GBCSA commits to promote green construction in South Africa

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South Africa’s Green Building Council (GBCSA) is set to introduce a net zero/positive building certification scheme by 2020.

Green Building Council, along with other 24 green building councils across the globe made some commitments during Building Day– a side event to the twenty-first Conference of the Parties (COP21), held in Paris, France, the past week.

The councils made pledges to revolutionize the sustainability of their buildings in a bid to trim down emissions of greenhouse gas and make certain that the construction industry play its part in the fight against global warming.

Brian Wilkinson, Green Building Council CEO said the council’s commitment would cover carbon emissions and energy, and perhaps also cover water and waste.

GBCSA’s Green Star SA status and Energy Water Performance certification schemes would make it possible to attain the commitments. The certification schemes could assess whether a building was water or energy neutral or positive.

The council also made a pledge to six more goals to be attained by 2020.

This entailed securing statements of commitment in respect of the green building principles and practices for the leading and largest property owners in the country; with a target of 2 500 commercial green building certifications representing around ten-million square metres of total building area with a target of 10 000 residential green building certified homes; and the training of 12 000 professionals in green building principles and practices.

It would also have a number of local government staff trained in green building principles and practices and to assist in the establishment of five more green building councils across Africa.

Growthpoint Properties, a real estate investment trust also made a pledge to increase its green energy generation as well as ensure that all 184 of its office buildings were energy and water efficient and its long-term office investments and new developments were certified green buildings.

Growthpoint is a platinum founding member of the GBCSA and owns the largest portfolio of certified green buildings of any company in South Africa.

The real estate trust was, as part of its commitment to increasing the percentage of green energy consumed by its buildings, growing its green energy base.

Growthpoint office sector divisional director Rudolf Pienaar said the trust had singled out over 70 buildings for solar photovoltaic installations.

The trust has already validated rooftop solar capable of generating 6 MW. Some of the projects are already complete while others still under construction.

South Africa’s Green Building Council ensures that buildings are designed, built and operated in an environmentally sustainable way.