City of Cape Town's Bellville Electricity Services Depot.

With its eco-friendly and innovative design, the City of Cape Town’s Bellville Electricity Services Depot breaks the mould not only aesthetically, but also in terms of the impact it has on the environment. The building has been designed to promote the use of natural light and maximise views to the outside with curved facades. This design has been recognised by the Green Building Council of South Africa, which awarded it a four-star rating. Notable features of the building include an air conditioning system that achieves a 150 percent improvement on the requirements set out in the South African national standards for energy efficiency - without compromising the comfort levels of staff. In fact, the fresh air system supplies the building with 12.5 litres of air per second, per person. This means increased oxygen levels and fewer contaminants. Additionally, the building has been designed to promote the use of natural light and maximise views to the outside with curved facades. Sun louvres protect the curtain wall glazing from heat gain, and blinds have been installed throughout the facility so that comfortable lighting levels can be maintained. In addition, smart lighting controls, motion sensors and timers linked to the building management system have been installed. This system is calibrated to automatically turn lights off when need be, or when no motion is detected, while also adjusting the level of lighting according to the amount of daylight coming into the building. Artificial lighting is almost superfluous as the building is configured around a central glazed atrium that introduces natural light to the offices. Moreover, 400 solar panels have been installed to help reduce the energy consumption of the building. On average, these panels generate approximately 156 800 kWh per year. Further reducing the building’s carbon footprint is the rooftop garden, as well as outdoor seating and recreational areas - a stark contrast to the hard-surfaced parking areas, residential buildings and tennis courts that occupied the space previously. Importantly, it was landscaped using indigenous, water-wise plants that grow naturally in the area. The plumbing system has been split into black and grey water discharges to enable the waste streams to be split for different treatment processes. A grey water recycling system has also been incorporated into the building design to reduce potable water use for flushing of toilets and urinals. The filtration process is fully automated and uses a chemical-free treatment method. In terms of the materials used, the furniture, fittings, finishes and building fabric (paints, carpets, adhesives, composite wood products and sealants) were carefully selected to minimise emissions. In addition, all timber products used are sourced from reused and Forest Stewardship Council-certified timber. “The Electricity Services Department’s pioneering attitude toward green building design is serving as an example for other departments and municipalities to follow,” says the City’s mayoral committee member for Utility Services, councillor Ernest Sonnenberg So far both the Human Settlements Directorate (with their Contact Office in Manenberg) and transport for Cape Town (with the new Wallacedene Taxi Rank) have since been successful in meeting the standards set out by the Green Buildings Council of South Africa. Sonnenberg says further to this achievement, the Electricity Services Department intends to ensure that the new electricity depot, set to be located at Beaufort House in Bree Street, also achieves a four-star green energy rating. Interestingly, however, this will be the first new electricity depot in South Africa where energy efficiency requirements are blended in with historical and environmental requirements, he says. “The challenge of reconciling the design requirements of the Heritage Department with the conditions set out by the Green Buildings Council is surely going to be an interesting and exciting process.”
02 Dec 2014
Author City Of Cape Town