project
The modest four-storey World Wildlife Fund
(WWF) building includes a roof garden and sits
on a tight 248m 2 corner site in the Johannesburg
CBD. It stands as a physical representation of
the organisation’s values and attitude towards
environmental responsibility and conservation of
natural resources.
This Johannesburg office sets a benchmark in
sustainability and green building design. It showcases
how innovative, practical, and sustainable solutions
— combined with creative design flare and lower cost
production practices — can be adapted to influence the
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environmental impacts of a retrofitted structure.
The project boasts several systems and strategies
in its refurbishment, which resulted in an impressive
environmentally innovative and intelligent structure
achieving a top overall score of 76 points.
Features include the reuse of 80% of the original
building materials in the re-design as well as in natural
ventilation, a closed water recycling system, light-
sensitive blinds, various insulation solutions, and an
indigenous rooftop garden with water-efficient plants
that are watered by rainwater. In addition, the premises
features state-of-the-art conferencing facilities, allowing
the carbon footprint of the business to be reduced.
Construction started in 2012, with the building handed
over to WWF at the end of January 2015 and the
application for the Green Star rating submitted soon after.
Sustainable features
Sustainable building features of the WWF include the
following:
• On-site treatment of black water for reuse within
the building to flush toilets, as well as landscape
irrigation.
• On-site stormwater attenuation as well as
rainwater harvesting to supplement non-potable
water supplies.
There is a great focus on saving water throughout
the building.
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
August 2017 Volume 23 I Number 6