Developments News

Grand Baie’s The Precinct becomes the first 5-Star Green rated development in Mauritius

The Precinct, an office development in Grand Baie, Mauritius, has been awarded a 5-Star Green rating by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA).

Developed by Gateway Real Estate Africa and to be anchored by Grit Real Estate Investment, Dentons Law and Workshop 17, The Precinct is the first development in Mauritius to achieve this rating and it is currently the highest green rated office development in the Indian Ocean Islands region.

Our brief from the anchor tenant has always been to incorporate sustainability and employee wellbeing as the main points of departure in the design and development of The Precinct. Corporate culture is rapidly changing, which is morphing the workplace into many functionalities”, comments CEO of Gateway Real Estate Africa, Greg Pearson.

“The Precinct is revolutionary in that it will combine work, wellbeing, and a social lifestyle through well considered and contemporary spaces”.

“Key to this was to ensure a design and location that promote a lower carbon footprint and better sustainability. I am thrilled that these efforts have been recognized by the Green Building Council of South Africa by way of a 5-Star Green certified rating.”

Comprising of a lettable area of 10 000m2 with 500 parking bays, the development will form part of a larger complex to be built in phases. With its prime location strategically next to the M2 motorway at the entrance to Grand Baie, The Precinct will ultimately form part one of three interconnected environments, all set in a lush green landscape.

Apart from the central atrium, which will provide a dynamic, active interior street, The Precinct includes a ground floor eatery with an extensive outdoor deck for the benefit of all tenants and business visitors. Security is provided at the entrance to The Precinct, with bicycle parking, shower facilities and change rooms accommodated in the basement parking.

Sustainability measures include water saving sanware, motion sensor and LED lighting, photovoltaic panels on the roof, the use of natural light and ventilation incorporated into the design, energy sub-metering, lighting power density, water meters and recycling waste storage. The Precinct also promotes minimal discharge to the municipal sewer system and is considering rainwater harvesting to minimize storm water run-off to and pollution of natural water courses.

The uppermost floor is an expansive entertainment space complete with sky bar, barbeque, and catering kitchen. This exclusive space opens fully onto two covered verandas which enjoy panoramic views over Grand Baie and the ocean providing an extraordinary entertainment or conferencing facility. 

The GBCSA works in collaboration with emerging Green Building Councils throughout Africa and is a natural indication of standards for green building movements and councils in other parts of Africa.

For a project to achieve GBSCA certification, it needs to be registered via the GBSCA Certification Engine. Once registered, the development will go through a host of assessments and receive scores based on the management and design of the building. The final score involves an assessment of the building including waste management, land and use ecology, materials used, transportation, indoor environment quality, emissions, and SEC innovation.

In line with our corporate philosophy of local empowerment and re-investing back into the communities in which we operate, we have partnered with a number of local professional firms and are making use of local artisans and materials wherever possible. We expect approximately 500 jobs to be created during the construction phase and several temporary and permanent positions on completion of the project,” Pearson added.

The Mauritian offices of well-known international companies have been mandated to provide professional services for the project, including Elphick Proome International Architects, Novospace for interior design, Arup as consulting engineers, RLB Hooloomann for cost consultancy, and Hodari Africa for project management.

Construction commenced in June 2021 with the breaking of ground and it is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.