Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa January/February 2014

NewsWatch the latest news and products from the building industry and allied professions NEWSWORTHY BEKA SCHRÉDER From January 2014, BEKA‘s name changed to BEKA Schréder. This new name is a result of a full rebranding effort, which is instrumental to the continued growth of the company and overall positioning in the global lighting market. Since 2002, BEKA has had a partnership with the Belgian company, Schréder, a multinational lighting company with over 44 operational sites across 5 continents. The new name represents a new era for BEKA, and while it strengthens ties with BEKA’s parent company, it also allows them to deliver the highest levels of service and the best global lighting innovations available on the market today. To emphasise BEKA’s local commitment, they are continuing their investments, which will further strengthen their position as a leading local lighting innovator. These investments include upgrading and expanding their current R&D department to cater for the fast moving LED technology whilst maintaining, or even increasing, the local content of their products. They also continue to increase their capital investment to enlarge their product range for local and international markets. They have also invested in newly appointed engineers and production managers to oversee the LED and other factory expansions. They look forward to continuing to serve all their customers under the new BEKA Schréder banner. ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY LEADS THE WAY WITH SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS The eThekwini municipality leads by example when it comes to state-of-the-art green building, as demonstrated by the eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) Customer Service Centre in KE Masinga Avenue. For this reason, Corobrik, which sees design innovation and green construction as long-term priorities, was proud to have played a part in this project, said Dirk Meyer, MD of SA’s largest clay brick manufacturer. He said that Corobrik’s low embodied energy clay bricks – in this case 40,000 Firelight Satin and 1,500 Firelight Plinth Stretcher special shapes used as facings, plus 70,000 Plaster Brick NFP as the backing brick – complemented both the overall design and specific features of the building. “Clay brick is extremely versatile and compatible with complementary green building methods and design fundamentals. Importantly, clay brick has mineral properties recognised for meeting all

Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa January/February 2014 | Page 8