PROJECTS
Local council says that the achievement sets the benchmark in social housing development .
Up to 30 % of the units were reserved for households with a combined monthly income of less than R3 500 per month , and 70 % were allocated to households earning a monthly income of between R3 500 and R7 500 .
“ Tenants residing in social housing developments must be able to pay rent , and are charged for their water and electricity usage . Therefore , the energy and water saving design implemented at Belhar Gardens also benefits the tenants as the savings are passed on to the households , making these units more affordable ,” says Councillor Herron .
The units at the Belhar Gardens development use , on average , use 30 % less water and energy than other housing developments with traditional water and energy designs .
“ Each unit has been fitted with water flow restrictors and water meters that measure the amount of hot and cold water used . In doing so , the household or tenant is aware of their water usage at all times , and can implement their own water saving methods . We have also replaced conventional geysers with heat pump stations at every block of units . The heat pumps can save up to 48 % in electricity use , compared with conventional geysers . The hot water is measured separately for each unit , meaning we pass the savings on to the tenant ,” explains Madulammoho ’ s CEO , Renier Erasmus .
GETTING CERTIFIED
The EDGE preliminary certification confirms that the design implemented at Belhar Gardens development meets the minimum benchmark saving of 20 % in water and energy used . The GBCSA conducted the final audit and site inspection and are expected to issue the full certificate by January 2018 .
Units comprise of bachelor , one-bedroom and two-bedroom units .
“ The initial cost associated with the energy saving design is higher when compared with conventional designs . The heat pumps are , for example , two times more expensive than conventional geysers and came at an additional cost of about R5-million for this development . The water reduction designs added an extra R1 000 for each unit . That aside , we think this is the way to go as we want to make our units as affordable as possible ,” says Erasmus .
“ The GBCSA certification is important as it demonstrates that affordable housing can go green and still be viable . We want developers to take note , and to follow the example set by Madulammoho . In the meantime , we are also looking at innovative designs that can save water and electricity , as well as exploring alternative building materials that are cheaper and environmentally friendly ,” Councillor Herron adds .
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JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2018
AFFORDABLE
SA HOUSING