FEATURE
Green School South Africa classrooms and campus have been built using sustainable , locally-sourced materials .
Green School South Africa
Supplied by AECOM
Infrastructure consulting firm AECOM enabled Green School South Africa in the Drakenstein Valley near Paarl in the Western Cape to be fast-tracked to open on time for the 2021 school year .
The school is situated close to Cape Town in the verdant Paarl-Franschhoek Valley . Surrounded by majestic mountains , this area is celebrated for its rich plant life and natural beauty .
Apart from the buildings , extensive landscaping had to be completed together with a sports field , road network and security fence .
AECOM ’ s long-lead procurement scheduling provided the necessary planning tool to enable the team to monitor and track procurement of the specialised construction packages .
Appointed in June 2019 , there was considerable pressure to have the school open and operational , says Herman Berry , executive , programme , cost , consultancy – Africa , AECOM .
A head of school and teaching staff were appointed , and children accepted , which meant that the opening date was non-negotiable . However , careful planning , teamwork and sheer hard work meant that Green School South Africa was ready to welcome learners by the start of the 2021 school year .
Basic quantity surveying principles were applied , such as reviewing the efficiency ratios of wallfloor areas .
The school is a passion project for its founders , Herman and Alba Brandt , whose children attended Green School Bali in 2017 . Their extraordinary educational experience inspired the establishment of Green School South Africa . The personal significance of the project , a school for their own children and children from their community , was a driving force throughout the project .
The family had a personal touch in every aspect , which meant that managing expectations throughout was critical . The Covid-19 pandemic impacted progress significantly , with construction halted on 27 March 2020 and only resuming on-site on 1 June 2020 . “ This added a full two-month delay to an already congested programme ,” says Berry .
When the hard lockdown commenced , no one could have foreseen how long it would be before construction could resume .
ALL PHOTO CREDITS : AECOM
Feng shui principles were incorporated to harness positive energies within the buildings .
www . timberiq . co . za // DECEMBER 2021 / JANUARY 2022 19