December 2013
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
82
AfriSam Innovation Award for Sustainable Construction
E
HIGHLY COMMENDED
FynBloem Protea Packing Facility
T
his is a first-of-its-kind protea packing facility in the Rivierson-
derend valley. The client, a South African and Danish partner-
ship, has been exporting proteas to the United Kingdom and
Europe for a number of years under the Fynbloem brand. Previously
the product was transported via airfreight but now, in an endeavour
to reduce the carbon footprint and cost, the client was looking at
sea freight as an alternative – an entirely new concept for this type
of product, resulting in a new set of challenges.
The packing facility, which is to act as the face of the brand, by
celebrating the sustainable principals used in its construction, consists
of two main components:
A warehouse facility wherein the packing process takes place
will be developed in two separate phases of approximately
3 000 m
2
each. In addition, phase I will also accommodate a smaller
public component which will house offices, meeting rooms and
exhibition/display facilities of approximately 300m
2
. Should demand
necessitate, the possibility of a third warehouse phase will be added
in the future.
The Fynbloem Protea Packing Facility was recently awarded
the Corporate Social Responsibility Award by the Investment
Fund for Developing Countries. The CSR Award is the industry’s
showcase for the most powerful and successful, social responsibility
and green campaigns.
A palette of muted, neutral materials was chosen to blend in with
the breathtaking natural surroundings. The client has been in the
process of clearing the farm of Black Wattle, Port Jackson and Gum,
all of which are invasive tree species which constitute a serious threat
to our indigenous vegetation and water courses.
The timber posts which support the entrance canopy are made
fromGum trees cleared from the site.Timber cleared from the sitewill
further be used for the manufacture of timber screens and shutter.
These components are to be installed on the North Elevation of the
office component to assist with passive climate control, once again
reducing the need for cooling in summertime.
The operational requirement that the entire warehouse be on
one level (both phases), dictates that a large section of the building
be cut into the existing slope on the site. The shale rock salvaged
during the excavation process was used for the construction of the
office component thereby tying it comfortably into the landscape
which it inhabits. The additional advantage of cutting the building
into the slope is that it significantly lessened the visual impact of the
building while the sand from the excavation was also used for mixing
the cement and concrete.
The use of sand and stones from the farm for the construction of
the packing facility also significantly cut down CO
2
emission during
the construction process:
Approximate CO
2
saving:
1. Driving 150 km further for 120 loads of sand:
= 340 kg CO
2
per trip, or 41tons total*
2. Driving 100 km further for 15 loads of stone:
= 219 kg CO
2
per trip, or 3,3 tons total.*
= A grand total of 44,3 tons*
Project information
• Name of project: FynBloem Protea Packing Facility
• Company entering: KUBE Architecture
• Project start date: October 2011
• Project end date: December 2015
• Client: Fynbloem
• Main contractor: Hare & Liddell
• Architect: KUBE Architecture
• Principal agent: GEA Projects
• Project manager: GEA projects
• Quantity surveyor: Talani Quantity Surveyors
• Consulting engineer: Sutherland
• Project value: R10-million
