FUTURE OF GREEN BUILDING INNOVATION

The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) champions environmentally conscious building practices in South Africa. It fosters a culture of sustainability in design, construction and operation within the commercial, residential and public sectors.

Certification has emerged as key in the journey towards sustainable building practices, proving genuine commitment to green principles. Green Star certification ensures that projects are environmentally responsible throughout their life cycles.

The Green Star rating system is awarded for a variety of building types, existing structures and new greenfield projects. It is a pivotal tool in evaluating a building’s sustainability performance. There are various levels, ranging from 4 to 6-Star.

EDGE certification rewards resource efficiency as it focusses on improvements in energy, water and carbon savings.

A misconception is the presumed high cost of adopting green building practices. Initially, green buildings were thought to be much more expensive, but recent studies have shown that the premium has decreased from 5 to 3.5%. This shows the feasibility of sustainable construction practices at minimal additional cost.

Global trends such as the Net Zero movement have shown a collective commitment to reducing carbon emissions and combatting climate change. South Africa’s pledge to achieve net zero carbon status in buildings is a critical step towards meeting the Paris Agreement’s climate change targets and preventing global warming from exceeding the 1.5 degree C threshold.

The GBCSA is in the process of updating the Green Star tool specifically designed for new buildings. It will serve as a guide for architects and professionals in the built environment wanting to embrace sustainable design and construction practices. It will also focus on the selection and sourcing of materials, ensuring that the environmental impact is minimised right from procurement stage.

Georgina Smit (pictured) is executive director at the GBCSA.

www.gbcsa.org.za