouts at the bottom of the planter to release the water into the open spaces.

From there the water moves underneath the road into a retention pond in the next park with overflows connected to the stream running in the bottom park. Grassed seating and planters provide structure to the upper parks. The aim is to create an artificial wetland in the lower park to act as natural habitat and for educational purposes.

Buildings must be ‘green’

In terms of the broader guidelines for Menlyn Maine, buildings must be designed to achieve at least a four-star grading according to the Green Star rating tools of the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). “This implies a certain degree of responsible energy, water and waste management within the buildings although we are not proposing specific systems but rather the end result,” comments Gerhard Boer of Boogertman + Partners Architects. Herby Rautenbach of Pro Arnan Project Management concurs.

“We hope to be able to influence the designs from the individual design teams with regard to what we believe are the most important green criteria: energy efficiency, water and waste management. We intend to influence people’s thinking in these matters in order to prompt a paradigm shift. We hope that the design and building processes adopted by individual property owners will yield innovative solutions – not only in terms of green methodologies but also in terms of how buildings relate to and activate the streetscape, and how they accommodate pedestrians. There will not be architectural guidelines in terms of restricting design language but the aesthetics will be handled in an approval process by the property owners’ association.”

Peter Dacomb of Plan Practice adds: “There will be a refusal of certain things that are deemed to be incompatible with the vision of the development. And there are restrictions in terms of the location and size of the buildings”.

Theron comments: “The generation of buildings developed prior to the advent of responsible ‘green building’ is rapidly becoming obsolete. This is largely because of incoming legislation demanding that existing buildings are retrofitted in order to comply. In future, if a tenant can demonstrate that he is working towards a carbon-neutral enterprise, and he is already in a carbon-neutral building, it will ultimately make his life much easier in terms of compliance, rates and taxes. So the developers at Menlyn Maine are not planning to rent buildings at this point but they are ensuring that buildings are rentable for the next 20 to 30 years”.

Ongoing management considered

The environmental-management plan for the precinct goes beyond construction into the operational phase, Theron adds. Management of systems within the common areas will be addressed by the property owners’ association, and the owners and users of individual buildings will have to take responsibility for their components of the system. “Site management will be handled holistically through a precinct-management plan. In terms of waste, for example, rooms will be located in each land parcel for separation at source but collection of non-recyclables and recyclables for the entire development will be handled by one company.” The street furniture will include litter bins geared at recycling; colour coded for different categories of waste to encourage Menlyn Maine inhabitants and users to adopt the habit of separating at source, Botes adds.

Johan Sadie of KV3 Engineers notes that upgrading the bulk power infrastructure plays a prominent role in terms of reducing the project’s carbon footprint. “We haven’t installed new transformers but, in consultation with the supply authority, chose to reconfigure the existing sub-stations. In this way, we have saved on manufacturing, capacity, overhead lines and the actual substation buildings.”

KV3 relied on general engineering-design practice for the initial calculations. “However, as far as bulk power supply to the precinct is concerned, we have re-examined and adjusted these calculations; taking cognisance of the South African National Standard 204-1,” he adds. “This has a significant impact on the total precinct consumption; allowing for further densification of the precinct without additional bulk capacity.”

In terms of energy efficiency, Sadie says that technologies are being considered holistically. “We have specified light-emitting diode fittings for pedestrian street lighting. And energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights will be used in the new buildings. Dedicated recycling units will be supplied to deal with the negative environmental impact of their disposal.”

Attainable vision?

It is a hard reality that market demand, driven by economic feasibility and ease of implementation, often prevails over the more altruistic goals of environmental and social sustainability.

Although the design intentions of Menlyn Maine are plausible, it remains to be seen whether or not the green intentions and promised communal vibrancy do materialise during construction and throughout the operational lifespan of the development. In this regard, the resolve of the developers and professional team will be tested thoroughly!

Response to municipality’s planning framework

Peter Dacomb of Plan Practice, a firm of town planners, observes that, to a large extent, Menlyn Maine is a response to planning that was undertaken by the City of Tshwane in 2005. “A policy plan was formulated that recognised a bigger picture for the Menlyn area than that of a shopping centre only.

The plan was, perhaps, very simplistic at the time and it was not informed by any infrastructure that future development might require. But it was important for Pretoria because it didn’t cap development in terms of building heights and bulk. The 2005 strategic-development framework for the area was adopted on this basis. This project included an 18-month process to create a master plan for the Menlyn block that included this development, the Menlyn Park Shopping Centre and surrounds. It is one of very few projects where the development team has worked with the municipality towards a common goal.The municipality is now looking at replanning a slightly larger area because of this initiative – from beyond the highway to the west and extending eastwards; beyond Atterbury Road in the north and beyond Garsfontein Road in the south. This is in the public-participation process.” According to Dacomb, possible redevelopments include those of the Menlyn Park Shopping Centre and the Menlyn Office Park with other smaller developments north of Atterbury Road where many residential properties are being bought up for commercial and high-density residential use.

“This process has been good in the sense that, until now, the municipality has always reacted to demands from the market rather than looking ahead and predicting the market. This is the first initiative that pulls the private sector and the municipality together. But it has been a challenge in terms of infrastructure. The 2005 plan was not at all informed by infrastructure planning and nothing has been done to upgrade infrastructure since 2005. So now the private sector is, literally, footing the bill.” Rezoning was necessary and the Development Facilitation Act (DFA) was utilised as the legal mechanism to procure approvals.

Project team

Landowner and developer: Menlyn Maine
Architect: Boogertman + Partners Architects
Landscape architect:
Interdesign Landscape Architects
Project manager: Pro Arnan Project Management
Marketer: Equity Estates
Precinct manager: Kagiso Urban Management
Civil and electrical engineer: KV3 Engineers
Town planner: Plan Practice
Environmental impact assessor: Golder Associates

A better city environment

Comment by Gerald Garner

Menlyn Maine is setting an important precedent for the development of ‘green’ buildings. Here the project team has acknowledged that ‘green building’ cannot take place in isolation. The impact of a building on the city context and surrounding natural environment is as important as the need to be energy- and water-efficient on individual sites. Perhaps it is time for the GBCSA to consider the development of a rating tool for precinct developments rather than individual buildings alone? At the same time, a more detailed rating tool could be developed for ecologically sound landscape design.

Developers can no longer claim to be green by merely planting a few trees around a building, especially if the trees are exotic species that do not contribute to local biodiversity. The design of Menlyn Maine clearly illustrates that landscape design is about improving the ecological function as much as it is about aesthetics. Natural water and vegetation systems can be harnessed and enhanced. The result is a better, more sustainable city environment. In the long term, this also presents a more cost-effective solution as consequences, such as downstream flooding, are avoided and the hard-engineering solutions that are so often employed to fix the earlier unforeseen costs of badly planned development. If the planned vision for Menlyn Maine is implemented successfully, the City of Tshwane will have an important precedent to follow for future high-density development.

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First ‘green stars!

South Africa’s first Green Star-rated building is Nedbank Phase 2 in Sandton, Johannesburg, having scored a four-star design rating.

Nedbank celebrated the first Green Star SA design-rated office building in South Africa with the roof wetting of its Phase 2 building in Sandton, Johannesburg, on November 4 2009. The building’s designers, with the assistance of WSP Green by Design, pulled off a four-star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA); scoring 54 points during the rating process (45 points are required for four-star status). Among the outstanding “green” attributes of the Nedbank Phase 2 building are the following:

Blackwater treatment and recycling

Once complete, the building will boast a blackwater-treatment system with a portion of the building’s effluent reused for non-potable purposes, such as flushing of toilets, supply to the cooling towers and irrigation. However Ken Reynolds of Nedbank Corporate Property Finance, tells Urban Green File that this system is subject to the completion of an environmental impact assessment and approval by the local authority. It is estimated that the recycling system will reduce the intake of potable municipal water by as much as 120 kl/day while the building’s discharge into the municipal sewer system will also be reduced substantially.

Efficient air-conditioning

The air-conditioning system will boast a full economy cycle; flushing fresh air through the building when outside conditions are favourable. Carbon-dioxide sensors on each floor will monitor levels continuously and adjust the flow of fresh air. Cool ambient air will be circulated through the building in the morning to reduce the energy load on the air-conditioning system in summer.

Effective lighting

A Dali lighting system will monitor, dim and switch lights off in all unoccupied office sectors while energy-efficient lighting will be fitted throughout the building. As much as 60% of offices will have a direct line of sight to the outdoors or to a naturally lit atrium, which boasts a transparent roof.

‘Green’ materials

With the structure already complete, the building is predominantly framed in reinforced concrete with 95% of the reinforcing steel recycled while the concrete mix contains 30% fly ash. Urban Green File can also disclose that the project scored a point for innovation for commissioning a specially manufactured Dulux paint with low levels of volatile organic compounds.

Cleaner transport

Nedbank’s Phase 2 will also include a cycle park with lockers and shower facilities. The idea is to encourage staff to cycle to work or to make use of the Gautrain station at Sandton (only 500 m away). Also read the article on this building in the June 2008 print edition of Urban Green

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GREEN BUILDINGS BRIEFS

Slow solar water-heater uptake

Only 1 600 solar water heaters have been purchased so far for homes though the Eskom demand-side management solar water-heating programme. Of these, about 1 400 had received rebates by mid-October 2009, Urban Green File learned from its sister publication, African Energy Journal. According to Cedric Worthmann, renewable portfolio manager for Eskom, the uptake was slower than hoped for. However the number of registered suppliers of solar water heaters, accredited by the South African Bureau of Standards, has grown to 53. This illustrates confidence that South Africans will soon begin to move over to solar technology in large numbers.

Growth in ‘green building’

Private property developers, as well as their architectural and engineering consultants, have embraced “green building” en masse. This was obvious from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) convention and exhibition staged in Cape Town in October 2009. The main auditorium of the Cape Town International Convention Centre was almost full to capacity and the high attendance numbers were in line with the GBCSA’s phenomenal growth. After only two years since its inception, the council already boasts more than 500 corporate members while more than 1 000 built-environment professionals have attended the council’s Green Star training courses so far and 111 have achieved Green Star SA professional accreditation.

Lacking at the GBCSA conference, in Urban Green File’s opinion, though, was a balance between private- and public-sector projects. Although the GBCSA is constituted to represent private property development, Urban Green File believes that South Africa’s green-building movement is at risk of being perceived as elitist and irrelevant.

For the green-building movement to have a positive impact in South Africa, issues such as affordable but environmentally sound housing and better, integrated city planning need to be tackled. A number of high-end and technologically advanced “green” office buildings alone will not be enough to tackle climate change. And they will not solve the serious ecological problems faced by South African municipalities. What is needed is a new, innovative and environmentally sound approach to service delivery that will give due consideration to alternative technologies when it comes to the provision of water, electricity and sanitation solutions.

Retail rating tool piloted

A pilot Green Star rating tool for retail applications was launched at the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) convention and exhibition in October 2009. The tool caters for “base buildings” rather than tenant fit-outs and is open to public comment until February 19 2010. Once public comment has been considered, the first version of the tool will be launched in April 2010. As is the case for office buildings, the tool will accommodate “design” and “as built” ratings. A separate tool for the operation of these buildings is envisaged for the future.

Bahrain skyscrapers show the way

“Bahrain’s World Trade Centre includes three massive wind turbines attached to bridges between the two towers and these turbines are able to supply between 30% and 40% of the buildings’ energy requirements when they are fully occupied,” Shaun Killa, design director at Atkins Global in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, told delegates at the Green Building Council of South Africa convention in October 2009.

The South African-trained architect elaborated that, as a result of the effective aerodynamic building design, more wind energy is captured than initially expected and, as the buildings are not yet fully let, there are times when excess energy is available. The building owners are, therefore, planning to install three large insulated chillers as part of an ice-storage system. Excess energy, especially over weekends, will be used for the production of ice. For one or two days a week, the building’s cooling system will be channelled through the ice-storage facility; negating the need to use the district cooling system.

Platinum status for hotel

Southern Sun’s Drakensberg Sun Lifestyle Resort has achieved a platinum environmental classification from the Heritage Environmental Management Company. This is in recognition of the hotel’s many environmental initiatives, including the replacement of chemicals in its sewage-treatment plant by an ultraviolet-light disinfection system and the installation of energy-saving lamps in 70% of the lights in the resort. Also noteworthy is the hotel’s on-site vermicomposting plant.

In terms of conservation, the Drakensberg Sun manages a vulture-feeding centre. As many as 150 Cape vultures, as well as a breeding pair of Bearded vultures, are being counted daily. In addition, alien-invader trees are being eradicated while an indigenous nursery has been established for the replacement of exotic trees. The nursery, reportedly, already boasts 1 800 trees. The Drakensberg Sun was also the 2008 overall winner of the Imvelo Awards – South Africa’s environmental awards programme for the tourism and leisure industries.

Architecture award

A new South African award for sustainable architecture has been launched by the South African Institute of Architects (SAIA). Sponsored by AfriSam, the award process will run over a two-year period with the intention to recognise and promote excellence in architecture, and to create public awareness and debate on the issue of sustainability. Architectural projects, research or works of social importance completed and beneficially occupied during the period January 2000 to December 2008 are eligible for entry. Entries will be appraised according to four criteria: paradigm shifting, people upliftment, planet rejuvenation and place-making performance – adapted from the five-point definition of sustainable construction followed by the Holcim Awards. The panel of adjudicators will comprise Al Stratford, Daniel Irurah, Gerrit Jordaan, Andy Horn, Mike McDonald and Wally Serote. Commenting on its sponsorship, marketing manager, Victor Bouguenon, states that AfriSam has committed itself to protection of the environment through conscientious and responsible manufacturing processes and a responsible attitude towards the impact of business operations on the community and the environment.

The deadline for the submission of entries for the AfriSam-SAIA Awards for Sustainable Architecture is February 26 2010 and award recipients will be announced during SAIA’s biennial function in September 2010.

Refurbishment in the offing

MTN South Africa is planning to turn its existing 14th Avenue head office in Fairlands, Johannesburg, into a “green building” within the next two years, Urban Green File can disclose. The initiative seeks to address six environmental issues at MTN’s head office: sustainable sites, energy consumption, water efficiency and quality, indoor environmental quality, innovation in design, and the recycling of material and resources.

According to chief financial officer, Zunaid Bulbulia, MTN’s energy consumption is high. “This is the case, especially, in our data centres. The result is that we are emitting tons of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. We’re also using substantial amounts of water to cool and power our data centre.” The first phase of the “Greening 14th Avenue” project will focus on energy and water consumption. Procurement policy development will also be tackled to ensure continuous procurement of “green” and environment-friendly products. Apparently, the more ambitious second phase will involve new capital investment in equipment such as solar panels for heating water and energy production at a cost of up to R40-million.

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CITY VISIT

Reconstructing Alex

Alexandra is envisioned to become a ‘sustainable urban hub’. But what is the Alexandra Renewal Project doing to achieve this ambitious outcome?

In the heartland of Johannesburg, Alexandra (Alex) boasts a rich but complex history. While Alex faces many of the same socio-economic challenges of the former black South African townships, it has unique characteristics attributable to its history and its central location to prominent commercial nodes in Johannesburg.

For a start, Alexandra is much older than its Johannesburg township counterparts. Perceived too valuable as a labour pool for the city’s northern suburbs, the intention by the former regime was never to remove Alex entirely – as was done with other freehold areas such as Sophiatown. Alex was established in 1907, proclaimed a “native township” in 1912 and – following uprisings spurred by the Soweto riots that led to new recognition of urban blacks and an end to property expropriation in these areas – it received official residential status in 1976.

A 1980s master plan was formulated to develop Alex into a “garden city”. The ambitious project entailed transforming the township into new suburbs with a central business area, light industry, sports complexes and an interlinked system of parks. Very few of these plans saw the light of day.

Since then Alex evolved, brewed and expanded until, in 2001, the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP) was launched in response to government’s Integrated Sustainable Rural Development & Urban Renewal programmes.

Parks and public spaces improved

Neels Letter, deputy director of the ARP tells Urban Green File that, for the past decade, urban greening initiatives along the banks of the polluted Jukskei River have improved quality of life significantly for Alex residents. Vacant and informally occupied pieces of land have been developed into three park areas – a collaborative effort between Johannesburg City Parks and the ARP. In addition, as part of an integration programme to connect the communities of River Park and Lombardy East, green spaces were developed; linked by pedestrian bridges along an eastern tributary of the Jukskei River. Two parks were also developed in Tsutsumani Village.

Flagship park

The ARP’s mega project, however, was the development of Jukskei River Park – a 2,3 km-long stretch of land within the 50-year flood line on the Far East Bank of Alexandra. With public art, mosaic detail, two gazebos, playground facilities, a skateboard ramp and a lively water feature, Jukskei River Park was the flagship green space in Alex. To a certain extent it still is but challenges relating to safety, security and vandalism undermine its tranquil river setting.

The landscaping palette for this thin strip of land was predominantly indigenous plants that grow naturally on river embankments. These included Rhus lancea, Celtis africana and Olea europea subsp africana says Alan Cooper of Outer Space Design Landscape Architects, who was the landscape architect responsible for the park’s design. “Kikuyu grass was planted for soil stabilisation while the park was partly developed on an informal settlement and a rubbish dump. It was a destroyed, barren piece of land that required a resistant type of vegetation,” elaborates Cooper.

Vandalism of concern

It has now been almost two years since the completion of the park, and destruction and vandalism require attention. The piping of the stainless-steel water feature has been stolen three times. In a final attempt, Johannesburg City Parks changed the material to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and threw in the towel when the PVC piping also succumbed to hooliganism. Public artwork has been vandalised – African sculptures were cut down with angle grinders and brickwork was removed from building structures. The gazebos were burned down and, again, Johannesburg City Parks decided to leave one of the structures roofless after a second repair.

Safety and security management is a challenge, admits Letter. The park is a long and narrow, open stretch of land, which makes security interventions difficult. “City Parks is providing some form of patrol but the park is not guarded by a dedicated security force.”

Where does this leave the future sustainability of detailed park design and public art in Alex? “We aimed to make the design as vandal-proof as possible but it is still being damaged,” says Letter. To this Cooper adds that one needs to design “really hard” and admits that this is challenging. “Your design philosophy needs to be extremely robust and vandal-proof – you have to come up with very innovative design solutions to add to the aesthetic component of public space.”

Letter says that vandalism is not purely a security issue. It also comes down to education: informing community members that the parks belong to them and have been created for their own well-being. The ARP has run an initiative called Friends of the Parks to encourage community involvement in the management and maintenance of the parks. This is working well in smaller parks with denser communities yet, in the 2,3 km-long, 50 m-wide Jukskei River Park, it was not successful.

River should be integrated

On the sustainability of the park’s design, Cooper comments that, ideally, the banks were supposed to be cut back completely. “The landscape should have been modelled and integrated with the river but, instead, you now have these defined edges; it’s terraced. The river is one entity, the banks are one entity and the park is another – it’s difficult to maintain because it is so steep.” The park might have been three times the size, Cooper points out, but time frames, budgets and integration between government role players affected the process.

Nonetheless aerial photos of Alex pregreening and Alex post-greening tell the tale. Alexandra may not be the garden city that it was earmarked to be in terms of a utopian master plan but there certainly has been a major enhancement to the barren land along the Jukskei River.

River-water quality addressed

With an eye on vandalism, a more successful park development is the closed-off natural wetland on another tributary of the Jukskei. A dam was constructed to stimulate birdlife and the bird sanctuary is now open to members of the public who book to see it. With limited human intervention, the wetland is in a steady state. It serves an educational purpose for the school adjacent to the park; addressing environmental learning at grass-roots level.

Polluted river

A defining element of Alexandra’s environmental character is the Jukskei River but, unfortunately, poor social conditions and deteriorating infrastructure have polluted the river. The ARP has been involved extensively in stabilising the river banks and cleaning up the floodplains since its involvement started in Alexandra. “The Jukskei project commenced in 2000 with the relocation of 6 500 families from the floodplains,” says Letter. “Communities were moved up to the 50-year flood line and those areas were developed into parks and open spaces.” The informal settlements were a big source of pollution so clearing them resulted in major improvements to the quality of the river.

The park developments went hand in hand with engineering interventions to stabilise the banks in order to prevent erosion. Gabions, covered with vegetation, were installed – an ongoing initiative by the ARP. “We have spent a lot of money on this already but, when we receive funds, we do a further area along the banks,” Letter informs Urban Green File. Most of the work to this end has been done around Florence Moposho (Vasco da Gama) and Vincent Tshabalala (London) roads.

Massive clean-up campaigns are launched by city entities on a regular basis and malfunctioning sewer pumps on the river have been decommissioned. Alex now has a normal gravity system which is more reliable than pumping stations. Along the river, various testing stations monitor water quality on a regular basis. And, although pollution is still noticeable in pockets, especially in informal settlements on the embankments, dramatic improvements have been achieved in terms of visible and invisible contamination. To a certain extent, however, Alexandra has reached a level of environmental stagnation. Considerable progress has been made to the water quality and stabilisation of the Jukskei River but two key factors are putting the project on a plateau.

Informal settlements relocated

The first is the relocation of the Setjwetla informal settlement in the northern parts of Alexandra – comprising a total of 4 700 informal structures. The ARP has already relocated 400 Setjwetla families from the river banks to make provision for the recently completed Florence Moposho Bridge – a project that aims to enhance infrastructural connectivity between the eastern and western parts of Alex. “As much as 45% of the Setjwetla settlement is below the 100-year flood line and 70% is situated on a landfill site so we have to move them,” Letter states.

A second defining factor that lends structure to Alexandra’s spatial form (and affects the water quality of the Jukskei severely) is the presence of three tributaries running through Old Alex. More than 5 000 shacks have been built on these “green lungs”; resulting in major solidwaste and greywater pollution of the Jukskei River through underground stormwater culverts. These tributaries were identified as park strips in the 1912 township layout but rapid densification of Old Alex has led to their occupation. According to Letter, the ARP acknowledges the fact that, until the 5 000 households occupying these tributaries are relocated, no notable improvements in the water quality of the Jukskei River – and the renewal of Alex as a whole – will be evident. Plans are in place to relocate these households; depending on funding and the availability of housing.

The next part earmarked for parks and open-space development is the areas on the western embankments of the Jukskei River. “We have not done extensive work there; we are waiting for the redevelopment of those areas first before we spend money on parks and open spaces,” Letter informs Urban Green File.

Sports facilities developed

Sports and recreation precincts are being developed in various parts of Alex. Surrounded by major highways and adjacent to nodes like Sandton, land is a sought-after commodity. Many informal settlements have mushroomed along or on top of school sports fields so the ARP is prioritising three sports grounds: Square 1, Square 3 and the Altrek Sports Centre.

Innovative housing solutions

Perhaps one of the greatest successes achieved by the ARP, thus far, is its innovative provision of affordable housing. To a certain extent, the provision of sustainable housing solutions is the cornerstone for the future sustainability of Alexandra. The formalisation of areas along the Jukskei and its tributaries will open up space for public squares, parks and urban greening, as well as identified business nodes. Since 2001, the ARP has delivered and occupied more than 10 000 housing units and there are 4 460 units under construction. “Land in Alexandra is scarce, expensive and, mostly, in the hands of the private sector,” says Letter. “This has forced us to re-evaluate the nature of the houses we were planning, and pressurised us to increase densities among those we have already built.”

Low density near Gautrain station?

The ARP began delivering 1 400 houses in Far East Bank Extension 7 – the land adjacent to Marlboro Station. Why a low-density development along such a prime landmark? According to Letter, the plans to build the Gautrain were announced after the planning of the housing development. “When the Gautrain was announced, we were ready to implement,” says Letter. In addition, the station was originally earmarked for Marlboro (hence its name) but was moved to the Far East Bank because of objections by Marlboro residents. Density has been increased by building semi-detached homes but they are still a far cry from the dense accommodation one would prefer along prominent transport nodes. Letter says that the ARP is instilling confidence in the Gautrain precinct-development plans. “The Gautrain has increased the value of that land significantly. Consequently, the urban poor will be given an opportunity to sell the land to private developers – just like any other area in Rosebank or Sandton”. According to Tom Steer, senior associate in the Gautrain Architects Joint Venture, it will be a matter of time before the land around Marlboro Station is snapped up by private developers.

Ownership and rental combined

At a density of 140 units/ha, the Alexandra K206 development - designed by ASA Architects - is the ARP’s response to densification policies. As aesthetically pleasing, double-storey clusters, underpinned by a unique ownership/rental model, these housing units present a refreshing alternative to the standard “matchbox”-type Reconstruction & Development Programme (RDP) houses.

The model is based on the typical socioeconomic custom in Old Alex of subletting backyard shacks to single lessees. The ARP has formalised this principle by providing the owner with a RDP house that includes a rentable unit. “It’s a replication of what is happening in Alex already; we have simply formalised it,” states Letter. “We are in the process of setting up a tribunal to dissolve any rental disputes but the onus is on the owner to collect rent and fill the space once the first occupant has moved out.” The concept is unique and presents opportunities for replication. According to Letter, the Gauteng Department of Housing has already indicated plans to duplicate this model elsewhere. “The jury is out on this,” adds Letter. “In a year from now, we can have this discussion again and say whether or not this is working effectively.” A socio-economic survey conducted in 2005 indicated that 51% of Alexandra’s inhabitants were single. Coming from rural areas to be in close proximity to urban business nodes, they are looking for an affordable, “lock-up-and-go” rental solution. Again the ARP is responding by providing single-room cluster developments with focus on reduced life-cycle costs. It has completed the development of 13 clusters (a total of 520 units) as its first rental scheme. A second scheme of 450 units is currently under construction.

‘Green’ design

“Greener” than most high-income private developments, the units boast solar water-heating panels and rainwater-harvesting tanks for irrigation and vegetable gardens. Landscaping is indigenous with lots of groundcover and succulents, and little kikuyu. “The whole motivation in the conceptualisation of these units was to reduce operational costs to the minimum,” says Letter. The units are rented for between R350 to R650 a month and, since occupation in July 2008, a 100% payment rate has been maintained. The ARP is now busy with the construction of the River Park development – an R88-million, 400 units/ha development based on the same concept.

Hostels rebuilt

The strategy of the 1960s to transform Alex into a “hostel city” is still eminent in the form of decaying single quarters in Old Alex. The monolithic Madala (M1) Hostel has been the source of political unrest, deteriorating social conditions, and a hub for crime and economic decay. It is in urgent need of a makeover.

The ARP has kicked off with the refurbishment of the Nobuhle (M2) Hostel into apartments – the easiest in terms of hostel/apartment conversion. The original women’s hostel, Helen Joseph, and the troublesome Madala (M1) are not suitable for alteration. These two structures will be demolished in phases; gradually evacuating the residents to new apartments that will be built adjacent to the hostels.

Improvement - slowly but surely

In terms of waste management, Alex is a lot cleaner than it was five years ago, says Mvuselelo Mathebula, environmental manager for the ARP. Dedicated cleanup campaigns and the introduction of 56 000 waste bins have made the township much cleaner.

Buy-back centre established

Partially funded by the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the City of Johannesburg through its waste utility, Pikitup, a buy-back recycling centre has also been established. Non-governmental organisation (NGO), Tsogang-Mveledzo, runs the project in close consultation with the ARP. “There is much greater awareness of the value of waste since we started this project,” says Mathebula. “The community brings waste to the centre and they are starting to attach value to rubbish.” Discussions are under way with major recyclers to enhance off-take for the recyclables and to ensure Tsogang-Mveledzo’s financial independence.

Honoured by the UN

The ARP has met direct deliverables since its inception in 2001. In October 2009, it was awarded a United Nations Human Settlements Programme Habitat Scroll of Honour for promoting socio-economic and living conditions in Alex. As one of the most densely populated urban areas in South Africa, Alexandra is a fiercely dynamic, multilayered community. Reformation of such a complex area is a slow, time-consuming process. Letter uses the analogy of fixing a bus while it is moving.

What stands out, though, is the ARP’s involvement at ground level. Alexandra may seem to be a “problem child” in comparison with its township “brothers” but the community is tight-knit. There’s a feeling of true African pride, collaboration, interaction, social structuring, networking and informal organisation in an efficient manner. The ARP plays a prominent role in formalising these networks and adjusting its urban solutions according to the strong social structures that already exist in Alex.

There is no quick-fix solution for renewal but, gradually, Alexandra is taking its rightful place as an urban node at the centre of greater Johannesburg.

Heritage preserved

Alexandra’s legacy is captured in the Alexandra Heritage Centre – an initiative undertaken by the Heritage Foundation. Research has been conducted to identify old buildings in Alexandra with architectural or historic significance. Subsequently, the block opposite the heritage centre will be redeveloped into a heritage site. This vibrant precinct – named the Nelson Mandela Heritage Precinct – include Madiba’s house where he stayed in 1948 before he joined the liberation struggle.

Opportunity for lively squares

In 1916, Alexandra had a population of 30 000 inhabitants.Today, numbers turn at approximately 380 000. Old Alex is a maze of haphazard shacks and tight dense spaces; giving a unique sense of place to the historic township. At 70 000 structures on approximately 6 000 stands and 770 units/ha on ground level, dedensification is imperative. According to Alan Cooper of Outer Space Design Landscape Architects, the high density and unique sense of place of Old Alex presents a major opportunity for street landscaping. “The community is very tight-knit,” says Letter. “The space, naturally, lends itself to cobblestone streets and public squares.” However the development of squares and public spaces inside Old Alex will only commence once informal blocks have been redeveloped.

Greening encouraged

As a dense and dusty destination, Alex is in dire need of tree planting and individual green spaces. In collaboration with several NGOs, 5 554 trees have been planted in Alex since 2001.

Local economy formalised

The Pan Africa integrated mall and taxi facility is a vivid showpiece of the successful formalisation of informal economic and transport activities within the greater urban area of Alexandra. Without proper retail and transport nodes prior to the construction of the facility, it is literally the gateway in and out of Alex. “Business in the centre is sustainable,” Letter informs. “Since it opened in May, we’ve had a waiting list for businesses to gain retail space in the mall.” The complex is designed so that commuters are directed naturally to pass it on their way to the taxi rank on their way to work in the morning and returning at the end of the day. The centre, on its own, is a major catalyst for employment; creating more direct work opportunities for Alexandra residents.

Informal trading presents a challenge

Although the complex has been designed with walkability and pedestrians in mind, the management of informal trading presents a challenge. “The taxi facility makes provision for informal traders but there are simply not enough stalls to accommodate everybody,” says Letter.

Connectivity improved

The ARP is the impetus behind greater connectivity in Alexandra. Roads around the mall have been widened and major arterial links have been added to the urban outline. Several pedestrian bridges have also been built by the ARP to connect disjointed spaces.

Apart from the mall, other business nodes have been identified – inhabited but a few smaller central business areas have been identified at major intersections in Old Alex to accommodate Alexandra’s pedestrian-like culture and shopping styles, says Letter. To support the vibrant informal retail sector, the ARP has assisted in the formation of the Alexandra Manufacturers & Retail Forum, which comprises five affiliated associations that provide assistance in the structuring of informal businesses.

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ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & DESIGN

Green Point – not only a stadium

In Cape Town, preparations for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup do not focus on the iconic stadium alone but also on the provision of an urban park as a legacy for city dwellers.

While Cape Town’s Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup Stadium is, undoubtedly, an impressive and iconic landmark, many city dwellers and visitors will probably never see its interior. They will, however, come face to face with the surrounding urban precinct on an ongoing basis. They will, possibly, stroll through the mammoth urban park regularly, while barely noticing the translucent stadium. From the outset, the vision for Green Point Stadium has been to create a landmark structure that does not dominate the natural splendour of its setting. From an architectural point of view, careful attention has been paid to ensuring that the roofline of the stadium is not too high. In addition, the stadium has been positioned atop a podium to reduce the impression of height. Urban designer Henri Comrie of Comrie Wilkinson Architects & Urban Designers has made sure that the stadium is not the sole focus when approached from the city. “It was important to provide clear views towards the ocean and mountain. For this reason, the stadium is positioned ‘off grid’ to the right from the approach route,” he tells Urban Green File. Architect Robert Horns of GMP Architects adds that the 10-m high podium in front of the stadium forms an “artificial landscape” that provides an elevated level for visitors to look out over the surrounding urban park.

Entire common transformed

However the landscape architectural design for Green Point stretches much further than the stadium and its podium. In fact, the entire Green Point Common – what was once a dreary, windswept set of largely dysfunctional sports fields – is being transformed in line with the design of OvP Associates Landscape Architects. Their interpretation of the brief calls for robust public spaces for the benefit of all Capetonians. “The landscape design ties in with the surrounding urban fabric and ensures that city dwellers benefit from the World Cup legacy in the form of an extensive park,” says Darryl Pryce-Lewis of OvP. This approach has been chosen above the alternative of focusing all attention on the stadium itself.

Designed to minute detail

On repeated visits to the offices of OvP Associates, as well as the site itself, Urban Green File witnessed an amazing zest for detail design. Never before has any urban park in South Africa been designed on this scale and to this detail – and, as a result, Cape Town will be much better off for many years to come. The Green Point project is proving that careful design, based on a long-term vision and undertaken by a team of expert professionals, is the secret to success. Although working to tight time frames and a definite World Cup deadline, short-term compromises to get the job done are being avoided at all cost. The alternative – literally designing and drawing every square centimetre of the entire precinct – is being pursued with vigour.

Context considered

Although the landscape design of the stadium forecourt is structured according to the needs of the stadium itself – especially in terms of facilitating the movement of large crowds of people to and from the stadium – it has taken cognisance of the larger city context. The result is a park setting that tells many stories of a site rich in history and prominent in location. The project has been divided into several contracts, the most prominent are the stadium precinct and Green Point Park. The value of the former is R60-million – R10-million in soft landscaping and irrigation, and R50-million in hard landscaping and civil engineering works while work on Green Point Park amounts to R10-million of soft landscaping and irrigation and R25-million of hard landscaping.

8 design elements

Looking at the entire erstwhile Green Point Common, eight new elements have emerged to determine the area’s landscape design.

1.      Hard-surfaced stadium prcinct

Comprising mostly hard surfaces in order to accommodate the movement of large crowds, the landscape immediately adjacent to the stadium podium is reminiscent of the surrounding Cape Town streetscapes. Similar materials – red and brown clay pavers with grey cement paver infill – to those used in Somerset Road and the Waterfront ensure that the precinct is knitted into the urban fabric. The grid paving pattern relates to the grid pattern on sidewalks and squares throughout the city. A series of forecourts, some heavily treed, provide gathering and meeting space between the main access point in Somerset Road – the pedestrian underpass – and the Grand Staircase leading to the stadium podium. These multi-functional spaces are also designed to accommodate the weekly Green Point Market.

Along the southern edge of the podium, an ever-stretching line of Eucalyptus trees has been retained. Stone walls, reminiscent of the stone work found at the adjacent Fort Wynyard historic site, demarcate space for the trees while the ground is covered in gravel with benches in-between the trees. An earth berm forms the edge of the forecourt space and screens the adjacent athletics track from view.

2.      Heritage structure – Fort Wynyard

Adjacent to the stadium (north-east) is Fort Wynyard – the oldest structure on Green Point Common. This military facility, which has protected Cape Town Harbour for centuries, was originally built as a gunpowder-storage depot by the Dutch. The rather dilapidated buildings are earmarked for extensive restoration in future while some immediate work will be done to spruce it up for the World Cup. The road upgrades and paved pedestrian areas around the fort will take a military theme. “The entire Green Point site is rich in stories to tell and Fort Wynyard should be a highlight for any visitor to the precinct who wants to learn more about the history of Cape Town,” remarks Pryce-Lewis. “They will, for example, discover that Fort Wynyard was used by Robben Island warders to park their cars before they took the ferry to guard political prisoners.”

3.      Easy access – pedestrian underpass

The detail design of Green Point and the interconnectivity with the city are impressive. Certainly, the design has not been done in isolation but rather with the aim of integrating the precinct with its surrounds. This is primarily achieved by ensuring pedestrian access and interconnectivity throughout.

The new pedestrian underpass along Western Boulevard and adjacent to Somerset Road is a landmark in itself – a raised traffic roundabout accommodates a pedestrian forecourt and integrated rapid transit (IRT) bus station. Beneath the raised road, pedestrians gain access to the stadium forecourt where a stone wall has been built around an old tree to become a meeting place – a space where people can sit and wait to meet friends for a stroll in the park or to watch a soccer game.

4.       A place to mingle – Green Point Park

At the heart of the precinct is the 12,5 ha Green Point Park – a multifunctional park of metropolitan scale. Comprising a series of ponds, playgrounds, a biodiversity show garden an eco centre and tea room, as well as a children’s amphitheatre and large multipurpose lawns, among others, this park will surely be frequented by Capetonians. However the development of a park on this site, known for its poor soil conditions and exposure to wind, does not happen easily. Most problematic, though, has been the lack of water. “To irrigate a large-scale park with potable water is simply not sustainable – from a cost, moral and environmental perspective,” comments Johan van Papendorp of OvP. “But we have overcome this challenge by sourcing water from Cape Town’s original and forgotten water source - a fountain on Table Mountain. It will be gravity fed in an underground pipe to Green Point where it will be used for irrigation.”

With a secure source of water, it is possible to transform the face of Green Point and the new park is designed to include dams and wetlands. Van Papendorp adds: “At the point where the water emerges from the underground pipe, it wells up to resemble the source of a river. From there it flows over a textured surface and falls over rocks into a pond. City children can learn from it about nature and the dynamics of water. In addition, a water wheel showcases the possibility of alternative power sources by generating enough electricity to operate the wetland pumps. A turbine, driven by the gravitational pressure of the water supply will, in future, supply electricity to the planned eco centre.”

In line with its educational function, the park also boasts a biodiversity show garden, designed with the assistance of botanist and educationalist, Marijke Honig of Think Ecological. “This is a display garden rather than an ecologically balanced landscape,” elaborates Van Papendorp. “The aim is to educate people about biodiversity and water-wise landscaping. This area includes a boardwalk over the wetlands for people to observe wetland species. Earmarked for the future is the development of a ‘smart living educational centre’ – a building that will display technology and innovations related to sustainable development.

A most remarkable aspect of the park is the adventure playground where imported equipment that caters for children with disabilities is being integrated with custom-designed, sculptural play frames. At the centre of the park is a circular, multi-purpose lawn – 100 m in diameter. Large trees are planted on its perimeter and throughout the park. “Shrubs are mostly avoided to ensure clear views as good surveillance creates a safe park,” observes Pryce-Lewis. Mostly indigenous trees are being planted although poor soil, wind (the South-Easter and the South-Wester) and salty air have made species selection challenging. Ficus natalensis, Erythrina sp and Rubiginosa sp are used liberally while Olea europea subsp africana and Acacia xanthoplhoea are planted in protected areas. Against the stadium podium a line of Podocarpus sp will form a large-scale, dark green hedge.

5.      Lighthouse walkway – ocean connection

Green Point Park does not exist in isolation. A major pedestrian thoroughfare runs from Somerset Road and Western Boulevard, through the park towards the Mouille Point lighthouse. The entire precinct has been designed with connections in mind. At its polar ends are the lighthouse and fort – two historic elements that help to tell the story of Green Point. It is also envisaged that the parkscape will be extended to include the upgrading of the beachfront area in Mouille Point.

6.      Completely rebuilt – golf course

Part of Cape Town’s famous Metropolitan Golf Club has made way for the new soccer stadium. However the course has been reconfigured and remodelled with nine holes and 18 tees. The golf course was designed by Mark Muller of MM Golf Design. The ecological and visual integration of the golf course has been carefully considered through landform, stormwater systems and an interconnected series of retention ponds for irrigation purposes.

7.      Pedestrian- an cycle-friendly- multimodal transport

As a precinct, Green Point caters for a multitude of modes of transport – each considered in detail during the design stages. Paving patterns have been designed to meticulous detail to indicate parking bays for cars and buses, while IRT buses will move down Somerset Road in dedicated lanes as pedestrians walk along wide sidewalks. Pedestrian walkways and cycling lanes stretch along the entire perimeter of the stadium precinct and Green Point Park.

8.      Many sporting codes accommodated – sports precint

Green Point Common has always hosted a wide variety of sports clubs – this very public and essential function is retained in the new design. Some of the lawn areas also serve as overflow parking; reinforced with an innovative “plastic grass block” (TurfProtecta) sourced from Duraturf, Pryce-Lewis informs Urban Green File.

Park management crucial

What does Van Papendorp consider the secret to successful inner-city park design? “It is largely about management and maintenance,” he says. “One does not only need a good design proposal. A park must also be kept clean and attractive. People must have an impression of a friendly, safe place. In terms of design, the more attractive the park, the more it is frequented by people. More eyes mean better surveillance and improved safety. But to attract people takes careful design consideration. For example, one has to arrange all the functional elements, such as bus parking and car parking, while keeping the park accessible and attractive. A park must facilitate mingling of people. This is why people come to a park – to ‘people watch’ and participate in informal sport or recreation.”

Detail design essential

However park design is not only about functionality and large-scale concepts. The devil, in fact, is in the detail. So often park designs fail in terms of poor landscape detailing. In the case of Green Point Park, Urban Green File has witnessed OvP investing more than three years of design effort into every paving pattern, tree grid, seating wall and piece of playground equipment. Van Papendorp and Pryce-Lewis have been working on this project full-time for three years. In addition, at least another three staff members have dedicated all their attention to this project for three years. The rest of the office, says Van Papendorp, has been involved on a part-time basis but, for the past year, almost everyone in the office has been dedicated to this project. All in all, it takes a lot of energy and passionate people to handle this volume of work. “The last time a project of this complexity was attempted in Cape Town was in the construction of the castle centuries ago,” remarks Van Papendorp.

Project team

Client: City of Cape Town (Client technical coordinator: Victor Dave Hugo assisted by Peter van Heerden, Clive Griffiths and Francois van Niekerk)
Landscape architect: OvP Associates* (led by Johan van Papendorp and Darryl Pryce-Lewis)
Irrigation consultant: Arid Earth Solutions (led by Adrian White)
Signage consultant: Angela Gilbert Architectural Graphics
Stadium precinct subcontractors:
• Hard landscape works: Martin & East
• Soft landscape works: Eco Creations
Green Point Park contractors:
• Hard landscape works: Martin & East
• Soft landscape works: Urban Landscape Solutions
At the time of writing, play structures and furnishing for the park had not yet gone out to tender.

OvP is not only responsible for the stadium precinct and Green Point Park but also for the stadium’s pitch. In this regard, OVP is advised by Johan Jansen van Vuuren of Sportsturf Solutions and Dr Gavin Cooper of Elsenburg. The pitch contractor is Groenvlei Gras while the irrigation consultant is Controlled Irrigation.

*OvP Associates forms part of the Green Point Stadium’s urban design team comprising Comrie Wilkinson, Jakupa Architects and OvP. The architects for the stadium are Von Gerkan Marg & Partners (GMP) as lead design architects in collaboration with Stadium Architects Joint Venture (led by Louis Karol Architects working with Comrie Wilkinson, Jakupa, Munnik Visser Architects and Paragon Architects).

Critique: an appropriate design

One could argue that the design of Green Point Park and the stadium precinct is not sufficiently cutting-edge or ground-breaking in terms of its stylistic design. Perhaps detractors would call it “more of the same”. While the stadium itself is futuristic and technologically impressive, they would argue, that the park is toned-down; blending with the surroundings without making its own statement. “However, emphasis has been placed on minimising energy and material consumption as well as the use of renewable materials and safeguarding of a low carbon footprint,” retort the OvP team. “These considerations challenge the contemporary notions of being ‘cutting-edge’ or ‘ground breaking’. The aesthetics of sustainability as a body of thought challenges designers to redefine traditional concepts of form, scale, proportion and beauty,” they argue. “If ‘cutting-edge’ means ‘slick’, ‘highly-machined’, ‘high-embodied energy’ designs, then this park design is the antithesis but, if it refers to  pushing the agenda in terms of resource efficiency and the sustainable use of materials, then this park is certainly ‘ground breaking’!” What the landscape design of Green Point achieves is to turn a once-derelict space into a prime location – a place that many Capetonians and tourists will frequent. The park provides enough interest to justify many return trips. What is, perhaps, questionable is the abrupt end to the landscape at the fringe of the podium of the stadium. Predominantly reddish paving is replaced by grey paving and it almost feels as if the podium is a foreign space that does not fit into the environment. Then again, the podium successfully translates the monochrome nature of the light, translucent stadium. Is this a case of not enough collaboration between the stadium’s architectural team and the precinct’s design team? Nonetheless, Green Point Park is certainly setting a new standard for landscape design of urban parks and public spaces in South Africa!

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Iconic environmental planner

Prof Willem van Riet has been an icon of the landscape architectural profession in South Africa ever since he introduced the concept of strategic environmental planning locally.

Probably best known for environmental planning on a strategic scale, Prof Willem van Riet’s initial inspiration came from Ian McHarg. Van Riet has dedicated his career to the progression of landscape architecture beyond the notion of aesthetic and functional design alone. He proposes, instead, that McHarg’s “design-with-nature” concept is embraced. This entails the identification of essential natural resources through holistic environmental planning. The outcome, he envisions, is the utilisation of natural resources for the benefit of humankind while protecting underlying ecosystems.

Inspired by McHarg

As vice-chairman of international relations for the Peace Parks Foundation, it is hard to believe that Van Riet’s career started off in architecture. It was his interest in canoeing, and many trips along African rivers, that first sparked his interest in the natural environment. “The two experiences – of architecture and rivers – were contradictory in type,” he remarks. “However, the combination led me to Ian McHarg and the University of Pennsylvania where I was introduced to the natural environment as a platform for design.” It was, in fact, John Philips, an ecologist based at the University of Cape Town, and advisor to McHarg and Jan Smuts, who first made Van Riet aware of the concept of “holism” and set him on the path to Pennsylvania. Exposed to McHarg’s philosophy in America, Van Riet returned to South Africa and, in 1975, took up a post at the University of Pretoria under Roelf Botha, who was professor of landscape architecture in the department of architecture.

Van Riet’s motto became: “The advice of nature is so visible; all one needs to do is to open one’s eyes and to put on the right glasses”. At Tukkies, Van Riet progressed to the head of a fully-fledged, independent department of landscape architecture. The focus of this school was largely based on ecology as a platform for planning and design.

Introducer of GIS

Van Riet also introduced the concept of geographic information systems, or GIS, to environmental planning in South Africa. Under his guidance, the University of Pretoria developed the Environmental Potential Atlas of South Africa – popularly known as Enpat. This database of environmental information, in Van Riet’s words, “enables a consultant to almost do an automatic environmental impact assessment (EIA) on any proposed development anywhere in South Africa”. Van Riet reminisces fondly about the beginnings of landscape architecture in South Africa. “As recently as the early 1970s, the profession was minute. South Africa had very few landscape architects: Joane Pim, Ben Farrell and I counted among them. We fought hard to introduce the concept of environmental planning to South Africa’s planning professions. But our message was not always popular with town planners and engineers. However, in the process, we opened the door for landscape architects to be accepted professionally in South Africa.”

Apart from his work at the University of Pretoria, Van Riet’s career included two private practices: Farrell & Van Riet and Van Riet & Louw. Today his influence on a whole generation of landscape architects is obvious. The entire profession has embraced the notion of designing with nature, particularly in terms of promoting biodiversity. Van Riet’s early endeavours led to a fully-fledged and legislated EIA process.

Bigger challenge tackled

By the turn of the millennium, Van Riet took on a bigger, and even more environmentally significant challenge. He joined the Peace Parks Foundation of Dr Anton Rupert – an organisation focusing on the development of cross-boundary protected areas. As a concept, Peace Parks was gaining popularity, politically speaking, perhaps, as a result of Nelson Mandela embracing the idea. Van Riet’s involvement in the Peace Parks Foundation came naturally as he was involved, along with Dr Kenneth Kinley in the first plan for a cross-border park – between the Kruger National Park and Mozambique in August 1991. Today as many as 18 cross-boundary parks have been established in southern Africa, and many more globally, including parks in politically sensitive spots such as the borders between North and South Korea, as well as Israel and Palestine.

 ‘Missionary’ for peace parks

Van Riet’s position changed from chief executive officer of the Peace Parks Foundation to vice-chairman recently. He describes his new function as a “missionary” for peace parks. “Politicians are beginning to grasp the scientific case for peace parks,” he observes. “Perhaps it is because of the influence of global warming that people are, nowadays, starting to accept what McHarg campaigned for as long ago as 1975 – that the world is totally dependent on ecosystems for its survival. The Peace Parks Foundation is undertaking research in order to map the ecosystem services of the entire African continent; to provide clarity on the role of peace parks to maintain biodiversity and support rural communities. “While this project involves a significantly bigger scale, it is all based on lessons of old man McHarg,” enthuses Van Riet.

Ultimately, the ecosystems map would guide decision-making in the Southern African Development Community region. After almost a decade at the Peace Parks Foundation, Van Riet remarks: “The work I am doing in terms of Peace Parks relies on exactly the same principles used in the planning of a small garden in front of Anglo American’s head office. The size has just changed. Today I deal with 28-million ha peace parks the size of Italy”. Van Riet still sees himself as a landscape architect first and foremost. “I just work on a bigger scale in the field of conservation. But, ultimately, it is about the utilisation of resources and deciding how to harness resources.”

Regional planning required

On the state of landscape architecture in South Africa, Van Riet observes that the wheel has turned from a planning and design approach, to broad-based environmental movement, and back again to a planning and design orientation albeit, today, with different, more environmentally aware parameters.

Van Riet, however, believes that landscape architecture should, once again, expand into the field of regional planning. “This is the only way to ensure successful resource management. Landscape architects should play a wider role in terms of planning. They are often only involved when it is too late. Environmental issues cannot be addressed on a single development site only; a more holistic approach is needed. But the profession needs disciples to preach this message. We need to convince strategic client bodies that landscape architects can oversee planning and design teams. In this way, it would be possible to negate the situation where a landscape architect is called in to fix the negative impacts that are highlighted by an EIA. Through strategic environmental planning, these impacts could be avoided altogether.”

Student training was most rewarding

Such an eventful career, naturally, begs the question: What would he consider to be the highlight? Surprisingly, it is not hobnobbing with politicians or travelling the globe. For Van Riet, the best part was training students; teaching them about the natural environment. “It was extremely rewarding,” he says. “When sitting in studio ‘crit’ sessions, I was always amazed at how clever the students were. They always contributed something that I could take and learn.”

For his immense influence on an entire generation of students, and, in turn, professional landscape architects, ILASA has recognised Prof Van Riet as an icon of the profession. Urban Green File is inspired by his motto that there is no conflict between biodiversity, conservation and development!

3 iconic landscape architects

The lives and careers of three iconic South African landscape architects were celebrated at the 2009 Institute for Landscape Architecture in South Africa Awards of Excellence dinner. In the October 2009 print edition, Urban Green File featured the achievements of Joane Pim. In this edition, we focus on Prof Willem van Riet. The February 2010 edition will cover Dr Chris Mulder.

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WASTE & POLLUTION MANAGEMENT BRIEFS

Wetlands protected

Exxaro’s Matla Colliery, operating at 100 m below surface, is situated beneath about 590 ha of wetlands and seasonal floodplains. Golder Associates tells Urban Green File that “subsidence of these wetlands and changes to groundwater and surface-water flow were identified as two of the main impacts of the mining activities”. The need to keep the wetland functional, while managing the subsidence simultaneously as the area is mined, has been a priority for Matla Colliery. The presence of the wetland caused potential for an rush of water into the mine workings, which could pose not only a safety hazard but also potential water contamination. In order to meet the requirements stipulated by the water-use license and the record of decision, a wetland monitoring and management plan (WMMP) was proposed by the Africa Ecology division of Golder Associates.

The WMMP was, subsequently, initiated in early 2008; incorporating monitoring of the river as well as an 11 km-long diversion of the Rietspruit River. The Golder ecology team has also managed to reduce potential impacts on endangered small-scale yellow fish through the construction of fish ladders, gabions and pools to facilitate natural migration and breeding, Urban Green File has learned. “The structures were constructed to enable fish migration. Endangered grass owls are being protected and encouraged back with responsible practice in areas that have been mined already. “Ultimately, this has been an opportunity to change mining engineering and construction methodology and techniques to incorporate ecologically sound innovations. This project is a 10-year ground-breaking research project, which will generate ecological parameters and benchmarks for the shortwall mining methods of the future,” claims Golder Associates.

Cleaner town envisaged

Buyisela – the Eco Towns pilot project – was launched recently in Mthatha by Buyelwa Sonjica, the Minister of Water & Environmental Affairs. The project will focus on cleaning, greening, waste management and river rehabilitation. The Mthatha initiative is a partnership between the departments of Environmental Affairs and Water Affairs, as well as King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality, Indalo Yethu and Buyisa-e-Bag.

Recycling made accessible

Sasol and Petco are introducing easily accessible and safe recycling areas on Sasol forecourts. The pilot project at Sasol Ferndale in Johannesburg, Gauteng will be rolled out nationally over the next 18 months.

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INSPIRATION

Sculpture set in the urbanscape

Circa on Jellicoe proves that a building can be iconic yet blend with its environment.

It is not that often that Urban Green File finds a building truly inspiring. As a magazine focusing on the urban environment, it is, normally, the spaces between buildings that this magazine is most concerned about. However, in the case of Circa on Jellicoe, an art gallery in Rosebank, Johannesburg, linked to the Everard Read, the building itself is exceptional. Circa on Jellicoe is iconic and sculptural without dominating the surrounding urbanscape. In fact, it has been designed carefully to fit in with its context and it allows for public art and wide sidewalk space. This is a building that makes a positive contribution to the city rather than just an egotistical statement for its designer or owner. Architect Pierre Swanepoel of studioMAS Architecture & Urban Design and owner, Mark Read, deserve a heartfelt “inspiration award” from Urban Green File!

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INSULT

Why are the lights off

Why is Johannesburg’s iconic Nelson Mandela Bridge not illuminated spectacularly at night?

When the Nelson Mandela Bridge with its spectacular lighting system.– linking Braamfontein with Newtown in Johannesburg – was inaugurated in 2003 to great fanfare, Urban Green File’s sister magazine, Civil Engineering Contractor, covered the bridge construction in several articles. It was envisioned as a landmark – an architectural icon that would help establish the brand of a “world-class African city”.

The bridge, itself, is certainly iconic and impressive, and has made a difference to the inner city by opening up linkages; making it easier to access Newtown. However Urban Green File is bitterly disappointed that its night-time vision has not been realised. For years, I have travelled along the M1 at night and not once – except in the weeks immediately after its unveiling – have I seen the bridge lit up at night. Has someone thrown away the keys to the light switches? The lighting system was not only designed to light up the bridge, similar lights were also installed along the on- and offramps of the M1 and a portion of the double-decker highway. However these lights are always off and the only thing that Jo’burgers and tourists have to marvel at is complete darkness!

While keeping the lights off may save some energy, Urban Green File believes that, at least once a week, the bridge should glow in a variety of colours. It is a shame that the City of Johannesburg is not making the most of one of its most recognisable landmarks!

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VIEWPOINT

Railways should be optimised

In the light of the transport sector’s carbon-emissions record, South Africa’s accounting sector is pushing for long-term investment in railways rather than short-term profitability of road transport.

As much as 60% of South Africa’s total carbon emissions are created by transportation. This means that, in light of increasing pressure by consumers and government to reduce carbon emissions, transportation is likely to be a key focus area in the fight against climate change. So says Graham Terry, head of the office of the executive president at the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. “It is evident that businesses that can adapt to consumer demand for reduced impact on the environment are more likely to thrive while those that don’t might very well experience the exact opposite. Seeing that transportation is such a large contributor to South Africa’s carbon-emission levels, I believe it is one of the areas that will attract the attention of business leaders as they strive to reduce their environmental impact and find positions of competitive advantage.” According to Dr Vaughan Mostert, senior lecturer in transport economics at the University of Johannesburg, and a chartered accountant, the answer to reducing the impact of the transportation of goods in South Africa might very well be found in the “orphan” of the South African transport network: the railway system. “Railways have played an integral part in South Africa’s development,” remarks Mostert. “However, in recent decades, road transport has undermined the railway’s status as the goods carrier of choice. Under current circumstances, this is understandable – road transportation provides a safe, efficient and more cost-effective alternative to rail transport.

From a sustainability point of view, however, the fuel consumed by the massive amount of goods vehicles on our roads, as well as their high emission levels, does not bode well for business leaders attempting to reduce their carbon footprints. Too much emphasis is placed on the financial performance of the railway system. South Africa requires a multimodal transport network and the railway should form an integral part thereof, regardless of its activities being profitable in the accounting sense of the word. At the moment, the focus on the railway’s year-to-year financial performance is over emphasised, which results in knee-jerk restructuring strategies and a lack of long-term strategic planning.”

In Mostert’s view, capital-intensive transport modes, such as the railway, should be protected in order to create an optimised transportation system that will develop South Africa’s economy rather than weaken it. “This will require a significant paradigm shift from the powers that be as they will have to commit to protection measures such as guaranteed minimum levels of service. If we aim to create and sustain high levels of rail traffic, it will require an unwavering commitment to not only improving the level of service that our railways provide but sustaining those improvements. This should be a matter of national policy even though it is almost certain that traffic levels will fluctuate. If this can be done, the business community, once again, has an incentive to make use of the railway and, in so doing, play a huge role in improving sustainable business practice in South Africa.” Mostert also believes that greater emphasis should be placed on the effective coordination and operation of public passenger transport in South Africa. “This will go a long way towards preparing the country to meet sustainability objectives in the future.”

Given that sustainable business practice is sure to become a pressure point for creating competitive advantage, it seems that business will, inevitably, reform transportation activities in order to remain competitive. The fact that this pressure will be driven by consumers is self-evident. However, not far behind them, will be the law makers and those who have been made responsible for good governance.