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Green Building News

WBHO sees plunge in profit as Covid-19, loss-making projects take toll

By: Irma Venter 17th November 2020 Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) on Tuesday reported a massive turnaround in fortunes from 12 months ago when it boasted R513-million in operating profit for the year ended June 30, to a position where it suffered an operating loss of R585-million. Group CEO Wolfgang Neff cited the main reasons... →

Structural integrity aids building life cycle

13th November 2020 Asset management company Collaborit has successfully started penetrating the mining and industrial sectors, providing expert solutions and services into the sustainable, proactive management of structural assets such as steel, concrete and masonry. →

THE END IS ALWAYS CERTAIN Every structure has a limited design life and adequate budgeting must be allowed for to ensure regular maintenance is done to ensure this design life is reached

Hard-hit construction sector pins recovery hopes on infrastructure plan

By: Natasha Odendaal 13th November 2020 South Africa’s construction industry ground to a halt on March 27, as the nation entered a hard lockdown that would last weeks, in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic which spurred governments worldwide to impose emergency restrictions. Six months later, the industry is starting to get back... →

Covid-19 accelerates domestic sustainable finance market – Standard Bank

By: Donna Slater 4th November 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic has heightened the focus on climate change and financial instruments that promote sustainable economic development, Standard Bank group CEO Sim Tshabalala noted in the latest episode of the ClimateBiz podcast series hosted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). In... →

Entries now open for 2021 GreenPitch Challenge

By: Simone Liedtke 4th November 2020 Innovators and entrepreneurs with “economically viable" green economy innovation business ideas have been invited by nonprofit organisation GreenCape, to enter and participate in the Invest Cape Town Business Hub GreenPitch Challenge 2021. Entries are open from November 4 and will close on... →

Growthpoint receives green building certification for Exxaro head office

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 29th October 2020 Coal miner Exxaro’s new head office building, in Centurion, Gauteng, developed and owned by property developer Growthpoint, has achieved a 6-Star green rating from the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) under the Green Star New Build certification system. Green building certification... →

Exxaro exterior

Sustainable financing imperative to sustainable future, says JSE’s Soobramoney

By: Simone Liedtke 29th October 2020 Finance has a significant role to play in a sustainable future, which comprises economic, environmental, social and governance responsibilities, JSE chief sustainability officer Shameela Soobramoney said during this year’s virtual Green Building Convention on October 29. Sustainability emerged as... →

Nature must be brought back into cities, says regenerative design expert

By: Simone Liedtke 29th October 2020 The construction and built environment industries need to strongly consider creative solutions, like integrating regenerative design principles, when designing and building facilities, global consulting company Mott MacDonald regenerative design head Amanda Sturgeon has said. Regenerative design... →

Contractors risk ruin owing to contract fine print, payment delays, says MBA

By: Irma Venter 19th October 2020 The Master Builders Association (MBA) North says contractors, particularly small and mid-sized contractors, face growing business risk when embarking on new projects. This is a result of a range of issues, such as contracts that are amended to favour large contractors or clients, unclear delivery... →

GVK-Siya Zama launches dedicated civils unit

By: Irma Venter 9th October 2020 Construction company GVK-Siya Zama has added a dedicated civils unit to its operational offering. Through this unit, the company aims to create jobs and improve society by filling the void left by many companies in the construction industry that had to close their doors. →

Afrimat Construction Index tanks in Q2, but ‘strong performance’ in second half predicted

By: Irma Venter 2nd October 2020 The second-quarter (Q2) Afrimat Construction Index (ACI) has dropped sharply on the back of the national lockdown regulations imposed between April and June to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. JSE-listed openpit miner Afrimat produces industrial minerals, bulk commodities and construction materials. →

Safety during wind turbine upgrades offered

25th September 2020 Specialist design and manufacturing company Power Curve ApS has forged a strategic partnership with working at height specialists Dangle Rope Access, to help deliver specialist installation services for wind turbine performance upgrades across the UK's wind farm sector. Announced in July, the... →

DANGLING IN THE WIND Dangle will offer rope access services to the upgrade and maintenance of UK's wind farms in partnership with Power Curve ApS

Call for improved enforcement as construction transport accidents run up R352m tab

By: Irma Venter 22nd September 2020 Statistics provided by the Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company (FEM) – the workmen’s compensation insurer for the building industry – indicate that there were 929 motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) in 2018 involving people working within the construction industry. “While this may seem low,... →

Economic pinch puts spotlight on green building

By: Simone Liedtke 21st September 2020 South Africa’s construction industry continues to suffer the effects of the national lockdown, a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Unexpected delays and disruptions have resulted in increasing construction costs, which have had a knock-on effect for both developers and end-users, says student... →

HVACR industry at a turning point

By: Mamaili Mamaila 18th September 2020 The heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry is at a turning point and it is up to all the innovators in the industry to take the lead and set a new standard for South Africa, multinational air-conditioning manufacturing company Daikin South Africa MD Koen Van... →

KOEN VAN WYNENDAELE Before the Covid-19 outbreak, the industry in general was under pressure owing to a sluggish economy with limited to no growth, a difficult political climate and a tough investment climate

Afrimat Construction Index tanks in Q2, but predicts ‘strong performance’ ahead

By: Irma Venter 10th September 2020 The second-quarter (Q2) Afrimat Construction Index (ACI) has dropped sharply on the back of the national lockdown regulations imposed between April and June to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. JSE-listed openpit miner Afrimat produces industrial minerals, bulk commodities and construction materials. →

SANEDI continues roll-out of cool roofs solution

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 7th September 2020 While South Africa’s energy supply continues to fall short, government organisation the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) says it looks forward to continuing its roll out of an energy efficient cooling solution – known as ‘cool roofs’. Cool roofing involves the coating... →

FNB cuts the carbon footprint of its branches by 50% over five years

By: Donna Slater 1st September 2020 After the adoption of carbon-cutting measures to drive energy efficiency across a network of more than 600 branches in South Africa, financial services provider First National Bank (FNB) FNB has reduced the carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint in its branches by nearly 50% over a period of five years.... →

Architecture firm presents equal opportunities

28th August 2020 Architecture firm Paragon Group is perhaps “unique in the industry” for employing an equal number of men and women, with the latter ranging from student architects to senior management. “I love the fact we have so many talented, audacious women in our company in different stages of their... →

Certified green offices held value in tough rental market, property index suggests

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 19th August 2020 The MSCI South Africa Green Annual Property Index shows that, for the year ended December 31, 2019, the green-certified office sample delivered a return of 7.6% versus the 5.1% of the noncertified sample. Now in its fourth year, the index provides an independent and consistent comparative return... →

PPP legislation being reviewed to ‘make it more workable’, says De Lille

By: Irma Venter 18th August 2020 South Africa’s public-private partnership (PPP) legislation is undergoing a review, says Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia de Lille. “I can confirm that there is a review at the moment.” →

Patricia de Lille

Steel awards go virtual

By: Darren Parker 14th August 2020 The South African Institute for Steel Construction’s (SAISC’s) yearly Steel Awards will be judged and hosted virtually through a dedicated application (app) this year. This comes on the back of efforts to mitigate restrictions on social gatherings and take advantage of the digital marketing... →

VIRTUOSITY ASSESSED Small teams of judges attend sites physically, observing Covid-19 health and safety protocols, while others attend site visits virtually

Steely resolve, innovation continue despite lockdown

By: Darren Parker 31st July 2020 Although production came to a halt over the past two months, light-steel-frame building materials supplier Etex South Africa – formerly known as Marley Building Systems – continued planning and innovating throughout the Covid-19 lockdown so that it would be well positioned to take advantage of... →

MULTIPLE USES Light-steel-frame buildings can be repurposed, modified or moved to a new location with relative ease

Hempcrete advantageous for construction

By: Mc'Kyla Nortje 31st July 2020 Hempcrete provides several advantages when used for the construction of a building, says Cape Town-based architecture firm Wolf and Wolf Architecture founder and principal Wolf Wolf. Hempcrete is a fully biodegradable material that comprises hemp hurds – the woody core removed during processing... →

Photo by Wolf
SUPERIOR BENEFITS Hemp boasts several characteristics that make it superior from an ecological and economic perspective

Covid-19 forces changes to standard construction contracts, says MDA

By: Irma Venter 28th July 2020 Specialists in construction law MDA Attorneys say disruptions to business and operations owing to Covid-19 are no longer unanticipated, which means that all new contract negotiations have to take the possibility of this happening into account. “Initially, force majeure notices were being issued... →

Barry Herholdt

Reid Lifestyle Centre targeting a net-zero certification

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 24th July 2020 In May, the Reid Lifestyle Centre, developed by Balwin Properties, achieved a six-star Green Star Public & Education Building certification. Part of an upmarket lifestyle estate situated close to the Marlboro Gautrain station, the building is also targeting a Net-zero Carbon Level 2 rating. →

MBA North welcomes infrastructure strategy, but warns implementation is key

By: Irma Venter 10th July 2020 The Master Builders Association (MBA) North has broadly welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s vision of infrastructure spending as the flywheel of South Africa’s recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. Speaking at the inaugural Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa, held on... →

South Africa its own biggest enemy in infrastructure roll-out

By: Irma Venter 10th July 2020 South Africa keeps on tripping itself up when it comes to infrastructure project development and implementation, says New Development Bank (NDB) Africa regional office director-general Monale Ratsoma. The NDB is a multilateral development bank established by the Brics States, namely Brazil,... →

Interface increases recycled content in its flooring products

By: Donna Slater 3rd July 2020 Modular flooring producer Interface will, going forward, produce its luxury vinyl tile (LVT) products with an exceptionally high (39%) content of recycled material, without compromising any quality. According to the company, this achievement represents a “breakthrough” in sustainable flooring,... →

Growthpoint achieves green building first with development of Serra facility

By: Donna Slater 2nd July 2020 Property investment company Growthpoint and washroom solutions company Serra Services have achieved the first Green Star Existing Building Performance (EBP) rating for an industrial building in Gauteng, with a 5-Star certification for a 7 400 m2 facility in Meadowbrook, Germiston. An extensive... →

MBA North welcomes infrastructure strategy, but warns that implementation is key

By: Irma Venter 25th June 2020 The Master Builders Association (MBA) North has broadly welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s vision of infrastructure spending as the flywheel of South Africa’s recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. Speaking at the inaugural Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa held on June... →

More profiles can benefit local market

By: Darren Parker 19th June 2020 The current SANS 517 for light-steel-frame building, which is still in development, focuses only on the application of the C-channel profile, but consulting engineering firm ES Consulting Engineers and Associates structural, fire and energy consulting engineer Wessel Esterhuizen believes that it... →

NO LIGHT MATTER Light steel frame building can have more engineering challenges than meets the eye, especially when larger, more complicated projects are considered

Emergency structures present opportunity for sector

By: Darren Parker 19th June 2020 Although the Covid-19 national lockdown proved “disastrous” for the light-steel-frame building sector – as it was for the rest of the construction sector – Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association (Sasfa) director John Barnard believes that there are opportunities for the sector.... →

SWIFT AND STURDY The speed with which light steel frame structures can be erected makes them eminently suitable for the building of emergency structures

Training course goes online

By: Darren Parker 19th June 2020 The Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association (Sasfa) has had to adapt its five-day training course for building contractors, architects, engineers and quantity surveyors to an online presentation, owing to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions on gatherings. The online version of the... →

JOHN BARNARD Light-steel-frame building could become more popular in South Africa if more local suppliers and builders were properly trained

Building confidence at all-time low

By: Irma Venter 18th June 2020 The First National Bank (FNB)/Bureau for Economic Research (BER) Building Confidence Index has fallen to an all-time low of 4 in the second quarter of this year, following the 13 recorded in the first quarter of the year. This was underpinned by a sharp fall in activity owing to the nationwide... →

MBA North urges all stakeholders to reach force majeure consensus

By: Irma Venter 12th June 2020 As the construction industry gears up to return to work as the national Covid-19 lockdown moves to Alert Level 3, industry stakeholders need to come together to reach consensus on a number of contentious issues, says MBA North president and Gothic Construction director Wayne Albertyn. “A key... →

Company eases burden of understanding carbon tax

By: Mc'Kyla Nortje 12th June 2020 Companies have shifted their focus from attempting to lower their carbon emissions to making a budget allowance to pay for these emissions, owing to their misunderstanding of carbon tax, says software developer EDS Systems business development head Eckart Zollner. The new Carbon Tax Act is said... →

ECKART ZOLLNER Carbon tax aims to assist companies in regulating their carbon emissions to keep them to a minimum

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Business Electrical Engineering Fabrication Financial Manufacturing Modular rail Steel Aveng Construction PROJECT Roads Africa Cleaning Coal Energy Generator Generators Industrial Installation Power Renewable Energy Road Solar Storage System Waste Water Environment ... more

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