Construction World November 2017

The business magazine for the construction industry

FEBRUARY 2017 NOVEMBER 17

WORLD

CR O WN

P U B L I C A T I O N S B I R O VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT’S RISING STARS

Managing risk has never BEEN MORE CRITICAL

Ballito’s new AWARD-WINNING MALL

ALICE LANE PHASE 3 adds ‘green lung’ to Sandton

CONTENTS

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19 Sandton’s green lung Alice Lane Phase 3 completes the green precinct in Sandton. 22 Here and now The Paragon Goup’s founding members share their secrets. 27 Cape Town’s new office tower 35 Lower Long will be a 24-storey building in the Mother City. 32 The status quo of SA’s infrastructure AECOM’s road experts paint a gloomy picture of SA’s infrastructure. 34 Adding value to the affordable housing market Creating a ‘home’ is important to Corobrik. 36 Formwork for tallest residential building New York is getting a 472 metre high apartment building. 40 Opening doors for concrete innovation in design and construction Chryso is broadening its product range.

04 Planet trumps ‘project in precinct’ design The factors that dictate design have never been more important. 06 The drop from top spot Egypt has taken over from South Africa as African investment destination. 14 SA’s best new shopping centre Ballito Junction Regional Mall wins top prize. 16 Boosting energy savings Randridge Mall will now produce 1,2 MWh of solar power.

REGULARS

04 14 18 22 34 52 55

Marketplace

Property

ON THE COVER

Environment & Sustainability

While every production needs a star, a reliable supporting cast is equally important, a fact that Babcock can attest to as their range of Volvo excavators and wheel loaders prove to be highly popular co-stars to Babcock’s leading Volvo ADTs. These powerful machines have the capacity to work across a range of industries, from small agricultural operations to larger industrial, forestry, mining and construction applications. Turn to pages 20 and 21 for more detail.

Projects & Contracts

Housing

Equipment

Products & Services

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COMMENT

The recently released South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) Infrastructure Report Card gives the country’s state-owned infrastructure an overall grade of D+.

Despite this rating, one has to give credit to government for what it has achieved in a relatively short space of time: it has provided water to 11 million people – at a pace the report says is unrivalled in the country’s history. In addition, it has improved the accessibility of water and sanitation to millions. However, the low grading is because of the severe lack of maintenance of existing infrastructure. The report highlights that without regular investment from government into the maintenance of existing infrastructure, the lifespan of such infrastructure will be negatively impacted. It says that it will cost up to six times more to repair roads that have deteriorated, while smaller municipalities will be particularly badly impacted because they will be without water purification works and sewage plants. This will in turn lead to health risks – an indication of how vital infrastructure is in the functionality of any country. Arriving at the D+ The report based its grading on a US infrastructure evaluation system. According to this, infrastructure falls into one of five categories: A (world-class), B (fit for the future), C (satisfactory for now), D (at risk) and E (unfit for purpose).

What the report found Not a single division or subdivision of South Africa’s infrastructure ranked at A. The highest scoring rank achieved was B+. Of the total 23 infrastructure divisions and subdivisions evaluated, 11 were rated at or below D+ for 2017. Only five were rated B- or above. The current financial difficulty being experienced in the construction sector is making the situation worse as the industry experiences a lack of adequately skilled workers. A possible solution One way to deal with this serious problem, says The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), is to get the construction industry to function more like the manufacturing industry. It is doing research on how to transform the local construction industry by focusing on the use of modular elements in infrastructure. Such elements will be manufactured in a factory and transported to site. It says this will reduce costs, accelerate construction, and largely deal with the construction industry’s skills problems.

DECEMBER 2017 Our December issue will be dedicated to the 2017 Best Projects Awards – the winners and entries. It has become an overview of construction activity in the preceding year and is eagerly awaited.

Wilhelm du Plessis Editor

@ConstWorldSA

www.facebook.com/construction-worldmagazinesa

EDITOR & DEPUTY PUBLISHER Wilhelm du Plessis constr@crown.co.za ADVERTISING MANAGER Erna Oosthuizen ernao@crown.co.za LAYOUT & DESIGN Lesley Testa CIRCULATION Karen Smith

PUBLISHER Karen Grant

PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY Crown Publications cc P O Box 140 BEDFORDVIEW, 2008 Tel: 27 11-622-4770 • Fax: 27 11-615-6108

TOTAL CIRCULATION: (Second Quarter ’17) 4 740

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www.constructionworldmagazine.co.za

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

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MARKETPLACE

Planet trumps 'PROJECT in PRECINCT' design Animals have a way of beating the odds by using what’s been given. If it’s not the one-inch cathedral termite that architects a 5-metre home on the Australian outback, it’s the beaver who rearranges the river’s flow with its bucked teeth. All around

By Martin Smith

But somewhere along the way our intellectual superpowers meant we didn’t have to work with only what mother nature had dished up for our disposal. We could actually change it. And the greater our ability to re-engineer our habitats to our advantage, the more detrimental it tended to be to our habitats. One project at a time, we have been rearranging our built spaces to satisfy our immediate demands, and the casualties in our wake have just been crammed under the carpet. Let’s face it: if you’ve got money, you can beat your own ecological odds. When it’s hot, turn up the air conditioning. If there’s drought, suck the water out of the ground or squeeze the salt out of seawater, and voila! – no rain dance needed! The paradox, of course, is that by doing these things we only make it hotter and drier for the rest of the world, with the most vulnerable populations bearing the heaviest blow. Make no mistake: there always is a price to pay; it’s just a question of who pays it. In a world of no constraints, can we be trusted not to swing the pendulum hard towards the easy solution? But can we actually be trusted to take the time to find the middle, where we uphold both the immediate and long-term picture? If we’re going to find this optimum balance, we’re going to have to think

precinct over project and planet over precinct. We’re going to have to step back and look at the overall ecosystem we are building. Our job is not merely to meet the brief, but to transform communities into a better picture than the one we inherited. Building our hives For centuries, we have been upgrading our own hives. We live, eat and sleep inside the security and comfort of our homes. We learn inside the four walls of school, college or university. Our careers are often crafted over time inside a custom-designed building. We gather food in built biospheres called malls. To get around, we carve out roads that criss-cross canyons or cut straight through mountains. When we want to exercise, we join air-conditioned gyms or visit sporting venues. Slowly over time, we are re-engineering the landscape to serve our habits and lifestyles. But each individual design has wide- scale impact that ripples through society. When a double lane road is thrown down to get traffic flowing, it also severs the natural flow of that community. When a shopping centre comes to town, suddenly the pleasant chats around the neighbourhood corner store dissipate, and the social glue that forms the community fabric begins to break down. Spaces slapped by mega malls and high-density roads are no longer intuitive and integrative, but disjointed ecosystems that cut through the sweet intangibles that make community what it is. Going beyond the brief Project by project, we are reinventing our world. We meet the brief (we may even wow the client and one-up it), but if we treat that project as an isolated design, then, to some degree, we’ve actually failed. With climate change and urban influx breathing down our backs, we can’t afford to think in boxes anymore. We have to align our work to a bigger story. We have to think of every project as part of the tapestry that interweaves the social fabric of the community in which it is placed. We need to put the “soul” back into project briefs, where human interaction can flourish and community is nurtured. When was the last time a project brief had a requirement to increase the amount of serendipitous moments of human interaction? Technology, public works, architecture and policy all have a part to play in the push

Once upon a time, humans were no exception to this rule. Arctic Eskimos were given the option of ice or more ice, and so igloos were born as dome-shaped structures that miraculously had you peeling off some layers when blizzard storms blew. Populations in the tropics adapted to the heat and humidity by building lightweight elevated timber structures with wide openings and breezeways to allow cool night air to permeate their houses and remove the heat build-up from the day. Generally, we were pretty good at staying in step with the environment for a very long time. us, nature is giving and taking, budding and dying, to keep the same centuries-old symbiotic song playing.

“In great cities, spaces, as well as places, are designed and built: walking, witnessing, being in public, are as much part of the design and purpose as is being inside to eat, sleep, make shoes or love or music. The word citizen has to do with cities, and the ideal city is organised around citizenship — around participation in public life.”

→

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THE DROP from top spot Rand Merchant Bank’s seventh edition of Where to Invest in Africa presents some interesting changes in its ratings of the continent’s most attractive investment destinations.

One of the most important findings of Rand Merchant Bank’s (RMB) seventh edition of Where to Invest in Africa is that the African continent could find itself hovering on the brink of disaster if it continues to depend on its current economic fundamentals and does not usher in economic diversification. Where to Invest in Africa 2018 highlights those countries which have understood the need to adapt to the prolonged slowdown in commodity prices and sluggish levels of production growth – and those which haven’t. The theme for Where to Invest in Africa 2018 is 'Money Talks' and this edition 'follows the money' on the African continent to evaluate aspects crucial to each country’s economic performance. The report focuses on the main sources of dollar revenues in Africa which allows it to measure the most important income generators and identify investment opportunities. “Over the past three years, some African governments have had to implement deep and painful budget cuts, announce multiple currency devaluations and adopt hawkish monetary policy stances – all as a result of a significant drop in traditional revenues,” says RMB Africa analyst and co-author of Where to Invest in Africa 2018, Celeste Fauconnier. “Some countries have been more nimble and effective than others in managing shortfalls,” says Nema Ramkhelawan-Bhana, also RMB Africa analyst and an author of the report. “But major policy dilemmas have ensued, forcing governments to balance economically prudent solutions with what is politically palatable.” “The last three years have sounded an alarm, amplifying what is now a dire need for the economies of Africa to shift their focus from traditional sources of income to other viable alternatives,” says Neville Mandimika, RMB Africa analyst and contributor to Where to Invest in Africa 2018 . “These years have exposed a number of African nations to severe economic stress – especially that of liquidity shortages. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix to infuse into a context as complex as this, and traditional forms of revenue will remain a reality for many years to come,” says Ronak Gopaldas, RMB Africa analyst and co-author.

In this edition of Where to Invest in Africa 2018 , RMB’s Investment Attractiveness Index, which balances economic activity against the relative ease of doing business, illustrates how subdued levels of economic activity have diluted several scores on the index when compared to last year, resulting in some interesting movements within the Top 10. Notable omissions from the Top 10 this year are Nigeria and Algeria, which have fallen from numbers six and 10 to numbers 13 and 15 respectively. Ethiopia and Rwanda , on the other hand, have climbed three and four places respectively. Most notable change A most notable change is that South Africa has fallen from first place for the first time since the inception of the report, ceding its place to Egypt which is now Africa’s most attractive investment destination. Egypt displaced South Africa largely because of its superior economic activity score and sluggish growth rates in South Africa, which have deteriorated markedly over the past seven years. South Africa also faces mounting concerns over issues of institutional strength and governance though in South Africa’s favour are its currency, equity and capital markets which are still a cut above the rest, with many other African nations facing liquidity constraints. Morocco retained its third position for a third consecutive year having benefitted from a greatly enhanced operating environment since the Arab Spring which began in 2010. Surprisingly, Ethiopia, dogged by socio-political instability, displaced Ghana to take fourth spot mostly because of its rapid economic growth, having brushed past Kenya as the largest economy in East Africa. Ghana’s slide to fifth position was mostly due to perceptions of worsening corruption and weaker economic freedom. Kenya holds firm in the Top 10 at number six. Despite being surpassed by Ethiopia, investors are still attracted by Kenya’s diverse economic structure, pro-market policies and brisk consumer spending growth. A host of business-friendly reforms aimed at rooting out corruption and steady economic growth helped Tanzania climb by two places to number seven. Rwanda re- entered the Top 10 having spent two years

on the periphery, helped by being one of the fastest reforming economies in the world, high real growth rates and its continuing attempt to diversify its economy. At number nine, Tunisia has made great strides in advancing political transition while an improved business climate has been achieved by structural reforms, greater security and social stability. Cote d’Ivoire slipped two places to take up the 10 th position. Although its business environment scoring is still relatively low, its government has made significant strides in inviting investment into the country leading to a strong increase in foreign direct investment over the years resulting in one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. For the first time, Nigeria does not feature in the Top 10, with its short-term investment appeal having been eroded by recessionary conditions. Uganda is steadily closing in on the Top 10 though market activity is likely to remain subdued after a tumultuous 2016 marred by election- related uncertainty, a debilitating drought and high commercial lending rates. Though Botswana, Mauritius and Namibia are widely rated as investment grade economies, they do not feature in the Top 10 mostly because of the relatively small sizes of their markets – market size has been a key consideration in the report’s methodology. Where to Invest in Africa 2018 also includes 191 jurisdictions around the world, and measures Africa’s performance relative to other country groupings. The unfortunate reality is that African countries are still at the lower end of the global-performance spectrum, which continues to be dominated by the US, UK, Australia and Germany. 

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→ towards sustainable urbanism. The goal being 'sustainable and livable', the idea is to live simpler and far more connected as people and built environments to the natural world around us. And thanks to this rising conscientiousness, cities are starting to rethink the way they build and plan, so that green high-performance buildings and infrastructure are connected by walkways, cycling paths, bus routes and other transit systems with a low carbon footprint. But the reality is, these pockets of progressiveness are still rare. Even if fantastic innovations are remodelling the neighbourhood, rarely do they ‘talk’ to the core components of urban planning and together build an overall vibe – a sense of place that pulsates with purpose. Usually they hit the technical and ideological targets of the building, and that’s about it. Rebecca Solnit put it this way: “In great cities, spaces, as well as places, are designed and built: walking, witnessing,

being in public, are as much part of the design and purpose as is being inside to eat, sleep, make shoes or love or music. The word citizen has to do with cities, and the ideal city is organised around citizenship — around participation in public life.” The role of the engineer is not only to create an exceptional space but to foster a place that has personality and flavour. Advising on the future If we wear the capes in this superhero saga, shouldn’t we do more than just serve up what the client ordered? Surely, we should be using our powers to show the way? With insight into the project’s long-term impact, who better to advise and negotiate for the end user, owner, and community than the engineer? Understanding the clockwork of a city is understanding what makes it tick and come to life. And understanding this requires some serious head locking between

urbanists, scientists, economists, ecologists, architects and engineers. Through this kind of tight collaboration, we can pick up the city’s peculiar heartbeat and make sure that each of our investments together make the city become a better version of itself. Engineering is both prophetic and proactive. We pull down conceptions into reality and modify our physical world with the unimaginable. The privilege and responsibility of it should both thrill and terrify us. That’s why it’s never enough to cut, copy, paste, repeat our knowledge and experience. After all, as Abraham Maslow suggests, if the only tool you have is a hammer, you treat everything as if it were a nail. Pumping out the same solutions for different problems won’t get us there. The onus is on us to stop, study and speak through our designs to the flavour and flow of that particular city pocket. It’s definitely a big responsibility, but it’s an even bigger privilege.  *From Aurecon’s Just imagine blog.

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MARKETPLACE

RUSSIAN-BASED industry leader launched Southern Africa's largest homegrown material handling equipment supplier, Bell Equipment, has announced it is entering the Southern African tipper truck market through a partnership with KAMAZ, a Russian-based industry leader in this market segment globally.

Castle, the first phase of the KAMAZ introduction will consist of four models, which will be available as left hand or right hand drive vehicles. The models will include two 6x4 trucks with payloads of 15 and 20 tonnes, a 6x6 truck with a payload of 19,5 tonnes and a 8x4 truck with a payload of 25,5 tonnes. Across the range, well matched engines and drivetrains bolster performance and the ability to deliver results while stronger fabricated structures promote durability. The trucks also feature air- suspended seats and cabs to create industry-leading comfort that drives productivity, safety and ensures driver satisfaction. "During testing the KAMAZ trucks have presented a strong value proposition. We've been testing the trucks across numerous customer sites, where they have been extremely well received and have tackled local conditions with ease, delivering great productivity and lower fuel burn. Coupled with lower operating costs, customers can expect a favourable Rands per kilometre per tonne of material moved," adds Castle. In response, Director General of KAMAZ Foreign Trade Company, Rafail Gafeev, says: "KAMAZ FTC is very pleased to be teaming up with a heavy equipment company such as Bell Equipment who has its origin and roots firmly entrenched in southern Africa. We believe that this partnership will bring great value to both companies. "The KAMAZ products have been tried and tested in the most challenging environments resulting in uncompromising products that are uncomplicated and tough. We believe that the KAMAZ product philosophy coupled with Bell Equipment's extensive distribution network of over 50 branches and dealers, world class aftermarket service and technical support is a clear recipe for success to meet the southern African customers' needs. We look forward to growing our footprint by investing in the region through Bell Equipment's product localisation and distribution strategies." Jones concludes: "To ensure a smooth introduction the initial KAMAZ trucks will be shipped RORO (roll on roll off) while the Richards Bay factory gears up for CKD (complete knockdown) assembly. Increasing the local value add of the trucks is in line with our commitment to increase our investment in South Africa and create meaningful employment opportunities. Most importantly we are confident that this partnership will once again better position us to help our customers to succeed by providing strong reliable machines and strong reliable support to the region." 

Although new to the region, KAMAZ is synonymous with providing purpose designed trucks to the harshest applications, and this has been borne out by the company's consistent strong performance in the challenging Dakar Rally. Bell Equipment's Group Marketing Director, Stephen Jones, says: "After a long period of investigation we are now ready to take this milestone step and enter the tipper truck market. By expanding our one-stop-shop offering to our southern African customers we are able to satisfy more of their needs and further our goal of being partners rather than suppliers. "Finding the right partner has been key because there have been a lot of new entrants trying to penetrate this hotly contested market. We identified KAMAZ as our preferred partner some time ago due to the demonstrated performance and product attribute fit, which we had experienced through mutual customers and applications where Bell trucks are working in Russia. Further confidence was gained from other Bell partners, with a stake in KAMAZ held by Daimler AG, which also has a stake in Mercedes-Benz, the engine supplier for the range of Bell Articulated Dump Trucks. " Established in 1969, KAMAZ manufactures out of Naberezhnye Chelny in Russia and today accounts for half the trucks sold in that country, as well as being represented in 80 countries across the world. "KAMAZ shares our values and focuses on understanding applications and customer expectations, and designs products that speak to these," continues Jones. "As a 14 time winner of the Dakar, the world's toughest off-road endurance race, customers can rest assured that KAMAZ trucks are tough and reliable. This ties in with our Bell ethos of providing strong reliable machines." According to Bell Equipment Product Marketing Manager, Brad

Director General of KAMAZ Foreign Trade Company, Raphael Gafeev, presents Bell Equipment Chief Executive, Gary Bell, with the certificate to officially commemorate

the appointment of Bell Equipment as the Southern African distributor of KAMAZ trucks.

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MARKETPLACE

Engineering firms such as Hoxana Consulting Engineers dedicate themselves to changing this situation by developing road infrastructure that lighten the burden on communities impacted by poor infrastructure. The project also creates job opportunities with 60% of labour involved coming from the local community. The Mbombela Local Municipality appointed Hoxana Consulting Engineers to undertake the planning, design and construction monitoring of a paved road from Lovecorner road to Lovecorner Cemetery. This project involves the construction of a 1,5-kilometre long road which will be 5,4 m – 6 m wide at an estimated cost of is R14 850 000. This project includes upgrading of the gravel road that will cater for the residents of Phakane Village as identified by the Mbombela local municipality. According to the 2011 community survey roads on city outskirts are left to erode causing inconvenience to commuters travelling to school and work on a daily basis. Paving a brighter future With the heavy rainfalls over the years and the constant human activity, South African gravel

Livingstone Mashele, MD Hoxana Consulting Engineers.

This contribution stems from his position as member of the SABS Technical Committee (T/C 267) which was formed under the auspices of the International Standards Organisation (ISO) to create Facility Management (FM) Standards. While others also served on TC267, his contribution is also outstanding for his perseverance and dedication to see the task through to its conclusion. As part of a small group, Pienaar was responsible for formulating South Africa’s views and making its voice heard in the ISO Technical Committee and Working Groups with regard to the 41000 suite of standards for Facility Management. He served as a member of Working Group 3, and together with Clair Odgers, Craig Henry, David Khasebe, Hendrik Wannenburg and Banzi Bam was responsible for crafting the SA National Standard (SANS 1752). done by the local municipality, the about 3 000 residents of Phakane Village use the road daily, among them students going to schools, people traveling to work and traffic arising from funeral services. Livingstone Mashele, Managing Director of Hoxana Consulting Engineers says “this access road is very important to the community of Phakane as it ensures that residents can travel safely between home and schools, and access work or job opportunities much easier. The road also leads to the local cemetery, making it more bearable for the community to access this public facility with ease”. On completion of the road it will cater for a much larger number allowing for easy flow of traffic and accommodating pass-by commuters from other villages. The implementation of this project will contribute to job creation for community members in Phakane village. “Approximately 60% of this project will be executed through a Labour Intensive process in order to empower the local labourers and to provide technical skills to the local community”, says Livingstone Mashele, Managing Director at Hoxana Consulting Engineers. Hoxana’s excellence and professional delivery of its projects has delivered a number of quality projects in the Mbombela area including the construction of a 2,5 km

About Hoxana Consulting Engineers Hoxana Consulting is a multi-disciplinary consultant firm with substantial experience in Civil Engineering and project management. The company is driven by highly skilled professional with significant experience in the sector. Our pursuit of excellence is motivated through delivering viable and sustainable design and managing projects combining our knowledge, skills and expertise. We engineer business solutions for our public and private sector clients. paved road from Mphatseni to Siphumelele and the paving of Hercules-Cessna Street. The Phakane project began in May 2017 and should be completed and handed over to the local community at the end of February 2018.  According to Johann Eiselen, Head of the Academy, “SANS 1752 is a singular achievement as this is the first management system standard (MSS) for Facility Management ever published. The standard has passed all the stringent ISO requirements including the industry peer review.” Pienaar adds: “Finally FM is becoming an important agenda point during board room discussions and the industry will be formally acknowledged with tertiary institutions being able to develop training towards formal qualifications.” While it may be years before the value of these FM standards will be acknowledged by the industry, the Academy for Facility Management is already training the FM managers of tomorrow according to the principles and guidelines of these standards. Pragma Facilities Management will also take steps to implement the standard at pilot clients. 

Engineer’s ISO FM Standards award Pragma engineer, Helgard Pienaar has been honoured with a special charter from the Academy for Facilities Management for his contribution to the development of the Facility Management Standards (ISO 41000 suite).

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MARKETPLACE

Committed to transforming SKILLS DEVELOPMENT in Africa

The premier, fully integrated professional and technical services infrastructure firm operates across the built environment in Africa, which is an exciting industry to work in and be part of. Carina Robberts, Learning and Development, Specialist, Africa, explains: “Our employees get to work on projects that make a difference in the world, across many different markets and disciplines. We are a global network of experts working with clients, communities, and colleagues to develop and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most complex challenges. “We connect expertise across services, markets, and geographies to deliver transformative outcomes. Worldwide we design, build, finance, operate, and manage projects and programmes that unlock opportunities, protect our environment, and improve people’s lives, thus making the built environment one of the most rewarding and fun professions in the world,” Robberts highlights. The Learning and Development team supports AECOM to empower its employees to achieve the highest standards within their roles, and thereby contribute effectively to the business objectives. “We believe that learning and development benefits both the employer and employees. The greater the competency levels of each employee, the more significant and effective the contribution to the organisational goals.” Every employee, regardless of their level, has an opportunity to access ongoing training and development in order to enhance their talents, skills, and potential to the fullest extent, and to stimulate upward mobility. AECOM provides the relevant resources in this regard, including an integrated e-learning platform offering over 5 000 courses in 10 languages. It is accessible via Cloud, smartphone, or single sign-on, spanning diverse topics such as water treatment, 4D CAD, investor relations, project management (accredited by PMI), readiness assessments, AECOM’s Learning and Development team is committed to building a community of experts with diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and perspectives, who are passionate about delivering a better world.

Carina Robberts is Learning and Development Specialist, Africa at AECOM.

business and people management, leadership and business finance, and effective business communications. The AECOM Africa Candidacy Support and Mentoring Programme is a world-class structured mentoring programme aimed at creating a focused learning and mentoring environment that supports and accelerates the journey of candidates across the entire built environment, as well as other appropriate professional bodies applicable to AECOM candidate professionals. The programme is designed and customised specifically around each individual candidate’s personal development journey, so as to assist them in ultimately achieving professional registration. It is a full lifecycle programme that benefits everyone, whether they are graduates not registered as candidates, and young candidates, as well as mature candidates registered for more than five years. It is supported by AECOM’s own internal pool of mentors, and external service provider Mentoring 4 Success. Mentors themselves participate in substantial leadership/personal development training, encompassing relationship building, emotional intelligence, generational theory, behavioural theory, coaching skills, and goal setting. Participating mentors can make up almost their full CPD requirement, in addition to possible accreditation as a registered mentor. AECOM’s Management Development Programme (MDP) has two core elements, namely Personal & Interpersonal Management Skills (PIMS) for employees with first-person responsibility, and Essential Leadership & Management Skills (ELMS) for employees leading and managing teams. Each component has participants from across business lines, including Support Services. Managing AECOM Projects (MAP) gives employees an introduction to project management principles, their application to professional services, and how these principles are applied at AECOM. By employing the principles employees learnt in MAP, employees can improve their service to clients, improve project profit margins, and help employees and their project teams effectively manage risk and change on their projects, which is fundamental to achieving excellence in operational and project delivery. 

New appointment

Gavin Pelser has been appointed as CEO of Invicta Holdings Limited’s Engineering Solutions Group (ESG) business segment. ESG – a leading distributor of engineering consumable products, technical services and solutions – encompasses BMG, Hyflo Group, Hansen Transmission

SA, Man-Dirk Group (including SA Tool and Sibuyile Industrial Supplies) OST, Screen Doctor and Autobax. Pelser is also managing director of BMG.

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PROPERTY

SA’s BEST NEW shopping centre Ballito Junction Regional Mall has been named the best new shopping centre development in South Africa this year. It won the prestigious South African

expertise, experience and skill that has been invested in Ballito Junction by the entire team.” Clinching the esteemed award, Ballito Junction’s standout qualities that impressed the judges were noted to include its six anchors and a multi-screen cinema arranged over three levels making imaginative use of the topography of its site. They said: “The tenant mix is excellent and clearly defined throughout the three levels with a strong food and beverage offer at the lower level forming a major anchor alongside the multi- screen cinema. "The curving of the malls is attractively designed with light and bright interiors reflecting an ‘ocean’ theme in colours and motifs. Natural foot-flow feeds in at the highest level with equal distribution throughout from the concealed stacked parking.” Adding to this achievement for the magnificent mall, Ballito Junction’s Exclusive Books also shone at the prestigious awards. It scooped top honours for the best designed retail store in the country. It was designed to Exclusive Book’s brief by Dakota Design. Flanagan and Jankowitz congratulated Exclusive Books, on behalf of the mall, for creating a remarkable experience in its bespoke Ballito Junction bookshop, which features a design inspired by its unique setting. The warm and inviting interior of Exclusive Books in Ballito Junction is clad throughout by its own merchandise – books. The concept is enhanced by a large central table encouraging social community and inviting customers to browse and dwell. This is combined with a coffee shop offer to further encourage relaxation in the store. The worktop and table areas are enhanced by attractive downlight fittings and the upstand fascias are given a timeless quality with distressed terracotta white glazed tiling. Ballito Junction features as sensational selection of over 200 shops, restaurants, and services. It is located just off the N2 highway on Ballito Drive. 

Council of Shopping Centres’ Retail Design and Development Award (RDDA) 2017 for a new retail property development.

Ballito Junction opened in March this year on the Dolphin Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. It is owned and developed by Flanagan & Gerard Property Development and Investment and Menlyn Maine Investment Holdings. This spectacular regional mall is designed by MDS Architecture and Boogertman KZN. It is the major expansion of an existing 10 000 m 2 shopping centre, which has grown eight times its size, to an impressive 80 000 m 2 of world-class retail and leisure. The fiercely contested awards, sponsored by Nedbank CIB, were announced at the SACSC’s 21 st Annual Congress in Cape Town. Commenting on receiving the well-regarded accolade, Patrick Flanagan of Flanagan and Gerard, said: “We are thrilled that Ballito Junction, which is an exceptional development achieved by an exceptional team, has been honoured with this prize. We believe that Ballito Junction Regional Mall realises our strategy of creating the ideal shopping and entertainment experience for its market, while also reflecting the latest in inspired mall design, tenant mix and retail innovation.” Carl Jankowitz of Menlyn Main Investment Holdings said: “With the development of Ballito Junction Regional Mall, we have created a breath-taking experience in a truly world-class asset. We are delighted that the RDDA Awards have recognised its excellence. This honour from SACSC is a testament to the extraordinary vision,

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Extension and upgrade of DOBSONVILLE MALL OPENS

Owned by Vukile Property Fund, the leading JSE-listed retail REIT, the R114 million upgrade and expansion of Dobsonville Mall builds on the foundation of the legendary centre’s strong trading, retailer demand and its longstanding popularity with its shopper market. Dobsonville Mall attracts over 1 million shoppers each month. This retail landmark has been increased from 23 000 m 2 to 27 000 m 2 ; it has also been modernised in line with the latest shopper and retailer expectations, and it has changed its name from Dobsonville Shopping Centre to Dobsonville Mall. Commenting on this significant expansion and upgrade, Executive Asset Manager at Vukile, Itumeleng Mothibeli, says: “This major investment in Dobsonville Mall is backed by Vukile’s data-driven asset management. The centre originally opened in 1994 and our strategic upgrade and extension will ensure it is optimised for the next generation of shoppers. We have increased the retail diversity at the centre and improved its tenant mix. The innovative project converted office space beside the centre into better performing retail space, which links with the original centre. It has added an entire new dimension to the shopping experience, including a new mall and food court.” Dobsonville is a township in greater Soweto, fondly known as 'Dobsie'. It became the first township in Soweto to have its own formal shopping centre when Dobsonville Shopping Centre opened in 1994, welcoming shoppers from its neighbourhood and surrounds in Roodepoort, Johannesburg and other parts of Soweto. Before its upgrade, Dobsonville Shopping Centre was home to more than 50 stores including its anchor store, Shoprite. Thus, the centre is known as 'Shoprite' to locals. Its new extension and revamp is making a strong contribution to the local economy. A total of 118 people are employed by the tenants that are trading as part of its extension, of which 94% of this total are Dobsonville Mall in Soweto celebrated the grand opening of its new extension on 22 September 2017, intro- ducing even more top-notch shopping for its customers.

residents from Dobsonville and surrounding areas. It is easily accessible to shoppers and includes dedicated taxi facilities. It also adds value for shoppers, and the mall now boasts more than 80 stores. Its new extension features Pick n Pay and Pick n Pay Liquor, PQ Clothing, Foschini, Clicks, Pep Home and Legit. Also, new and improved tenants in the existing shopping centre include Mr Price, Truworths, Identity, Exact and Beaver Canoe, among others. The existing centre has increased its exposure to fashion and sportwear retailers, which have shown strong trading density growth over the past two years. A key element of Vukile’s up-leasing strategy for the mall included aggressively decreasing its exposure to the underperforming furniture retail category, thus improving its overall shopper appeal and rental growth potential. Another big focus of the project is Dobsonville Mall’s new and improved foodcourt, which will be a major meeting point in the northwest of Soweto. Like any leading world-class modern shopping centre, Dobsonville Mall will now offer in-centre Wi-Fi.

Mothibeli, says: “We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of the bigger, better Dobsonville Mall with its shoppers, retailers and all its stakeholders. Dobsonville Mall has been at the heart of its community for over 20 years now, and it is set to continue to play an even more positive role in the community for many years to come.” Vukile is a high-quality, low-risk Retail REIT with total assets of R18,7-billion. Some R14,8-billion, or 79%, is invested in South African property assets, either through direct property assets or indirectly via Fairvest Property Holdings, which invests in a portfolio of smaller retail centres. The remaining 21% (R3,9-billion) is invested internationally in developed markets via an investment in Atlantic Leaf, which is Vukile’s UK investment vehicle; as well as in Castellana, which is Vukile’s Spanish investment vehicle. For Vukile, the Dobsonville Mall redevelopment has a projected net yield of 9,5% on its capital investment. However, the long-term value of this investment is in securing the centre’s dominant position in the future, and its sustainable retail performance, relevance and popularity. 

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PROPERTY

activity for family members of all ages. International artists were used to do the paintwork and this world class product is definitely a must see for young and old. The 3D ‘Africa’-themed play park features a 16-m-long four-lane slide, a massive ball pit, trampolines, and a spiral-climber obstacle course. Three racing slides, two mini climbing walls and a six-gun shooting cannon will keep the bigger kids happy, while for the very little ones there’s a 10-m-long four-lane slide, a big-ball pit, a smaller mini slide, Lego blocks, funny mirrors and loads of interactive games in a dedicated baby and toddler area. The Food Court with its abundant seating is the perfect place to share a casual meal with friends and family. With great takeaway and fast-food options, even the fussiest diner will find a favourite here. In addition, a few new restaurants have joined Maerua Mall’s comprehensive array, including the first John Dory’s seafood outlet in Windhoek and the very popular Cappello.  MAERUA MALL’S REDEVELOPMENT Maerua Mall is currently undergoing a redevel- opment to live up to its new motto, ‘Be part of the family’. The rebranded and facelifted centre will give its shoppers the ultimate family experience, offering fantastic retail, great entertainment and a wide range of dining options, all under one roof.

“We’re going to be way more than just another shopping mall for the people of Windhoek,” says Carel Fourie, CEO of Oryx Properties, the owner of the centre. “Having a family of my own, I know first-hand that keeping the kids interested can be a challenge,” Fourie says. But keeping the family entertained at Maerua Mall will be easy, given the huge variety of offerings in the new Family Entertainment Centre. Built over two levels, it has a trampoline and climbing-wall centre, and indoor playpark, glow-in-the-dark mini-golf, a bowling alley and a gaming area as well as free Wi-Fi that is now available throughout the mall. The trampoline, obstacle-course and rock-climbing centre offers a range of high-adrenaline activities to suit all ages and risk appetites. The trampoline park, which is a great place to host children’s parties and team-building activities, features an array of interconnected trampolines and a foam pit. The foam pit enables safe practise of aerial tricks or simply the freedom of flying through the air and landing in a soft cushion of foam cubes. “The climbing wall is a great place to challenge yourself, testing your fitness level and your brain power too,” says Fourie. There are two walls to choose from, the highest topping out at 10 m. Lessons are offered at various levels, to cater for inexperienced and professional climbers alike. And for those who prefer a quieter life, there’s a kiosk selling delicious treats and great cappuccino. The unique indoor mini-golf adventure starts here too, glowing under black lights. A first for Namibia, the 18-hole course with its sensors and interactive objects provides a fun, affordable and novel

Boosting energy savings Emira Property Fund has installed a R16-million solar farm on the roof of its Randridge Mall in Randpark Ridge, Johannesburg. This innovative project continues Emira’s drive to add more renewable energy solutions to its quality portfolio of properties across South Africa as part of its sustainability strategy. this solar power will save Emira over

The photovoltaic (PV) solar farm, comprising 10 900 panels, produces approximately 1,2 MWh of electricity. This is Emira’s second solar instal- lation and follows its successful solar power pilot project launched in 2015 at its Epson Downs Shopping Centre in Bry- anston, which produces around 271 kWp and saves over 515 000 kWh each year. The new solar installation at the 22 500 m 2 Randridge Mall is set to save a massive 2 GWh of electricity every year. It is estimated that over 15 years, the use of

R40-million on its electricity costs at the mall. Its solar farm is a good investment that is also good for the environment. Justin Bowen, Development Manager at Emira, comments: “Our pilot solar power project has proven a success and delivered real, tangible benefits that we are excited to extend to Randridge Mall. At the same time as driving down electricity consumption and costs, our increased use of renewable energy further reduces Emira’s carbon footprint.” 

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ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

With further innovations, this has been achieved and the building was awarded a 5-Star Green Star Africa As Built rating by the Green Building Council – making it the first 5-Star rated building in Namibia and Africa, outside of South Africa. Greg Rice, Sustainability Consultant, WSP Building Services Africa, says: “As the first As Built rating outside of South Africa, this is a remarkable achievement in itself for the sustainable construction industry in Africa. The As Built rating verifies that the building has been constructed and has been optimised to perform in the most efficient way possible, ensuring that the efforts put into design are in fact carried through to completion.” Rice indicates that the project had achieved 55 points in its Design rating in 2014/2015, which is a comfortable 4 Star rating as the threshold is 45 points. “As the building had already achieved an excess of 10 points, it was deemed appropriate to investigate further opportunities to achieve a 5-Star rating – which requires 60 points to be certified. Overall, the building achieved 64 points for its final As Built rating.” Comprehensive energy modelling – performed by WSP in the design phases – used the building specifications and efficiencies built into the design to evaluate the expected energy consumption of the building. The detailed modelling included the mechanical efficiencies designed by the mechanical engineer – where this optimisation and the inclusion of the rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system introduced to the project during construction – realised a better performing building in terms of overall energy for the As Built rating. Sarel van Zyl, CEO of FNB Namibia Holdings, says: “Our building is the first As Built rated building outside of South Africa, as well as the first 5 Star rating outside of South Africa. We are immensely proud of Earlier this year it was announced that FNB Namibia Holdings’ @ Parkside building achieved the first 4-Star Green Star design rating in Namibia and was aiming towards an 'As Built’ rating. GREEN IN WINDHOEK

this achievement and once again thank all involved parties who have made this possible. This is a great achievement and a testament to hard work by the construction and operational team.” Added to this, the building owner, FNB Namibia Holdings, worked closely with WSP through all stages of the project to identify further opportunities to increase the efficiencies and sustainability of the building. This process included the following innovation aspects that also contributed to attaining the 5-Star rating: • Community accessible bicycle racks, for use by building visitors and community members for nearby amenities. • Significant energy savings as each light fitting in the office area is fitted with an occupancy sensor to reduce energy • As part of the project development, community trader stalls and amenities have been installed on the active street network along Independence Avenue, this has helped to revitalise the central business district, bringing tourists close to the commercial zone of Windhoek. • FNB has implemented a Waste and Recycling Management Plan that addresses operational waste production, suitable storage and how operational waste is diverted from landfill for the life of the building. consumption or wastage through active lights in areas where there are no occupants.

• Inclusion of an access flooring system that contains recycled content, which is also fully recyclable after use. “This is a comfortable 5-Star rating – at 64 points – and has certainly pushed the boundaries of sustainable construction in the Namibian context, as the country continues its journey to a more sustainable and less harmful developing built environ- ment. We are exceptionally proud of our continued contributions on this project that led to the building attaining this rating,” concludes Rice. 

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