JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South Africa’s largest coal producer and black-empowered coal company Exxaro has unveiled its new ultramodern headquarters.

The conneXXion, in Centurion, has e-parking bays for employees to charge their electric or hybrid vehicles while they work, and attractive central staircases to encourage lift avoidance.

Employee groups are able to collaborate in specially designed 'hives' and socialise in plazas, with sheltered havens for those needing focused concentration.

"It epitomises innovation, which is the byword at Exxaro these days," Exxaro CEO Mxolisi Mgojo says in a release to Creamer Media's Mining Weekly Online.

Occupation of the 18 000 m² building, in West street, opposite the Centurion Gautrain station, will commence in June.

Built by GrowthPoint, the building has a 5-star Green Star SA rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa and expects to be the recipient of the Well Building Standard, an accolade for premier standard buildings that place people at the forefront of sustainable design, construction, and operations.

The building is regarded as a physical manifestation of Exxaro's drive towards making use of innovative technology to improve operations and protect the environment.

The company describes itself as being deeply committed towards making life better for its 650 employees as well as the communities in which it operates.

Environmental features include:

• Innovative aerators fitted on to taps that limit water flow to 1.9 ℓ/min – significantly lower than the accepted Green Star flow rate of 4 ℓ/min;
• Water meters which monitor consumption and detect leakage;
• 158 kℓ water storage tanks for the collection of rainwater, which will be used for flushing and irrigation;
• Energy-efficient lighting, with an average lighting power density of less than 1.5 W/m²/100 Lux – achieving the highest score possible under the applicable Green Star credit;
• Light fittings equipped with both occupancy and daylight harvesting sensors;
• Energy-saving air-conditioning, hot-water heating, lifts and escalator systems installed throughout the building;
• 36 fuel-efficient vehicle bays, 21 electric bays and 15 hybrid bays, as well as 36 motorbike bays;
• Energy meters that constantly monitor and manage consumption;
• Photovoltaic panels to improve energy balance; and
• Building performance dashboards that highlight the sustainability initiatives implemented.

Overall, the building is expected to consume 76% less water than national best practice and eliminate energy waste.