BALWIN HEADQUARTERS – NET ZERO AMBITIONS FOR A 6-STAR BUILDING
The new Balwin Headquarters on 105 Corlett Drive has been awarded a 6-star Green Star Office Design v1.1 rating – one of the first 6-star major refurbishments in South Africa . The project is a refurbishment of the iconic Creative Council building , located adjacent to Melrose Arch in Johannesburg .
Made up of four basement levels and five office floors , the development will push its sustainability ambitions even further by aiming for Net Zero Carbon and Net Zero Waste certifications . Paragon , who handled the original design of the building , was also commissioned to undertake the refurbishment .
This entailed the removal of the three iconic cone-shaped elements from the building and the addition of two new floors under the elevated concrete box . The original building had a double volume storage area in the basement . An additional slab was cast into this space to add another level of parking to the building . In the existing double volume from ground floor to first floor a new floor slab was cast on upper ground level to increase the GLA . On the roof level a steel structure was added as a third floor to the building . The steel roof will house a photovoltaic installation that will provide sustainable power for the development . The architects managed to keep the concrete structure and the quintessential elevated concrete box , and added the additional level on top , without having to strengthen the foundation .
Solid Green assisted the project team with the integration of Green Star objectives and processes throughout the design and construction phases . Architect Kim Newell from Paragon says , “ It has been very interesting to have Solid Green on board as it has helped us greatly to achieve the Green Star certification . Originally , we had designed a full glass form that fitted into the existing concrete box , and we had in mind a similar design for the roof . But , to make that design function in terms of sustainability , we were looking at double glazed performance glazing that would cost a fortune . Solid Green also advised us in terms of glare and thermal issues , as the glazed building would not have been a very comfortable space in which to work .”
The design had always included timber fins that the architect envisioned for shading and much of the glass was also replaced by vertical brickwork panels , as is visible in the architectural renderings . Says Newell , “ Replacing the glass changed the aesthetic , which is still very successful with the black brick panels , dark grey glazing and the timber fins that will be fitted onto the building . It is going to be a very interesting , as well as comfortable , building for people to work in and visit .”
Zendré Compion , Senior Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green on this major refurbishment , comments , “ There is inherent value in refurbishment projects like this , and the Green Star tool is set up in a way that credits building projects for doing major refurbishments . Not only did this project use previously developed land , but it also reused 100 % of the original structure , only adding structural elements in order to increase the building lettable area .”
News Watch 5