The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) has started work on the second suite of Green Star SA rating tools, for retail buildings and shopping centres, with some R1,5-million in funding raised to develop the tool.

Funding has been made available by a group of stakeholders, namely Liberty Properties and Pareto Limited, the South African Cities Network (SACN), and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

The GBCSA hoped to launch the pilot version of the Green Star SA – Retail tool at its second yearly Convention & Exhibition, which would take place at the Cape Town International convention centre in October, and will feature case studies on some Green Star rated retail projects from Australia.

Companies funding a Green Star SA tool would participate in the technical working group that develops the tool.

A technical working group of experienced industry experts has been assembled on a voluntary basis to develop the tool. They were joined by technical consultants, the WSP Group, as well as international sustainability consultant, Michelle Malanca.

The GBCSA develops rating tools according to market demand and raises funding specifically for each tool. Interest in green building and sustainability has not slowed, despite the economic downturn, and feedback from the property industry indicated strong demand for a retail tool.

Liberty Properties and Pareto Limited, are two of the largest shopping centre owners in South Africa.

“This strong endorsement from the mainstream retail portfolio owners is very encouraging, as they represent some of the power players in the industry, who can effect change most rapidly due to their size and influence,” explained GBCSA CEO Nicola Douglas.

SACN is an organisation representing the nine largest cities in South Africa, and provides an important link to municipal government, ensuring their involvement and knowledge of the process.

The SDC has implemented a climate change mitigation programme in South Africa on energy efficiency in the building sector and to this end has dedicated resources to assisting the GBCSA in its rating tool development programme.

“This combination of funders is a great example of how South African and international business, government and civil society are combining their efforts to address our most pressing issues,” said the council. Through the GBCSA, the resources and experience of all these players, both local and international, could be combined to create market-driven solutions.

“The SDC recognises the importance of the building sector in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and is supporting the GBCSA in its efforts to transform the way buildings are designed, built and used. We hope to have a long and mutually rewarding relationship as we roll out rating tools for the different building sectors. With our common goal of combating climate change, this is a powerful partnership,” commented GBCSA chairperson Bruce Kerswill.

The Green Star SA tools (based on the Australian rating system) set standards and benchmarks to determine what comprises a green building. Developers and owners can use the tool to ensure they have considered all aspects related to green and ultimately have their building certified as a 4, 5 or 6-star Green Star building.

CONVENTION

A number of international green building experts would take part in the GBCSA’s yearly convention and exhibition in Cape Town, which would once again be sponsored by Nedbank Corporate Property Finance.

Over 600 delegates and exhibitors, representing key role-players and decision-makers in the commercial property industry, from across the Sub-Saharan Africa region, were expected to attend the convention.

“The green building movement has been gaining momentum in the mainstream property industry globally, and of late South Africa has seen a surge of corporates, developers, consultants and other industry professionals making a strong commitment to green principles,” emphasised Douglas.

The convention would focus on the latest initiatives and progress in environmentally sustainable property development, and addresses a wide span of green building issues with high-profile presentations from international and local green building experts who would share their experience and expertise.

“We believe that banks in particular have a crucial role to play in enabling the transition from a carbon-intensive economy to more efficient low-carbon alternatives. By being involved in initiatives such as these, we are taking a leadership role by recognising that climate change affects the financial sector directly through the operations we run and indirectly through our business investments,” said Nedbank Corporate Property Finance managing executive Frank Berkely.

Topics discussed at the conference included sustainable architecture, carbon trading, global policy, the response of the SA Government, energy and water solutions, existing building retrofits and green building materials.

“Expanding its view, the convention will also look beyond the individual green building, to the development of green cities. It will also discuss the investment case for green buildings, an area where the sustainability comes head-to-head with financial feasibility,” added Douglas.

“Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects is the exhibition showcasing green building products, services and technologies. It will also be open to the public on the final afternoon of the convention, allowing everyone access to this treasure of green property ideas and applications,” the council stated.