Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa September/October 2014 | Page 24

A Workplace Audit
gave insight as to how
EY staff were working
and highlighted the
shortcomings of their
old office space

CONSTRUCTION
Constructed by Murray & Roberts, challenges
were presented by the short construction time
that required a very fast track construction
programme. The confined nature of the
site meant there was little lay down area for
plant equipment and storage of materials.
Construction logistics had to be planned
carefully to avoid overloading the site and
limiting construction progress.
Hard rock was encountered during
excavation of some of the foundations and
this had to be removed by blasting. At its
peak, over 1,000 construction personnel and
sub-contractors were on site.
Murray & Roberts have continued to
break new ground with the use of concrete

with low Portland cement content. They
managed to construct more than 40,000m3
(16 Olympic swimming pools) of concrete,
with at least 30% reduction of Portland
cement if not more, in less than 18 months.
The concrete used has 60% fly ash, which is a
recycled by-product from coal-burning power
stations for which there is usually no use. Not
on H