Tag Archive: environmental sustainability
September 5, 2011 10:20 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) has awarded its first 5 star certification for a new office building that puts Cape Town now also on the Green Star SA map.
Aurecon’s new regional office in Century City, Cape Town, is the first building in South Africa to be awarded a 5 star Green Star SA - Office Design v1 rating by the GBCSA. The building, currently nearing completion, is being developed for Aurecon by the Rabie Property Group with finance provided by Nedbank Corporate Property Finance. Aurecon, global engineering, management and technical services specialist, was responsible for the design of all the engineering services on the project and for the Green Star SA rating application, with assistance from PJ Carew Consulting.
August 3, 2011 3:58 pm
Published by Ruan van Heerden
The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) is hosting its fourth annual Convention and Exhibition, sponsored by Nedbank Corporate Property Finance, in Cape Town 26 to 28 October.
“Green buildings can reduce energy consumption by more than half, and even existing businesses and homes can benefit substantially from the latest, greenest leaps in sustainability,” says Bruce Kerswill, executive chairman of the GBCSA. “Green building makes sense – not just for the sake of the planet but also for the sake of our pockets.”
August 3, 2011 2:50 pm
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Following meetings of key heat pump industry stakeholders hosted by the Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (SESSA) in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban during June, SESSA has been given the mandate to establish a national heat pump division.
A non-profit organisation dedicated to the creation and continued growth of renewable energy and energy efficiency, SESSA already represents more than 500 members through its solar water heating division and an additional 120 through its solar photovoltaic division. Other SESSA initiatives include opportunity builders like Young SESSA, solar cooking and Sunpower for Life.
Establishing a heat pump division will create a voice for the industry and facilitate the expansion of more energy-efficient technology as well as supporting SESSA’s endeavours to create a low carbon society.
July 27, 2011 8:42 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Leading black-controlled construction materials group AfriSam has won a prestigious Greening the Future Award in the Mail & Guardian’s (M&G) awards programme.
For the past eight years the Mail & Guardian newspaper’s annual Greening the Future Awards have honoured innovation and action in environmental sustainability. This year the awards built on past successes and reflected the latest thinking, trends and practices to combat climate change, reduce impacts on water, preserve biodiversity and improve eco-efficiency.
July 15, 2011 11:04 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) was well represented at the recent SAPOA Convention where the team had the chance to listen to what professionals in the property industry, from across the country, think about green building, the Green Star SA tools and the work the GBCSA is doing. It seems that, increasingly, the South African property industry is realising the need for a more sustainable way of building.
While the Green Star SA tools go a long way towards ensuring sustainable design and construction, even a 6 Star Green Star SA building would only be truly effective in reducing waste output and energy and water consumption with the cooperation of those occupying it. For this reason, the GBCSA is partnering with SAPOA to develop a Green Lease Guide for the South African property industry.
July 15, 2011 10:32 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
The Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa: Solar Water Heating (SESSA SWH) has opened an office in Cape Town to help achieve its vision of installing one square metre of solar collector per person by 2020, among other goals.
SESSA was founded in 1974 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to the creation and continued growth of an authoritative renewable energy hub in Southern Africa. It is the appointed Africa office of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES), which is regarded as the premier body in solar energy worldwide with members in over 100 countries.
June 21, 2011 9:29 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
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This year’s Green Building Conference & Exhibition organised by alive2green takes place 13 to 14 July at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
As well as bringing together international and local speakers to share their knowledge and expertise in green planning, design and building with South African built environment professionals, the conference this year introduces a stronger practical emphasis.
June 21, 2011 9:28 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
‘The Future African City’ is the theme of the fifth annual Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI) Sustainable Design Competition. The competition is open to students in their final year of an undergraduate architectural qualification at an accredited tertiary institution.
Daniel van der Merwe, architect at the C&CI, says the competition aims to promote the innovative use of concrete in building sustainable environments.
June 6, 2011 2:26 pm
Published by Ruan van Heerden
SunTank, a leading solar heating company in South Africa, recently completed two commercial-size solar water heating installations for government hospitals. SunTank worked with the architects, consulting engineers and building contractors to install the solar water heating systems at the Worcester Provincial Hospital and Germiston Hospital.
Hospitals consume large amounts of thermal energy and are typically suited for solar thermal installations. The SunTank solar energy systems installed at these public hospitals are designed to achieve a significant reduction in the hospitals’ electricity consumption and enable them to reduce peak electricity load.
May 23, 2011 10:52 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
AfriSam views the ‘greening’ of its operations not as a nice-to-have but as a business imperative which has enabled the company to forge ahead with innovative and, in some cases, radical environmental initiatives, setting new precedents for the industry.
May 23, 2011 10:48 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Supplier of wood preservation products, Arch Wood Protection, recently underwent its annual third party quality verification audit by the TUV Rheinland product safety and quality inspection authority.
TUV Rheinland’s certifications are globally recognised and Arch Wood Protection’s participation in the TUV programme reflects the company’s commitment to world class standards.
May 21, 2011 6:21 pm
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Clay brick and concrete pavers have been used to good effect in the new Lebone College in North West, a boarding and day school where environmental awareness is built in to daily school life.
Two related companies in the Murray & Roberts Building Products group – Oconbrick and Bafokeng Concor Technicrete – supplied the masonry and paving products for the school. Stefanutti Stocks Building was the main contractor for the project.
May 3, 2011 9:22 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Earth Hour 2011 – ‘For the Planet By the People’ – the global campaign inviting individuals, businesses, organisations and governments to switch off their lights for one hour on the night of 26 March 2011, saw South Africa saving an estimated 350MW of electricity within the hour.
According to Eskom, this is enough electricity to power the city of Mangaung. However, the country’s contribution to the global energy conservation campaign was lower this year than last. In 2010, Eskom measured an estimated reduction in electricity usage of approximately 420MW during Earth Hour.
May 3, 2011 8:24 am
Published by Louise Coetzee
Australian architect Peter Stutchbury was recently in South Africa, at the invitation of BlueScope Steel, to present a series of lectures at venues in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. The programme formed part of BlueScope Steel’s continuing communications campaign around sustainability in the built environment and was supported by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). The lectures were presented to architects, students of architecture and others involved in the building industry, affording continuing professional development points to practising architects who attended.
April 20, 2011 9:57 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Cape Town-based Harlequin Paints was established in 1999 and has developed a pioneering range of solvent-free paints.
Today Harlequin Paints, which recently joined the SA Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA), manufactures only environmentally friendly water-based products. As well as its comprehensive range of solvent-free paints the company produces a host of water-based paint technique products, plaster and multi-primers, water-based varnishes for furniture and floors, wood stains, scenic paint for the film industry, and custom-made boutique colour ranges for specific companies.
April 20, 2011 9:47 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Hammerstone makes use of previously extracted and discarded granite blocks to create products that are functional, beautiful and long-lasting. In this way, the company recycles ‘waste’ granite and contributes to the rehabilitation of old quarries.
April 19, 2011 12:07 pm
Published by Ruan van Heerden
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What must be one of the most undesirable architectural commissions – the design of a waste treatment facility – has been turned on its head by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group).
Located in an industrial area near the city center, the new Waste-to-Energy plant will be an exemplary model in the field of waste management and energy production, as well as an architectural landmark in the cityscape of Copenhagen.
April 19, 2011 11:15 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
New BerberPoint Eco from Nexus, the commercial division of Belgotex Floorcoverings extends the company’s Eco Collection. It is manufactured to incorporate recycled material while ensuring all the specification and performance characteristics of BerberPoint 920 are retained.
The structured needlepunch range is made from Stainproof Eco Fibre, which includes recycled polyester made out of waste PET plastic bottles combined with a polypropylene blend, to produce an eco-friendly top-cloth.
