Growthpoint and Serra® Services recently achieved the first Green Star Existing Building Performance (EBP) rating for an industrial building in Gauteng, with a 5-Star certification for a 7,400-sqm facility in Meadowbrook, Germiston. The facility includes a solar PV installation among other green features.
Situated in a mixed industrial and residential area in the east of Johannesburg, the light manufacturing building, comprising a workshop and offices on two floors, is owned by Growthpoint Properties and was leased by Serra® in 2016. An extensive process was undertaken by both landlord and tenant, in consultation with Solid Green Consulting, to achieve this Green Star EBP ‘first’.
Key features of the Meadowbrook building’s performance include energy and water efficiency. “Serra consumes in the region of 16kWh/sqm/year, which is an 85% improvement on a typical light industrial building of this scale (106kWh/sqm/year),” says Dashiell Coville, Sustainable Building Consultant at Solid Green. “This is the ongoing targeted consumption level. Thanks to reduced consumption, as well as energy efficiency and the renewable energy initiatives implemented, the consumption in 2019 was lower than in 2018.”
A large solar photovoltaic system on the roof provides renewable energy to the facility. 130 panels, with a capacity of 25kWp, were installed as phase 1; and Paul Thomaz, Group Marketing Director of Serra advises that the aim is to install a further 110 panels for phase 2 – with capacity for 550 panels in total. He adds, “Three lithium-ion battery banks provide the office component with 24 hours of uninterrupted power. In winter – June through to end August – these are bled during peak load periods (06h00-09h00 and 16h00 to 18h00) to reduce our electricity consumption and carbon footprint.”
Thanks to the water saving initiatives implemented as well as the efficient habits of the Serra staff, the facility has demonstrated an 88% improvement in water consumption on a typical light manufacturing industrial building of this scale, and this is the ongoing targeted consumption level.
The Serra building uses cutting-edge energy and water monitoring systems to accurately report on consumption. Data is monitored via online dashboards and used to analyze trends and highlight problem areas; and the utility metering process is outsourced to a specialist
contractor who manages meter reading and processing.
Periodic audits and occupant surveys are carried out to ensure that sufficient fresh air is provided (to meet or exceed national design standards), that lighting levels are optimal, and that temperatures are comfortable. This all translates into a healthier, more productive space.