Esplanade Government Building looks towards greener pastures
The Esplanade Government Building has been handed over to contractors to complete its nearly R1-billion upgrade. Once complete, the building will house government departments as part of cost-cutting measures by doing away with leases.
A FOUR-STAR rating is on the cards for the Esplanade Government Building (EGB) which will soon be undergoing a multimillion-rand rehabilitation and upgrade following the handover to contractors by the MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure, Martin Meyer, on Monday.
Meyer said the R800-million upgrade will result in the dilapidated building being turned into a four-star one recognised by the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) with PV panels on the roof and will be able to harvest rainwater. He said, “During its prime, the Esplanade Government Building stood tall at seven stories and 18 000 square metres but also stood for what the department can achieve if our assets are utilised efficiently. Today, it is not the case. Today, we have hundreds of assets that are a painful reminder of infrastructure not being maintained and which are forgotten treasures.”
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The refurb will be headed by Enza Construction which has been tasked with removing the building’s ‘brutalist style, which stands as a silent reminder of our past’ to a monument to the future. “Close to a billion rand will transform this building into a modern structure which, once complete, will be home to multi-departmental staff, offices and amenities. Such undertakings give us a chance to build differently. The reality is that climate change is now the reality of this generation and that of future generations. This manmade phenomenon now means we must carefully consider what we put out because it affects what we get back from nature,” said Meyer.
Once completed, the EGB will host various government departments and will make it easier for citizens to access services when it is all in one place. Meyer said that by putting staff into government-owned buildings, the department can divert those costly rental amounts to other areas of priority. “We will also look at the mixed-use of buildings – mixing office space with commercial space to make buildings viable and self-sufficient,” added Meyer.
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