Windhoek
Construction of an environmentally friendly building for the Namibia Tourism Board’s (NTB) has now been completed, although details of the actual construction costs remain under wraps.
It was previously reported that the building would cost an estimated N$44 million when the project was still in the design phase in 2011, but this figure apparently shot up to around N$66 million after quantity surveyors submitted their quotation in August that year.
Speaking to New Era yesterday, the CEO of NTB, Digu //Noabeb said the building was completed within the budget allocation, but he declined, however, to confirm the total cost of construction. It is understood this information would only become public once the building is inaugurated.
He explained that construction of the building was delayed by three months due to the heavy rains experienced earlier in the year and due to the excavation of the rocky ground on which it stands.
//Noabeb further confirmed the NTB has now officially occupied the office block, which can accommodate about 110 people, but they still need to consult the board as to who will officially inaugurate the new premises. He is hopeful though that this will be done within the next three to six months. The building integrates the use of indigenous plants in the design, such as acacia trees, which line the front of the building.
“We need to take into account the impact global warming and we are required to try and reduce climatic impact. That is what we are trying to project within the architectural design of the building. We are using natural light throughout; even the lights go on only when you open the door,” //Noabeb said.
Elaborating on the theme of sustainaibility in the design, he said they installed solar panels on the building and are thus tapping into power generated directly by the sun, as this reduces the need to draw as much electrical current from the City of Windhoek. The NTB is thus contributing to cutting costs at a time when Namibia is experiencing power shortages, he said.
The Afrideca Group was the main contractor on the construction of the building, while Wasserfall Munting was reponsible for the architectural design.