GBCSA ’ S 1,000TH CERTIFICATION
Green Building Council South Africa ( GBCSA ) recently signed-off on its 1,000th green building certification since the organisation ’ s inception in 2007 . The 1,000th certification , awarded to the Visual Arts Building at Stellenbosch University , is a milestone that ’ s been 15 years in the making , reflective of a growing appetite for sustainable and resilient green buildings in the South African built environment sector . Notably , the certified structure is a heritage building constructed in 1905 , epitomising the transformational capacity of the green buildings ’ movement .
The first step to 1,000 certifications started in 2009 , explains GBCSA CEO , Lisa Reynolds . At the time , no one knew how long it would take to get to 1,000 certifications , but the growth has been steady , and then exponential . “ It is an amazing place to be in , to pause and reflect on how far we have come , and to look to the future to see that there is still much to be done ,” says Reynolds , emphasising that there is still more work needed to mitigate the effects of climate change .
“ When GBCSA started , it was primarily focused on the office environment , and we were doing 20 to 30 certifications per year ,” says Georgina Smit , GBCSA Head of Technical . “ We have evolved to processing ± 100 certifications per year , and engaging with industry leaders who want to demonstrate their green commitment in the residential , industrial ,
and tertiary spaces .” In 2022 alone , the organisation certified 165 buildings .
It ’ s also worth noting that GBCSA ’ s first certification was done prior to the intense electricity and water crises that we have been experiencing . “ The energy and water savings within the 1,000 certifications have helped avert an even bigger crisis ,” says Reynolds .
COMMON GROUND – A NEW CONTRIBUTION TO SOUTH AFRICAN ARCHITECTURAL LITERATURE
The book Common Ground was recently awarded the bienniel 2024 Pretoria Institute for Architecture Award of Excellence . It is the result of an indepth multidisciplinary research project of the University of Pretoria , part-funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands . The research focuses on the contribution of the Dutch immigrant architects and other built environment professionals to the South African built environment between 1902 – 1961 . It highlights – by way of fieldwork , the related archives , literature , and oral history – the discoveries made .
The hard-cover publication of 270 pages is richly illustrated with historic and contemporary photographs and reproductions of drawings . The book consists of 10 chapters , interspersed by 5 ‘ interludes ’ and was produced by a team of 15 authors from South Africa and the Netherlands .
Common Ground seeks to foster greater social cohesion in South Africa by challenging the official narratives that have existed around the spatial development of the country . The book highlights a shared heritage that can contribute to defining and fostering a collective South African
identity that speaks to the values of a democratic South Africa . The results of the research provide a poignant view of generally ignored ( but very significant ) architectural typologies , ranging from the seemingly mundane kitchen to the expansive South African townships . The researchers also rediscovered the early contribution of female architects to the South African built environment , thereby challenging commonly held notions of their history , acknowledging their exceptional individual contributions .
The fieldwork required for researching the topic alerted remote communities or building and site occupants – those generally side-lined in similar research – as to the value of their inheritance , thus empowering them in their efforts to promote and protect this legacy and contributing to their sense of pride of place .
Common Ground was awarded during a Pretoria Institute of Architects ceremony in October 2023 . In its citation , the panel of assessors state that :
“ The authors present facts and archival material that has never – or , at best , only marginally – been part of the discourse on architectural history . ‘ Common Ground ’ significantly contributes to our knowledge and understanding of the Dutch contribution to the South African built environment .”
Editors : Nicholas J Clarke , Marieke C Kuipers & Roger C Fisher Publisher : LM Publishers ISBN : 9789460225338
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