Construction World December 2016

PRECINCT, KIMBERLEY

Project information

• Company entering: AECOM • Client: University of the Witwatersrand • Contract value: R750-million (Phase I) – R1,5-billion (total programme to date). • Start date: 1 July 2014 • End date 31 March 2016 (Phase I) • Contractors: • Main building – M&D Construction, Trencon, Qualicon • Wet services – Vic Ball Plumbers, Davnic Plumbing • Owner: Department of Higher Education & Training • Architect/designer: Activate Architecture, Savage & Dodd, Chris Wilkinson Architects • Principal agent/project manager: AECOM • Consulting engineers:

The different types of water and sewer lines posed a significant challenge on the project. Grey water is collected from the showers and basins in the residence buildings and stored in a grey water sump adjacent to the black water sump outside the services building. Rainwater disposal systems on each of the buildings feature gravity and siphonic drainage discharge. The building site had shallow levels of hard rock, which made excavation for both structure and services extremely difficult. This was especially challenging when designing and installing the grey water recovery system, which had to fall over long pipe runs. The underground pipe runs were shortened by reticulating in the upper floors as far as possible. The sewer system consists of a two-pipe system, whereby a black water line connects all the toilets, sinks, and urinals, and a grey water line connects the basins and showers. The black water discharges straight into the municipality connection, which the grey water is pumped through a state-of-the-art purification plant that stores the water in a 108 m 3 sectional tank. The filtered grey water is then used to supply the toilets and urinals. As principal agent, AECOM utilised its LifeGuard reporting system, which allows anyone on-site to log an occurrence or incident on-line, with an accompanying photograph and any background information. PJ Carew Consulting was responsible for elements such as the glazing per building, and the paint specification. Phase I has been delivered within budget and timeframe, and according to client specifications. Such has been the satisfaction of the client, that AECOM’s initial contract has initially been extended. Phase I had a total cost of R750-million, while the current total value of the programme is R1,5-billion.

• Electrical – Civilsense, Aurecon • Mechanical – Element

• Water – Aurecon • Civil – Aurecon

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2 16 BEST PR O JECTS

DECEMBER • 2016