Construction World March 2023

the concrete structure, making sure the dimensioning of the façade was accurate. With this approach, Concor unlocked two long lead materials: the glass and façade tiling. The façade itself is a unitised system, which is less labour intensive and does not require a full façade scaffold for installation. These factors contributed to both cost and time savings on the project. Basement concrete pours By splitting the basement level concrete pours into five separate pours, the rapid construction schedule could be maintained and other work could also continue. There are three full ramped basements levels with a fourth half basement, which can connect to a future phase. Flexible concrete mixes While concrete designs favoured lower carbon mixes, the fast track construction process required a different mix for the columns (to deliver an early high strength result). Riskmanagement Fast tracking comes with considerable risk. This calls for very close communication between the core team on site, stakeholders and the myriad subcontractors delivering goods and services within the tight timeframe. Regular meetings were held between all role players on site, and Concor’s agile, open door policy and its “can-do” approach were essential in navigating the various challenges. Risk was also managed through a good relationship between the client, contractor and consultants. Trust was the foundation that enabled a quick start to the project and made it easier to navigate challenges as they arose. Long lead items were significant risks, given that the 12 months of the project were disrupted by COVID-19, worldwide supply shortages, shipping delays and riots in KZN. The project team mitigated this by value engineering to different specifications that still met the required parameters – even air freighting critical items and rerouting shipments. Continuous communication with suppliers and subcontractors kept track of these long lead elements. Concor’s admirable safety record on this project ensured over 500 000 hours with no LTIs recorded. The zero tolerance approach was driven by Visible Felt Leadership with a strong Concor team committed to educating subcontractors. 

Concor used innovative strategies to fast track the project – giving the tenant early access in a phased approach.

To earn the 6 Star Green Star SA Office v1.1 rating green standard in terms of the Green Buildings Council South Africa (GBCSA) certification, Concor applied a range of processes and features that reduced the building’s environmental impact.

Accurate dimensioning of the façade was possible using sophisticated software that could model the full façade around the concrete structure. These approaches meant Concor unlocked two long lead materials: the glass and façade tiling.

31 CONSTRUCTION WORLD MARCH 2023