WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff wins SAPOA awards

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These awards come in recognition of WSP's innovative engineering design capabilities - particularly in sustainable design and building services, which have been applied to a number of retail and mixed-use developments.

"We are honoured and delighted to have received these prestigious accolades," said Peter Hodgkinson, MD of WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff, Building Services, Africa. "Our extensive experience on the African continent, together with our substantial global reservoir of expertise throughout WSP, enables us to provide a comprehensive and appropriate range of services for today's new developments that are not only looking for innovative engineering, but sustainable design components, which focus on passive design strategies to reduce energy, conserve water and manage waste."

Winning projects

The awards were allocated to Rosebank Mall's repositioning phases 1 and 2 in the Retail Developments category, and Newtown Junction took best Mixed-used Development, Overall Transformation Award as well as the Overall Award.

Newtown Junction is a R1.4bn mixed-use development by Atterbury Property Developments in the Johannesburg CBD and for this development WSP's Building Services team undertook the Green Star rating process and achieved a 4 Star Green Star rating for the office space. In addition, WSP provided traffic and transportation engineering, mechanical engineering (including HVAC) and fire engineering.

Furthermore, WSP was involved in a number of corporate and commercial office developments, as well as retail and mixed-used developments that were nominated for merit awards at the event.

"We are experiencing booming infrastructural development, specifically in the commercial and retail sector. Here we are seeing growth in the number of mixed-use developments as developers not only try to maximise space, but look for ways to bring a neighbourhood feel to the areas," adds Hodgkinson.

Attractive environments

"Mixed-use spaces are delivering attractive, healthy, fit-for-purpose environments that add real value through enhanced user comfort and well-being, reduced demand on energy and natural resources, improved performance and above all, higher market values."

"We add value to our projects by listening carefully to our clients, thereby ensuring that we meet their requirements and the needs of building occupants, in addition to delivering buildings that are safe, sustainable and cost effective. We have pioneered several engineering and green building techniques and, as the industry changes, we continue to establish ourselves as a leading provider in this space," concludes Hodgkinson.