The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBSA) is working to implement green building solutions, but the market still lacks the regulation needed to progress.
In July, the GBSA launched a pilot system that would rate buildings based on a model out of Australia called the Green Star rating system. Frost & Sullivan issued a release today that reinforced the importance of governmental policies for this area. “Given that buildings are responsible for 50% of energy consumption in South Africa, it is imperative that the country adopts resource-efficient building principles.”
“The Green Building Council of South Africa has taken up the mandate of educating the public on the benefits of Green Building practices,” remarks Frost & Sullivan Program Manager David Winter. “Its financial backbone is the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA), because the government has not yet committed itself to this cause.”
After the Green Star rating system announcement, South African Property Owners Association (Sapoa) President Ben Kodisang said in an email statement: “It will be in the industry’s long-term interest to ensure we shape the rating system through inputs across the sector. That includes architects, engineers, consultants, building contractors, as well as property owners, developers, managers, large corporate tenants, product manufacturers and distributors, and the relevant government departments.”