Personality Profile Sponsored by :
LOVING PROJECTS
TURNING INTO REALITY
By Benjamin Brits
Nomfundo Vilakazi , mechanical engineer and green star accredited professional : new buildings - at WSP Africa , finds great interest to pursue things she ’ s curious about – like HVAC sustainability .
Vilakazi ’ s youth was spent in and around Johannesburg , where she attended primary and secondary school . She then proceeded to study pure mathematics and statistics through the University of South Africa . Thereafter she opted to explore and experience the scenes of the Cape and studied mechanical engineering at the University of Cape Town .
Straight out of university , she was employed at WSP as an energy modeller tasked to build 3D models of buildings , run simulations and extract information around designs . Mostly , information of interest had to do with energy consumption .
“ I have always been a numbers person - intrigued by the amount of information that those models could generate . They would generally show that the HVAC system is a major contributor towards energy consumption and that is what ignited my curiosity about HVAC systems and their application . Fortunately for me , I had the opportunity to make a lateral move within WSP and it ’ s one I ’ m glad I embraced as I could apply most of what I had learnt prior around sustainability to HVAC systems . That satisfaction leads into what I like most about my work - being involved throughout the project lifecycle – seeing a project come to life , the various interactions with stakeholders along the way , and how each interaction impacts outcomes .”
One of her most significant achievements she says was the opportunity to lead the Green Star certification of a mixed use development using her knowledge to advise the team on interventions to reduce energy use . The building obtained its certification and she is very proud of that !
Outside of work , she enjoys hiking and being out in nature ( something she values much more after lockdown ). She is also a keen reader and spending time with her family and friends is important too .
Responding to a question around clients adopting better and greener technologies , her view is that the hesitance in these aspects comes about because such technology has a higher up-front cost than
the available alternatives . However , regardless of this , better sustainability is definitely worth pursuing - especially in this industry as one can see the benefits in monetary terms through operation and maintenance elements that are highly impactful over time . More so , clients can contribute towards building resilient communities with buildings that will be around for a good 30 year timeline , and reduce impacts onto the energy grid .
“ We spend a lot of time in buildings these days when you think about it – we work , we play , we engage healthcare specialists , we learn and may even go to the gym , so it ' s important that all our buildings are not harmful to the environment , or the people that occupy them .”
Looking into the crystal ball of the future , Vilakazi says that she is quite excited for “ Construction 4.0 ” and believes there is a lot that can be achieved . “ AI and ML technology is being used to set up predictive maintenance , and augment monitoring in building systems . I think we will see a lot happening in not only the 3D realm , but also 4D and 5D ( meaning real time and costs ) that will significantly improve project workflow , efficiency , digital integrations , and health and safety aspects . We can also look forward to the ability to reduce incidents and conflicts . Tech though , can produce great collaborations or become a hinderance . It can definitely be applied positively , but negative impacts are a reality and therefore comprehensive regulations would likely need to be established for scenarios of the future ,” she concluded . RACA
N Vilakazi www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I November 2022 31