INTENT on being the first Green Star SA-rated office building in KwaZulu Natal, the 6700m² Lincoln on the Lake mixed-use development in Durban’s Parkside precinct of Umhlanga Ridge New Town Centre is poised to raise the bar on environmental standards for commercial projects in SA.

The project is being jointly developed by JSE-listed property company Growthpoint Properties, The Louis Group and Key Developments.

The building is designed by Torbjorn Hanssen of THA Architecture & Design and sustainability consultants WSP Green by Design, among others. Lincoln on the Lake will be owned by Growthpoint on completion.

The core principles underpinning the design and construction of Lincoln on the Lake include environmental consciousness and sustainability.

“We made it a priority to identify ways to ensure efficiency,” says Greg de Klerk, who heads Growthpoint’s Durban office. “Our corporate philosophy is to give preference to working with professionals who are dedicated to green building practices.”

When it comes to energy and its monitoring at Lincoln on the Lake, the lighting is controlled by an individually addressable lighting control system with motion and daylight sensing switches to monitor movement and light levels respectively. Sub-metering is provided for all substantive energy users in the building.

Air-cooled variable refrigerant volume systems provide an efficient means of air-conditioning the internal spaces. Ensuring the highest indoor environment quality, fresh air supply is 150% that of the minimum permissible ventilation rate legislated in the national building standard SANS 10400-O.

Alana Shuttleworth, sustainability consultant at WSP, says the aim is to counteract the build-up of pollutants.

High levels of carbon dioxide (CO²) are an indication of inadequate ventilation which can have a negative effect on the quality of breathable air. At Lincoln on the Lake, CO² sensors are located at all return points to air-conditioning systems to monitor levels. “This ensures delivery of optimum quantities of outside air,” Shuttleworth says.

Further ensuring that Lincoln on the Lake’s environmental emissions are contained, only paints with low volatile organic compound (VOC) levels have been selected. VOCs are organic compounds that produce vapours at room temperature. Exposure to high concentrations of vapours is a concern because the health implications are consistent with the effects of “sick building syndrome”.

Water efficiency is another aspect of the green design. Rain water and air cooled equipment is used to reduce the demand for potable water. The design also encourages the use of alternative forms of transport as parts of the parking lot are dedicated to alternative fuel vehicles, motorbikes, mopeds, scooters and bicycles.

Committed to the environment on every level, the contractor has aimed to reuse or recycle 30% of all construction waste in order to reduce the amount of waste from going to landfill.

Source: Business Day