Autodesk ACC, HoloBuilder, Matterport
Powering
Possibilities
Ground breaking development
in South Africa
The Rosebank Mall project proves how digital design
and construction can reshape what’s possible in
South Africa’s built environment
York Bros Construction’s Energy Innovation at Rosebank Mall
In a landmark step for South Africa’s energy resilience, York Bros Construction, together with Modena AEC & Infrastructure as their technology partner, has delivered one of the country’s most advanced integrated backup power systems at Rosebank Mall.
The 5MW hybrid installation for Hyprop – an unprecedented achievement in the retail sector – was brought to life through the collaboration of FreedomWon, Burotech and a host of skilled professionals under the project management of Wally Weber of Blackdot Energy.
This project isn’t just about keeping the lights on. It’s about redefining how South African commercial properties approach energy management, financial stability, and long-term sustainability. With electricity tariffs climbing and load shedding continuing to challenge businesses, the team, along with York Bros Construction and Modena as their digital partner, have created a blueprint for independence from the grid – one that combines solar, battery, generator, and grid power into a seamless, intelligent system capable of making real-time decisions to optimise efficiency and cost.
Where Digital Innovation Meets Construction Excellence
At the heart of this achievement lies technology.
Modena’s introduction of Autodesk Construction Cloud and HoloBuilder transformed how this complex system was designed, coordinated, and documented.
Using a shared, cloud-based 3D environment, York Bros Construction and the broader project team could collaborate across disciplines – from electrical and mechanical to architectural and fire engineering – without missing a beat.
“HoloBuilder allowed us to virtually walk the site at any time,” explains Nathan York, Managing Director at York Bros Construction. “I could log in, see progress, review installations, and issue instructions remotely. That saved time, reduced errors, and kept everyone aligned.”
Through clash detection, live visualisation, and real-time communication, these digital tools prevented costly rework – saving the project an estimated R1 million in potential variation orders. For facilities management, the outcome is equally powerful: a digital twin of the system, complete with embedded manuals, maintenance data, and installation history.
As Warrick Harvey of Modena notes, “Your FM team now has a live digital model – an intelligent record that supports predictive maintenance and long-term asset performance.”
The Vision Behind the Screens
Recognising the industry significance of this achievement, Wally Weber of Blackdot Energy, the project manager, initiated an eight-part video series to document the journey.
The series brings together key players to share insights, challenges, and lessons learned – highlighting the collaboration and expertise that made this groundbreaking system possible.
The Rosebank Mall Energy Series by Blackdot Energy
A behind-the-scenes look at South Africa’s first large-scale retail hybrid energy system.
Click on each Episode to watch the YouTube series
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Episode 1 – Project Vision and Leadership
Featuring: Wally Weber, Blackdot Energy Focus: The origins of the Rosebank Mall backup project, the goals of energy independence, and the collaborative framework that brought the vision to life. -
Episode 2 – Powering Innovation: Freedom Won
Featuring: Freedom Won team Focus: The advanced lithium-ion battery technology that powers the system’s resilience and the safety engineering behind it. -
Episode 3 – Systems Integration: Burotech
Featuring: Burotech Focus: The engineering and automation backbone of the project - bringing together solar, gas, diesel, and grid inputs through intelligent control systems. -
Episode 4 – Energy Optimisation: Energenic
Featuring: Energenic Focus: The analytics and control strategies ensuring the system operates at peak efficiency and delivers measurable cost savings. -
Episode 5 – Design Collaboration: The Engineering Network
Featuring: Project engineers and consultants Focus: How cross-discipline collaboration ensured system safety, compliance, and performance under demanding site conditions. -
Episode 6 – Digital Delivery: York Bros Construction & Modena AEC & Infrastructure
Featuring: Nathan York (York Bros Construction), Michael Bredenkamp and Warrick Harvey (Modena AEC & Infrastructure) Focus: The pivotal role of digital tools - Autodesk Construction Cloud and HoloBuilder - in unifying design, construction, and facilities management, saving time, cost, and resources. -
Episode 7 – Facilities Management and Operations
Featuring: Hyprop management team Focus: Leveraging digital twins for predictive maintenance, operational efficiency, and long-term energy savings. -
Episode 8 – Future of Energy in South African Retail
Featuring: All stakeholders Focus: What this project means for the future of smart infrastructure and the lessons it offers for replication at scale.
Building the Future, One Innovation at a Time
Take a Matterport Walk-through
Step inside the system like never before with this interactive 3D Matterport tour of the entire plant room.
Click the tour below and use your mouse to move forward, left, right, up, and down through the plantroom. You’ll see the FreedomWon batteries, EPC inverters, transformers, and full hybrid microgrid layout – exactly as it was built.
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“Innovation happens when great teams and great tools meet a bold idea.
– Warrick Harvey