Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa September 2013 | Page 60

LONDON

Green London
Invest in the future of eco-housing

BY MIKE SMUTS

C

ities have a central role to play in mitigating climate change. They consume 75 per cent of the world’s energy and produce 80 per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions. It may therefore come as a surprise to many to learn that London is one of the greenest cities in the world. Viewed from the air, more than half of the area is green or blue – amazing for one of the world’s major cities. Towering glass skyscrapers coexist with allotments, rivers, beautiful parks, gardens and tree-lined streets. These precious lungs of greenery, all contribute to the capital’s ‘urban forest’ – with London boasting six million trees. One recent study put the value of

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