Despite its magnificence and cultural diversity, South Africa is unfortunately plagued with two challenges which are unemployment and poor waste management. South Africa has a current unemployment rate of 26.7% which equates to 6 million unemployed South Africans, most of whom can be found in rural and peri-urban communities. WILDTRUST CEO, Dr Andrew Venter says that to … [Read more...]
Waste into home building materials brings new hope
Here is a beautiful fusion of human and environmental needs addressed through innovative design and creative solutions. The Polystyrene Packaging Council (“PSPC”) in partnership with the Mobile Education and Training Trust (“METT”), a Non-Profit Organisation, recently launched the new Village of Hope, a R285 million project that is nearing completion in Kosmos in the North … [Read more...]
Finding smart insulation for a hot house
Another summer almost over … hope to goodness the worst heat is over. How clueless was the building industry about energy efficiency when most of our houses were built! Who does not want to save energy now – and it is indeed all our duty to relieve the pressure on the national energy supply. Our double storey really cooks upstairs, where we work. Ancient traces of insulation … [Read more...]
Cape Town office block achieves SA’s first socio-economic impact certification
Karl Bremer Office Block in Bellville, Cape Town, is the first project to achieve a Socio-Economic Category (SEC) Pilot rating in Africa as part of its 5-Star Green Star SA rating, achieved at the same time, announced the Green Building Council of SA (GBCSA). The office block is a project of the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works. The Socio-Economic … [Read more...]
Community garden bulldozed in dead of night
A developer bulldozed a beloved community garden in Coney Island, New York on Saturday to make way for an amphitheater — uprooting 20 chickens on a decades-old plot that survived Hurricane Sandy. Construction workers entered the Boardwalk Garden under the cover of darkness and chucked tools and wheelbarrows, along with farm fowl and a colony of feral cats, activists … [Read more...]
Portable solar powered buildings coming to a township near you
Made by South African company Structure Now PTY Ltd, the first completed unit to roll off the production line was acquired by Investec and was donated to the Westbury Secondary School in Gauteng. The facility will serve as a teacher training development centre. The enquiries have not stopped since the official opening ceremony organized by The Investec Power and Infrastructure … [Read more...]
R15m hemp project goes to seed
A multimillion-rand project launched 14 years ago for South Africa to grow and produce hemp has virtually stalled because of legal glitches, says the government. Ayabulela Ngoqo, the Eastern Cape’s Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Department spokesman, said the project, launched in 1999, had focused on job creation, but in 2006 had come to a halt. Equipment meant to … [Read more...]
Energy expert to teach renewable energy
Renowned international expert in energy conservation, energy management, urban sustainability and performance contracting, Dr Stephen A Roosa, will be presenting the US-based Association for Energy Engineers (AEE) Certified Renewable Energy Professional (REP) training course in South Africa at its launch in November 2013. The Energy Training Foundation (EnTF), the approved … [Read more...]
Environmental Affairs Head Office receives 6 stars
The new Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) head office in Pretoria has received a 6 Star Green Star SA Office Design v1 certification from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). This is the first government building in South Africa to achieve a 6 Star Green Star SA rating, as well as being the first 6 Star rated green building in the City of Tshwane. A … [Read more...]
Retailers will pay to improve Bangladesh factories
Several of the biggest Western retailers embraced a plan that would require them to pay for factory improvements in Bangladesh as the three-week search for victims of the worst garment-industry disaster in history ended recently with the death toll at a staggering 1,127. Bangladesh’s government also agreed to allow garment workers to form unions without permission from … [Read more...]
‘Building whisperer’ to make UCT Africa’s first smart campus
A public lecture by guest international speaker, David Bartlett, shone light on a new project to make the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) campus the first ‘smart campus’ in Africa. David Bartlett, also known as ‘the building whisperer’ is an internationally renowned IT professional, known for reducing the energy consumption of buildings considerably. He was listed by … [Read more...]
Paarl’s first green offices aim for 4 stars
Cecilia Square is an exciting new green building being erected on the N1, nearby the Paarl mall. It was launched last week and the plans are to open the doors of this groundbreaking office development on 1 August next year. The building aims to receive a 4 Green Star Rating by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) and is one of only 7 green buildings registered … [Read more...]
Working together to reduce energy consumption
Reducing the energy consumption of a building takes a concerted combined effort from the property owners, managers, tenants and staff - but is a very worthwhile exercise, both from a financial and an environmental point of view. This is according to Martin Bester, Managing Director of Intersect Sectional Title Services, the sectional title specialist subsidiary of the Spire … [Read more...]
