FEATURES
T
he time is ripe for the green
revolution of our buildings –
according to the World Green
Building Council’s (WorldGBC) Annual
Report for 2016/2017, 1.24-billion square
metres (m 2 ) of green building space around
the world has been certified by its member
Green Building Councils.
The report further states that new data
from the International Energy Agency now
shows that buildings and construction are
responsible for almost 40% of global
greenhouse gas emissions; and that by
2060, the floor area of buildings will double,
adding more than 230-billion m 2 in new
buildings construction, with the majority
built in Africa.
“Even though the green building
movement is in its infancy in Africa, the
past year’s developments show that great
work is already taking place there,” says
Jane Afrane, WorldGBC regional head:
Africa network.
Closer to home, the Green Building
Council of South Africa’s (GBCSA) Green
Building in South Africa: Guide to Costs and
Trends Report, states that the average cost
premium of building green over and above
the cost of conventional construction is 5%
and can be as low as 1.1%.
In addition, the 2017 annual MSCI Green
Index, released in partnership with the
GBCSA every year, which compares the
financial performance of P&A grade Green
Star certified buildings with P&A grade
buildings that are not Green Star certified,
shows that the return on investment is
almost double for Green Star certified
buildings versus non-certified buildings.
With this attractive investment in mind,
the GBCSA adds that green building in
South Africa is gaining traction, with
currently 383 green building certifications
issued since its inception in 2008.
Give roofs the green light
According to Manfred Braune, GBCSA
executive director: certifications, roofs are
becoming prime spots for innovative design
and ideas. “Instead of serving as, for
example, a storage space for unattractive
equipment, roofs are becoming places of
interest where natural beauty can thrive.
Roofs are turning into useful spaces for
various needs such as food production and
so forth. There are new opportunities for
roofing to add far more value to buildings,
which will contribute to the overall green
building c