PROPERTY UTILITIES
Michelle Jackson , Managing Director : Property & Buildings , WSP in Africa , says : “ With heavy dependence on fossil fuel-based power generation , high unemployment rates and the critical importance of the mining , manufacturing and other industrial sectors to both employment opportunities and GDP / economic contribution overall , some might argue that we have more pressing issues to worry about in local markets . However , we disagree with that .”
Construction of buildings and infrastructure accounts for approximately seven Gigatonnes ( one Gt = billion tonnes } of CO2e , or 20 % of global carbon emissions , where four Gt CO2e is associated with the materials used for construction . When the operational phase of buildings and infrastructure is included , the share of global emissions increases to around 70 %, including energy production and use , traffic etc .
Jackson highlights that the transition to a lowemissions society can create opportunities to address the socio-economic challenges faced in many markets across Africa . “ For example , we know that addressing the ageing building stock , and ensuring green building principles are applied to new developments , is a key area in terms of cutting emissions .
In developing countries across Africa , rapid urbanisation continues to drive increased demand for infrastructure development to meet the needs of growing urban populations and ensure access to basic services – water , electricity , public transport and others . It is therefore imperative that urban development in Africa be planned and executed with sustainability principles in
124 AUGUST 2022 SA Real Estate Investor Magazine