Construction World March 2017

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Forming part of the new Silo District, Zeitz MOCAA will cover 9 500 m 2 , making it comparable in size to the leading contemporary art museums in the world. It will consist of nine floors, of which 6 000 m 2 will be dedicated to exhibition space. An educational floor will help to foster a new art-loving, museum-going audience. The task of repurposing the historic Grain Silo Complex at the V&A Waterfront, once the tallest building on the Cape Town skyline, was given to internationally-renowned designer Thomas Heatherwick. This provided the opportunity not only to appropriate a former industrial building to display art, but also to imagine a new kind of museum in an African context. The R500-million redevelopment project was announced in November 2013 as a partnership between the V&A Waterfront and former Puma CEO and Chairman Jochen Zeitz. The key challenge has been to preserve the original industrial identity of the Heritage- listed building, and to retain choice pieces of machinery to illustrate Waterfront in Cape Town. The sponsorship from Carrier, valued at R600 000, enables the museum to ensure a controlled-air environment critical for the preservation of certain valuable artworks. During 2016 the BCCEI completed a programme of workshops in all the major centres, and Faasen says it still appears that many companies in the civil engineering industry do not understand the numerous functions of its own bargaining council. “In fact, we have been inundated with questions regarding the role and function of the bargaining council,” Faasen says. “Let me start by saying that a bargaining council is not just about collective bargaining for wage increases.” The BCCEI is a sector specific bargaining council created in terms of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA). Some of the main powers and functions of a bargaining council are to: • make and manage collective agreements; • prevent and resolve labour disputes; • establish and manage an administration and dispute resolution fund; • promote and establish training and education workshops; • establish and manage schemes or funds to benefit its parties or members; and • make and submit proposals on policies and laws that affect a sector or area. “The BCCEI has a responsibility to the employer (companies) and the employees, and although it is a creature of stature, it is not state sponsored. It is funded through levies paid equally by employers and Making all the difference Having a committed and proactive bargaining council is what makes all the difference to an industry sector. This is according to Nick Faasen, secretary general of the Bargaining Council for the Civil Engineering Industry (BCCEI). Carrier announces sponsorship Carrier, a global leader in hi-tech heating, air- conditioning and refrigeration solutions, has announced its category sponsorship of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art (MOCAA) at the V&A

employees. The BCCEI operates for the benefit of the industry itself,” he continues. Faasen and his team are determined to level the playing fields in the civil engineering industry, and ensure fair competition which is practically important specifically at a time when the industry faces uncertainty. He says that dealing with a bargaining council can be a daunting process, but it need not be. The team at BCCEI’s various offices are well-equipped to assist with telephonic or face- to-face assistance and guidance. Significantly, the council has a comprehensive website which is kept updated and allows immediate access to information that both employers and employees may need. Faasen says that registering with the BCCEI is mandatory under law, and the council conducts proactive educational audits to assist all those who fall within its jurisdiction. He hastens to add that where a company is genuinely experiencing difficulty in meeting its obligations in accordance with the agreement, there is a provision whereby the company can apply for exemption and include an appeal process. The consideration and granting of such exemptions and appeals are carried out by independent bodies. The BCCEI has extended an invitation to all parties to make contact with one of its offices or via the website, and participate more fully. 

and maintain its early working character. Heatherwick Studio’s final design reveals a harmonious union of concrete and metal, with crisp white spaces enveloped in light. While the main goal of every museum is to make objects accessible to the public, researchers and other institutions, it also has to ensure the long term safety and preservation of the collections. Objects need one set of conditions, while people may need another. Achieving both is the ultimate aim of having a controlled environment. Carrier is no stranger to the rarefied world of museums and art collections, having installed an innovative heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) solution for the Sistine Chapel, developed to help preserve Michelangelo’s masterpieces against deterioration caused by the increasing number of visitors.  .

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD MARCH 2017

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