Rising utility costs, paired with competitively priced sustainable tools to supplement municipal electricity and water use, mean that sectional title schemes are becoming a more viable marketplace for the green building sector. While each scheme has unique characteristics, their expenses are often centred around meeting similar needs, namely: electricity and water use, … [Read more...]
Affordable housing designed with the environment in mind
A Western Cape design project that encourages innovation and affordable solutions in low-income housing is in the running for a prestigious US$85,000 award. Known as the Better Living Challenge (BLC), the project is in the finals for the Human City Design Award, organised by the Seoul Design Foundation. The winner will be announced on Thursday 26 September in Seoul, South … [Read more...]
Turning aspiration into action: maintaining green building status
While building green is a crucial first step in creating a greener, cleaner and smarter environment, some of these facilities fail to maintain efficient green functioning practices. Resulting in a building that is green, i.e. built with green and organic materials, but facility management that is not. The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) is well known for its … [Read more...]
Features to look for in an eco-friendly home
Being eco-friendly is no longer just a fad or trend; it’s a lifestyle choice and it’s here to stay. With the Western Cape’s current severe drought situation, and thousands of tonnes of waste poured into our landfills every year, there’s no time like the present to think more seriously about adopting the ‘green’ lifestyle. If you’re browsing for houses for sale, and want to … [Read more...]
GBCSA launches Green Star Communities Pilot Programme in SA
The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) announced the launch of the locally applicable version of the Green Star – Communities rating tool in South Africa. The tool is a framework that will drive the development of more sustainable neighbourhoods and precincts, ultimately making African cities more sustainable. Green Star – Communities, developed by the Green … [Read more...]
UCT excels in environmental innovation at second Greenovate Awards
Young environmental visionaries from the University of Cape Town took first place in the Growthpoint Greenovate Awards for the second year running. The awards recognise innovative solutions for the property industry to environmental challenges. Now in its second year, the awards programme is an exciting initiative by Growthpoint Properties in association with the Green … [Read more...]
New sustainable architecture awards promote regeneration, reconciliation and restoration
Seven Awards and four Commended projects were announced in the 2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation at the gala event in Cape Town. The eleven projects chosen by the award adjudicators were among a total of 22 final qualifying entries that had been selected from a record number of eligible submissions earlier this year. “The Awarded and … [Read more...]
Eco-friendly extension to Menlyn Park shopping centre a first
Four green stars for a shopping mall. Hats off! The extension of Menlyn Park Shopping Centre in Pretoria has been awarded a 4-star Green Star Retail Design rating by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) for the substantial effort undertaken to develop their first building phase, on environmentally friendly design and construction principles. This forms part … [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...]
Green Building Council calls for total energy debate in SA
As the country receives Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's 2016 Budget Speech, the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) has called for a total energy debate. Gordhan, who was recently re-appointed as Finance Minister by President Jacob Zuma, faces a difficult challenges: energy, restoring confidence in economic policy, keeping the nation from losing its … [Read more...]
Top speakers inspire at the 2015 Green Building Convention
“If everyone got free WiFi with every tree they planted, we wouldn’t have the problem of climate change.” This was the sentiment shared by renowned businessman, activist and sustainability advocate, Jochen Zeitz, at the 8th Annual Green Building Convention in Cape Town recently. The event, hosted by the Green Building Council SA, is a signature gathering on the greening and … [Read more...]
Green Building Council SA awards first EDGE rating certifications in SA
The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) has certified the first housing projects in the country using the EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) residential green building tool, currently in pilot phase. The council is now set for a major rollout of green building ratings in SA’s residential property sector. This was announced by GBCSA Chief Executive … [Read more...]
Save your rands, build with sand
Sand has been the most widely used construction material for the last 10 000 years and even today at least a third of the world’s population live in houses built of sand. The idea of making walls by stacking bags of sand or earth has been around for at least a century. Sandbags have been used for flood control and military bunkers because they are easy to transport to where … [Read more...]
