Our holistic campus development approach is solution driven and includes the development of retail spaces, private hospitals and schools; it is not limited to building student residences and is very much focused on innovative building technologies that are energy efficient and sustainable. Students in well-designed, on-campus accommodation have a 25% greater chance of passing than those who are not. Currently, students at African universities can barely afford the operational cost of student accommodation, let alone the capital cost.
In the SADC countries, we are in the process of funding the development of accommodation at universities in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Lesotho. In South Africa, we are currently working on a 2 047 bed student village at the university of Fort Hare – the biggest student housing development ever undertaken by a public university in South Africa.
Research by the Association of College and Housing Officers International (ACUHO-I), representing student housing officials from universities around the world and STAG African have identified 8 principles that contribute to developing student accommodation that has a positive effect on student health and hence student success. These design principles are:
- Transformation
- Innovation
- Technology
- Community
- Sustainability
- Flexibility
- Affordability
- Job creation
Affordability, without which no accommodation will become a reality, is based on:
- Optimal Architectural Design
- Product Innovation
- Humanitarian Grant Funding
STAG African’s model is based on the Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer (DFBOT) basis.
DESIGN
STAG African’s particular specialty is custom-designed, high-quality student accommodation that is 100% focused on the unique needs of students and universities. Our design process starts with a clear understanding of those needs and always ends with highly satisfied students and happy university administration and finance entities. Our designs are undertaken in close collaboration with our clients and we use standard or innovative building methods of the highest international standards. We pay careful attention to every detail and ensure that all requirements are met, without incurring in excessive costs or causing lengthy delays. Our design process also includes comprehensive liaison with relevant government and legal bodies to ensure that all legislative requirements are fully met, thereby limiting or preventing any administrative delays.
FINANCE
Traditional student accommodation construction is extremely expensive. In fact, the cost of constructing typical student accommodation can be as high as R330 000 per bed. It is the vision of STAG African to change this situation by providing high-quality, comfortable and spacious student accommodation at a fraction of the price universities typically expect to pay. That’s why the cost of constructing a STAG African bed starts from less than R200 000 per bed. This cost includes; standard finance charges and interest, council fees, professional fees, construction, civils and site works and furniture. In addition to dramatically reducing the cost of typical student accommodation by combining optimal architectural and innovative construction methods, STAG African is able to assist its clients with their student accommodation finance requirements through the use of private capital, university grant money, or a combination of the two.
BUILD
While STAG African offers a full selection of standard construction methods, our innovative STAG African concept is based on current global best practices in design and construction. The construction system is known internationally as Innovative Building Technology (IBT) and it is the fastest growing construction industry segment worldwide. IBT has been used extensively in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, USA, Canada and Turkey and is now gaining popularity throughout Africa. Overall, the STAG African’s building system offers numerous compelling benefits; lower construction cost than traditional building, speed and flexibility in construction, low structure combustibility, lower maintenance, reduced carbon footprint in construction and operation of building, improved insulation, excellent thermal characteristics and thermal comfort levels for occupants, significant environmental sustainability benefits, minimal disruption during construction, finished building longevity and durability.
OPERATE
STAG African offers the value-adding service of operating, maintaining and managing our completed student residences on behalf of, or in conjunction with, its clients. Service includes; provision of STAG African cleaning services, on going maintenance and upkeep of the building and facilities, two-way communication and engagement with residents, management of security services if required, maintenance of all operating features, including WiFi, and any other operations or maintenance services as agreed. Included in the STAG African offering is a focus on the emotional, social and psychological wellbeing of our students, a soft but critical, additional service.
TRANSFER
Depending on the finance options selected, STAG African is able to facilitate the smooth transfer of ownership of the building back to the institution at the end of the initial lease period.