GREEN BUILDING
Solar power
installation for
Mashatu Terrace
By Kagiso Sebetso
As was previously communicated, Mashatu Terrace is aiming for a 4-star
green rating with the Green Building Council of South Africa. The team
has made significant progress with the submission of the documents and
we are nearly at the end of our application. In a few months we will
have the first ‘As Built’ Green Star rated building in Botswana. There is,
however, a new development in pursuit of the Green Star rating. We
will be installing solar power on the property which will hopefully take us
a star higher than the original goal.
A Green Star rating is awarded to buildings that are recognised as
being ‘green’. A green building is a building that, by virtue of the
construction process, design and operation, has minimal impact on
the environment and is energy efficient while promoting a healthy
space for the occupants. The GBCSA provides an objective rating
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tool to recognise and award (up to 6-star rating) buildings that practise
sustainable building solutions which protect the environment and improve
occupant comfort.
Energy efficiency in a building refers to the building’s performance
in energy and water consumption. Botswana still relies on coal for
electricity which means high carbon emissions that are harmful to the
environment. Coal is a non-renewable resource, thereby making it an
unsustainable source of electricity.
The use of renewable energy, and minimised use of non-renewable
energy, are some of the characteristics of a green building. Solar power
installation at Mashatu Terrace will not take us off the grid completely, but
it will certainly enable the building to generate some of its own power.
ISSUE 40 - DECEMBER 2019