9 July 2013
Activity in South Africa’s green building sector has surged in recent months as the government, businesses and developers in the country increasingly embrace sustainable building practices.
According to the Green Building Council of South Africa, June 2013 alone saw six green building certifications, bringing the total number of Green Star-rated buildings in the country to 36.
“The GBCSA is very encouraged to see this spike in the number of buildings achieving Green Star SA ratings,” the organisation’s chief executive officer, Brian Wilkinson, said in a statement last week.
“We are confident that the green building movement in South Africa will continue this upward trajectory and that we will increasingly see green building practices becoming the norm.”
These Green Star-rated buildings include the Environmental Affairs Department’s head office in Pretoria, which scored the highest rating possible at six stars and was a first for a government-owned building in the country.
“Hyundai’s new head office, situated in Bedfordview, is another exciting development to receive a Green Star Rating as it signifies buy-in and commitment to sustainable practices from this large motor corporation – the first green building rating in South Africa achieved within this sector,” the GBCSA said.
Nedbank’s Menlyn Maine Falcon Building in the Menlyn Maine Precinct in Pretoria scored a five-star rating, and all buildings in the precinct will be required to achieve a minimum four-star rating.
It is also the first project in Africa to be registered with the Clinton Climate Initiative, a programme of the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation. The initiative is a strict rating mechanism to evaluate the carbon neutrality of a project.
“The industry is embracing this absolutely necessary shift towards sustainable practices and it is exciting to be part of this change,” Wilkinson said.
SAinfo reporter
