Encouraging integration and prompting movement were at the heart of how 1 Discovery Place was conceived. This was a building with people’s wellbeing at the forefront, rather than a warehouse for workers. The building comprises a ground floor open to the public and eight additional levels of office space, a Tier 3 data centre and an open and greened roof level with a running track.

Beyond the focus on the wellbeing of its people, sustainability was considered in its design and construction. As a result, 1 Discovery Place has received a six Green Star as-built rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa, which makes it one of only a handful of projects with this rating.

Green Star Certification is an internationally recognised and trusted mark of quality for the design, construction and operation of buildings, interior fitouts and precincts. Six stars is the highest rating, denoting a score of 75 and above (out of 100), which places the building or precinct in the ‘world leadership’ category.

Following clearly defined sustainability objectives from planning and design, the building achieves energy and water efficiencies through the use of, among other elements, a highly efficient air-conditioning system, energy efficient lighting, grey and rainwater harvesting systems, water-efficient sanitary fittings, as well as carbon monoxide monitoring in the basement.