Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa March 2016 | Page 42

GREEN

The Sustainable

Revolution
How to Cheat People into Going Green
BY ETTIENE PRETORIUS, CHARINE ELS

M

ankind is known for its self-centered
decision-making process – we are generally
only moved to change if the projected
results are aligned with a personal desire, need or
belief.
This might explain why no-one seems to be getting
through to us on the topic of ‘Our dying planet’,
in spite of Al Gore’s best efforts. Telling someone
that the Earth is doomed to implode in a hundred
years due to our electricity usage does not create an
urgent personal need, and therefore does not inspire
behavioral change. Still, the facts paint a dark picture
and the urgency to cross over to the green side is
undeniable.

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MARCH 2016 SA Real Estate Investor

Green is expensive

One place to start would be for residential developers
the world over to design off-the-grid developments
from the get-go. Unfortunately, the cost sensitivity
of the South African property market doesn’t allow
for such an approach. With 80% of residential sales
falling under the R1,5m mark, the market is just not
at a point where it can tolerate the added R200 000
per unit, which would be necessary for developments
with complete, off-the-grid energy systems.
A lot of homeowners have tried going off the grid
completely, mainly in an attempt to escape load
shedding. In most cases they discover the staggering
www.reimag.co.za