Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa March/April 2015 | Page 30

Interior public spaces
make extensive use of
FSC European oak with
a grey oiled finish

Incorporating the above, this real estate
solution needed to solve long-term parking
issues, enhance safety and security aspects and
maximise value for Chevron in the long-term.
The spaces would need to be flexible, modern,
ergonomic, and technology-enabled to allow
people to work productively and promote
Chevron as an employer of choice. Finally, it
would need to be a building representative of
Chevron’s corporate image.
An important consideration was the
inclusion of the green star applications within
contractual documentation, as well as the related
specifications. The team worked closely with the
sustainability consultants in preparation of all
tender documentation and ensured Chevron’s
sustainability brief was met and was to their
global standards.
Sustainability
As part of a global entity that is committed to
reducing its environmental footprint, as well as an
employer of choice in the Western Cape, Chevron
required the building to be certified against the
South African Green Star standard, as well as the
internationally recognised LEED standard for
green buildings.

Some Key Sustainability Designs
• Double glazing to façades
• Aluminium shading panels throughout which
were modelled for optimisation
• Anaerobic biodigester for biodegradable waste
generated by the kitchen which diverts around
700 kgs per month from landfill
• Ample natural light, views and courtyard use
with Wifi for staff to work from.
• Low VOC paints and sealants
• Heat recovery chillers with no geysers and
electrical heating of hot water.
• HVAC chillers generate the hot water and act as
heat pump
• Water dispensing systems for meeting rooms
and staff. This reduced the use of plastic water
bottles significantly.
Part of the approved zoning by council was
a requirement for all stormwater to be treated
through a sedimentation chamber before being
discharged. The sustainability consultants used
this pre-existing design requirement to build the
water-use strategy with re-use of all stormwater
within the building.
The building aimed to reduce energy
consumption through the following strategies:
• Efficient and intelligent lighting systems.
• Enhancing daylight usage.
• The HVAC system has the ability to heat and
cool the building, at the same time utilising
efficient built-in heat pumps. Variable speed
fans only operate at the speed required. When
outside air temperatures are favourable, 100%
of fresh air is supplied to the building.
• Double glazed performance glass reduces the
amount of heat gain and loss of the building.
• Energy modelling to optimise shading وB