AECOM served as the lead design consultant and construction supervisor for the ABSA Zambia Head Office, a state-of-the-art three-story office building spanning 6,739m² that includes an energy center, gate house and staff parking. Officially opened by His Excellency, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, in March 2023.
Sustainability at the forefront
The building was designed with green principles in mind, it incorporates a climate control system managed by the building’s fully integrated Building Management System (BMS). Energy-efficient lighting, including LED and Compact Fluorescent Lights, Passive Infrared Sensors for automatic lighting control. The air conditioning system utilizes heat-recovery heat-pump units, which provide both heating and cooling simultaneously by repurposing waste heat, eliminating the need for additional electrical input, the system incorporates air-cooled evaporators, significantly reducing water usage. The landscaping was designed with indigenous, low-water-usage plants irrigated primarily with treated borehole water, with a backup municipal water supply.
To further enhance sustainability, a minimum of 30% fly ash was incorporated into the concrete mix for all reinforced elements, reducing reliance on cement and making use of recycled materials. Additionally, the structural steel roof was designed for recyclability, ensuring it can be repurposed at the end of its lifecycle.
Digital innovation
The project leveraged digital tools to ensure precision and efficiency. Using the latest design software packages with full 3D coordination for all services as well as a thorough technical quality review process delivered a detailed project. Autodesk’s BIM360 was used for document management, allowing seamless collaboration and access to design documents, while Holobuilder was implemented to track construction progress in real time. The design team relied on Autodesk Revit for infrastructure modeling and full 3D coordination of all building services, ensuring detailed technical integration. Weekly clash detection meetings were held to proactively resolve potential conflicts before construction, minimizing on-site issues.
The integration of these digital tools not only enhanced efficiency but also ensured precise adherence to design specifications. Those tools were used for coordination, clash detection, document management and construction tracking.
Project management
The partnership of Turner & Townsend (South Africa) and Profica (Zambia) managed the overall Services: Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Water Engineering, Fire Engineering Completion date: February 2023 Client: ABSA Bank Limited Location: Lusaka, Zambia project, while AECOM appointed an internal Engineering Design Manager to lead the engineering consulting team. AECOM provided engineering services in collaboration with Brian Colquhoun, Hugh O’Donnell and Partners (BCHOD Zambia) for civil, geotechnical and structural engineering, along with North Atlantic Engineering Consultants (NAEC Zambia) for electrical, mechanical, water and fire engineering. The technical design was managed onsite by the local Resident Engineering team, with support from South African engineers, ensuring that the contractor adhered to design intent and specifications.
Zambian legislation necessitated collaboration with local firms, ensuring contextual knowledge transfer. The consulting team successfully addressed inter-country logistical challenges, including the absence of a local dolomite standard and material supply constraints. The diverse backgrounds and cultures of the consultant team converged toward a common goal — creating infrastructure to serve Lusaka’s community.
This iconic landmark has set a new standard for office architecture in Lusaka. Key outcomes include a vibrant, piano-inspired façade, high-end finishes and cutting-edge technology position it as the future face of ABSA. One of its critical infrastructure components is an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), which guarantees continuous power for essential banking functions, safeguarding against disruptions. Additionally, Kelvin Siwale access road was upgraded, to improve site accessibility and visibility, contributing to better traffic flow around the development.
The project received a commendation for Best International Project at the CESA AON Engineering Excellence Awards 2023, underscoring AECOM’s dedication to sustainable design, digital innovation and delivering value to its clients and the broader community.