The Ikusasa building in the Oxford Parks precinct in Rosebank – completed by leading black-owned contractor Concor earlier this year – has just been given six stars by the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA).

Built by Concor in just 12 months, Ikusasa is a pioneer in sustainable building standards. The 6 Star Green Star SA Office V1.1 Design Certification from the GBCSA is considered as World Leadership status. In both its construction and operation, Ikusasa reduces water use, energy consumption, process waste and pollution. The building is occupied by blue chip company Anglo American’s Global Shared Services, who recently recognised Concor by awarding a Certificate Award of Excellence to the company.

Earning this accolade required Concor to apply its client’s sustainable designs and its own stringent quality systems. Among its construction procedures, for instance, Concor conducted a hazardous materials survey on the site before demolishing existing buildings. The company ensured the responsible removal and disposal of any asbestos, lead or polychlorinated biphenyls found on the site.

Concor applied a stringent Environmental Management Plan (EMP) in line with its ISO 14001 accreditation. It also put in place a rigourous Waste Management Plan (WMP) which saw 70% of demolition and construction waste being re-used or recycled rather than going to landfill. Waste was separated at source, preventing contamination between different waste streams so that waste could be recycled more cost effectively. Together with the Hazardous Waste Management Survey, Concor was able to uphold critical environmental standards.

The building’s environmental performance includes conserving water and energy. Water efficiency has been optimised by using options like low-flow tap fittings, dual flush toilets, as well as water sub-metering for uses such as irrigation and bathrooms. Water-wise irrigation methods and smart sensors cuts plant irrigation by half. Air is used in the heating, ventilation and cooling system rather than water, further reducing consumption.

To achieve a Green Star South Africa Net-Zero Carbon Level 1 score, Ikusasa generates all the energy required by the base building. This is achieved by harnessing renewable energy, with a solar photovoltaic generation system on the roof. Energy efficiency is enhanced through sub-metering, which tracks the main areas of consumption. Where an energy use exceeds 100 kVA, it is metered separately. This allows users can benchmark usage targets and apply strategies to bring down energy consumption.