Departement van Waterwese en Bosbou

Ons lewe in ‘n tydperk van globalisasie en waar kwaliteit tyd nie meer bestaan nie. Waar is die dae toe ons nog die prag van die natuur om ons waargeneem het?

As jy vassit in die verkeer, sien jy nog die wonderwerke van ons Skepper om ons raak? My antwoord is onwillekeurig nee. Ons lê op ons toeters vir die stadige trok voor ons om na die linkerbaan toe te beweeg, sodat ons kan verbysteek en jaag na ons volgende afspraak. Ons kla so graag as die wonderlike reëndruppels begin val want net gister is my motor gewas. En dan aan die anderkant, watter ongelooflike gevoel om kaalvoet in die reën te dans. Die bekoring van nuwe lewe, geure en kleure na die eerste reënval is diep in my geheue vasgeprent. As jong dogtertjie sal ek nooit die ritme van reëndruppels op die grondpad vergeet nie, daarvan dan my bynaam ”Kaalvoetklonkie”

 

Soos die koms van elke nuwe seisoen, met nuwe groei en verwagtinge besef ek weereens watter groot rol die Departement van Waterwese en Bosbou beter bekend as DWAF speel.

 

DWAF is die bewaarder van Suid-Afrika se water en bosbouhulpbronne. Dit is hoofsaaklik verantwoordelik vir die formulering en implementering van beleid wat hierdie twee sektore beheer. Dit het ook die verantwoordelikheid vir waterdienste wat deur die plaaslike regering verskaf word. Terwyl hulle strewe om te verseker dat alle Suid-Afrikaners toegang tot skoon water en veilige sanitasie verkry, ontwikkel die watersektor ook effektiewe en doeltreffende waterhulpbronbestuur om ekonomiese en sosiale ontwikkeling te verseker. Die bosbouprogram handhaaf ook die bestuur van die land se natuurlike bosbronne en kommersiële bosbou vir die blywende voordeel van die land.

 

DWAF het talle projekte / programme en Tenders gelys wat waardevol vir ons kliënte kan wees.

 

Hier is slegs ‘n paar Projekte wat op hul webwerf genoem is, naamlik:

+ Groot Letaba Water Development Project
+ Groundwater
+ Hydrology (Data, Dams, Floods and Flows)
+ Integrated Water Planning Portal – Strategy Portal
+ Integrated Water Resource Planning
+ Integrated Water Quality Management Plan (IWQMP) For The Olifants River System
+ Integrated Water Quality Management Strategy
+ Lusikisiki Regional Water Supply Scheme
+ Mokolo and Crocodile River (West): Water Augmentation Project (MCWAP)
+ Mzimvubu Water Project

 

 

Ons weet beide water en bosbou speel ‘n groot rol in ons lewens. Indien nie die grootste nie. Ons neem dikwels ons pragtige land as vanselfsprekend en daarom moet ons ook die verantwoordelikheid neem om water te bespaar en na ons bosbou te kyk.
Ek kan boeke en verhale skryf oor die onderwerp, maar gaan net so vlugtig ‘n paar goedjies noem. Ek sal ‘n bietjie van alles skryf, so jy sal beslis iets interessants vind om te lees.

 

Lekker “het jy geweet” feite?

• Het jy geweet as jy 5 minute stort, in plaas van bad, sal slegs sowat ‘n derde van die water gebruik word. Dit kan in ‘n week tot 400 liter water bespaar.
• As jy verkies om te bad eerder as om te stort, moenie die bad op die rand vul nie. ‘n Bad gebruik tussen 80 en 150 liter water per bad.
• Het jy geweet Internasionale Bosdag val presies dieselfde dag as Menseregtedag in Suid-Afrika, dus word dit meestal geïgnoreer.

 

Fassinerende Gesondheid feite oor water:

• Slegs 1,1% van die water op aarde is geskik om te drink soos dit is.
• Ons liggame bestaan uit 55 – 75% water.
• Depressie en moegheid kan dikwels die simptome van dehidrasie wees.
• Dit is gesond om water met etes te drink, aangesien dit die verteringsproses bevorder
• Die beste manier om ontslae te raak van waterretensie is om baie water te drink. Water retensie kan ‘n teken van dehidrasie wees.
• Water laat die liggaam toe om vette meer doeltreffend te metaboliseer.
• Goeie water inname verhoed dat die vel sak.
• Water is die hoofvoedsel wat die liggaam benodig.
• Die dorsrefleks kom slegs voor wanneer ons liggame reeds gedehidrier is.
• Kinders dehidreer vinniger as volwassenes, ‘n opname het getoon dat 65% van die skoolkinders te min water drink.
• ‘n 2% vermindering van die water vlakke in die liggaam kan lei tot ‘n 20% afname in geestelike en fisiese prestasie.
• Dehidrasie kan kontraksies in swanger vroue veroorsaak.

 

Vyf feite rakende die bosboubedryf

• Natuurlike woude dek ‘n derde van alle grond op aarde. Soos ons weet, absorbeer bome koolstofdioksied en gee suurstof vry, wat die absolute noodsaaklikheid van ons voortbestaan maak.
• Plaaslik is slegs 0,4% van ons landmassa gedek deur natuurlike woud. Dit is net 500 000 ha, ondersteun deur 39 miljoen hektaar wat deur savanne stelsels gedek word.
• Daar is drie hooftipes bome wat op Suid-Afrikaanse plantasies groei. Hulle is dennehout (44%), Eucalyptus (44%) en Wattle (12%).
• Die Suid-Afrikaanse bosboubedryf het 158 000 mense in diens en is verantwoordelik vir 11% van die land se landbou-BBP en 5% van die BBP.
• Daar is sowat 26 000 houtkwekers in Suid-Afrika. Dit sluit in die groot multinasionale korporasies, die regering en duisende kleinskaalse maatskappye.

 

Laaste maar nie die minste nie….

Dit is goed om ons self ‘n bietjie meer wys te maak op ons reënvalle en damwatervlakke. Ons sien dikwels dat iemand iets oor hul watervlakke op Facebook plaas.
Wel, ek gaan jou ‘n paar interessante grafieke van ons Provinsiale Reënval asook ons Dam vlakke wys. Spesiaal vir die ernstige hengelaars daar buite. Ken jou watervlakke!

 

Gauteng:

 

Wes-Kaap:

 

KwaZulu-Natal:

 

Noord-Kaap:

 

Oos-Kaap:

 

Vrystaat:

 

Noord Wes:

 

Mpumalanga:

 

Limpopo:

 

Provinsiale Dam en Rivier watervlakke
Data laas opgedateer
2017-08-07
Volle kapasiteit in miljoen kubieke meter

Wes – Kaap
=1867.0

Noord – Kaap
=145.5

Oos – Kaap
= 1832.4

Vrystaat
= 15968.0

Noord Wes
= 15968.0

Mpumalanga
= 2538.8

Limpopo
= 1522.3

Kwazulu- Natal
=4782.7

Gauteng
=114.8

Onthou, elke druppel water tel, en dink voor jy op ‘n stukkie papier ink!

 

Bronne
DWAF
http://www.preventionweb.net/organizations/937

Projekte / Programme
http://www.dwaf.gov.za/projects.aspx

Tenders
http://www.dwaf.gov.za/Tenders/tendersCurrent.aspx

Water Feite
http://www.health24.com/Diet-and-nutrition/Beverages/12-interesting-water-facts-20120721

Forestry
http://www.countrylife.co.za/wild-earth/32929
http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/ac486e/ac486e02.htm#TopOfPage

Rainfall pictures
http://www.dwaf.gov.za/hydrology/Provincial%20Rain/Default.aspx

Dam levels
http://www.dwaf.gov.za/hydrology/Weekly/Province.aspx

 

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During the initial nerves and stress of finding out that I had to write a blog, I was asking myself WHAT IS A PPP anyway? How am I going to write about this, when I don’t even know what PPP stands for!? Don’t fear, once I pulled myself towards myself and looked at it with a stress-free and nerve free mindset it hit me! Public Private Partnership, PPP stands for Public Private Partnership aka P3 or 3P 😉 so here goes:

 

A Public Private Partnership (PPP, P3, 3P) as defined in South African law is a contract between a government institution and a private company, in which the private company bears significant risk and management responsibility, and payment is linked to performance.

 

The main objective of PPP’s all over the world is to ensure the delivery of well maintained, cost-effective public infrastructure or services, by leveraging private sector expertise and transferring risk to the private sector.

 

In traditional procurement of public services or infrastructure, the government pays for capital and operating costs and carries the risks associated with cost overruns and late delivery etc. While the expertise and experience of a private company may be procured for the design and construction of infrastructure, once the asset is delivered the private company is paid and then leaves. The public sector is then responsible for staffing, maintenance and operation.

 

In a PPP procurement, the public sector buys a full set of services, including infrastructure and other services, from the private sector. It pays for these over the term of the PPP agreement, based on successful delivery. The private sector usually puts its own capital at risk, funding its investment in the project with debt and shareholder equity. Because of the financial risk the private sector takes, it is motivated to provide a high level of service, as good returns on equity will depend on the quality of services it delivers. The public sector is then responsible for operation once the project is complete.

PPP’s are on the rise as it has been found that there is an increasing number of countries that are enshrining a definition of PPP’s in their laws, each tailoring the definition to their institutional and legal particularities.

 

Characteristics of PPPs

• A PPP is a clearly defined project, where the procuring institution carefully defines its objectives.
• The contractual relationship spans a set length of time, which may range from 5 to 30 years.
• The private party plays a key role at each stage of the project: funding, development, design, completion and implementation.
• The funding structures of a PPP sometimes combine public and private funds.
• Payment arrangements in PPPs are based on outputs, related to the provision of services and/or infrastructure and services.
• PPPs are not a way of avoiding payment for capital projects. They allow the procuring institution to spread payments for large projects over the project’s lifetime.
• Direct user charges, like road tolls or water fees, may also contribute to a project’s revenue.
• Risks are allocated to the party most able to carry them.
• Fixed and operational assets are adequately maintained over the project’s lifetime.

Source

 

There is no one widely accepted definition of public-private partnerships (PPP) however the above covers what they are basically all about.

 

On our Leads 2 Business website we have Public Private Partnerships projects listed, below is 2 examples of many:

South Africa:

Tourist Development – Ebizweni Development, Algoa Bay

PPA 4315 – Embizweni Development, Algoa Bay – Infrastructure
PPA 4316 – Embizweni Development, Algoa Bay – Offices
PPA 4317 – Embizweni Development, Algoa Bay – Residential
PPA 4318 – Embizweni Development, Algoa Bay – Hospitality & Leisure

Africa:
Roma Valley Development, Lesotho

PPA 17450 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Student Hostel
PPA 17451 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Student Centre
PPA 17452 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Computer Centre
PPA 17453 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Shopping Centre
PPA 17454 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Wellness Centre
PPA 17455 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Infrastructure
PPA 17456 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Business School

 

If you’d like to know more about the current or upcoming projects on our database please feel free to contact me on +27(0)33 343 1130 or SallyN@l2b.co.za.

What is a Private Project

This is a vitally important question for companies in the construction industry, now more than ever!

Source

A Private Project is a project which is funded by a private developer which can be a private individual or company as opposed to public or Governmental organisations. You will find that private projects tend to go ahead quicker as there is far less red tape to go through and no corrupt tender processes. These will include projects such as shopping centres, townhouse complexes, private hospitals and schools and the list goes on.

So, you ask…why is this so important?

Running the risk of giving my age away…I am an avid listener of talk radio, which has recently, educated me on just how broke the South African government currently is. Now, of course, we all have opinions on how the government uses our taxes, and that is a whole different blog for a whole different day, but how does this all affect us in the construction industry?

There are a lot of people that I have been speaking to in the construction industry that will tell you that ‘No tenders are being awarded’… and this is exactly the problem that we are facing. Even though work needs to be done, and tenders may even be issued, the actual awarding of Governmental and/or Municipal projects is happening even slower than it used to due to no available budget. This, in turn, means that a lot of companies that rely heavily on public projects are not receiving as much, if any, work as they used to, and let’s face it, there’s not an awful lot that the average South African can do to change this.

Companies do still have the option to focus their attention on Private Projects but what you do need to know is that they work very differently than public projects.

A Private Developer will purchase land with the intention of developing that land, they will have to go through all the regular processes such as EIA, rezoning etc. They will also appoint a professional design team which will include Project Managers, Architects, Quantity Surveyors and so on. The consulting team will draw up the plans and specifications and once they are ready to go ahead a contractor will be appointed and they can start building from there…no big differences yet? Oh! But there are!

Private Projects very rarely go to open tender (and open tender being where the company publishes the tender out into the media allowing anyone to tender), instead, they will be invited or negotiated. This is not only for the contractors or sub-contractors but even for the consultants

Sourcesteegs@intekom.co.za

How do I get invited?

This really comes down to who you know, at the end of the day.  Think of it this way, if you have R10 000.00 and you want to buy a washing machine, are you going to call the first person you find on Gumtree and make an EFT to them and then wait for delivery? Of course not, you will more than likely go to somewhere you know, such as Makro, for instance. If you ask yourself why you do this, I am sure the answer will be that you trust them…mostly. If there is an issue you can take it back, if they don’t deliver when they say they will you can hold them accountable.

This works the same for Private Construction Projects. People will always trust people they know more than someone that has perhaps only sent them an email in the past and when, at the end of the day, that person is responsible for making sure everything is done right, they will use service providers that they know they can trust or if something does go wrong, they want to make sure they can get it sorted out.

Anyone that wants to get involved in the project will need to contact the Developer or the key players (depending on what stage the project is at) in order to get invited. Trust me, if you are not meeting with the relevant people, you are very unlikely to be awarded any work from them. Everyone, even you, have your preferred suppliers, whether it be for your cell phone, clothing, medical aid; and I do not dispute that developers will have their preferred consultants, project managers, and contractors will have their preferred suppliers for materials or sub-contractors but this does not mean that you have no hope of becoming one of their preferred suppliers. The key is to make yourself known to them. Make sure they remember you!

As a Leads 2 Business subscriber, you are already a step ahead of everyone else. You know WHO you need to speak to, rather than starting at a receptionist in the hopes that they might know who in their company is busy with something that you are interested in.

During my years in sales, I have heard some outrageous ways to get to see the person they are wanting to meet, but at the end of the day you don’t need to do anything crazy, you just need to get them to realize that they need to see you. Business is tight for all companies now and competition is rife so be memorable.

We get you to the doorstep, you need to knock on the door. Opportunity does not find you, but it is waiting for you! Source

 

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Top 10 Green Heating & Cooling technologies

Compared to the usual standard heating and cooling systems, going green is better for the environment helping to eliminate greenhouse gasses. Furthermore, these green systems also help people save money on their energy needs.

 

Below are some Green Heating and Cooling Technologies which are worth a mention:

1. Geothermal – Within the earth, there is a lot of heat in the form of hot water and steam. The deeper you go, the hotter it is. But you don’t have to go too deep to take advantage of this energy. A few feet below the surface, the temperature of the water remains constant all year round. Geothermal systems don’t tap straight into the earth’s heat, rather, geothermal homes use heat pumps to utilise the constant temperature of geothermal underground wells. The heat pumps contain a fluid, which could be either water or a refrigerant. When cold outside, the fluid absorbs the earth’s heat and brings it inside to warm the air. In summer, the heat exchange works the other way around thereby cooling the house.

 

2. Solar (Passive) – The sun is the ultimate provider of green energy, is constant, renewable and won’t run out anytime soon. Passive solar energy is simple, has little to no moving parts and requires minimal upkeep. Passive solar-energy systems are designed to use natural principals of heat transfer instead of machines such as furnaces and air conditioners. Passive solar technology uses the building’s walls, windows and floors to collect, store and release the sun’s energy. However, passive solar homes still need mechanical equipment, such as a forced-air system or radiant flooring to keep the temperatures cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The easiest passive solar design systems to install are called “direct gain”. In direct gain systems, sunlight passes through windows and then converted into thermal energy. The walls and floors directly absorb and store the heat energy. As long as the room temperature is high, the interior of the home will hold onto the heat. When the temperature drops at night, the stored heat radiates through the living space. Builders can also install plastic or metal water pipes inside a wall. When the sun hits the walls, the water in the pipes heat up and is then pumped throughout the house as a source of heat.

Source

3. Solar (Active) – Solar cells contain photovoltaic materials, which convert sunlight directly into electricity. Solar cells capture tiny photons of light and release electrons. When these fast-moving electrons are captured, the result is an electric current that can be used to light a bulb or power a machine. That electricity can then be used to heat, cool and light a house. There’s one problem however, they convert only a percentage of sunlight into energy. In addition, such photovoltaic systems can be expensive. There are cheaper active solar heating systems on the market which use liquids, including water, or air. In these systems, the liquid or air is able to absorb the sun’s energy through a collector which then transfers the sun’s heat directly to the home or into a storage system where it is then dispersed throughout the house.

 

4. Biomass – This refers to energy which comes from living things, such as trees and plants. The energy from biomass is natural and renewable. The plants, or other organisms, absorb energy from the sun. Biomass heating systems take that stored energy and convert it into heat energy. Biomass is sustainable and cheaper than fuel oil, propane and natural gas. Modern large-scale biomass systems burn clean. For example, a woodchip system emits fewer pollutants than a wood stove. Biomass systems do not produce as much carbon dioxide as fossil fuels. When burned, fossil fuels release carbon that was once trapped inside earth. When biomass is burned, it releases only the carbon the plant would have released upon its death.

Source

5. Biodiesel – Refers to a vegetable oil or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl (methyl, ethyl, or propyl) esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids (e.g., vegetable oil, soybean oil, animal fat (tallow)) with an alcohol producing fatty acid esters. Biodiesel is meant to be used in standard diesel engines and is thus distinct from the vegetable and waste oils used to fuel converted diesel engines. Biodiesel can be used alone or blended with petrodiesel in any proportions. Biodiesel blends can also be used as heating oil. The so-called BioHeat blends contain 5 percent, 10 percent or 20 percent biofuel mixed with heating oil. Can be used in an oil furnace. BioHeat releases fewer pollutants.

Source

6. Ice-powered Air Conditioners – A new company called Ice Energy has developed a system which converts water to ice and then uses the ice to cool refrigerant instead of the unit’s compressor. The way it works: At night, the unit freezes 450 gallons (1,703.81 litres) of water by circulating refrigerant through a system of copper coils. The water that surrounds the coils turns to ice, which is then stored. As temperatures rise the next day, the existing air conditioning unit stands down and the ice, rather than the air conditioning unit’s compressor, cools the hot refrigerant, which keeps the building temperature nice and comfortable and cuts overall energy consumption by about 30 percent

Source

7. Hydronic Heating Systems – Hydronic Heating systems are the use of a liquid heat-transfer medium in heating and cooling systems. The working fluid is typically water, glycol or mineral oil. Some of the oldest and most common examples are steam and hot-water radiators. Nowadays, hydronic heating systems are more sophisticated and use hot water piped through tubes that run under floorboards, through radiators or along base boards. In hydronic systems, boilers heat liquids using solar energy and geothermal energy. Most of these boilers heat water, but some systems warm other liquids, such as antifreeze. The liquid is pumped through plastic tubing into a heat exchanger, such as a radiator. In a hydronic system, heat is transferred in three ways: conduction, convection and radiation. During conduction, heat energy moves from object to object, such as a spoon in a pot of hot water. When you touch the spoon you can feel it get warm. Radiation is the transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves. You can feel heat radiation from a heat lamp. Boiling water is an example of convection. During convection, warm water rises while the cooler water sinks.

Source

8. Absorption Heating and Cooling Systems – These are not driven by electricity, but by solar power, geothermal power or natural gas, with natural gas being the most common fuel. Absorption heat pumps work just like any other heat pump. There are however, two main differences. First, the absorption heat pump is driven by a natural gas burner instead of electricity. The second difference is that absorption pumps use a water-ammonia solution instead of a refrigerant. During the winter, that solution absorbs the earth’s heat and the pump moves the heated liquid into the house to warm the air. In the summertime, the heat exchange works in reverse.

 

9. Green Coal – Coal might seem like one of the environment’s worst enemies. Coal contains 25 to 90 percent carbon, which, when burned, creates noxious greenhouses gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur and nitrogen oxide which are responsible for global warming. Using a process called gasification, scientists found a way to use the carbon in coal to strip oxygen from water, which produces clean-burning hydrogen gas for fuel. That gas can then be used to run a turbine, which produces electricity. The emissions from the process are then pumped underground, while other pollutants are converted into solids that can be burned. Therefore “Gasification” uses the carbon in the coal to bond to the oxygen in the water, which produces hydrogen, a clean-burning fuel. Waste is solid, and can then be buried

Source

10. Wind Power – We all know that wind can generate power, but did you know that you can harness the power of wind to generate heat and you don’t even need a huge windmill in your backyard to make it work. The only requirement is enough wind to spin magnets, which heats a copper plate, which in turn heats the water. Unlike other water heaters that use electrical heating elements or open flames, the wind turbine is completely sustainable and can be bolted to a home’s rooftop, or some other location where the wind blows. The key is that there needs to be enough wind to spin the turbine.

Source

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Source: http://www.jimlavalleeplumbing.com/news/top-10-green-heating-and-cooling-technologies/

 

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Types of Air Conditioning systems: Window, split, packaged and central

Before we get into the different types of air-conditioning, let’s establish what Air-conditioning is.

An air-conditioning system or also known as a standalone air conditioner provides cooling and humidity control for all parts of a building. Air conditioned buildings often have sealed windows, if windows are left open this would work against the systems which are intended to maintain constant indoor air conditions. The fresh air from outside generally draws into the system by a vent into the indoor heat exchanger section, creating positive air pressure.

 

Different types of Air- conditioning systems

1. Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioners

A Ductless, mini split-system air-conditioner has numerous potential applications in residential, commercial and institutional buildings. The most common one of all the applications is the multifamily housing, or as a retrofit add-on to house “non-ducted” heating systems, such as hydronic (hot water), radiant panels and space heaters. They are also a good choice for room additions and small apartments, where extending or installing distribution ductwork (central air-conditioner or heating system) is not feasible.

 

What are the Advantages

The main advantages of the mini splits are that they are small in size and have flexibility for zoning or heating and cooling individual rooms. Most models can have up to four indoor air handling units (four zones or rooms) connected to one outdoor unit. This number depends on how much heating and cooling is required for the building or each zone (this depends on how well the building is insulated). Each zone then has its own thermostat, so that means that you would only need to condition that particular space when it is conditioned. Which therefore means – SAVING ENERGY = SAVING MONEY
These units are easy to install, they hook up to the outdoor and indoor units, this generally requires a three inch (± 8cm) hole through a wall of the conduit. Most manufacturers of this type of system can provide a variety of lengths of connecting conduits. Therefore you can locate the outdoor unit as far away as 50 feet (± 15meters) from the indoor evaporator. This makes it possible to cool rooms on the front side of a building or house with the compressor in a more advantageous or inconspicuous place on the outside of the building.

 

What are the Disadvantages:

The primary disadvantage of a mini split is their cost – some systems cost between R19,500 – R 20,000. This is about 30% more than central systems (excluding ductwork) and may cost twice as much as window units of similar capacity.
The installer then needs to also correctly size each indoor unit and judge the best location for its installation. Over-sized or incorrectly located air-handlers often result in short-cycling, which wastes energy and does not provide proper temperature or humidity control. Too large a system is also expensive to buy or operate.

 

2. The split air-conditioner

The split air conditioning has at least one unit that sits inside your room. The compressor sits outside of the room – sometimes on the ground or on a bracket that hangs on the wall. Most models come with multiple indoor units, where you use one single compressor, this is known as the multi-split air conditioning system.

A split air conditioner consists of two main parts: The outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

The outdoor unit is installed on or near a wall outside of the room or space you wish to cool. The unit houses the compressor, condenser coil and the expansion coil or the capillary tube. This sleek-looking indoor unit contains the cooling coil, a long blower and an air filter.

 

 

3. Central air-conditioner

The central air-conditioner is a method of structural cooling in which a centralised unit cools and dehumidifies air before circulating it throughout the building. This is known as a direct contrast with systems that rely on individual units in rooms or suites of rooms. Central air is also bundled with a heating system. They both rely on similar amounts of electrical power and ductwork to distribute cooled or heated air. This type of air-conditioning is usually found in large structures or in homes that are in extremely hot or humid climates.
In the central air, the main unit is often located outdoors or in an isolated area of the building because a great deal of noise is generated during the refrigeration cycles that cool the air and help to extract humidity. Each unit connects to the ductwork that runs throughout the building with blowers pushing cold air out of the ducts to cool down rooms. This air conditioner also vents to the outdoors to get rid of excess heat and moisture.

 

 

4. Window AC

Unlike the Central Air, the Window AC units cool specific spaces or rooms at a time. They are more energy efficient as they don’t run throughout the house constantly, and you can focus on the areas that need to be cooled instead of cooling your whole home.
The window air unit is installed in an open window. Interior air is cooled as a fan blows it over the evaporator. On the exterior, the heat drawn from the interior is dissipated into the environment as a second fan blows outside air over the condenser. Large house or buildings could have several such units, requiring each room to be cooled separately.
A window air conditioner is also referred to as a room air conditioner. This is the simplest form of an air conditioning system that is mounted on the windows or walls.

 

Difference between a Split and Window AC

Window AC and Split AC,both work on the same principal, but they have different capacities. Both are used for different places.
A split AC, divided into two parts, thus has a large capacity, therefore making it ideal for large offices and big rooms. When looking at the window AC this is one unit, this is suitable for a small room only. Window AC creates noise and the split unit is calmer. The Window AC is smaller that the Split AC.
The Window AC is easy to install whereas the Split AC needs to be connected to the exterior and interior unit through rubber tubes and this also may cause trouble.
If you are wanting to install a window AC, a window is required, but should you want to install a split AC, the interior would need to be connected to a small hole in the wall.
When relocating the Window AC is a good choice as it does not need to be installed by a professional.

 

In conclusion, both units work on the same principles, the split AC is ideal for large space, as they have more capacity and Window AC is an ideal choice for a small room. Additionally, a split AC would need to be installed by a professional and a window AC can be installed by you and me.

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Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

Sick Building Syndrome also known as SBS is a medical condition that often comprises of a range of non-specific symptoms that occur in the workplace or building and its occupants. This syndrome causes the occupants to have a feeling of ill health which in turn causes a ripple effect starting from absenteeism to a decrease in workers productivity. As a result, SBS is fast becoming a major occupational hazard. Therefore all factors such as cause, management, preventative measures and employer responsibility need to be ascertained and looked at.

Symptoms:

• Headaches
• Respiratory problems
• Nausea
• Flu like symptoms
• Fatigue
• Poor concentration
• Skin irritations
• Increase in asthma attacks

Risk factors:

• Chemical contaminants
• Biological contaminants
• Inadequate ventilation
• Electromagnetic radiation
• Psychological factors
• Poor lighting, absence of light & humidity

Prevention & control:

In order to minimize or completely prevent SBS it is important to ensure the building has good ventilation, if an air conditioning unit is used it is important to keep it well maintained at all times and ensure that ventilation standards are met, ensure intake vents are not located in areas that could be close to large amounts of traffic.

Products below should be checked for safety:

• Paint
• Adhesives
• Pesticides
• Cleaning agents

Other contaminants that need to be watched for:

• Mold
• Insect & bird droppings
• Stagnant water (this breeds bacteria, viruses & fungus)

To reduce the effects of using equipment that omit electromagnetic radiation, it is important to correctly ground wiring to reduce magnetic fields that affect your health.
High stress levels and long working hours can affect one’s ability to remain healthy and productive. Stress can weaken your immune system and psychological wellbeing.
There is a greater link of SBS in air conditioned buildings than those that are naturally ventilated.

Employer’s responsibility:

• Carry out surveys with your employees
• Ensure all cleaning machinery is in good working order & that filters are clean
• Ensure cleaning agents are being used correctly & stored correctly
• Ensure the ventilation unit is well maintained
• Ensure the intake for the ventilation system is checked
• When possible, use natural ventilation
• Ensure staff schedule their work properly to ensure less stress
• Ensure staff take regular breaks and step away from their work space
• Encourage staff to eat healthy and get regular exercise

 

Sources:

http://www.nhs.uk/Search/?q=sick+building+syndrome

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2796751/

Sick Emoji

Stethoscope on heart

Hazard sign

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Project Role Players

Project Role Players

So, Project Role Players… this one got me thinking, a lot… jeepers 🙂 Leads 2 Business works with various of these role players on a daily basis as our Private Projects department goes hand in hand with these project role players. So, I will be giving you a run down of our Private Projects Department and where these project role players, in my understanding, generally fit in.

There are various stages that the projects follow and there are different professionals involved in each stage:

• Conceptual
• Procedural
• Design
• Tender
• Awarded
• Underway

Let’s have a look at each stage and who does what, when and where.

 

Conceptual:

This is the beginning phase of the project: the “Idea” 😉 This is the very early stage whereby an idea could become reality. The following could take place here:

• Client / Private Developer come into play. They are responsible for the costs of the project and receive benefits of / from completed projects. Their aim is to generate a profit. Without a client, there would be no project.
• Open Developer are generally for public organisations and would be aimed at social and welfare reasons.
• Feasibility Study would be done
• Securing of funding.
• Depending on the client and the project, some of the professionals could be appointed at this stage already.

 

Procedural:

This stage involves various approvals and authorisations such as:

• Licensing,
• Whether Geotechnical Studies have been completed,
• Whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been completed (EIA is a process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse).
• Property Rezoning, which a Town Planner would be responsible for. Is any rezoning required? Town planners are responsible for obtaining the town planning approvals and rezoning the land according to your development if required.
• Specialist consultants (eg Heritage consultant, Traffic Impact Assessment Consultant, etc could also be appointed in this stage).
• The professional team could already be appointed

 

Design:

This stage involves detailed design of the development. Majority of the professionals could have been appointed by this stage. For a building project, a Quantity Surveyor and an Architect would be appointed. For a roads or infrastructure project a Civil Engineer would be appointed. Lastly, a project for a bridge, a Structural Engineer would be appointed. A quantity surveyor would be appointed to draw up the bill of quantities and determine what is required to complete the construction of the development. An architect would be responsible for the actual design and work hand in hand, as well as the civil or structural engineer, with the quantity surveyor in order for the QS to compile the BoQ . We like to call the bill of quantities “the shopping list”. The following professionals could be appointed at this stage:

• Civil Engineer – An engineer who designs roads, bridges, dams and similar structures.
• Structural Engineer – This is a speciality within civil engineering. They create drawings and specifications, perform calculations, review the work of other engineers, write reports and evaluations, and observe construction sites.
• Project Manager – The person in charge of planning and execution of a specific project / development.
• Electrical Engineer – Someone who designs and develops new electrical equipment, solves problems and tests equipment.
• Mechanical Engineering – This is the branch of engineering that involves the design, production and operation of machinery, and could also involve the air conditioning of a building.
• Health and Safety Consultant – The person responsible for the health and safety of the workers on site during construction.
• Fire Engineer – The application of science and engineering principles to protect people and their environments from the harmful and destructive effects of fire and smoke.
• Estate Agent – A person who sells and / or rents out buildings and is responsible for securing tenants.
• Interior Designer – Mostly has to do with enhancing the interior of buildings, sometimes including the exterior as well. They work hand in hand with the architect and may even be the architect in some cases.
• Landscape Architect – Person responsible for the design of outdoor areas, landmarks and structures.

Once the quantity surveyor has drawn up and completed the BoQ, it heads to the client for approval to start getting ready for the tender process.

 

Tender:

This stage pretty much speaks for itself. This is when the tender is released, whether it is an open or an invited tender. If it is an open tender, it will be publicly advertised and if invited, specific contractors are requested by the client to submit their prices. In this stage, the contractor would send out requests for quotes to sub-contractors to obtain prices and then submit their best prices to the client.

 

Awarded:

In the stage, the client chooses the most successful proposal and the main contract is awarded for construction and they are referred to as the main contractor. He would appoint the sub-contractors as and when required. In this stage the main contractor would start getting ready to move onto site and start setting up for construction.

 

Underway:

Construction has started, contractors and subbies would be on site together with the project manager, quantity surveyor, architect, various engineers, estate agent, interior designer as well as the landscape architect.

So… this is my understanding of where project role players fit into the various project phases and hopefully I have cleared up a few things for you too…and as Doris McCarthy says: “You are actually constructing what your head understood about what your eyes saw” and that is how I feel about this topic… so get involved and get cracking Project Role Players 😉

 

References:

https://www.cbd.int/impact/whatis.shtml
https://www.sokanu.com/careers/electrical-engineer/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_engineering
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_protection_engineering
seaoc.org/what-structural-engineer

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