2. SANS 10400 PART XA - ENERGY EFFIECIENCY AND ENERGY USA IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
THE SABS TECHNICAL COMMITTEE (SC 59G) THAT HAS BEEN DELIBERATING ON ENERGY
EFFICIENT BUILDINGS HAS FINALLY RELEASED THEIR PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO SANS
10400. THE DOCUMENT IS CALLED ‘SANS 10400 PART XA: ENERGY USAGE.
THIS AMENDMENT HAS TO DO WITH THE ENERGY THAT A BUILDING LOSES AND HOW MUCH
ENERGY IT CAN GENERATE AT THE SAME TIME. THE BUILDINGS ARE THEN RATED
ACCORDING TO HOW FAST AND HOW MUCH ENERGY IT LOSES
THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY LOSS NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED AS TO NOT ALLOW FOR THE
BUILDING TO LOSE MORE ENERGY THAN IT IS PRODUCING
THIS AMENDMENT REQUIRES THAT ALL NEW BUILDINGS IN SOUTH AFRICA ARE TO MAKE USE OF
SOLAR WATER HEATING, HEAT PUMPS OR HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS TO HEAT AT LEAST 50%
OF THE BUILDINGS HOT WATER SUPPLY

3. ARCHITECTS ARE TRAINED INDIVIDUALS WHO DEVELOP CONCEPTUAL IDEAS FOR BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURESM
THEN TURN THOSE CONCEPTS INTO THE DESIGNS AND PLANS THAT ARE USED TO GUIDE THE BUILDING PROCESS.
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, ARCHITECTS TAKE ON A NUMBER OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
ARCHITECTS ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE A REASONABLE WORKING KNOWLEGDE OF THE LAWS AND LEGISLATIONS
GOVERNING DESIGN AND BUILDING WORKS. THE ARCHITECT HAS TO ENSURE THAT HIS PLANS COMPLY WITH THE
ACTS AND REGULATIONS
SOMETIMES DUE TO THE COMPLEXITIES OF SOME PROJECTS, THE ARCHITECT WILL USUALLY DELEGATE A LARGE
AMOUNT OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF A DESIGN TO OTHER SKILLED PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS MECHANICAL
AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS, CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS, QUANTITY SURVEYORS, ETC, AND SHOULD
THEN INFORM THE CLIENT OF THIS.
DESIGN RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN ARCHITECT CAN RANGE FROM THE AESTHETIC DESIGNS OF A BUILDING TO
SPECIFICATIONS, SELECTION OF FINISHES, AND THE CHOICE OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES. THE ARCHITECT
MUST EXERCISE SKILL AND CARE IN THE EXECUTION OF HIS DESIGNS AND IN THE CHOICE AND SPECIFICATION
OF MATERIALS

4. THE ARCHITECT HAS TO HAVE A HIGH DUTY OF CARE TO HIS EMPLOYER TO ENSURE THAT HIS DESIGN IS
SUITABLE FOR THE PURPOSE MADE KNOWN TO HIM
THE ARCHITECT IS TO OBSERVE AND INVESTIGATE THE SITE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE ARE ANY PHYSICAL
CONSTRAINTS WHICH MAY AFFECT THE SITE OR BUILDING. HE SHOULD ALSO OBTAIN PLANS FROM THE
LOCAL AUTHORITIES SHOWING ANY PLANNING CONSTRAINTS. IF THE ARCHITECT DOES NOT HAVE THE
SUITABLE EQUIPMENT TO CONDUCT A PROPER SITE INVESTIGATION, HE MUST ADVISE THE CLIENT TO MAKE
USE OF A SUAITABLE PROFESSIONAL SUCH AS A LAND SURVEYOR, ETC TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION
AN ARCHITECT IS OFTEN ASKED TO PRODUCE A DESIGN WITHIN A GIVEN BUDGET, AND IN THIS CASE, THE
ARCHITECT MAY BE UNDER A DUTY TO DESIGN WORKS CAPABLE OF BEING CARRIED OUT AT A
REASONABLE COST, WHILST CONSIDERING ITS SCOPE AND FUNCTION
THE ARCHITECT HAS THE DUTY OF RECOMMENDING THE FORM OF CONTRACT TO BE USED TO HIS EMPLOYER,
ENSURING THAT HE IS FAMILIAR WITH THAT FORM OF CONTRACT AND IS ABLE TO ADMINISTER THAT
CONTRACT
THE ARCHITECT IS TO ENSURE THAT THE PLANS, DRAWINGS AND DETAILS ARE ISSUED TO HIS EMPLOYER AND
THE CONTRACTOR WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME
IT IS ALSO THE DUTY OF THE ARCHITECT TO SUPERVISE THE BUILDING WORKS FOR WHICH HE/SHE HAS
DESIGNED, ENSURING THAT THE BUILDING WORKS ARE CARRIED OUT ACCORDING TO THE PLANS,
SPECIFICATIONS AND THE FORMS OF THE BUILDING CONTRACT, AS WELL AS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
ACTS AND REGULATIONS. THIS INCLUDES THE PREVENTION, DETECTION, AND CORRECTION OF DEFECTIVE
WORK WHILST ENSURING THAT THE MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP CONFORM TO THE CONTRACTURAL
REQUIREMENTS
WHERE THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT REQUIRE THE ARCHITECT TO CERTIFY PAYMENTS TO THE CONTRACTOR,
THE ARCHITECT IS TO ENSURE THAT THE WORKS ARE CARRIED OUT TO HIS SATISFACTION BEFORE HE CAN
CERTIFY THE PAYMENT

5. THE LIST OF TENDER DOCUMENTS
GENERALLY INCLUDES:
A TENDER DOCUMENT IS A WRITTEN INVITATION
WHICH IS SENT TO POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS OF
o INSTRUCTIONS TO TENDERERS
A GOOD OR SERVICE INFORMING THEM
o FORM OF TENDER
ABOUT THE INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR
o GENERAL CONDITION OF
THE BUYER TO CHOOSE AMONG THEM.
CONTRACT
o SPECIAL CONDITION OF
ISSUING A TENDER DOCUMENT TYPICALLY CONTRACT
BEGINS THE TENDER PROCESS BY WHICH A o GENERAL SPECIFICATION
BUSINESS SELECTS QUALIFIED AND o PARTICULAR SPECIFICATION
INTERESTED SUPPLIERS BASED ON THINGS o BILL OF QUANTITIES
SUCH AS THEIR PRICE, AVAILABILITY, AND o METHODS OF MEASUREMENT
PROPOSED DELIVERY TERMS. A LACK OF o TENDER DRAWINGS
ADEQUATE INFORMATION IN THE TENDER o ADDITIONAL APPENDICES
DOCUMENTS WILL, AS A RESULT, LEAD TO o FORM OF AGREEMENT
DISPUTES AND CLAIMS DURING AND AT
THE END OF THE CONTRACT

6. THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN SETTING
UP TENDER DOCUMENTS:
o FOCUS ON THE CLIENT – TALK ABOUT THEIR
NEEDS AND HOW YOU CAN SOLVE THEIR
PROBLEMS
o HELP THE CLIENT COME UP WITH IDEAS
o MAKE SURE YOU COVER EVERYTHING IN THE
QUALIFICATIONS DOCUMENT
o VALUE FOR MONEY, AND NOT JUST THE PRICE,
DECIDES MOST BIDS – EMPHASISE RISK
REDUCTION, LOW MAINTENANCE, QUALITY,
RELAIBILITY, ETC
o ANALYSE ALL THE COST AND PRICING FACTORS
OF THE CONTRACT
o SHOW YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THE
WORK IN A COST – EFFECTIVE WAY TO MEET THE
NEEDS OF THE CLIENT, HIT DEADLINES, AND
RESPOND WELL TO CHANGING SITUATIONS

7. THE BILLS OF QUANITITES IS THE MOST COMMON FORM OF PRICING STRATEGY USED WHERE
THE CONTRACTOR UNDERTAKES CONSTRUCTION ON THE BASIS OF FULL DESIGNS ISSUED
BY THE EMPLOYER
THE BILLS OF QUANTITIES IS SOMETIMES ALSO REFERRED TO AS A ‘SCHEDULE OF QUANTITIES’
AND IS A LIST OF ITEMS AND ITS MEASURED OR ESTIMATED QUANTITIES AS WELL AS A
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK TO BE PERFORMEDUNDER THE CONTRACT. THE
QUANTITIES AND DESCRIPTIONS ARE DETERMINED AND MEASURED FROM DRAWINGS
AND SPECIFICATIONS

8. THE BoQ HAS TWO PURPOSES: THE USE OF A BoQ ON
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS
o PRESENTING INFORMATION TO THE PERMITS 4 IMPORTANT
TENDERES ENABLING THEM TO PRICE OBJECTIVES TO BE ACHIEVED:
EACH INDIVIDUAL ITEMS AS IT RELATES
TO THE DATA STIPULATED IN THE
CONTRACT, THE SCOPE OF THE o THE TENDERERS ARE PROVIDED WITH
WORK, AND THE SITE ENOUGH INFORMATION REGARDING THE
INFORMATION, ALLOWING THE EXTENT OF THE WORK REQUIRED TO
TENDERERS TO ARRIVE AT A TOTAL OF ENABLE THEM TO ACCURATLEY AND
PRICES CONFIDENTLY PREPARE RESPONSIVE
TENDERS
o ALLOWS THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR o TENDER PRICES CAN BE OBJECTIVELY
EVALUATING TENDERS TO UNDERSTAND COMPARED AS THEY HAVE BEEN
HOW THE WORKS HAVE BEEN PRICED SUBMITTED USING THE SAME
INFORMATION
o IF ALL THE WORK HAS BEEN
MEASURED, EMPLOYERS CAN
DETERMINE, BEFORE-HAND, THE COST OF
CONTRACTS WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF
ACCURACY
o THE VALUE OF WORK CARRIED OUT AT
ANY STAGE OF A CONTRACT CAN BE
OBJECTIVLEY DETERMINED

9. Before any form of building work can
begin, contracts need to be signed and
the building licence approval is
obtained. The builder can then begin
construction on site. After signing the
contract with the builder the architect
then has to administer the contract and
assure that the building is constructed
according to the documents. The
architects also signs and certifies any
changes, claims for payment, and
alterations during that period. Once the
building is completed, the architect is to
issues a final certificate which ends the
contracts between the builder and
architect.