WINDHOEK – First National Bank (FNB) Namibia is poised to add another ‘green’ or environmental friendly skyscraper to the Windhoek architecture, with its head office building that is under construction in the city centre.
Windhoek already has an environmental friendly green building in Old Mutual Towers along the Independence Avenue, opposite Zoo Park. The FNB head office, called FNB Freedom Plaza, is right next to the park.
It has been designed to allow occupants to easily access nearby amenities, thus reduce pollution from vehicles.
The land on which the FNB is being built was previously a parking lot with very little ecological value. By reusing this site, the FNB said, it had preserved ecologically valuable land.
“Occupants will experience reduced discomfort as a result of glare from natural light as the glazing selection and the specification of internal blinds hinders this.
“The embodied energy associated with virgin steel has been reduced by specifying steel with a recycled content for use in the building. Preferential facilitation is provided for more fuel efficient vehicles for occupants commuting as well as occupant and visitor cyclist facilities,” said Louis Potgieter, FNB Namibia Chief Operating Officer.
He explained that the heating, cooling and air conditioning system had been designed to allow vast amounts of fresh air into the building in order to reduce the indoor pollutants.
“Occupants will experience a high level of thermal comfort as a result of the materials selected for the outer skin of the building. The building contains dedicated exhausts to extract printing and photocopy pollutants which have an effect on air quality,” Potgieter said.
“What is commendable about our project is that sustainability issues were entrenched right from the beginning of the project, which means we are able to draw from this and show our commitment to environmental responsibility within our Green Star submission,” said Gregory Rice of WSP Group Africa.
The building is well on its way to achieving certification under the Green Star SA Office v1 Rating system. The Green Star Certification process consists of certifications for design, where systems and initiatives were recognised as “to be constructed” elements, and certification for As Built, where systems and initiatives were recognised for being “constructed” as part of the finished building.
The design of the irrigation system ensures that there will be over 90 percent reduction in potable water use for irrigation.
By Staff Reporter