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Namibia: Green Skyscraper for Capital
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New Era (Windhoek)
19 May 2008
Posted to the web 19 May 2008
Desie Heita
Windhoek will have its first 'green' and tallest skyscraper by mid-2010.
Currently under construction along Werner List Street, the building will house the headquarters of Old Mutual Namibia, Nedbank Namibia, and Mutual and Federal Namibia.
With 21 storeys, of which four would be underground, the N$265-million building will have retail space and a courtyard with water features.
The height of the building is not what is of interest, however. The interest is in the green concept design, a first for Namibia and, most likely, one of very few green buildings in southern Africa.
The skyscraper would feature 40 percent less energy consumption, utilize 50 percent of Windhoek' underground water - thus reducing half of its reliance on water supply from the City of Windhoek - and use an evaporation cooling system that reduces usage of electricity by another 40 percent, and reduces carbon emissions significantly.
To an ordinary person, these figures and architectural jargon may sound meaningless. Nevertheless, behind the jargon are many features that would present the occupiers with health benefits besides the long-term savings on maintenance costs.
Consider the energy consumption, for instance. Instead of only using electricity for lighting, the building will rely much on natural sunlight.
The architects from Leon Barnard Architects have designed the building that with large expanses of glazing to provide maximum daylight into the building on each floor in such a way that tenants will not feel as though being in the sun. Protection from the sun is provided by landscaped trellis façades. Each floor, from top to the ground floor, will have plants and vegetation on the façade.
It will be as though the tenants have their offices in a garden or a park.
Working is such environment, health experts say, is healthy as it reduces stress among workers.
The evaporative cooling system is even much healthier.
A traditional air-conditioning system recirculates air, introducing no fresh air into the environment. Evaporative cooling, on the other hand, uses 100 percent of fresh air without any recirculation of air.
Unlike with the traditional air-conditioning system where doors and windows must always be shut to allow the maximum effect of cool air, the evaporative cooling system encourages the opening of windows and doors to enhance the efficiency of the system.
Health experts say fresh air helps our bodies to ventilate naturally as it introduces a level of humidity. More than that, the system also eliminates the so-called "sick building syndrome".
The "sick building syndrome" is a phenomenon common among employees working in air-conditioned offices. These employees tend to develop symptoms of blocked sinuses (flu-like symptoms that never go away), eye irritation, headaches, dizziness, wheezing, dry skin rashes and/or nausea only when entering the workplace.
"The longer the exposure to conventional air-conditioning, the worse the symptoms become. Increasing ventilation and the input of fresh air has been proven to help dilute the pollutants," say environmental researchers on cooling systems websites such as PIDRA Environment Limited and Portable Evaporative Cooling Units.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba, who attended the cement pouring ceremony for the building, commended Old Mutual for adopting the green concept, saying: "This is an important element in the construction industry because it contributes to the conservation of our natural environment."
Leon Barnard, of Leon Barnard Architects, said in designing the building, they worked on three issues that they received from Old Mutual.
Old Mutual wanted a building that reflects confidence in the Namibian economy, which is socially responsible and that is a green building.
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The building will cost N$265 million - making it one of the largest ever investments in post-independent Namibia - and will incorporate the existing historical buildings of the Gathemann façade, which is a declared natural heritage by the National Heritage Council of Namibia.
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