Green Buildings in South Africa will take hold in the mainstream when the tenants of buildings push for a more sustainable built environment and the way to ensure this market demand is through education.
Long term energy and water savings, which translate into cost savings, are steadily pushing business and home owners to seek out green buildings, rather than leaving it up to built environment professionals.
Local property developer Amdec, is of the opinion that this is slowly starting to happen in South Africa.
Their latest residential development, Forty on Oak, within the Melrose Arch precinct, was the first in South Africa to achieve a 4 Star Green Star SA Multi Unit Residential Pilot Design rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA).
Since obtaining the rating, Amdec has received enquiries from new and existing tenants on how they could either pursue a Green Star SA rating, or implement greener building principles within their office, residential or retail space. Tenants are the real drivers of change, affirms Quraishi, adding that architects have traditionally pushed green thinking, while clients have been concerned with the cost.
The positive response from tenants reaffirms that the benefits of going green go beyond the evident reduction of operating costs. Tenants are starting to drive the transformation by becoming more environmentally conscious of broader issues like climate change, enhanced living conditions and responsible developers are experiencing the increased interest, reiterates Brian Wilkinson, CEO of the Green Building Council of SA.
Now, tenants are starting to ask building owners and architects about greener buildings. Globally, consumers are becoming more discerning, and this is slowly taking root in South Africa. Investors want to know that companies have a sustainable outlook, and companies must prove that their green thinking is not mere rhetoric.
According to Willem Tait, PropX CEO:
The subject of green buildings has been in and out of the general mainstream media over the past 4 years and we welcome formal legislation in both the commercial and residential property market to govern existing and new projects. Like the saying goes: If it is law it is fact. Our opinion is that legislation should be formalized and implemented so that all new properties fall under a green code.
Existing buildings could then have an x amount of time to fall inside the regulations. It is however imperative that the legislation should be inline with commercial and financial concerns, budgets etc. The fact of the matter is, if it feels good, we all enjoy it, so GO GREEN!
Contact Willem on willem@propx.co.za
Source: PropX http://www.propx.co.za/about_news_article.htm?contentID=256
