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Green Building News

N4 road construction delay cost Esor ‘dearly’

By: Irma Venter 12th December 2014 A roads project on the N4 that took 42 months to complete instead of 30, had cost Esor dearly, said CEO Wessel van Zyl in November as he unveiled the construction group’s financial results for the six months ended August 31 in Johannesburg. The total loss over the life of the project, which... →

Group Five looking beyond Africa for growth prospects

By: Irma Venter 5th December 2014 Construction company Group Five says its strategy is strongly focused on expansion in Africa, with selected projects in Russia and Northern America also possibly on the horizon. Outgoing CEO Mike Upton says the South African construction industry saw what appears to be “a false dawn” a year ago,... →

Esor loss deepens, but problem contracts completed, says CEO

By: Irma Venter 27th November 2014 A roads project on the N4 that took 42 months to complete instead of 30, had cost Esor dearly, said CEO Wessel van Zyl on Thursday as he unveiled the construction group’s financial results for the six months ended August 31 in Johannesburg. The total loss over the life of the project, which... →

Group Five looks at Africa, Russia, North America as SA market cools

By: Irma Venter 21st November 2014 Construction company Group Five says its strategy is strongly focused on expansion in Africa, with selected projects in Russia and Northern America also possibly on the horizon. Outgoing CEO Mike Upton says the South African construction industry saw what appears to be “a false dawn” a year ago,... →

Going green hampered by cost implications

By: Mia Breytenbach 31st October 2014 The South African market tends to be indifferent towards the green industry trend, with the current market seemingly not valuing buildings that practise green management or that have been designed with green principles, says integrated facilities management solutions provider Servest. “As the... →

GREEN INDIFFERENCE Companies are focusing more on short-term investments and returns to reduce upfront investment costs, which negates the “green impact”

Industry increasing mass-balance approach – consulting firm

By: Mia Breytenbach 31st October 2014 The local engineering industry is increasingly undertaking a mass-balance approach for its production and environmental impacts, where it analyses resources at source or input level, calculates the outputs and weighs the difference against the impact reduction costs, states consulting engineering... →

NEW IMPERATIVE
The environmental legislations and practices are to assist and enhance the opportunities of development in the economy

Photo by Duane Daws
NEW IMPERATIVE The environmental legislations and practices are to assist and enhance the opportunities of development in the economy

Trigeneration attractive option for alternative energy in greening industry

By: Mia Breytenbach 31st October 2014 Trigeneration technology as a green technology is receiving more interest locally, resulting in its increased implementation. Trigeneration technology has the same components as a cogeneration plant – a gas engine, electricity generator and a heat exchanger – but also includes an absorption... →

GENERATION CAPACITY
Trigeneration can be up to 40% more energy efficient, and helps to reducing operating costs, fuel expenses and environmental pollutants

Photo by Bloomberg
GENERATION CAPACITY Trigeneration can be up to 40% more energy efficient, and helps to reducing operating costs, fuel expenses and environmental pollutants

Green buildings showcase energy-efficiency trends

By: Creamer Media Reporter 30th October 2014 The need to mitigate the impact of climate change to the environment continues to be a global initiative. This has since seen more and more companies shifting into green buildings as a means to decrease the impact of climate change on the environment. →

Green buildings showcase energy-efficiency trends

New HQ improves company’s energy efficiency, after-sales service

By: Sashnee Moodley 24th October 2014 Forklift and lift-truck distributor Goscor Lift Truck Company (GLTC) launched its new head office, in Chloorkop, in Johannesburg, earlier this month and highlighted its efforts to ensure the building’s energy and water efficiency. →

Zuma officially opens DEA’s R8bn green HQ

By: Natalie Greve 17th October 2014 President Jacob Zuma has officially opened the Department of Environmental Affairs’ (DEA’s) new green head office, in Pretoria, describing it as an event that would usher in a new green-focused era for the South African construction industry. “[This building] will now lead by example and, with... →

Regulation and procurement biggest issues facing consulting engineers – Cesa survey

By: Creamer Media Reporter 14th October 2014 Regulation issues, including the procurement of consulting engineering services, remain one of the biggest challenges faced by the consulting engineering industry, indicates Consulting Engineers South Africa’s (Cesa’s) latest Bi-Annual Economic and Capacity Survey (BECS) for January to June 2014.... →

Cesa CEO Lefadi Makibinyane

Tisa, RDB awarded for attracting FDI for green projects

By: Creamer Media Reporter 14th October 2014 Trade and Industry South Africa (Tisa) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) were this week awarded Investment Promotion Awards for excellence in promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) projects to advance sustainable development. The awards ceremony was held during the opening of the United... →

Vemer to take over from Upton as Group Five chief

By: Irma Venter 10th October 2014 The board of construction and engineering group Group Five has appointed Eric Vemer as the company’s new CEO. Vemer will start work on December 1, taking over from Mike Upton, who is approaching the JSE-listed group’s retirement age. →

Group Five appoints new CEO

By: Irma Venter 23rd September 2014 The board of construction and engineering group Group Five announced on Tuesday that it had appointed Eric Vemer as the company’s new CEO. Vemer will start work on December 1, taking over from Mike Upton, who had approached the JSE-listed group’s retirement age. →

Harare green building showcased at SA convention

By: Kim Cloete 12th September 2014 A building that mimics a tree, an office block modelled off a termite nest and a building which uses algae on its façade . . . these are just a few examples of the innovative designs being discussed at the seventh annual Green Building Convention, in Cape Town. Global leaders in the fields of... →

No sign of public projects as WBHO navigates through ‘tough period’

By: Irma Venter 12th September 2014 Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) delivered “a reasonable performance” for the financial year ended June 30, says CEO Louwtjie Nel. “We are getting through this tough period. It hasn’t really improved much over the past two, three years, even though it is slightly better out there than it was... →

Aveng in R376m loss as underperforming Grinaker-LTA, problem projects take toll

By: Irma Venter 5th September 2014 An underperforming Grinaker-LTA and problem projects in Australia in the past financial year continued to take their toll on construction and engineering group Aveng. The JSE-listed company in August reported its financial results for the year ended June 30, with revenue up 2%, to R53-billion,... →

Construction materials cut WBHO earnings, order book up 65%

By: Irma Venter 1st September 2014 Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) had delivered “a reasonable performance” for the financial year ended June 30, said CEO Louwtjie Nel on Monday. “We are getting through this tough period. It hasn’t really improved much over the past two, three years, even though it is slightly better out there... →

Contractor bemoans limited SA infrastructure progress

By: Irma Venter 29th August 2014 There is little opportunity for JSE-listed infrastructure company Group Five to grow shareholder value in the domestic market, says CEO Mike Upton. He says value can still be found in the private sector, in the renewable and industrial power sector, as well as in some public sector pockets, such... →

Green trendsetter Nedbank unveils fourth green building

By: Natalie Greve 28th August 2014 Financial services group Nedbank – the largest occupier of green buildings in the country – has officially opened another Green Building Council of South Africa (BGCSA) 4-Star Green Star-rated building, this time, in Roodepoort. Nedbank Lakeview, which served as the banking group’s campus in the... →

Troubled Gold Coast project, Grinaker-LTA erode Aveng profit

By: Irma Venter 26th August 2014 An underperforming Grinaker-LTA and problem projects in Australia in the past financial year continued to take their toll on construction and engineering group Aveng. The JSE-listed company on Tuesday reported its financial results for the year ended June 30, with revenue up 2%, to R53-billion,... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Kobus Verster

Awareness of steel building method growing

By: Pimani Baloyi 15th August 2014 The South African construction community is becoming more aware of the advantages associated with the innovative construction method of light-steel- frame building (LSFB), which has led to a 21% growth in the sector, says Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association (Sasfa) director... →

JOHN BARNARD Builders are becoming more aware of the advantages of light-steel-frame building

Study reveals steel’s low environmental impact

15th August 2014 UK-based organisation that offers advice, technical information, consultancy services and membership for manufacturers, engineers, designers and specifiers for steel construction, the Steel Construction Institute (SCI), in February conducted an on-site study that found that steel construction has... →

Potential for green economy to bolster youth employment

By: Sashnee Moodley 15th August 2014 Development Bank of Southern Africa Green Fund secretariat manager Michelle Layte noted that the local green economy needed to grow using fewer resources and the challenge was to come up with innovative ways of doing so by involving the youth. →

LSFB reduces energy wastage

By: Mia Breytenbach 15th August 2014 Light steel frame building (LSFB) offers the construction industry and its clients the opportunity to reduce energy wastage by using the high performance alternative building solutions offered by construction group Silverline Group. “It not only produces only 2% of waste during construction... →

BUILDING EFFICIENCY
Light steel frame building produces only 2% waste during construction operations

Project manager and co-owner of the Silverline Group franchise Robbie Meyer discusses the ‘green’ benefits of light steel frame building.

LSFB method adds to skills set

By: Pimani Baloyi 15th August 2014 Light-steel-frame (LSF) franchised construction company and engineering service provider Silverline Group has had to prioritise workforce training to ensure the transfer of quality LSF building skills in a country that has a long history of brick and mortar construction. Silverline project... →

Silverline Group project manager and co-owner of the Silverline Group franchise Robbie Meyer discusses the ‘green’ benefits of light steel frame building.

Company constructs light-steel-frame home in Hout Bay

15th August 2014 Light-steel-frame building (LSFB) specialist the Silverline Group has constructed one of the very few LSFB homes in the country for a Hout Bay resident, in the Western Cape. Home-owner Dieter Losskarn says he was inspired by a similar building on a smaller plot in the area. →

Creamer Media publishes Real Economy Insight: Construction 2014 research report

29th July 2014 This five-page brief covers key developments in the construction industry over the past 12 months. It provides an overview of the sector and includes details of employment in the sector, infrastructure and municipal spending, as well as insight into companies’ efforts to diversify. →

Discovery building developers eye 5-star Green Star rating

By: Leandi Kolver 22nd July 2014 Property developers Growthpoint Properties and Zenprop Property Holdings are targeting a five-star Green Building Council of South Africa Green Star rating for insurance provider Discovery’s new global head office to be constructed in Sandton, Growthpoint office division director Rudolf Pienaar... →

Artist's impression of the new Discovery building

IPD, GBCSA to launch Sustainable Property Index

By: Natalie Greve 16th July 2014 Real estate risk analysts, the Investment Property Databank (IPD), in conjunction with the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), announced, on Wednesday, the impending launch of the IPD Sustainable Property Index for South Africa, which will aim to determine how the inclusion of... →

Surveyors body publishes method for calculating building’s total carbon footprint

By: Sashnee Moodley 11th July 2014 Embodied carbon is increasingly becoming a more significant part of the overall carbon burden for properties and, as a result, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has published a method to calculate embodied carbon for the full life cycle of the building. →

Light-steel-frame building for Katlehong  early-childhood development centre

By: Schalk Burger 4th July 2014 A light steel frame building is providing a structured, safe space to learn and play for preschool children, as early childhood development is critical to providing them with the confidence and social skills to succeed in life, says early childhood development Breakthrough Centre programme... →

Use of solar to meet daytime demand increasing among SA businesses

By: Schalk Burger 27th June 2014 South African businesses are tentatively, but increasingly, investigating and adopting solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to reduce their consumption of electricity during daylight hours, says UK solar PV subsidiary Solarcentury Southern Africa MD Gareth Warner. Many companies are not familiar with... →

SA’s green-jobs focus a good first step, but implementation needs work

By: Anine Kilian 27th June 2014 According to the New Growth Path (NGP) framework, which has been adopted as the framework for economic policy and the driver of the country’s jobs strategy, government has identified the green economy as one of the top 12 job drivers to assist in creating 300 000 additional direct jobs by 2020 in... →

City of Joburg’s R1.46bn green bond lists on JSE

By: Natalie Greve 19th June 2014 Green building in Johannesburg has received a boost with the listing of the first green bond on the JSE by the City of Johannesburg, making South Africa’s largest metropole the first C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group member to issue a green bond. The R1.46-billion green bond, referred to as... →

Building green impeded by skills shortages

By: Donna Slater 23rd May 2014 A lack of skills and resources nationwide is hampering environment-friendly and sustainable methods of construction, says engineering and design company WSP Group Africa. →

BIG DREAMS
The South African construction industry has the determination and knowledge to build word-class green buildings

Photo by Duane Daws
BIG DREAMS The South African construction industry has the determination and knowledge to build word-class green buildings

Sustainable building driven by environmental concerns

By: Donna Slater 23rd May 2014 Construction companies are aiming to use more sustainable methods of building, as the sector is increasingly being driven by companies’ need to have a lower environmental footprint to meet increasingly stringent environmental legislation, states audit, tax and advisory services firm KPMG. →

GAVIN MAILE Labour stability and productivity are required to create trust between government and the private sector

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