Arch: Mar/Apr 2010
Arch: Mar/Apr 2010
Arch: Mar/Apr 2010
Featured on cover:
Tile Africa Contracts
Contents
supplying to Famous
Brands including Wimpy,
House of Coffees, FishA- 3 From the Desk . . . Glass & Glazing
ways and Debonairs Pizza 24 Shrink-wrap Success
Cover Story
Tel: (011) 970-2124 5 Famously Dishing Up Tiles Flooring
www.tileafrica.co.za 27 Unique Floor Jacking System
Practice Profile
6 Building Icons 29 Getting Tough Underfoot
TIASA, the Thermal Insulation Association of Southern Africa SAFIERA - South African Fenestration & Insulation
Energy Rating Association
T
3 be complied
his simple statement does not express with fully, it
the time devoted by industry stakeholders will be deemed
to getting the contents of this standard that the Glazing
finalised. The previous standard, which complies with
now has been replaced, was SABS 0400 Part N the Building
1990. So finally, after twenty years, we have a Regulations.
standard reflecting the latest developments in the
First
glazing (fenestration) industry. Hans A Schefferlie, executive director
available
Is it law?” was used to motivate non-compliance with All other exist-
ing Parts of SABS 0400 are currently under review
the provisions of SANS 204 but it is not possible to predict when they will be
published, making Part N the first of the SANS
The Minister of the Department of Trade and Industry 10400 suite to be available.
put it very simply in the Regulation that glazing shall
withstand wind load, not allow water penetration The fact that Part N was published independently
to the interior of the building and safety glazing from the other sections of the suite will make it
materials are to be applied in areas where human possible for other parts to be published as and
impact can be expected. Should the provisions when they have been finalised.
This is of particular importance for the speedy
publication of SANS 10400 Part XA 2010 Edition
1 “Energy Usage in Buildings”.
Eight years of work
This new section will be introduced to the Building
Regulation and SANS 10400 Part XA will guide
industry to comply with the legal provisions. SANS
10400 Part XA which contains the “deemed-to-
satisfy” rules refers to the provisions of SANS
204 vindicating some eight years of work by the
relevant SABS Technical Committees.
Ironically SANS 204 – Energy efficiency in build-
ings was published in October 2008 as a voluntary
standard but has been ignored by the mainstream
of developers, building professionals and industry
alike as the question “Is it law?” was used to
motivate non-compliance with the provisions of
SANS 204.
This will change shortly!
Famously
availability.”
As part of their dedication to their corporate clients,
Tile Africa Contracts recently donated tiles for two
boardrooms at Famous Brands Development to
transform the rooms into stylish meeting areas.
Dishing Up
“For the development boardroom we supplied
Nano black polished porcelain tiles and for the
Wimpy boardroom, Oasis full body porcelain
tiles that are also used for the floor areas in the
restaurants,” says Dyssel.
Tiles
Famous Brands Development boardroom
National support
With a national network of representation through
the 40 Tile Africa retail branches and the backing of
sister companies Johnson Tiles and TAL Adhesives,
the division is able to supply specialist products for
R
commercial/industrial applications. In addition, Tile
ecent projects include Steers Westville Africa Contracts provides on-site technical advice
Pavilion, Emperors Palace, Gordons Bay, as well as an aftercare service and its methods of
Eastgate, Richards Bay, Glen Acres and installation and the materials supplied are in line
Dundee; FishAways Lydenburgh, Dob- with local and international standards
sonville, The Bluff, Klerksdorp and Kimberley; “We at Tile Africa Contracts are committed to our
Debonairs Pizza Greenacres, Westville Pavilion customers and through our skilled staff, national
distribution, stockholding, consistency and flex-
A supplier with a nationwide footprint that can supply ibility we are equipped to handle any project no
and service consistently countrywide matter the size,” says Vaughn.
Building Icons
W
If the team at Impendulo e put a lot of thought Sensitive to surroundings
Architects had their way, into building an icon Although some icons are recognised due to their
the skylines of South within an area,” ex- intrusive nature, the team at Impendulo were
African cities would plains John Langen- sensitive to the surrounding suburb. “We didn’t
hoven, when “Architect & Specifi- want to create a sore thumb,” continues Archie.
rival those of any
cator” visits the firm to chat to “It had to fit in. To this end, the new KPMG Head
other world-class
him and colleague, Archie Norval Office, which forms Phase 1 of what will be a
destination city.
about Impendulo’s work. This three-phase project, aligns itself with other build-
They approach approach was applied to the ings in the area.”
each project from recent KPMG project under-
a perspective On completion, the office park will incorporate
taken by the practice, which
of creating a 24 000m² of office space and 36 000m² of park-
required some flexible think-
landmark rather ing area. Phase 1 comprises 7 000m², Phase 2,
ing in terms of blending
than simply which is currently on the board, 10 000m², with
historic buildings with
a final 7 000m² to come in Phase 3.
constructing a modern ones.
building. While acknowledging a corporate culture that fa-
In the KPMG office park,
voured brass and facebrick, Impendulo undertook to
old and new buildings
introduce a new aesthetic sense to the company’s
work together, with separate phases being joined
offices. “As an accounting firm, it could be easy for
by a bridge across the highway. “Every major
KPMG to be seen as staid and conservative,” says
city has a gateway; a triumphal arch, of sorts,”
John. “However, it’s a vibrant, forward-thinking
adds Archie. “This structure gives KPMG its own
company and we wanted to reflect this. We were
gateway to the city.”
determined to break away from the stereotype of
Both men emphasise the importance of a return to the the boring accountant.”
café society South Africa has lost due to its Untraditional design
preoccupation with security To develop a better understanding of modern office
The Kwikot 600 Dual Slimline and Standard range of high pressure electric water heaters are designed primarily for domestic
application and are SABS 600kPa approved. The inner porcelain inner tank offers longevity and tank hygiene. Units can be installed
horizontally or vertically and the feet brackets can be adjusted for horizontal wall mountings. Kwikot Multi Pressure Control Valves,
Kwikot Drip Tray and Kwikot Vacuum Breakers compliment a Kwikot 600 Dual electric water heater installation,
in compliance with SANS 10254.
No matter what the need, when the application requires a hassle-free hot water supply, look no further for the optimum solution
by specifying a Kwikot electric water heater that provides absolute peace-of-mind.
KWIKOT INLAND (011) 897 4600 AFTER-SALES-SERVICE: 0861 KWIKOT (594568) KWIKOT EASTERN CAPE (041) 373 0575 KWIKOT WESTERN CAPE (021) 534 3691 KWIKOT KWAZULU-NATAL (031) 574 8700
www.kwikot.com
O V E R A C E N T U R Y O F R E L I A B I L I T Y
Conquering challenges
The pair describes the project in terms coloured
with high ideals and philosophies, but the pro-
cess was not without its challenges. “We were
working with existing structures that had to be
incorporated into the design,” John tells us.
One of these was the historically-sensitive
Wanooka House, built in 1904. The other was
the original KPMG building, which was one of
the first examples of clinical modernism con-
structed in South Africa. “Both structures had
either historical or architectural significance,”
he explains.
“We were not permitted to change the Wanooka
House at all, while the glass façade of the other
structure needed to be incorporated into the
new building. People coming to visit the site
during construction thought we were crazy to
be working with such diverse styles, but there
was tremendous social significance motivating
us.”
Pleasing synergy
The outcome is a peculiarly pleasing synergy
between old and new, with the heritage house
being reflected in the glass façade of the office
block. “At first nobody wanted to handle the
Wanooka House,” admits Archie. “I reluctantly
took it on and it ended up being my baby.”
His pride is unmistakable as he describes the
process of the restoration. In its new guise as
corporate conference rooms and VIP dining
area, the old building truly sparkles. “We like
to think we returned her to her former glory,”
he smiles. “She’s gone from an ugly duckling
to a swan.”
Painstaking hours of work revealed the building’s
original brickwork and graceful arches, with Archie
supervising the replica work where damage was
too extreme for restoration. “The painters hated
me,” he laughs. “I had them applying miles of paint the team shows us in addition to the KPMG site.
techniques to mimic the original exterior.” “We designed a building to fit into the Sandton
While the outside would earn the approval of any landscape, based on a baobab tree,” he continues.
historian, the interior is proudly modern. “This was “The ‘roots’ of the tree shelter a piazza beneath
not meant to be a museum,” Archie explains. “It and echo the role of baobabs as meeting places
had to be a functional part of the building project.” in parts of Africa.”
This philosophy is reflected in the clever choice
of colours and accessories. “I absolutely loved I’m sure the ghost on the landing is pleased with the
working on this house, and I’m sure the ghost outcome too
on the landing is pleased with the outcome too,”
he laughs. In a similarly organic design, the team conceptu-
alised a strelitzia building to reflect the textures of
Architectural backbone South African culture. “We’re a colourful, dynamic
Both men stress that the soft design was not nation,” John says with enthusiasm. “Yet much of
permitted to take precedence, however. “We were our architecture consists of grey concrete boxes.
aware of the importance of timeless architectural We think it’s time to let our true colours shine
design,” says John. “The interior may change, but through.”
the architecture backbone remains.”
John Langenhoven, Impendulo Design Architects, Tel: (011)
This approach is used throughout the company’s 880-4656, Fax: (011) 442-6876, Email. john@impendulo.
design process, as indicated by a number of projects co.za, Website. www.impendulo.co.za
P
iezoelectrictric potential is the ability that At present the energy generated is not mind-blow-
some materials, generally crystals and some ing, with some believing it’s hardly worth the effort.
ceramics, have to generate electricity in However, the concept has been implemented in a
response to applied mechanical stress. It is number of trials worldwide, with increasing levels
useful in applications such as the production and of success. Any area in which large numbers of
detection of sound, generation of high voltages, people congretate or move has the potential to be
electronic frequency generation, microbalances, a source of electricity, from sidewalks to shopping
and ultra fine focusing of optical assemblies. It’s centres and sporting facilities. Estimates show
gained ground in a range of scientific processes as that the 34 000 travelers passing hourly through
well as everyday tasks such as providing ignition London’s Victoria Underground station could gener-
for cigarette lighters and push-start braais. ate enough energy to power 6 500 light bulbs.
Fact or Fiction?
One of the great ideas of a green world is everyone driving We’ve put together some guidelines are aimed at
around in electric vehicles. Well, the power crisis in South warehousing and distribution operations, but many
Africa has put paid to that idea – there’s no electricity to are also applicable to factory environments.
charge them. On the factories and warehousing front, I sup- Design of facilities
pose we actually think DCs (distribution centres) and ware- Industrial buildings in South Africa are generally
houses are green today, as most equipment is electric. The steel sheds with light sheeting and minimal tem-
truth of the matter is that electricity generation is probably perature control or insulation (other than buildings
the most carbon-polluting source on this planet so the need for perishable products). You certainly won’t find
to be efficient with electricity, even if running electric ve- the kind of airconditioning for summer or heating
hicles, is paramount, say Martin Bailey and Gary Benatar of for winter that you would in Europe or America.
Industrial Logistic Systems. We tend to feel this is not necessary with our
T
temperate climate and let’s be honest, how many
he minute we start talking about green companies care about the DC or warehouse
buildings, we envision buildings that are personnel being comfortable as long as the lofty
energy efficient in cooling and heating and offices are great?
natural light. Again a myth. In South Africa,
other than for temperature-controlled facilities for Environment
perishables, no-one gives a damn about a tem- Occupational legislation in first-world countries
perature-controlled industrial building. doesn’t allow staff to work in unsatisfactory condi-
tions. If the conditions are right, the productivity
No-one gives a damn about a temperature-controlled increases. How many of you have been in a facility
building in Durban in the humid summer? Or what happens
in a facility in
Gauteng or Cape
Town in the
middle of win-
ter? What tem-
perature do you
experience? We
have measured
up to 45oC and
over 95% hu-
midity or as
low as 3oC. In
addition to the
people issue,
what about
products?
Most packaging
carries warnings
about not ex-
ceeding certain
limits – how of-
ten do we do
it? Chocolates
get ruined at
both extremes
and many other
products can be
spoilt by heat or
cold. Now I’m
Regardless of whether you blame Eskom, the Gov- not saying we
ernment or anybody else, it is clear that in order need to heat and aircondition the buildings – that
to survive in South Africa, we all urgently need to would be tantamount to treason with the present
save substantial amounts of power. energy crisis.
Artificial lighting
The natural tendency has been to use the cheapest
lighting fixtures. The most common industrial light is
sodium lighting. These lights are highly inefficient.
The light they produce is poor, they degrade over
time, the colour rendition affects productivity and
accuracy, they generate heat and exploding bulbs
are one of the most common sources of industrial
heating in the floor, consider building the freezer fires. Mercury vapour and metal halide are little
on a glycol tank instead. This requires little or no better; they cost more but the white light is a
energy. benefit to productivity and accuracy due to the
colour rendition.
Natural lighting
The first thing people try when conserving energy is Fluorescent lighting has been ineffective in high
natural light. Well it’s free and it will save energy. warehousing applications until now. The fittings
And here comes the “but” – with light comes heat. are expensive, the tube life short and unsuitable
So unless you design to balance this, what you for giving sufficient light in high applications. This
gain on one side, you lose on the other. has all changed with the development of the T54
tubes and reflective technology. Today, we can get a
First of all the transparent panels that we use for fluorescent light that will work at 14m and higher,
natural light are not insulated. For your insulation give in excess of 50 000 hours life, give perfect
to be effective, the RK value of the transparent colour rendition, use significantly less electricity
or translucent sheeting or windows needs to be and generate little or no heat.
the same. There are products that are insulated
but let light in. Certain companies even offer intelligent fittings
that switch on progressively to only use the number
The next step is to place the light openings in of tubes or fittings required to give the required
such a way that we reduce radiant heat. In South light level. These fittings will also detect move-
Africa, we need south-facing openings. If you put ment and only switch on automatically if there is
horizontal translucent or transparent sheeting in activity in an aisle.
the roof, the natural light is excellent, but the heat
coming through makes all money spent on insulation Another simple trick is to set out the lighting circuits
a waste. Similarly on the East and West faces. so that one can manually switch on in sequence to
finally put on all the lights in an aisle depending
Mechanical shutters on ambient light. It’s also possible to install lights
Natural light on the South and North faces can that fall under natural (south light monitors) on a
work – on the South face you never get any direct different circuit. These only switch on at night or
light, on the North face you get direct light only in in low light conditions.
winter when a bit of free heat is worthwhile. So,
unless you are investing in expensive mechanical Now all of this is not science fiction or new. We
shutters that change the light coming in over the have designed most of the above lighting types
day and the year, invest in good design. into Shoprite’s DC’s back in 1995 and modern
lighting has been part of the our specification or
It is possible to put natural light in the roof but added value we give in any facility we design.
this must be in vertical monitors and south or Unfortunately, precedence is often given to the
north facing. Both Shoprite facilities we designed electrical or ventilation consultants or architects,
(CT 1995 and JHB 2001) have this and we didn’t and often our recommendations are ignored.
enter them for a design award – it was just good
design practice. Batteries and charging
One of the biggest users of electricity is the facil-
The more natural lighting you can use the less ity to charge batteries for forklifts. It is, however,
energy you will expend. We have designed a facility possible to save up to 30% of this power as we
in Saudi Arabia where the external temperature have been doing for years. Firstly you need to use
Reduction in peak demand is as important as reducing full cycle and not opportunistic or end-of-shift
charging.
overall power consumption
By running full cycle charging, you only charge
gets to 50oC. Therefore, we omitted natural light it when it has depleted to 20% of capacity. This
totally, as the cost of transparent sheeting with
sufficient insulation to allow the facility to be
managed to a consistent 25oC internal temperature
was prohibitive. In South Africa it’s feasible but
never done. No-one does energy balance viabilities
on good natural light vs. artificial lighting and
insulation costs.
16 A Architect
C E N & Specificator
T U R Y Mar/Apr
O F R2010
E L I A B I L I T Y www.kwikot.com
DESIGN-BUILD
Offering?
sustainability. The NMC Business School is at
the forefront of creating that future.
T
o the outsider, the construction industry Co-operation to learn
appears as a monolithic entity. On site, NMC (Pty) Ltd, a diversified construction company
however, it is a very different story. NMC with over 1000 people, approached the sub-
Business School General Manager, David contractors, and said, “We need your managers
Elliott, describes it as fragmented, the result, sitting together with ours around the same table of
he says of the cyclical nature of the industry. In learning”. This network, created over 20 years ago,
the past, large contractors carried all their own was then formalised in recent years by establishing
multi-tradesmen, which became a heavy overhead the NMC Business School. This formal approach
burden when the industry hit a dip. As a solution, ensures ongoing benefits to a fast-growing supply
companies would advise tradesmen to start up on chain through corporate partnering.
their own and then, as business picked up, they
“The other issue we wanted to help overcome,”
would hire them back as sub-contractors.
says David, “was the natural tendency towards the
formation of professional silos within the industry.
Fragmented supply chain can create delivery problems We wanted cross-pollination throughout the disci-
on projects plines in order to improve our own service delivery,
which was often plagued with poor
information flow.”
Clients often believe that the traditional
tender process (design-bid-build) will
get them a better price, says David,
but, at the end of the day, after varia-
tions and litigation, it often works out
to be more expensive.
The tender trap
When NMC started out, one of the
ways the company differentiated
its offering was to say it would not
compete on the tender market, rather
opting to deliver to enlightened clients
who wanted world-class facilities.
Unfortunately, this approach has
been misunderstood by many of
the design professionals over the
years. Contractors saw it almost as
an arrogant offering. However, this
was born out of frustration with
the traditional system, which often
awarded contracts to the lowest
bidders, who then hit the client and
Today, on a typical project, principal contractors sub-contractors with claims for variations due to
outsource about 70% of the work to sub-contractors. changes in the design.
“The communication issues around this fragmented In the last few years, NMC has overcome this nega-
supply chain can create delivery problems on proj- tive perception through the formation of the NMC
ects and an incentive to be claims conscious,” says Alliance. The Alliance is simply a term describing
David. “Typical in-house interventions, like quality, formal corporate partnerships between the design
safety, health, environment or project management professionals — many of them appointed on the
— would theoretically only impact around 30% of recommendation of various discerning clients
the project deliverables — the result was obvious. — and NMC. In the USA, 50% of non-residential
It was unsustainable.”
1642Arch&Specificator
Heat, cold, water, dust, fire, energy... foiled again.
For more than 3 decades Sisalation® has insulated and protected buildings
against heat, cold, dust and rain. Two new Sisalation® grades have been
introduced, FR405 and FR430, which in addition retard the spread of fire.
Both products have been tested according to SANS 428 and classified B/
B1/2/H&V with and without sprinklers.
With all the puzzle pieces in place it isn’t difficult to see that it takes Sisalation
to complete the bigger picture. Shouldn’t you be specifying it by name?
Facts at
Your
Fingertips
Although the architectural process is
generally recognised as a creative one,
few outsiders are aware of the incredible
amount of research and background infor-
mation required to complete a specifica- Grant Ferreira, Specifying Manager, and Glenn Treadaway, CEO, at New
Dimension Computing
tion project successfully.
F
ortunately, technology is easing the burden was built for architects and QS’s.” The program,
of the modern architect, with software elimi- either PC or server-based, is a surprisingly afford-
nating many of the time-consuming repeti- able tool that is available for a modest monthly
tive tasks that previously slowed progress. fee allowing users to search through countless
“Architect & Specificator” recently chatted to Glenn products and is updated daily.
Treadaway, CEO, and Grant Ferreira, Specifying
Sophisticated database
Manager, at New Dimension Computing of AutoSpec
Essentially a very clever catalogue, AutoSpec provides
about another locally developed tool to take the
a sophisticated, searchable database of product
tedium out of design and specification.
specifications with which to complete a project.
Other systems simply regurgitate product marketing “AutoSpec can offer over 20 million permutations
information, while we research every product we list from its database of specs,” says Glenn. “It’ll ensure,
for example, that the builder spec engine teams
the right lock handle with the right handle back
plate, lock, cylinder etc, or help select the right
paint for a specific substrate, whether its interior
or exterior, marine coastal or inland. Nobody else
offers this. It’s our unique selling point.
“We’ve done the research to save the specifier offices
around the country from having to do it while still
allowing them to select the right product and write
the correct specification for it. At the beginning, I
don’t think we realised what we were taking on,” he
laughs. “Other systems simply regurgitate product
Screens give details of products, including technical marketing information, while we break down and
specifications and application requirements research every product we list.”
Specifications are compiled by trained industry
While Glenn provides the information, Grant professionals with a thorough knowledge of what the
turns out to be a dab hand at steering us through market requires. Technical information is provided
the software, indicating the features as Glenn by the manufacturers who vouch for its accuracy
describes them. by reviewing their libraries prior to going public.
“Producing a library can take three to four months
”AutoSpec was created for quantity surveyors as
due to the thoroughness of our review process,”
well as architects,” begins Glenn, whose father
says Glenn. “We’re very aware of the importance
originally developed a bill production program
of getting it right.
called QSplus for Quantity Surveyors. “We started
building QPL libraries for QSplus’s QS’s, which PowerSpec
then led to the development of AutoSpec, which One of the strongest features of the programme is the
“We include pricing details too, along with the date ing all products specified, along with instructions
the price was provided, so that basic budgeting for correct installation or application. It does this
can be incorporated. The system is now mature with sublime ease, simply by sending the selected
enough to represent most of the major players in product into the created project and indicating
each category. However, we don’t control who the which room it will be used in.
architect ultimately uses. The information provided “In terms of time-saving features, this is the grandaddy
is as unbiased as possible.” of them all,” Glenn smiles. “Our output document
Granny test offers three levels of information, including prod-
Although highly sophisticated, the search engine uct specifications, manufacturer’s supplementary
is designed to be user-friendly. “When we de- specifications and then the national or international
signed our search engine, we gave it the Granny standards which apply to the selected product. We
Test before approving it,” he adds. “Basically, I based our documentation on a specification form
want to know that even my Granny could answer designed by Prof. Hans Wegelin, so it’s extremely
the questions and get the correct spec. We can’t comprehensive. It describes the entire building in
expect the architect to know every detail of every a nutshell, with images if necessary.”
product out there, there are simply too many. So I want to know that even my Granny could ask the
we’ve focused on providing as much information
as possible in the most accessible format we can
questions to get the correct spec
think of. In spite of the density of this information, the pro-
”Whichever search style or manufacturer the user gramme can literally generate a forty-page document
chooses the interface remains the same, keeping in seconds. Pretty impressive when you consider
the process comfortably recognisable. The designer that previously this would have been an entirely
can also work backwards through the process, if separate task taking many hours or even days.
you will. If the project has a predetermined colour Controlling the process
scheme, you can set this as your parameter and “There are no regulations in South Africa com-
ask the programme to supply only products meet- pelling companies to use this sort of document,”
ing the technical specifications which have options adds Glenn. “However it’s an important means
available in this colour.” of controlling the process and gives the designer
For those who’d like to see the original brochures, some recourse if it later transpires that some sort
brochure vaults downloads are also available. of building failure occurred as a result of deviation
Other add-ons come in the form of some of the from or lack of a specification.
tools available from manufacturers, such as paint “At the end of the day, it’s about matching the
selectors and colour profilers. needs of architect and manufacturer for the best
Time saver possible result,” he finishes.
Once the product has been selected, the next step Glenn Treadaway, New Dimensions Computing, Tel:
is to generate the project documentation. AutoSpec (011) 804-6442, Email: [email protected], Web: www.
creates detailed scheduling and documentation list- autospec.com
Shrink-wrap Success
During the course of construction, where the sheer size of a What is it?
growing structure can dwarf the workers who scurry upon its Protectapeel is a liquid-based thermoplastic that is
surface, it is very easy to get caught up in the big picture and applied directly to the surface with a brush, roller
forget the little things. Protecting glass panes and aluminium or spray-gun. It requires no catalysts or hardeners
frames, for example, seems time-consuming and wasteful in during preparation, and is non-toxic.
the grand scheme of the project – you have to line them with “However, the most important factor is that Pro-
plastic and tape, a tiresome process that seems wasteful tectapeel uses no adhesives whatsoever,” says
when the plastic and tape is easily damaged and removed by André. “Instead, Protectapeel undergoes a chemical
strong winds. reaction with the oxygen underneath it, vacuuming
F
itself to the surface in a contour-hugging film. This
or this reason, it’s very easy to just let eliminates the need to clean the surface before
this task slide. But consider this: during protecting it, since Protectapeel will simply absorb
the construction of a large new building any grease, oil or dust that happens to be on the
for an insurance company, a well-known surface.”
multi-national construction company has already The surface is resistant to a number of common
replaced up to R700 000 worth
of high performance glass due
to breakages and staining from
cement and other substances on
site. They’ve begun to look for
alternatives, and discovered a
company that is taking the hassle
out of protective coatings.
Will simply absorb any grease, oil or dust
that happens to be on the surface
“Architect & Specificator” sat
down with Paul Hough and André
Blignaut of Protectapeel to learn
about a coating that is quite
unique in both its application
and abilities. Both have brought
along a collection of samples,
from a demonstration window to a
blue-coated rock, and seem quite Protectapeel being applied during a training exercise
excited about the product.
Will still all lift in one go when you need to remove the
product
A mechanical jack-up system designed specifically for for floors that are sometimes used – usually con-
isolating vibration, sound and impact in floating floors has sisting of solid timber laid between the structural
been used in two state-of-the-art TV studios built at the floor and the floating floor – don’t even come close
new Randburg headquarters of TV production house Stark to it in effectiveness,” comments Arnot operations
Studios. manager Trevor Davis.
T
“The 75 mm air gap that our jacking system creates
he new studios will be used for the film- between the structural and floating floors has been
ing of local soap operas and drama series shown to be as effective in keeping sound out as
flighted on SABC TV and M-Net. a 600 mm thick solid inter-floor layer would be,
Actom Mechanical Equipment’s Arnot prod- which isn’t very practical in modern buildings,”
uct group, manufacturers of the jack-up mounts, he adds.
installed a total of 797 units for the two studios
Isolating the floors
– 522 for the larger studio, which has a floor area
The way the system works is that the jack-up
of 768 m2, and 275 for the other studio with a
mounts are placed at regular intervals on top
515 m2 floor area.
of plastic sheeting laid across the entire sur-
The Arnot unit, subcontracted to Bastion Con- face of the structural floor – the purpose of the
struction, the main contractor for the R80m Stark plastic sheeting being to isolate the floating and
Studios head office construction project, completed structural floors from each other, which would
installation of the jacking system in the studios otherwise bond together.
in July 2009.
Each jack consists of a cast-iron outer housing with
A permanent air gap between the structural floor and a tapped hole through the top for the T-spanner,
floating floor which connects to the top of a rubber element
inside the housing and against which the jacking-up
No external noises takes place. The steel reinforcing for the concrete
The Mason jack-up floor slab system, which is floating floor is placed in such a way that the
unique in South Africa, is used to establish a per- reinforcing is supported on the jacks throughout
manent air gap between the structural floor and – the housing of each of the jacks being equipped
floating floor of a room requiring total vibration and with projecting supports designed specifically for
sound isolation, such as a studio, conference room the reinforcing rods to rest upon. The concrete
or laboratory, where similar air-gap sound proofing is then poured, care being taken to ensure that
is applied in the walls and ceilings to ensure that the upper portions of the jacks, in which the T-
no external noises can penetrate the space. spanners are to be fitted later when the floating
floor has to be lifted, are left exposed.
“There is no other system like it available in the
country and the alternative soundproofing systems Three or four weeks later when the floating
polymeric waterproofing
membrane roofing system.
Sarnafil membranes are at the heart of many types of highly advanced roofing
systems. Each system comprises several layers, each of which serves a
specific function. These roofing systems comprise materials, components
and accessories that are perfectly coordinated to provide watertight roofs
that are economical, durable and reliable.
Sika Sarnafil
28 Architect & Specificator Mar/Apr 2010
FLOORING
Getting
Tough
Underfoot
Vinyl floors may not enjoy the most
glowing reputation from a design per-
spective, but there’s more that can be
done with this surface covering than
many of us realise.
A
rchitect & Specificator”
meets with Donald Platt,
MD at FloorworX, for a
look into what’s happen-
ing with large-scale commercial
floor coverings, and the news is
promising.
“We don’t handle much residential
work since our product is ideally
suited to infrastructural develop-
ments,” he tells us. “We supply a
lot of vinyl, linoleum and antistatic
flooring, as well as products for
coaches, buses and the like.
With a little creativity, vinyl quickly casts off its staid reputa-
tion. Here it’s used in a crèche
Set
in
Stone
This retaining wall was erected by Kalode Construction using Infraset Landscape Products’ Ridge-
Blok system to secure an embankment below the N1 freeway just off the site of the Botha Avenue
tollgate in Tshwane
D
ore line tunnel at
uring a recent visit to the Elands Bay, where it
offices of Infraset, a Busi- was installed
ness Unit within Aveng
Manufacturing, “Architect
& Specificator” met with Gary Steyn,
who has held the position of Manag-
ing Director of the company since
September last year. “The role is fairly
new, but the company is not. I’ve been
here for 22 years,” he laughs, when
we ask about his new title.
Practical insight
With a civil engineering background
and 28 years of experience in con-
struction, Gary has some impressive
projects under his belt, having worked
with industry giants such as Group
5 and Grinaker-LTA. “It’s given me a
tangible, pragmatic insight into the
demands of our clients,” he explains. “I
was once an Infraset customer myself.
An advantage of having been around
for two decades is that I am familiar
with most people in the value chain
– suppliers, staff and customers,”
he chuckles.
While the construction industry is
the principle focus of the company,
its divisions address fairly diverse
Freshly laid permeable paving Uni-Ecolok blocks, manufactured by Infraset Landscape Products, were specified
for their exceptionally stable interlocking properties for this permeable paving project in Edenvale, Gauteng
Opportunities abroad
Of course, the company will not be
neglecting foreign shores. “South
America is another growth opportunity
– they have the next World Cup,”
he continues. “If they’re suitably
impressed by Aveng’s involvement
in the South African arena, we’ll
piggyback on that as a means of
gaining ground there.
One of over 1 200 prestressed concrete masts, which were supplied by Infraset Railway “Wherever we are, however, our aim
Products, to Transnet Capital Projects for the replacement of rusted steel masts on a is to provide 100% client satisfac-
±30km rail link between Mtunzini and Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal tion. It’s a big ask, because this is an
industry where it’s not always easy to
This is an industry where it’s not always easy to get get things right. We need to offer the best possible
things right value to our clients, balancing quality and price
that Infraset will be turning its attention. “Africa in an attractive package. I think we’re getting this
is experiencing a much faster growth phase than right, because we’ve achieved preferred supplier
other continents at the moment, and we’re look- status with many clients. This is a huge advantage
ing into geographic expansion into the region. We and a great privilege,” he ends.
already have permanent branches in Swaziland and Gary Steyn, Infraset, Tel. 011 876 5500, Fax. 011 872
Zambia and often go into other areas for temporary 1713, Email. [email protected], Website. www.infraset.
assignments. A permanent assignment needs to co.za
Shrinking Sites
Shrinking building site sizes have resulted in houses that are closer together
and transfer of noise between houses is therefore greater.
H
anlie Turner, Marketing Manager of the are most grating
Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI), on the nerves.
says, “When sound waves strike a bar- “For the best
rier such as a wall or floor, the waves sound attenua-
are reflected, absorbed or transmitted in varying tion, such walls
degrees depending on the form of construction of should be as high
the barrier. To control the level of noise between as the municipal
rooms, the most important factor that a barrier regulations allow,
must have is good sound insulation. The heavier free from pen-
the material, the better – and that’s why concrete etrations, and as
is an excellent material for sound insulation.” close to the prop-
erty boundary as Hanlie Turner
The most important factor that a barrier must have is possible.
good sound insulation
“Boundary walls, as well as providing some relief
from outdoor noise, can be skillfully planned to
Building closer provide intimate courtyards and garden spaces
“Noise, such as that emanating from increasing
that add privacy, security and attractiveness to a
traffic volumes and weekend lawnmowers, is more
home,” she states.
easily contained by a concrete or concrete masonry
structure compared with dwellings constructed of Optimal temperature control
lighter materials. The techniques of sound insulation When it comes to thermal insulation, careful design
using heavy walls are equally valid in insulating can ensure that concrete and concrete masonry
walls absorb and store the
heat of the winter sun by day
to warm those chilly nights,
while in summer the same
walls can be shaded by eaves
to keep the house cool. In this
way, concrete and concrete
masonry walls help to main-
tain interior temperatures at
comfortable levels throughout
the year.
“The mass of a concrete inter-
nal wall is just as important
for passive solar design as
it is for sound insulation.
Photo: Hannelie Coetzee Combined with good building
orientation and sufficient roof
insulation, concrete masonry walls with their high
noise from the outside of the house as they are thermal storage capacity can even out the effects
between rooms, even if it is a bit more difficult to of outside temperature fluctuations. The result is
achieve in outside walls with their windows for comfortable inside temperatures achieved with
light and ventilation. minimal use of heating or cooling systems, thereby
“However, to help reduce the amount of noise reducing energy costs.
reaching these openings, one can utilise the ‘sound
Extremes of temperature
shadow’ cast by a concrete or concrete masonry
“Concrete roof tiles also have good thermal insula-
wall on the property boundary.”
tion properties and afford the home-owner a good
Hanlie says although such walls will not be a measure of protection from extremes of temperature.
complete noise barrier, they are very effective in Such tiles are also more affordable than most other
repelling noises in the upper frequency range – such roofing materials,” Hanlie concludes.
as squealing tyres and screeching brakes – which C&CI, Tel: (011) 315-0300, www.cnci.org.za
����������������������
�������������������������
�������������������������
�������������������������������������������
�������������������������������������������������
��������
������������������������������������
�������������������������������������������
�����������������������
�����
���
���
���� �����
���
��
��
��
��
�
����������������������������
�
��
������������������������������
��������������������������
�����������
�����������������������������������������
�������������������������������������
��������������������������������������
�����������������������������������
���������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������
���������
Making a Splash
The lifestyle estates
proliferating throughout
the country are giving
buyers an opportunity
to build their dream
homes with profes-
sional assistance, and
in spite of dismal eco-
nomic forecasts, mod-
est abodes are not the
order of the day.
A
drive through any
estate will reveal
towering architec-
tural structures,
most of which boast suitably
impressive entrance areas.
And the focal point of any
entrance is, of course, the
door. Nadine de Villiers at
Van Acht Doors & Windows
tells “Architect & Specifica-
tor” that the company has
been involved in some very
exciting work in terms of
designing entrance door-
ways.
ARM 29069
development that is sustainable. For example,
we have recently introduced an industry first
measurement system that compares the Carbon
Footprint of each and every bag of AfriSam
cement to the world average. After all, we have
a responsibilty to conserve the environment for
future generations.”
Nivashni Pillay –
Environmental Specialist
Reducing our
2
Carbon Footprint
Creative culture
At Van Acht, creativity is not limited to the design
department. “Our sales team have seen so many
designs that they’re very comfortable with offering
ideas,” Nadine explains. “We also understand that
it’s important to cater for many different tastes. You
can’t let your own personal preferences get in the
way of finding a solution for someone else.
“We’re aware that style may be influenced by a vari-
ety of issues. For example, we’ve noticed differences
from a cultural perspective, as well as by age bracket.
There are times when I think it would be great to
clear out our catalogue and focus on clean, modern
designs. However, it makes no sense to discontinue
ranges when there’s still a demand for them.
“But, just because something isn’t my cup of tea,
doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful to someone else.”
Vast variety
Double volumes lend themselves to doors of appropri-
ate stature, so Van Acht has a range of ‘extra-height’
doors to fit the bill. The company often employs the
skills of local craftsmen to hand-carve unique pat-
terns into wood to offer the buyer a one-of-a-kind
product, invariably at a surprisingly reasonable cost.
In most instances, solid wood of exceptional quality
is utilised.
“While the customised designs are in a different
price league, our standard offerings remain quite
affordable, and we’re very excited to be able to offer
such distinctive products at an accessible price,”
Nadine concludes.
Nadine de Villiers, Van Acht, Tel: (011) 708-2488, Fax. (011)
708-2023, Email: [email protected], Website: www.
vanacht.co.za
Horsepower warning
Goscor Power Products (GPP) MD, Michael Faber says that it is criti-
cal for consumers to make sure they are purchasing the correctly
powered engine for the particular application.
Michael says that if his company advertises a 13.5hp or 25hp Robin
Subaru engine, it is true to its word about the specs. “We encourage our
customers to be vigilant and check very carefully the actual horsepower
output of engines that they are about to purchase,” he says.
Engine power and torque output is extremely important as an under-
powered engine on a specific application can result in the product not
being able to deliver on its claims. On a generator for example, this
can lead to damage to the appliances being run, as well as damage
to the generator itself.
Michael Faber, Goscor Power Products, Tel: (011) 393-1216, Email: mfaber@
goscor.co.za, Website: www.goscor.co.za
ASTPM’s Technical Committee chairman, Franco Mordini believes that the new
grade will help tubular steel become even more recognised for its inherent ad-
vantages. “Apart from its widely acclaimed aesthetic properties, it is becoming
increasingly accepted that closed tubular sections, when concentrically loaded
in compression, offer considerable savings to structures. Also, tube is inherently
the most efficient form for resisting torsion loads, which may also be applied
during the fabrication and erection processes,” says Franco. “Importantly, tube
does not have a weak axis and the steel is optimally distributed”
SAISC, Dr. Hennie de Clercq, Tel: (011) 726-6111, Fax: (011) 482.9644, Email: info@
saisc.co.za
Building Green
In a world increasingly conscious of global warming, constructing buildings
from natural products including clay bricks can significantly contribute to
reducing ecological footprints, Corobrik director of sales KwaZulu-Natal and
Border, Mike Ingram says.
“Clay face brick requires no maintenance so the first carbon debt is essen-
tially the last – there is no continual upkeep to plastering and painting, while
clay face brick’s durability in the tough coastal environment has been long
upheld,” says Mike.
His comments come as the national brick manufacturer opened its doors to
the Salt Rock Corobrik Centre to facilitate the demand from customers living
and working on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast. The centre offers the widest
range of locally-produced clay face bricks and pavers.
A large range of concrete retaining blocks is also stocked. Concrete retaining
blocks have shown their mettle in stabilising banks and, once planted, are
hidden amid greenery and natural beauty. The range includes alternates that
lend themselves to both DIY and major engineering applications.
Corobrik (Pty) Ltd, Mike Ingram, Tel: (031) 560-3252
Address: ...............................................................................
...............................................................................................
Maintaining
Nigeria’s fixed ...................................................................Code: ..................
assets
Telephone: ( ) ....................................................................
WSP Facilities Management’s
Hamish McLennan, says that Nigeria
Fax: ( ) ................................................................................
is a key player in the international oil
industry. The country has seen enormous
Email:.....................................................................................
growth over the past few years. It also has a
rapidly evolving telecommunications market and
a highly developed financial services sector, all of
which have premises in the major centres. Hamish
adds, “There is increasing emphasis on maintaining Index to Advertisers
fixed assets and that is just one of the offerings that
Aaamsa 2
WSP Facilities
Management has ADI 26
in its portfolio. Afrisam 40
“We would like to Aurecon 36
expand our servic- Belgotex 44
es beyond mainte- Bluescope Steel 38
nance management
Bohle 45
and our intention is
to make available Chorus Call 3
a wider range of Corobrik 20
standalone prod- Den Braven 53
ucts, while also
Duraset 42
offering a turnkey
ser vice where Franke 22
there is demand Imperial Bank 4
for it.” Kwikot 8, 16
Andrew Mather Hamish adds, Lafarge 30
“WSP is very Nampak 18
well established in Nigeria, we have a good presence
PG Bison 32, 33
in Lagos and are well respected in a country where
there is just not enough capacity to deliver on the Rimex 47
number of development projects that are planned SA Sliding Door 48
for the region. As an international brand, WSP SAGGA Inside Back Cover
has a reputation for delivering projects on
Saint-Gobain 50, 51
time and within budget.”
Sika 28
WSP Group Africa, Andrew Mather,
Sonae Novobord Inside Front Cover
Tel: (011) 361-1300, www.
wspgroup.co.za Tile Africa Outside Front Cover
Trellicor Outside Back Cover
CORPORATE MEMBERS
Insulpro (011) 835-2127 Supplier
Nampak L & C P (011) 496-1676 Supplier
TMS Group Industrial Services (016) 986-2210 Supplier/Cont
AGI Manufacturing (011) 724-6000
KWAZULU NATAL
KAEFER Thermal Contracting Services (031) 480-1881 Contractor
AGI Sheerline (011) 873-0880
Alucushion Thermal Insulations (Pty) Ltd (031) 208-0240 Distributor
D & D Roof Insulations (039) 976-0065 Distributor
Everite Building Products (011) 439-4400
Datel Consulting t/a Datlink Insulation (0861) Datlink Distributor
Global Specialised Systems (Pty) Ltd (031) 468-1234 Distributor
Glasfit (011) 607-3000
Brits Nonwoven Isotherm (031) 713-2398 Manufacturer
Nampak L & C P (086) 052-7725 Manufacturer
Glass Corporation (011) 864-4170
Seardel Group Trading (Pty) Ltd (031) 710-7700 Manufacturer
Spunchem International (Pty) Ltd (031) 538-8700 Manufacturer
Glass South Africa (GSA) (011) 392-4427
Thermguard (Pty) Ltd (033) 346-0111 Manufacturer
Isofoam SA (031) 700-3525 Supplier
Hulamin Building Systems (011) 626-3330
EASTERN CAPE
Alucushion Thermal Insulations (Pty) Ltd (041) 484-4590 Distributor
Hightech Safety Glass SA (Pty) Ltd (031) 579-4580
Alucushion Thermal Insulations (Pty) Ltd (041) 484-4590 Distributor
IC Insulation t/a Eco-Insulation (041) 581-0863 Installer
Hunter Douglas (011) 793-3641
Rhino Plastics (041) 451-3197 Supplier
WESTERN CAPE
Lafarge Gypsum (011) 389-4500
Africa Thermal Insulations (Pty) Ltd (021) 951-5796 Distributor
Alucushion Thermal Insulations (Pty) Ltd (021) 556-8006 Distributor
Masonite Africa (011) 453-3260
D & D Roof Insulations (021) 559-8006 Distributor
Datel Consulting t/a Datlink Insulation (0861) Datlink Distributor
McCoy's Glass Wholesalers (011) 864-1313
Brits Nonwoven Isotherm (021) 577-1490 Manufacturer
Isofoam SA (Pty) Ltd (021) 983-1140 Manufacturer
National Glass Distribution (041) 364-0161
Nampak L & C P (086) 052-7725 Supplier
Rhino Plastics (021) 932-6601 Supplier
Pelican Systems (031) 563-7307
Sustainable Fibre Solutions (Pty) Ltd (021) 700-2315 Supplier
MPUMALANGA
PFG Building Glass (011) 360-1204
Iseco (Pty) Ltd (013) 755-2400 Contractor
Nova Plant Services (IIG Group) 082 928 0858 Contractor
PG Glass (011) 928-2500
Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd (017) 619-2413 Specialist
FREESTATE
Primador (012) 719-8881
Fabco Trading (Pty) Ltd (051) 432-6997 Contractor
TPMA - Thermal Panel Manufacturers Association Saint Gobain - Gyproc (011) 345-5565
GAUTENG
Silicone & Technical Products (021) 534-9055
Thermowall (011) 391-1501 Associate
CBI Engineering (012) 811-0711 Manf/Contractor
West Cape Safety Glass (021) 531-7429
Club Refrigeration (IPM) (012) 541-0977 Manf/Contractor
Dalucon Refrigeration Products (012) 661-8480 Manf/Contractor
Wispeco (011) 389-0000
Insulated Structures (011) 462-2130 Manf/Contractor
IPS Projects (087) 941-2395 Manf/Contractor SAGI - South African Glass Institute
Isobodies (012) 541-3035 Manf/Contractor K Bulcock [email protected]
Isowall (012) 804-3564 Manf/Contractor C Johnston [email protected]
Precool (012) 327-1291 Manf/Contractor T Kennelly [email protected]
WESTERN CAPE J MacKenzie [email protected]
Cool Maintenance (021-9451070 Manf/Contractor M Pote [email protected]
EASTERN CAPE E Sievert [email protected]
Cool Maintenance (041) 461-2766 Manf/Contractor N Wright [email protected]
KWAZULU NATAL PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS
Precool 083 449 8380 Manf/Contractor Arup Façade Engineering [email protected]
Rapid Panel Structures CC (033) 394-5023 Manf/Contractor Ness Consulting [email protected]
Rudnev SA (Pty) Ltd (031) 709-1888 Manufacturer Pure Consulting (Pty) Ltd [email protected]
POLOKWANE WSP Group - Mr A Hakin [email protected]
Shivers CC (015) 295-5659 Manf/Contractor WSP Group - Mr T Linder [email protected]