African Design Magazine February 2015 | Page 24

PARTNER NEWS SAVA members make the grade in the move towards more sustainable buildings The green building agenda in South Africa has in recent years gathered phenomenal momentum with the Green Building Council of South Africa’s (GBCSA) introduction of new energy efficiency building regulations. Initiatives such as these, aided by a growing consumer awareness, is transforming the South African property industry to ensure that all buildings are designed, built and operated in an environmentally sustainable way. This ‘green’ drive is a welcome and positive step that allows South Africans to work and live in healthy, efficient and productive environments. Building, construction and décor products made from versatile vinyl, or PVC as it is also often referred to, can be a significant contributing factor when it comes to the 24 africandesignmagazine.com overall sustainability of a building. To this end, the Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) is working tirelessly with its members and industry role players to ensure their products adhere to the strict criteria of the SAVA’s Product Stewardship Programme (PSP) in order to provide sustainable products. PVC makes a major contribution to the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of construction materials, as well as contributing to lower environmental impacts of completed projects. It is the most widely used polymer in building and construction applications and over 60 per cent of Western Europe’s annual PVC production is used in this sector. When it comes to materials such as PVC