WORLD CLASS
Raise your
Glasses
Medupi Power Station, Lephalale
Concor Civils has reason to celebrate. The operation, a partner in the Karrena Concor Joint Venture, was the main contractor for the Medupi Power Station chimney project which was the overall winner in the 31st Steel Awards in 2012. The project also won the Mining and Industrial category prize.
The project team submitted two entries. The first was the platform steelwork designed to give access for future maintenance as well as to assist in overall erection inside the giant concrete chimney, and to support the hanging mass of three nine metre diameter ceramic-lined flues and a concrete roof to the chimneys. The second entry was the actual steel cans that make up the flues.
However, because they are linked the judges decided to treat the entries as one. “In spite of strong competition from the other four category winners, the fabrication of the complex platforms and flue cans for the world class chimneys showed the ‘WOW’ factor that separates the winner from the rest,” the judges commented.
The annual Steel Awards are hosted by the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction.
Reaching for the
Sky
Portside Project, Cape Town
The Portside development in Cape Town is not only set to be the tallest building in the Mother City, but Murray & Roberts Western Cape, the principal contractor, is also achieving great heights in its management of the project.
The site occupies the city block between Buitengracht, Hans Strijdom, Bree and Mechau Streets in the financial district on the foreshore. The 33 floor office building comprises two basements, a double volume ground floor for retail, reception and back-of-house areas, seven structured parking floors and 20 office floors. When completed in December 2013, Portside will be the head office of FirstRand and Old Mutual.
The project has maintained its ISO accreditation for quality, environment and safety following an ISO audit. Senior contract manager Chris Prodehl attributes this to a comprehensive performance-based health and safety system that “identifies weaknesses and strengths of individuals and groups where safety is concerned but also empowers and equips people to meet the necessary performance standards.”
The project’s design methodology is strongly focused on durability, low maintenance, energy and water efficiency, as well as material resource management and indoor air quality to meet the Green Building Council of South Africa’s specifications for a four-star building.
Fast-Tracking Construction of Ernst & Young's new Sandton HQ
102 Rivonia Rd, Johannesburg
Murray & Roberts Buildings is working to a tight construction schedule on Ernst & Young’s new head office at 102 Rivonia Road in Sandton. The eight-storey project commenced in June 2012 and is scheduled for completion at the end of October 2013, while the adjoining 14 storey tenanted block, Eris Tower, will be completed by January 2014.
The built footprint will be 98 000 m² and the development rests on eight storeys of basement parking. The building design has already achieved early recognition at the World Architecture Festival in Singapore, where the project was shortlisted for an award in the Future Commercial Office territory.
Among several elements designed to collectively achieve a four-star green rating, the building will make the most of innovative opportunities to harness natural light and ventilation, and conserve energy. The building project is being guided by an environmental management plan to ensure that the best practices in environment, health and safety are applied.
To meet the requirements of this fast-track project, Murray & Roberts will deploy more than 1 000 personnel, sub-contractors and labourers on site at peak times.
When completed, the project will have used approximately 39 000 m³ of concrete, two million bricks, 6 000 tonnes of rebar and 98 000 m² of formwork.
To date, the project has recorded zero lost time injuries, which projects director, Toni Flavio attributes to a sustained focus on safe behaviours, underpinned by the Murray & Roberts safety mantra, Stop.Think.Act.24/7.
