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Johannesburg – Statistics South Africa’s (StatsSA) new R1.4bn home in Salvokop, Tshwane is a certified green building.
ISIbalo House, the new head office for StatsSA, is a Four-Star graded green building.
The Green Building Council of South Africa (BGCSA) awarded the Four-Star rating because of its “energy efficiency” and use of “environmentally friendly construction methods and material", said StatsSA.
It has its own rain harvesting mechanism, a borehole and water purification systems to save on the consumption of water.
Most electrical appliances are also operated by solar power, minimising reliance on the national power grid.
The building was officially opened by Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe on Monday.
Planning for its development started as far as 2005 and construction began in 2014 and was completed in mid-2016.
The aim was to centralise StatsSA operations which were previously housed in four separate buildings across Tshwane.
Statistician general Dr Pali Lehohla (right) shows some of the decorative features of the new building to Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe.
Deputy director general of StatsSA, Akhtari Henning explained that there was a demand for a bigger building as the staff had grown from 500 to 1900 at head office, and 3500 staff working countrywide.
The building was completed through a public private partnership (PPP) with Dipalopalo Consortium.
“We decided the PPP was the best and most suitable option to embark on as a department,” said Henning. This is a 27-year contract for the financing, demolishing, design and construction of the building.
The reception counter as you enter StatsSA's new head office is handcrafted, said statistician general Dr Pali Lehohla.
The development also forms part of the government’s inner-city regeneration project. StatsSA is the first of 10 departments to be accommodated in the Salvakop area.
The building also shares the grounds of Freedom Park. Statistician general, Dr Pali Lehohla said it was significant as “information is freedom”.
The new building created more than 7 200 job opportunities during construction and 171 full-time jobs.
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