This follows President Jacob Zuma's encouragement of the private sector to 'go green', as well as support for green initiatives during the budget speech. But how green do you have to go to be considered officially green, and how will this be measured and rated?
"The possibility of incentives for greater efficiency will certainly encourage more green buildings initiatives. But, there will need to be a clear measure of efficiencies for government to confidently and consistently award these incentives," says Brian Wilkinson, CEO of the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA).
Businesses especially will now more than ever be looking for solutions to bring about reductions in operation and facilities management costs in light of, for example, Eskom's recent announcement that they would be appealing for an additional 9,5% increase on electricity costs over and above the already approved 12%. Sustainable solutions are desperately sought.
"Green has become a new buzz word with many businesses and service providers claiming to be sustainable in their offering and operations. This focus on green building has demonstrated the need for a rigorous, standardised system that rates just how green projects are with tangible results to back up these claims."
Fortunately, this system is already in place with the GBCSA's Green Star SA rating tools.
"With these tools we can not only guarantee that businesses live up to their green building claims, but also assist with their endeavours to minimise their carbon footprint," says Wilkinson. "With happier, healthier employees and existing of evidence significantly reduced operations and maintenance costs at greener buildings, the benefits of a Green Star SA rating are extensive."
Building owners looking to achieve a Green Star SA rating can, together with their green building consultant, submit the necessary documentation to the GBCSA. "Independent assessors are employed to evaluate submissions and allocate points based on the green measures that have been implemented. Certification is awarded for 4-Star, 5-Star or 6-Star Green Star SA ratings," Wilkinson explains.
"Green Star SA rating tools are comparable to those of other green building councils around the world, making them a reliable benchmark, not only across South Africa, but internationally too," he notes.
