Feature
Roofing
THE FUTURE IS GREEN
Melvin Hickers, Product Manager, Colour & Galvanised Steel products,
ArcelorMittal South Africa, answers African Design Magazine’s questions on
the state of roofing in South Africa.
Are designers embracing sustainable architecture, or is price the driving factor?
With the move to making the environment that we live in more habitable, sustainability
considerations by both designers and architects has been a leading force in embracing the
change toward due consideration for the environment. Various aspects of green building
and the recent developments made in the green building space pay homage to this. What
we see is a move from traditional design thinking, progressing to a greater consideration
for the environment through the choice of materials and the impact that these materials
have on the environment. Price seems to be more of a secondary consideration when
sustainability is a factor; here the balance needs to found between price and value. With
a greater choice of design materials becoming available so too does the value outlook
increase. No longer does a decision need to be made on a price level but on the value that
design and material presents. Value speaks volumes if Green Building as it is intended is
embraced. Here a value dividend can be derived from the application of natural resources
with minimal environmental impact naturally lending itself toward sustainability.
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