By Bradley Komen and Graeme Page, Graeme Page Consulting Engineers (GPCE)

Meeting strict deadlines was crucial to ensure a smooth transition from Primedia’s previous location to the prestigious 15 Fredman Drive, and the construction team delivered on time, allowing the media company to move in seamlessly.

The façade of Primedia’s new headquarters.

The façade of Primedia’s new headquarters. All photos by Sarah de Pina.

Primedia, a leading media company, is dedicated to delivering cutting-edge media and advertising solutions. With a strong presence in the market, they have become a top provider of media services in the country. Primedia’s headquarters is now located at 15 Fredman Drive building, an iconic landmark in Sandton’s bustling cityscape.

The development of the 15 Fredman Drive project spanned 13 months, starting from the initial design meeting in February 2022. Primedia started taking possession of their new offices in March 2023 and officially commenced operations in June 2023.

Transformed from an empty and run-down shell, the magnificent 15 Fredman Building now stands as a striking modern marvel with an elegant black and white facade. Primedia, in collaboration with the project team, embarked on a mission to create an awe-inspiring architectural masterpiece that seamlessly blends aesthetics with environmental responsibility. Their unwavering commitment is shown in their drive to achieve a prestigious 4-star Greenstar rating, showcasing the building’s optimal operational efficiency and its remarkable metamorphosis.

To cater to Primedia’s needs, GPCE introduced an innovative Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) system, designed to efficiently cool each of the building’s four floors. Each floor was further subdivided into separate north and south zones, with a dedicated VRV system serving each zone independently. This strategic division ensured redundancy, offering uninterrupted cooling even in the event of a malfunction in one VRV system. The choice to adopt the VRV system was a result of Primedia’s past encounter with a troublesome chilled water system, plagued by frequent breakdowns and intricate maintenance issues. The VRV solution provided a reliable and hassle-free alternative, effectively transforming the entire building into a comfortably climate-controlled workspace.

The atrium.

The atrium.

The selected VRV system offered an added advantage of heat recovery, allowing individual air conditioning units to operate simultaneously in both heating and cooling modes. This feature significantly enhanced occupant comfort, as each individual could easily adjust the temperature according to their preferences. Moreover, the heat recovery capability contributed to the overall energy efficiency of the building, aligning perfectly with the Greenstar requirements.

For the VRV heat recovery system, Samsung’s DVM S product line, utilising a three-pipe design for enhanced heat recovery and energy savings, was employed. The outdoor units were strategically placed on the building’s plantroom located on the side of the building, between the first and second floors, with refrigerant piping running through dedicated shafts to the respective floor zones and distribution (MCU) boxes, from which they supplied conditioned air to individual units. The hermetically sealed inverter compressors and R410a refrigerant added to the system’s energy-efficient operation.

Typical VRV indoor unit application.

Typical VRV indoor unit application.

Inside the building, ducted hideaway units dominated the open plan offices, accompanied by cassette units in cellular office areas. Meeting rooms, demo rooms, and cellular offices were all equipped with their own indoor units. The return air plenum was connected to the back of the hideaway units, avoiding mixing from different temperature zones and making maintenance access convenient – a core design principle for Primedia’s new offices.

The office’s design temperature was set at a comfortable 22°C, with individual controllers in each cellular office to allow personalised temperature control. Motion sensors were installed to regulate energy consumption when offices and meeting rooms were unoccupied. To oversee and manage the HVAC system efficiently, a central controller provided by Samsung was implemented, granting full control over the entire building’s AC system. Samsung’s central controller facilitated comprehensive control through temperature set points, heating or cooling modes, and fan speed adjustments.

Transformed from an empty and run-down shell, the magnificent15 Fredman Building now stands as a striking modern marvel with an elegant black and white facade.

Transformed from an empty and run-down shell, the magnificent 15 Fredman Building now stands as a striking modern marvel with
an elegant black and white facade.

A key element of the HVAC system was the introduction of fresh air. Multiple dedicated outdoor air units were installed on the third floor, supplying pre-cooled fresh air to each floor through dedicated ducted risers. The fresh air flow rate stood at 10 litres per second per person, promoting a healthier and more productive office environment.

Primedia’s new offices also boast an onsite canteen, equipped with a large canopy extract system to maintain air quality. Capture jet canopies were employed to minimise the required air flow and duct size, providing efficient ventilation. To prevent negative pressure situations, make-up air was interlocked to the canopies, supplying fresh air to the canteen and kitchen areas.

Third floor fresh air systems.

Third floor fresh air systems.

The basement of 15 Fredman Drive has three levels, mechanically ventilated and controlled by carbon monoxide monitors. The extract fans are controlled by VSDs, speeding up and slowing down the fans based on the carbon monoxide concentration found in the basement levels.

To meet Greenstar requirements for noise levels in the office spaces, the design of fresh air ducting was meticulously planned to minimise cross talk between offices. Fresh air spigots were positioned at a distance from each other, and sound attenuators were installed where necessary. Additionally, the supply air ducting for indoor units featured 25mm sonic lining to dampen noise generation and propagation.

Main boardroom VRV cassette units.

Main boardroom VRV cassette units.

Primedia, being a media company and boasting multiple radio stations such as 94.7 and 702, required stringent noise control and acoustic parameters to be met in their studios, recording rooms and other sound sensitive areas. To meet their requirements, a full acoustic analysis and design had to be performed on each acoustically managed area, with specially designed sound attenuators.

The successful completion of the project provided Primedia with an efficient and green HVAC system, keeping occupants comfortable and productive regardless of external conditions.