rosebank-mall-energy-backup - Modena - Architecture | Engineering | Construction | Infrastructure

York Bros Construction

Pioneering Power Resilience at Rosebank Mall

A first-of-its-kind hybrid energy system setting the standard for commercial energy independence in Africa.

What happens when a construction company dares to challenge the norm of energy supply? At Rosebank Mall, York Bros Construction, supported by Modena, turned vision into innovation, delivering a hybrid backup power solution that doesn’t just keep the lights on – it redefines energy autonomy.

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From a builder’s perspective, being able to walk the site remotely, catch issues before they cost money, and hand over a digital twin – that’s next-level. – Nathan York, Managing Director

Contact person:

Nathan York

- Managing Director

Delivery date:

May 2025

Project duration:

18 Months

Solutions provided:

Autodesk Construction Cloud
HoloBuilder
Integration with Neointelli’s central controller
Lithium-ion battery technology from Freedom Won

Services provided:

BIM coordination
Digital project delivery tools
Site documentation via HoloBuilder
Clash detection and design validation
Remote collaboration tools
Training for facilities management teams
Support in embedding operational manuals into the digital model

Industry

The Challenge

At the height of South Africa’s energy uncertainty, Rosebank Mall needed more than just backup during load-shedding. With skyrocketing electricity tariffs and national grid instability, the challenge was twofold: ensure uninterrupted power and counter rising operational costs. The solution had to be both financially strategic and technically robust. Complicating matters were tight timelines, a wide array of subsystems, and the coordination of multidisciplinary teams – from electrical and HVAC engineers to fire specialists and architects. Navigating this complexity required more than traditional project management – it demanded real-time collaboration, visibility, and smart digital integration.

Project Goals

York Bros Construction had these goals in mind:

Implement a fully integrated backup energy solution combining solar, battery, gas/diesel generators, and the Eskom grid.
Deliver cost savings by offsetting peak-hour electricity tariffs through battery storage.
Ensure operational continuity regardless of Eskom outages or supply issues.
Design a scalable, replicable solution for other Hyprop-owned malls.
Reduce ROI period through smart energy arbitrage and tariff avoidance.
Equip the facilities team with digital tools for ongoing maintenance and management.

Solution

With Modena as our technology partner, we executed a hybrid energy system that includes a 1.3MW solar PV installation, a robust lithium-ion battery bank, and bi-fuel generators. All components are orchestrated by Neointelli’s smart controller, enabling seamless transitions between power sources. Crucially, Modena introduced us to HoloBuilder and Autodesk Construction Cloud, which transformed our workflows. These tools offered a real-time, 3D view of the build, allowing the team to monitor, collaborate, and avoid costly clashes – saving us nearly R1 million in variation orders. The system architecture also includes cybersecurity features and a comprehensive digital twin for predictive maintenance.

Business Outcomes

Estimated cost savings of R1.5 million per month through smart energy use.
Return on investment reduced from 7 years to 3 years and 2 months.
Enabled real-time project collaboration and remote monitoring via HoloBuilder.
Delivered a scalable prototype for future energy projects across South Africa.
Equipped the facilities team with a digital twin for smarter operations and forecasting.
Significantly reduced risk and variation orders through early clash detection.

Conclusion

What began as a response to an unreliable grid became a landmark in sustainable commercial development. With Modena’s digital solutions integrated into every phase, we delivered more than infrastructure—we enabled long-term energy intelligence. This project isn’t just a success for Rosebank Mall, but a blueprint for commercial power resilience in South Africa.

Our current ROI estimate is four years and eight months, and with another increase likely in August, we’re forecasting an estimated three years and two months. – Nathan York

York Bros Construction is a highly respected, multi-disciplinary construction firm focused on delivering innovative, turnkey solutions in infrastructure and commercial property development. With a commitment to quality and sustainability, they’ve established a track record across South Africa for excellence in engineering and execution.

Modena AEC & Infrastructure is your digital technology partner. With an unwavering dedication to innovation, we’re at the forefront of delivering advanced solutions and insights, keeping our clients abreast of industry changes, introducing new technologies and workflows that drive enhancements within their business. We remain committed to our ethos, “helping you deliver better projects”.

INSPIRING

Partnerships:

From a builder’s perspective, being able to walk the site remotely, catch issues before they cost money, and hand over a digital twin – that’s next-level. – Nathan York, Managing Director

Nathan York

Managing Director

“ACC offers definite benefits for working collaboratively on a single system—improved collaboration, streamlined workflows, real-time tracking, scalability, and flexibility.” – Stephanie Esterhuizen, Associate and National Drawing Office Manager

Francois Schutte, Director

Stephanie Esterhuizen, Associate and National Drawing Office Manager

Building Services, Electrical, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Fire Engineering, Wets

“Our slogan at Abcon Developments is ‘A future developed.’ As Head of Projects, I’ve taken this to heart, not just in terms of building our team but also in how we manage our processes and adopt technologies that streamline our work.” – Jacques Erasmus, Head of Projects

Jacques Erasmus

Head of Projects

Architecture, Construction, Project Management

“The knowledge transfer we achieve by uploading our own training is invaluable. A training video we shot three years ago is still teaching today.” – Michanté Davies

Michante Davies

Culture Custodian

Civil Engineering, Consulting Engineering, Structural Engineering

Modena’s expert training and up-skilling in Autodesk Revit transformed our team into proficient users, enabling us to deliver complex designs with precision and efficiency

Trevor Lovell

Managing Director

Architecture

By leveraging Modena’s deep knowledge and commitment to excellence, we achieved higher quality outcomes, resulting in increased client satisfaction and significant cost savings.

Mario Ferreira

Contracts Director

Construction Design

HoloBuilder has been a game-changer, allowing us to efficiently manage projects remotely across Africa. This has significantly reduced the need for frequent on-site visits.

Jaco Buys

Director at PR Engineering

Electrical Engineering, Fire Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Wets

Seeing the project come to life from a working model and seeing it finished like it is today from what the virtual renders were, is testament to the skills and dedication of our teams. – Similo Ndima, Architect, LYT Architecture

Similo Ndima

Architect at LYT Architecture

By leveraging advanced engineering solutions, we optimized both cost and performance, ensuring a structurally sound and sustainable outcome.

Civil Engineering

Centralization of information became our main focus due to the amount of documentation we need to manage and the number of stakeholders we report to.

People

Process

Technology

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Pioneering Power Resilience at Rosebank Mall

A first-of-its-kind hybrid energy system setting the standard for commercial energy independence in Africa.

Nathan York

- Managing Director

May 2025

Project duration:

18 Months

Industry

The Challenge

Project Goals

Solution

Business Outcomes

Conclusion

Partnerships:

Nathan York

Managing Director

Francois Schutte, Director

Stephanie Esterhuizen, Associate and National Drawing Office Manager

Building Services, Electrical, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Fire Engineering, Wets

Jacques Erasmus

Head of Projects

Architecture, Construction, Project Management

Michante Davies

Culture Custodian

Civil Engineering, Consulting Engineering, Structural Engineering

Trevor Lovell

Managing Director

Architecture

Mario Ferreira

Contracts Director

Construction Design

Jaco Buys

Director at PR Engineering

Electrical Engineering, Fire Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Wets

Similo Ndima

Architect at LYT Architecture

Civil Engineering

Jacques Kok and Albert van Niekerk

Business Owners

Construction

About us

People

Process

Technology

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