NEWSWORTHY
WOOLWORTHS STORE RECEIVES SA ’ S FIRST 5-STAR RETAIL TENANT GREEN BUILDING RATING
The Woolworths Palmyra store in Cape Town has become the first retail outlet in SA to achieve a 5-star rating certified by the GBCSA , using the Green Star SA - Existing Building Performance Custom Tenant rating tool . Since opening its doors in 2010 , the food market store has always been ground-breaking when it comes to advanced green building features . The Palmyra store set the benchmark within the Woolworths property portfolio , meeting the requirements for a platinum rating of the Woolworths SA Real Estate Division ’ s green assessment programme - an internal rating system audited by Ernst & Young . Now , also ratified by the GBCSA , the Woolworths Palmyra store stands as SA ’ s greenest retail tenant environment . It has a long list of environmentally friendly features including automated doors that help maintain the interior temperature , reclaimed heat from the refrigeration system and air conditioning that is used for under-floor heating , harvested rainwater that is used to flush the toilets , a CO2 refrigeration system , skylights that optimise natural light and fully automated lighting that guarantees no energy is wasted on lighting when natural light is available . The rating tool is a measure of the store ’ s environmental performance over a period of 12 months in operation , and is valid for three years before it expires .
NEW MOSO PRODUCT RANGE OPENS NEW MARKETS FOR BAMBOO
The new MOSO ® Bamboo N-finity range is suitable for use in interior , façade and other outdoor applications . The structural bamboo beams are relatively light and still meet the necessary structural requirements to be used in ( semi ) structural applications . A special vacuum-pressure impregnation process makes the material very durable and suitable for outdoor applications . A patented hook connection enables a maximum length of 5,800mm . MOSO ® already completed the first reference project in the past year : Bamboo N-finity is used as for the support beams for the roof of the BMW solar carport in South Africa .
Technical Benefits MOSO ® Bamboo N-finity reaches the highest durability class according to EU standard EN350 with a special vacuum-pressure impregnation process ( complying with BPR ). The beams can be manufactured in different sizes and are available with a maximum dimension of 5,800mm x 120mm x 200mm or 5,800 x 200 x 120mm . The exceptional length is achieved with a patented hook connection between single bamboo strips .
The material , which is supplied profiled in the final dimensions for outdoor applications , is tested for mechanical and static properties following EN408 ( bending , tension , compression , shear ).
The test results show that MOSO ® Bamboo N-finity is highly suitable for application as a structural beam . The Brinell hardness is ≥ 4kg / mm ² according to EN1534 and the material has a density of approx . 700kg / m 3 . With these mechanical and static properties the low-maintenance beams are ideal for use as load-bearing elements . MOSO ® Bamboo N-finity will turn grey over time when exposed to outdoor conditions , giving it a beautiful , natural look . apaige @ moso-bamboo . co . za www . moso . eu
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