Construction and Materials Following a two-year feasibility and design process , the bulk earthworks on the centre were completed within three months , with construction taking a further 15 months to wrap up . The topsoil was harvested and protected during the works in order to be re-laid at a later stage .
The Sanctuary made maximum use of locally sourced materials , particularly facebrick and recycled aggregate in concrete . Recycled rebar was installed as standard throughout and FSCcertified timber used .
Sustainable Elements Because water is at the heart of this development , it is also a key element of the sustainability features . Rooftop water tanks have been installed on every block to supplement the fresh water supply , while water-efficient sanitary systems have been used throughout . Grey water and rainwater is recycled for sanitation and irrigation purposes .
The careful management of energy consumption within legislated requirements is another green building intervention , with a number of active systems installed , such as waste heat reclamation systems and tenant heat pumps to meet the demand for hot water . The buildings are designed to SANS 204-1 energy efficiency codes and the 2MVA electrical supply limit for the site , including all tenant services , ensures that actual energy use will not exceed this threshold .
Simplified operations and maintenance manuals will assist tenants to implement the sustainable technologies as intended and to take “ ownership ” of these interventions .
The Sanctuary 531