+IMPACT MAGAZINE ISSUE 28

Strive for Net Zero and energy security, and save money at the same time!

Rooftop, solar carports, ground-mounted solar, and agrivoltaics represent the best-value energy available to the energy customer in South Africa.

Blue Sky Energy is an expert in the design, procurement and construction of such plants. Battery energy storage installations provide access to solar energy daily during peak hours when the sun is not shining and enable users to bridge their primary energy needs through grid interruptions. While the levelised cost of hybrid solar and battery storage installations is significantly greater than solar PV only, appropriately sized solutions can be commercially feasible. Would you like to know if your property or business can achieve energy security at the same cost or less than what you are paying currently?

Agrivoltaics and Solar Carports

Blue Sky Energy works with leading light steel frame construction suppliers to offer a range of innovative solutions such as agrivoltaics and solar carports.

Have you considered putting your spare space to work? Whether you have low-value land or large parking spaces, bring them to life through solar PV installations that create energy and highvalue spaces such as shade for parking or tunnels for agriculture.

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Did you know that Section 12B of the Tax Act allows for the accelerated depreciation at 125% of your integrated solar and battery project capex, resulting in an effective 33.75% saving?

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OUR EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

EDITOR’S NOTE

COLUMN

Chair’s corner

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

Ever committed to its sustainability targets, real estate investment trust Liberty Two Degrees has achieved Level 2 Net Zero Waste status at four of its major shopping malls

DOUBLE ACHIEVEMENT

Having targeted both 6-Star Green Star and Net Zero Carbon level 1 (modelled) ratings, Oxford Parks’ 5 Parks Boulevard in Johannesburg sets a new benchmark for the modern workplace

ALIGNING THE UNALIGNABLE

Globally, there are very different requirements when it comes to decarbonising buildings, but that doesn’t mean we can’t achieve alignment and commonality, says WorldGBC CEO Cristina Gamboa

PROPTECH: DRIVING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT’S SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

A look at how innovative technologies in the property sector are changing the environmental sustainability future of the built environment

ENERGISING CHANGE

We chat to NGO Sustainable Energy Africa about how municipalities are leading South Africa’s sustainable energy shift

URBAN EDGE

Redefining urban living in the sought-after suburb of Sandton, Johannesburg, is Barlow Park Lifestyle Estate – an unprecedented modern, mixed-use precinct that offers affordable, quality accommodation

EVERY DROP COUNTS: BUILDING A WATER-RESILIENT FUTURE

The WorldGBC’s new position paper outlines the role of the built environment in tackling the global water shortage

EDGE RESIDENTIAL ESTATES: BENEFITS IN TERMS OF REAL-WORLD SAVINGS

Electricity savings – via solar PV – could be used to generate real-world savings for owners of Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE)-certified residential units

Editor

Mariola Fouché editor@positive-impact.africa

Director

Danielle Solomons dani@positive-impact.africa

Editorial Contributors

Nicole Cameron Marlinée Fouché

Cristina Gamboa

Katherine Graham

Melinda Hardisty-Chidau

Saul Nurick

Simisha Pather-Elias

Editorial Assistant

Melanie Taylor

GBCSA

Editorial Advisory

Georgie Chennells

Dash Coville

Abigail Godsell

Jenni Lombard

Ann-Mari Malan

Georgina Smit

Anja Thompson

Design and Layout

Carla Lawrence, CDC Design

Media Sales

Tanya Duthie

Glenda Kulp

Nadia Maritz

Vania Reyneke

Cover Photograph

Philip Schedler

Joint Publishers

Gordon Brown gordon@greeneconomy.media

Danielle Solomons danielle@greeneconomy.media

Co-Publisher: GEM

Alexis Knipe

Web Digital and Social Media

Steven Mokopane

MPeople Resourcing (Pty) Ltd t/a GreenEconomy.Media Reg no. 2005/003854/07

CALLING ALL THOUGHT LEADERS

Put your sustainability credentials on show at Africa’s leading green building gathering

Showcase your brand and sustainability solutions to over 700 built environment professionals.

Secure your exhibition space now.

12 - 14 November Century City Conference Centre, Cape Town

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

BOB VAN BEBBER

Bob van Bebber, a senior director at Boogertman + Partners spearheads the conceptualisation and delivery of many of the practices’ large complex projects. From Soccer City, the main stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, to large mixed-use precincts as well as the largest single tenanted corporate head office in the southern hemisphere for Discovery Health. He was recently recognised by the South African Professional Awards as the winner of the Professional of the Year: Architecture Class Award as well as the Overall Professional of the Year for 2019. Van Bebber’s passion extends into urban design, interior design and education.

www.boogertmanandpartners.com

JUTTA BERNS

GRAHAME CRUICKSHANKS

Grahame Cruickshanks has worked as a professional architect, sustainability consultant and management consultant with 20 years of experience in the design, construction and property industry. Focusing much of his career on green buildings and an expert in his field, he has worked on a variety of Green Star and BREEAM certified projects and other building projects in South Africa, Singapore and the UK. Prior to joining Growthpoint Properties as the head of sustainability and utilities, Cruickshank’s previous roles included managing executive for market engagement at the GBCSA and manager at EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services.

www.growthpoint.co.za

Jutta Berns is an industry leader and one of South Africa’s first internationally accredited green building professionals, establishing her company Ecocentric in 2007. She has degrees from the Universities of Bonn (Germany) and Cambridge (UK), and a diverse blue-chip client base. Berns specialises in sustainable and net-zero solutions for large property portfolios. She has several LEED Platinum and 6-Star Green Star projects in her portfolio, is a GBCSA faculty member, a Green Star Assessor and GBCSA TAG member, and winner of the Gauteng Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 Award by the Women’s Property Network and 2019 winner of the Established Green Star Awards by the GBCSA.

www.ecocentric.co.za

MARLOES REININK

MANFRED BRAUNE

Braune currently holds the position of Director: Environmental Sustainability at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where he leads the strategy and implementation of environmental sustainability across all spheres of the university since early 2019. He has also served as a non-executive director of GBCSA in a voluntary role since August 2020. Braune’s background is as a professional engineer, having worked at WSP Group for over 10 years as a consulting engineer, where he then started and led WSP’s green building business for three years and then worked for the GBCSA for 10 years.

https://www.uct.ac.za/main/explore-uct/sustainability

Marloes Reinink is owner of Solid Green Consulting. With an academic background in innovation and architecture, she has been working as a sustainable building consultant for more than 15 years in South Africa and Africa. She founded Solid Green in 2010, which is one of the leading sustainability consultancies in Africa and achieved its 100th green building certification in October 2020. Reinink’s passion is advocating for a greener built environment and she recently started GreenED, an online education platform for sustainability in the sector. Reinink is an ambassador for the International Living Future Institute; a Living Future accredited professional; and a facilitator of the SA Collaborative Network for a Living Future.

www.solidgreen.co.za

Water is the lifeblood of the built environment, but it is also a scarce and precious resource. We have a responsibility to conserve and reuse water as much as possible, for the benefit of our environment, and the health and well-being of our communities.

In this edition of +Impact, we celebrate several landmark achievements in our local green building community, introduce the latest certified green projects that together help fuel our transition towards Net Zero, and highlight the importance of cohesion in the drive for a more sustainable world.

On the subject of global unity, our international thought leadership contributor in this issue – World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) CEO, Cristina Gamboa – maintains that as a sector, the green building sector must actively move towards aligning its methods for measuring the environmental impact of buildings (page 32).

We also know that buildings and construction utilise about 15% of fresh water* – a precious resource we can’t afford to waste. According to Dr Dorota Bacal, Sustainability and Innovation Lead at ARKANCE ANZ (formerly VinZero): “Water is the lifeblood of the built environment, but it is also a scarce and precious resource. We have a responsibility to conserve and reuse water as much as possible, not only for the benefit of our environment, but also for the health and well-being of our communities. Preserve, measure and recycle.” On page 56, the WorldGBC introduces its Building a Water-Resilient Future position paper, which focuses on how the built environment can help promote water conservation and efficiency of use, and mitigate its impact on the global water crisis.

Meanwhile back home – and marking a first in South Africa – real estate investment trust Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) has recently become the first property group to receive the coveted Net Zero Waste Level 2 certifications for four of its major shopping malls – learn more about this voluminous task on page 14.

Adding to the trajectory of multiple sustainability achievements is Johannesburg’s 5 Parks Boulevard – our cover story on page 22 – which integrates seamlessly with its environment in the Oxford Parks precinct. Encapsulating responsible, forwardthinking design, this contemporary, adaptable workspace has attained both 6-Star Green Star Office v1.1 Design and Net Zero Carbon level 1 (Modelled) ratings.

Still up north, Barlow Park Lifestyle Estate in the premium business hub of Sandton, Johannesburg, has achieved a marriage of community and convenience with affordability. This sustainable, mixed-use precinct offers accessible residential apartments along with retail stores and a school. Find out on page 48 how this concept – unprecedented in our country – came to fruition.

On the innovation front, the real estate sector is increasingly turning to digital technologies to help drive and monitor efficient resource management, which both enhances building performance and reduces its ecological footprint. We venture into the realm of proptech in South Africa on page 36.

Staying within the country context, we delve into the work of NGO Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA), which promotes equitable, low-carbon, clean energy development in our governance structures. We chatted to sustainable energy advisor at SEA, Simisha Pather-Elias, who explains how our Cities are pioneering sustainable energy transitions though their municipalities (page 44).

We round off with a close look at the benefits of EDGE-certified residential units in terms of real-world savings on page 60 – and how they can significantly reduce bond duration and save on interest – further bolstering the case for green building in our economy.

As always, we hope our curation of remarkable success stories offers much to think about and continues to give voice to positive transformation.

Mariola Fouché Editor

*2Ding, G. K. C. (2014). Life cycle assessment (LCA) of sustainable building materials: an overview Eco-efficient Construction and Building Materials, Woodhead: 38-62.

Once again, the +Impact team has put together plenty of food for thought in this issue, and inside you will find WorldGBC CEO Cristina Gamboa’s recent thought leadership piece on bringing alignment to the building and construction sector. In her article, Cristina points out that “there is no one-size-fits-all definition of a net zero building” and the approach to how one goes about decarbonising a heritage building will be very different to, say, a retail centre or residential complex.

Readers of this column will know how much stock I place on local context, and I think Cristina is spot on in describing the “challenge of contextualisation”. But in recognising these differences from building to building, country to country, hemisphere to hemisphere and culture to culture, the global financial sector has been seeking a “harmonised definition” of what makes a net-zero building. The differing contexts, or what Cristina refers to as “huge diversity in buildings”, is what makes “standardising targets” hard, and what gives rise to a “mismatch of metrics and standards”.

Cristina goes on to discuss what is possible once this alignment is reached, and charts the next steps, with the WorldGBC supporting the Buildings Breakthrough, a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) initiative, announced at COP28, for near-zero emission and resilient buildings by 2023, whereby 27 countries have pledged their commitment.

So, similarly, I am delighted to have learnt that closer to home, the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and United Kingdom’s Building Research Establishment (BRE) have formed an alliance to “create global cohesion in green building standards”. Readers will know that the three councils’ certifications or ratings schemes, respectively Green Star, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) support numerous building projects in resource efficiency, achieving net zero, as well as environmental, social and governance (ESG) tracking, monitoring and reporting.

By aligning these certifications or ratings schemes, the global financial sector can be assured that green buildings seamlessly fit into their ESG reporting processes, and reduce climate risk. The GBCSA’s Green Star suite of certification tools are developed in partnership with GBCA, and so the South African built environment will also be able to draw on unlocked sustainable finance. This alliance aligns perfectly with Cristina’s article in that it works to establish a “common set of principles that underpin our understanding of decarbonisation across the sector, but that allows for diversity and context”.

Readers will also recall that the GBCSA Board is constantly preoccupied with ensuring that our performance ratings and certification tools uphold the necessary robustness and rigour required to maintain the highest standards. With the GBCSA set to launch our streamlined Green Star New Build Version 2 this year, South African property developers – listed and unlisted – can be assured that through our partnership with the GBCA, and its global green building alliance with the USGBC and BRE, our certified buildings will compete globally.

s Corner

André Theys GBCSA Chairman

MAKING AN IMPACT

DOUBLE FEATURE

In a milestone achievement, Waterfall City’s Nexus 1 building in Gauteng has become South Africa’s first dual-certified development in the sustainable building arena. Development partner and real-estate investment trust Attacq collaborated with Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) to achieve – through the Green Building Council South Africa – an Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification for the commercial building, further augmenting its 5-Star Green Star rating (see +Impact issue 24 for more).

Introduced by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 2014, EDGE empowers developers to assess environmental impact and make informed design decisions, globally championing green building practices.

The 7 363m 2 Nexus 1 building was Attacq’s first Net-Zero Carbon Level 1 development, which now also meets a global benchmark set by the IFC, achieving an 88% on-site energy saving.

Head of Sustainability at Attacq, Lourens du Toit, says that the Group’s focus on environmental sustainability is at the core of its business strategy:

“Attacq doesn’t see the implementation of a sustainability strategy as ancillary to its business. Rather, we incorporate best practices and principles into our decision-making

processes. This certification in particular underscores our steadfast commitment to environmental responsibility, potentially setting a new standard for green building practices in South Africa and beyond.”

Apart from partnering with a developer, the bank took on the role of EDGE expert in the green building certification – a first in the banking industry. Nedbank CIB Property Finance’s involvement dates back to 2021, when it partnered with the IFC to issue a R1-billion green residential development bond, emphasising its commitment to EDGE-certified residential developments – particularly those focused on affordable housing.

Genevieve Naidoo, Divisional Executive for Property Finance Project Management, Valuations, and Sustainability at Nedbank CIB, applauded Attacq’s collaborative approach as a catalyst in the project’s success:

“We are proud to have worked with the Attacq team on the certification of their Nexus 1 building. Nedbank CIB shares Attacq’s vision to promote green building practices and contribute to sustainable development by encouraging environmental sustainability and resource-efficient construction, and our collaboration with Attacq demonstrates our commitment to fostering environmentally responsible practices in the real estate sector.” www.attacq.co.za; https://cib.nedbank.co.za/home.html

BUILDING SKILLS IN UTILITY MANAGEMENT

Despite the availability of traditional energy management courses, a critical skills shortage persists in specialised utility management education. To help bridge this gap, utility network manager Remote Metering Solutions (RMS) has initiated a 12-month experiential learning programme that emphasises the regulatory, pricing and financial aspects of utility management.

The RMS Talent Factory is designed to empower young professionals with practical, hands-on experience, equipping them with the requisite skills to work effectively in the rapidly evolving utility management industry.

As global and domestic forces push towards a lowcarbon economy, RMS clients are increasingly investing in decarbonisation. “The shifting landscape presents intricate challenges. Utility management service providers are now tasked with navigating these complexities, assisting clients in optimising their utility management activities for financial and environmental sustainability. We believe that our Talent Factory graduates will become highly sought after talent in the utility management sector, ready for deployment at future employers,” says RMS CEO, Chris van der Walt.

To source the most suitable candidates for its Talent Factory, RMS partnered with Graduate World Connect NPC, a company that specialises in incubating and developing young talent. www.remotemetering.net

RMS CEO Chris van der Walt, COO Ilse Swanepoel and CFO Lesrick Nayager with the first Talent Factory graduates.

TRANSFORMING TOMORROW, TOGETHER

The world’s leading green building certification bodies – UK-based Building Research Establishment (BRE), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) – have formed an alliance to create global cohesion in green building standards. This landmark effort bridges the gap between green buildings and the environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting requirements of the finance sector, unlocking sustainable finance at a global scale.

The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) works in partnership with GBCA, which means that the alliance will have a positive impact on sustainable finance and the built environment in South Africa too.

Green building verification and certification schemes play a critical role in supporting ESG reporting. Together, the alliance’s three rating systems – namely Green Star, BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) – help many thousands of buildings and projects push to achieve net zero, ESG and sustainable development goals (SDGs) worldwide. By aligning these systems, investors and stakeholders can have confidence that green buildings fit seamlessly into their ESG reporting processes, reducing climate risks and driving impactful change.

“The Green Building Council of Australia was established in 2002 with the support of BRE and USGBC, so there has always been a long-term global partnership,” explains GBCA CEO Davina Rooney. “Finance is a global language and it’s important that we join the dots to direct more finance to this critically important area.”

The alliance is formed against the backdrop of the global climate crisis. The United Nations’ Global Stocktake report last year sounded the alarm, indicating that the world is not on track to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Even if all countries fulfil their current commitments, the UN predicts a rise in global temperatures of 2.5 to 2.9°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century, exceeding the safe limits established by scientists.

One of the key aims of the alliance is to establish an internationally assured definition of a green building, addressing the challenge of inconsistent green building definitions and the risk of “greenwashing”. Currently, the three existing globally recognised tools share common frameworks and objectives but, for those who aren’t green building experts, their alignment and commonality is not clear.

GBCSA CEO, Lisa Reynolds explains: “The three organisations of the alliance have already put in all the groundwork to create robust, reliable green building certification tools, so it makes sense that we work together and take the lead in guiding the industry. It’s about collaboration, not competition. This alliance will enable a positive impact on sustainable finance globally, and at scale. In any country, if a building is rated with one of these tools, investors and stakeholders can have confidence in what this means for their ESG, and also know that risk is lowered.”

GBCSA Executive Director and Head of Technical, Georgina Smit, adds: “With GBCSA set to launch the new Green Star Transforming Tomorrow Version 2 Tool this year, we want the property and finance sectors to know that we have listened to the market. Our V2 tool will connect more easily into ESG reporting, meaning that it will directly support reporting needs as opposed to adding more work. This tool is credible, relevant and more streamlined than its predecessor.”

The first milestone for the global green alliance will be educating the industry with the creation of a practical guide to explore the sustainable finance instruments currently available to the real estate market, such as green loans and green bonds. The new guide will build on an initial document developed by GBCA and launched to the Australian market in 2023. The upcoming version is set to drive awareness of sustainable finance mechanisms among the real estate sector and demonstrate how rating systems like BREEAM, Green Star and LEED ensure compliance with ESG frameworks. It will be published at London Climate Action Week in June 2024. www.gbcsa.org.za

Eastgate in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, is one of only two shopping malls in Gauteng to achieve the Level 2 Net Zero Waste certification. The other is Sandton City.

WASTE NOT, want not

Liberty Two Degrees has become the first property group in South Africa to achieve the coveted Net Zero Waste Level 2 certification by the GBCSA for four of its malls in Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town. +Impact unpacks the sustainable journey the group undertook to achieve this.

WORDS Katherine Graham

IMAGES Liberty Two Degrees

THE LIBERTY TWO DEGREES PORTFOLIO LEADS THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT TO MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

In championing sustainable environments to benefit generations, we differentiate ourselves through quality assets that are exceptionally well run, maintained and relevant. We achieve this through the recognition of the profound impact of climate-related issues on our performance, strategy and financial planning. Our focused approach to environmental sustainability revolves around our steadfast commitment to achieving the Net-Zero target by 2030. We therefore continue to innovate, advance new frontiers of environmental leadership and maintain agility for the transitions required ahead.

When Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) first decided to commit to achieving Level 2 Net Zero Waste status by 2023, it seemed like a tall order. Shopping malls are not known for being eco-friendly, and wasteful packaging often goes hand in hand with the retail experience. Moreover, even though the certification tool was introduced by the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) in 2017, no other building in South Africa had yet achieved this status. It’s easy to understand why. In order to attain this rating, a building must divert 90% of its operational waste from landfill over 12 consecutive months

“This certification has taken three years to complete,” acknowledges Brian Unsted, asset management executive at L2D. The idea to divert 90% of waste from landfill was clarified after the property group appointed WastePlan in 2021 to manage waste at their malls. At the time, waste diverted from landfill was only 47% – a far cry from where it needed to be.

By setting a clear goal and partnering with WastePlan, L2D was able to focus on significantly improving the diversion of waste from landfills at its malls. Sustainability manager at WastePlan, Mike Pienaar, explains the key focus areas to achieve this goal. “Firstly, we needed to get tenants to comply and introduce a system of billing that incentivised them to recycle,” he says. This was based on the “user pays” principle.

Marloes Reinink, director of Solid Green Consulting, which helped L2D achieve the GBCSA certification, says that a huge amount of effort was placed in educating retail staff. “The billing system introduced by L2D and WastePlan

A system of billing was introduced to incentivise tenants to recycle waste.

means that shops are charged different rates for waste,” she says. “A bin that goes to landfill is charged more than a recycling bin, for example. This creates an incentive for shops to recycle their waste.”

ACCURATE WASTE MEASUREMENT

One of the key successes of this project is the accurate measurement of waste, asserts Unsted. “Through WastePlan, we are able to measure and identify all waste and recyclables generated at the four malls,” he says. “We have also set clearly defined contractual performance targets between the mall owners and WastePlan.”

Communication has also been essential. “There is frequent interaction between the property management team, WastePlan and the tenants as waste generators,” states Unsted.

Francois Retief, owner of Sow & Reap, which worked alongside Solid Green as a sustainability consultant on the project, says WastePlan should be applauded for its outstanding efforts. “The level to which they document and track their waste streams, along with the innovation applied to diverting waste, is incredible.”

Once WastePlan’s measurement system was in place, it became easier to track waste on a monthly basis, while the new billing system provided a tangible reason why tenants should minimise and recycle their waste. “Eventually diversion rates were high enough to commence with the certification process,” explains Unsted.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY

The four shopping malls in question – Sandton City and Eastgate in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal’s Midlands Mall and Liberty Promenade in Cape Town – are the first buildings in South Africa that have ever applied for Net Zero Waste certification. This means that in many ways the certification was considered uncharted territory, according to Retief.

PROJECT NUTSHELL – EASTGATE SHOPPING MALL

Location: 43 Bradford Road, Bedfordview, Gauteng

Green building

certification: Net Zero Waste Level 2 (December 2023)

Type of building: Shopping mall

Project size: 135 790m2 total gross floor area

Waste is separated at source in Johannesburg’s Eastgate Shopping Mall by customers and tenants alike to make recycling efforts easier.

PROJECT NUTSHELL – SANDTON CITY SHOPPING MALL

Location: Cnr Rivonia & Fifth streets, Sandton, Gauteng

Green building certification: Net Zero Waste Level 2 (December 2023)

Type of building: Shopping mall

Project size: 241 779m2 total gross floor area

An excellent digitalised tracking system made the certification paperwork a lot easier.

“A lot of work and engagement went into developing approaches with the GBCSA to establish appropriate benchmarks and offsetting methodologies,” he comments.

Reinink concurs. “There were several technicalities that had to be ironed out with the GBCSA,” she concedes. “The paperwork involved was quite detailed: weigh bills must be submitted to demonstrate the quantities, while waste management licences for all the recyclers must also be shown.” But she says WastePlan’s excellent digitalised tracking system in the shopping centres made the certification paperwork a lot easier.

In order to get the Net Zero Waste Level 2 certification, the shopping malls needed to divert more than 70% of their waste from landfill for 12 consecutive months. “The remainder to get to 90% can be done through offset projects that are related to waste, such as composting organic waste,” explains Reinink. “For the L2D portfolio, the recycling percentages were between 80 and 85%, and only a small percentage was offset through a composting project.”

CHANGING TENANTS’ BEHAVIOUR

One of the hurdles L2D faced was behavioural change among their tenants, especially restaurants. “Any change requires buy-in,” asserts Unsted, “and getting businesses to change requires commitment. We needed tenants to understand why we needed them to align with L2D’s sustainability goals.”

For some tenants, the change was easier than for others. “At extremely busy times, restaurants may not prioritise recycling,” he says. “However, this is exactly when we require the most cooperation from tenants, as this is when most waste is likely to be generated.”

Attached to Sandton City Shopping Mall in Gauteng, Nelson Mandela Square is a vibrant space that's home to a wide variety of stores and restaurants.

PROJECT NUTSHELL – LIBERTY PROMENADE SHOPPING MALL

Location: Cnr Morgenster & AZ Berman

Green building

certification: Net Zero Waste Level 2 (December 2023)

Type of building: Shopping mall

Project size: 74 000m2 total gross floor area

The recovery modelling for tenants, based on the user-pays principle, is complicated and involves fixed and variable costs, recyclables rebates, and dry and wet waste. “All parts of the system need to be running near optimally in order to achieve such high diversion rates,” says Unsted. “Things can and do go wrong, and downtimes need to be reduced as much as possible. Components of the system include people, equipment, bins, tracking and monitoring systems’ hardware and software, and composting machinery.”

PROJECT NUTSHELL – MIDLANDS MALL

Location: 50 Sanctuary Road, Chase Valley, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal

Green building

50 Road, Chase KwaZulu-Natal

Certification: Net Zero Waste Level 2 (December 2023)

Type of building: Shopping mall

Project size: 86 000m2 total gross floor area

certification: Net Zero Waste Level 2 Shopping mall 86 total gross floor area

Liberty Promenade is the first mall in the Western Cape to attain a Level 2 Net Zero Waste certification. From left: owner of Sow & Reap Francois Retief; director of Solid Green Consulting Marloes Reinink; GBCSA CEO Lisa Reynolds; asset management executive at Liberty Two Degrees Brian Unsted; general manager of Liberty Promenade Brenda Bibby; and Francois Collison, the mall’s operations manager.

Midlands Mall in Pietermaritzburg joins the other three Liberty Two Degrees malls that have attained Level 2 Net Zero Waste status.

drives, Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town

PROBLEMATIC PLASTICS AND CONTAMINATED WASTE

Another challenge has been educating tenants about the difficulty of recycling problematic plastics and the importance of separating at source to prevent contaminating waste. Problematic plastics are almost impossible to recycle and include items such as tomato-sauce sachets, butter containers, plastic cutlery and plastic straws. “L2D encourages its tenants to change their procurement policies to exchange non-recyclable products with recyclable alternatives,” says Pienaar.

Separation at source is key to avoid poor recycling rates.

“It is considerably more difficult to recycle waste that is contaminated with food or liquids,” Reinink explains. “Food waste needs to be removed from packaging first before throwing it out.” In this way, both recycling and composting can occur more effectively, but it does require training for restaurant staff.

#BETHECHANGE CAMPAIGN

As well as changing tenants’ behaviour, L2D has concentrated on educating shoppers, too. “Our #BeTheChange social media campaign was aimed at educating, inspiring and appealing to shoppers to join the movement in adopting climate-positive practices in their everyday lives,” explains Unsted.

“We also developed a separate marketing campaign to educate customers around the use of harmful plastics, and encourage them to purchase and use reusable shopping bags. A step-change in consumer behaviour is becoming

L2D’s #BeTheChange social media campaign aims to inspire shoppers to join the movement in adopting climate-positive practices.

more evident as more people start opting out of the excessive use of plastic.”

Sandton City has gone one step further by introducing reverse vending machines, which allow customers to hand in their recyclable packaging, including plastic, metal and glass containers, in exchange for vouchers that can be spent at the mall. These reverse vending machines are also being trialled by big SA retailers, such as Pick n Pay and Woolworths.

Unsted hopes their achievement will inspire other malls to follow suit. “We want to show other landlords that Level 2 Net Zero Waste certification is achievable,” he says. “The property industry is one of the biggest contributors of carbon emissions and we need to do as much as possible, as quickly as possible to mitigate climate-change risks.”

Commenting on the achievement, GBCSA CEO Lisa Reynolds says it is a considerable accomplishment that was attained through the power of partnerships. “L2D’s achievement of Net Zero Waste makes it clear that sustainability should not be seen as aspirational, but achievable through the implementation of a clear and consistent approach that provides a strong framework for waste management and resource recovery at all levels.”

Key to WastePlan’s success is its meticulous system of measuring waste: WastePlan workers meticulously sort through waste to achieve a high rate of 90% diversion from landfill. Contaminated waste is waste that has been contaminated by food or liquids. Sorting it at source is important to maintain high recycling levels at the four shopping malls.

Deadline Approaching for Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) compliance

On 8 December 2020, it became mandatory for accounting officers and building owners to display and submit an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for their buildings. Rather than simply a piece of compliance paper, an EPC can be a transformative catalyst, sparking significant changes in the energy performance of buildings.

The latest edition of the UNEP Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction reveals that the built environment significantly contributes to climate change. In 2022, buildings accounted for 34% of global energy demand, 37% of energy and process-related carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and about 21% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Recognising the built environment as a key driver in adopting sustainable development practices, property owners play a crucial role in the push for energy efficiency. They understand the importance of collaborating with experts in the field to enhance the energy efficiency of non-residential properties, significantly contributing towards achieving net-zero targets.

South Africa embraces EPCs as part of the country’s energy-efficiency efforts

On 8 December 2020, it became mandatory for accounting officers and building owners to display and submit an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for their buildings – or risk a fine of up to R5 million, up to five years imprisonment, or both.

“As we strive to meet the objectives of the UNʼs 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, implementing sustainable and efficient energy solutions has never been more critical. Every kilowatt-hour saved counts towards realising sustainability targets. This is the power of an EPC,” says Frikkie Malan, Chief Commercial Officer at Remote Metering Solutions (RMS).

The EPC regulations apply to buildings with a net floor area greater than 2 000m 2 if privately owned, and greater than 1 000m 2 if government owned. The certificate remains valid for five years, allowing building owners adequate time to enhance their buildings’ energy performance before the next renewal. The following occupancy classes require an EPC by 7 December 2025:

• A1: Entertainment venues or places of public assembly

• A2: Theatrical or indoor sports venues

• A3: Places of instruction (including schools, colleges and universities)

• G1: Offices

A South African National Accreditation System (SANAS)-accredited inspection body currently issues an EPC. From 1 August 2024, an EPC will be issued by a “registered professional.”

To issue an EPC, the inspection body (or registered professional) defines a building’s energy performance in terms of kilowatt hours per square metre per annum

(kWh/m 2 /a) of the building net floor area, in accordance with the National EPC Standard (SANS 1544 & SANS 10400XA:2021). The EPC considers all forms of energy the building uses – this includes electricity from the main grid, alternative energy sources (e.g., a solar PV plant) and other forms of energy like liquid fuel (used in generators), gas fuel and even solid fuels.

Time is ticking for EPC compliance

Time is running out for building owners and accounting officers of organs of state to obtain EPCs for their buildings. To comply, two critical deadlines must be met:

• By 3 August 2024 , buildings must be registered on the National Building Energy Performance Register (NBEPR), hosted and maintained by the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI).

• By 7 December 2025, buildings must be certified and certificates prominently displayed. A certified EPC must also be submitted to SANEDI, where the certificate will be uploaded to the NBEPR.

EPC certification is a vital decision-making tool, and most property owners can use EPC data to make better-informed choices along their journey towards net zero.

“While an initial investment may be required to improve the energy efficiency of your buildings, there are definite savings and other financial incentives that will benefit you eventually. For instance, when selling a building with poor energy performance, as expressed on the EPC, it could be more challenging than selling a similar building with a better energy performance, which could make the building more marketable,” says Malan.

As a leading SANAS-accredited EPC inspection body, RMS has certified over 900 buildings since 2022. This includes certificates for listed property funds, governmentowned properties, private property owners, universities and schools.

For a worry-free EPC compliance journey, contact Claudia Hedley at RMS at +27 12 001 3600, or on Claudia.Hedley@remotemetering.net or info@epc-certification.com

DOUBLE Achievement

Designed to target both a 6-Star Green Star Office Design V1.1 and a Net Zero Carbon Level 1 (Modelled) rating, Johannesburg’s clean-lined 5 Parks Boulevard exudes a modern sensibility, exemplifying green building efficiencies and adaptability.

WORDS Nicole Cameron

IMAGES Philip Schedler

PROJECT NUTSHELL

Parks Boulevard, Dunkeld, Johannesburg

The clean-lined, understated presence of 5 Parks Boulevard in Dunkeld, Johannesburg, belies the strong contribution it makes to the expanding Oxford Parks precinct, a forerunner in the realm of sustainable urban development, and an extension of the well-established Rosebank node.

This vibrant, privately managed precinct comprises offices, bespoke retail outlets and an array of residential developments and hotels, and is close to the city’s core business, leisure and transport hubs. It already boasts a number of industry-leading Green Star-rated buildings, generously set back from wide landscaped pavements accommodating cycling paths and lanes, piazzas and parks.

STRIKING VISUAL IMPACT

Enveloped by a flush glazed and stone-clad facade, 5 Parks Boulevard comprises four basement levels and five office levels, providing approximately 9 200m2 of gross leasable area (GLA). The triple-volume atrium extends upwards from the ground floor, maximising natural light and creating a striking visual impact. The interior of the atrium echoes the curved line on the building facade in various features, from the floor pattern through to the feature lights and balconies.

The inside of the building offers a range of flexible options to meet the needs of the modern workforce, from

private offices through to shared spaces, all designed to enhance collaboration and promote a sense of community among employees. Outdoor spaces such as balconies and a rooftop terrace further encourage integration and provide a relaxed environment in which to recharge. These design aspects intentionally feed into the sustainability principle of well-being, approaches that help improve the health of a building’s occupants.

The building ensures that occupants maintain a visual connection to the outside environment.

In this vein, the indoor air quality and lighting systems of 5 Parks Boulevard have been designed to prioritise comfort, with 95% of the nominated area being supplied with fresh air at a rate of 10 litres/second/per person and a focus on natural lighting, given the negative impact of

Green spaces surround the site, which features a network of walking and cycling paths, providing a seamless connection between the building and its surroundings.

The elegant building has been designed with a combination of glazed and stone facade. Balconies offer occupants views and access to the outdoors.

A solar control system takes into account overshadowing from nearby buildings, primarily on the eastern facade.

reliance on artificial lighting. Offering sweeping views across Johannesburg’s urban forest, the building ensures that occupants maintain a visual connection to the outside environment (shown to potentially reduce eye strain and other related health issues).

ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS

In order to meet the requirements of a net-zero carbon rating (a building that uses a highly efficient design to reduce its energy needs, and then meets that reduced demand via renewable sources), an energy model of the building was generated during the design stage, to minimise greenhouse gas emissions associated with operational energy consumption. This model compared the building to a SANS 10400 (South African National Building Regulations) notional building model, and helped inform its design to ensure a highperforming building from a building envelope perspective.

The building makes use of a solar photovoltaic (PV) installation with an annual energy production of 340 900kWh, reducing its reliance on energy produced from coal, and thus the organisational carbon footprint. In terms of illumination, LED lighting and motion sensors ensure maximum energy efficiency – all the individual or enclosed spaces are fitted with occupancy sensors. The project also saves energy by supplying office lighting that is not over-designed, with an average maintained illuminance level of no more than 300 lux.

A solar control system has been constructed off the back of the detailed energy modelling, taking into account overshadowing from nearby buildings, primarily on the eastern facade. Building Glazing Performance modelling was also carried out and performance values were agreed with the architect and mechanical engineer. Performance glazing was selected to control the bulk of the solar gains, with automated blinds strategically zoned and grouped to maintain optimal solar control. The blinds work seamlessly with sun sensors and internal lux meters, determining the ideal slat angle to minimise glare throughout the day.

Modelling also facilitated the assessment of internal operative temperatures to ensure they are within the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) Standard 55-2004 Acceptability Limits for at least 98% of occupied hours, providing a high level of thermal comfort.

The Oxford Parks precinct, which is home to 5 Parks Boulevard, preserves and extends Rosebank’s distinctive walkable character and its densely treed urban context.

The building comprises four basement levels and five office levels, providing approximately 9 200m2 of gross leasable area (GLA).

CHOOSE THE CORRECT PRESERVATIVE TREATED TIMBER FOR YOUR END APPLICATION (H classes)

H2 – Low Hazard : Inside above ground

H3 – Moderate Hazard : Outside above ground

H4 – High Hazard : Outside in ground

H5 – High Hazard : Outside in contact with heavy wet soil or in fresh water

H6 – High Hazard : Prolonged immersion in sea water

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY ASPECT RELATED TO TREATED TIMBER PRODUCTS AND THE CORRECT USE OF TREATED TIMBER, OR WHERE TO CONTACT SAWPA MEMBERS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Tel: 011 974 1061 / 078 144 6213

admin@sawpa.co.za

www.sawpa.co.za

The building’s aluminium windows and doors are an example of a number of products manufactured with postconsumer recycled content.

Water-efficient sanitary fittings and landscape irrigation systems have been installed, reducing the building’s reliance on the mains water supply. The water efficient fittings limit occupant water usage at 0.54L/day/m².

In order to measure energy and water consumption, smart meters are connected via an impact interface to the building management system (BMS). The BMS provides real-time monitoring, including system failures and sudden increases of consumption beyond a certain level, enabling the quick detection and resolution of any issues. It also allows for an analysis of consumption over time, so that irregular usage patterns can be identified. The BMS monitors and manages all services, with a focus on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), electrical metering, PV monitoring, generators, water supplies, tank levels, backup pumps and smoke detectors.

APPROACHES TO WASTE

Waste management is an integral part of a 6-Star Green Star-rated building – 5 Parks Boulevard has a programme in place, along with infographics displayed in the foyer, to motivate tenants to recycle and reduce landfill impact. The project had a lofty goal to divert 70% of waste generated during construction from landfill by implementing effective waste-management strategies. A waste recycling storage area has been provided for in the basement of the building, as well as in the Oxford Parks Precinct, with a total required waste recycling storage area of 32m². This dedicated area meets the Green Star sizing requirement, and accommodates paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, cans and metals.

All selected gaseous and fire suppression systems, refrigerants and thermal insulants used for the development have an ozone depleting potential (ODP) of zero, to eliminate any contributions to long-term damage to the earth’s stratospheric ozone layer.

Concrete supplied by bulk concrete supplier AfriSam reduces the overall CO₂ footprint of the structure, incorporating more fly ash in the mixes, and reducing cement levels by 30%. The building’s aluminium windows and doors are an example of a number of products manufactured with post-consumer recycled content. This puts less strain on the environment and natural resources and extends the life of materials that would otherwise go straight to landfill.

The triple-volume atrium extends upwards from the ground floor, maximising natural light and creating a striking visual impact.

5 Parks Boulevard is perfectly positioned in the heart of the precinct, near the Radisson RED hotel and the Ikusasa Oxford parks building – both Green Star-certified.

A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Green spaces and walking and cycling paths surround 5 Parks Boulevard, connecting the building to its surroundings, and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle that capitalises on its location within 400m of more than five distinct amenities. Staff cyclists make use of showers in the building and its convenient location makes it easily accessible via a number of transport nodes – another important sustainability consideration.

“In addition to our ambitious Green Star and Net Zero certification targets, Oxford Parks’ 5 Parks Boulevard sets a new benchmark for modern workplaces,” says Bain Fowler, Development Director at Intaprop, the building’s developer.

“With an innovative design approach that prioritises sustainability together with occupant well-being and

5 Parks Boulevard’s innovative design approach prioritises sustainability together with occupant wellbeing and adaptability.

adaptability, we believe that we have succeeded in creating not only a workspace, but also a community where employees can work, relax and connect – with each other and the surrounding environment,” says Thato Molapo of Solid Green Consulting

Sustainability has been at the forefront of the design approach, with every aspect of the building carefully considered to reduce the building’s impact on the environment.

Toxic indoor air quality is a growing threat in South African workspaces

The imperative for purified air in South African offices and commercial spaces should be a health and productivity priority, says Lynne Kuter, Director of indoor air quality consultants, LEEP Solutions.

In the current climate of South Africa, where industrial progress clashes with environmental and health imperatives, the quality of the air we breathe has emerged as a silent yet profound crisis. This issue is particularly acute within the confines of our workplaces, where the degradation of indoor air quality (IAQ) poses not just a challenge to comfort but also represents a critical concern for public health and workplace efficiency.

The importance of clean air within our workplaces transcends the immediate concern for employee health; it speaks to the heart of our productivity and economic resilience. In a nation grappling with energy insecurity and environmental degradation, providing purified air within our work environments is not merely a regulatory obligation, but a strategic investment in the future of our workforce and, by extension, our national economy.

The current situation, in which the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates our PM2.5 levels (Particulate Matter that is 2.5 microns or less in diameter) are nearly five times above their guidelines, is unsustainable. It reflects a pressing need for proactive measures to mitigate the impact of poor air quality on our societal health and economic productivity.

Thankfully, the horizon is not devoid of solutions. Advances in air purification technology – notably photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) and ultraviolet C radiation (UVC) – offer promising avenues to combat indoor air pollution effectively. PCO technology harnesses light to initiate a chemical process that purifies the air, effectively reducing pathogens and pollutants. Similarly, UVC technology employs a specific spectrum of ultraviolet light to inactivate airborne viruses, offering a potent defence against the spread of illnesses within enclosed spaces.

These technologies have great potential to revolutionise workplace health. The challenge extends beyond the external pollution seeping into our buildings, as indoor environments are fraught with pollutants – from microbial contaminants in HVAC systems to chemical agents circulating within office spaces. Given that South Africans spend most of their work time indoors, the imperative for robust IAQ control measures is clear.

THE BUSINESS CASE FOR CLEAN AIR

The call to action for improved IAQ is a health mandate and a compelling business proposition. Studies have consistently demonstrated the correlation between air quality and workforce productivity. Cleaner air leads to fewer sick days, enhanced cognitive function and overall higher employee satisfaction – directly contributing to a business’s bottom line. Moreover, technologies like PCO and UVC offer the added benefit of improving HVAC efficiency, translating into significant energy savings and a tangible return on investment.

For businesses, the message is clear: investing in IAQ is investing in your most valuable asset – your people. For policymakers, creating an enabling environment that encourages and facilitates such investments is challenging. And for the public, the call to action is to advocate for and support measures that improve air quality, recognising that the health of our environment is intrinsically linked to the health of our society.

The imperative for purified air in South African workplaces is more than a matter of compliance or convenience; it is a fundamental issue of public health, productivity and economic resilience. In the face of ongoing energy and pollution challenges, adopting advanced air purification technologies represents a beacon of hope – a means to protect and enhance the health of our workforce and, by extension, our nation’s health.

Let this be a rallying point for businesses, government and the public to pursue a healthier, more productive South Africa.

ABOUT LEEP SOLUTIONS

LEEP Solutions (Pty) Ltd, founded in 2017, is a level-1 BBBEE EME, dedicated to supplying air-quality monitoring solutions and innovative technologies. Our mission is to develop solutions that promote safer, cleaner indoor air for buildings. www.leepsolutions.co.za

ALIGNING

WORDS Cristina Gamboa, CEO WorldGBC IMAGES WorldGBC the unalignable

When it comes to decarbonising buildings, we’re speaking many different languages. But just as we’ve learned to communicate internationally, stronger alignment on net zero buildings is possible, too.

In 1887 a Polish doctor, Ludwik Zamenhof, proposed a new language called Esperanto. His vision was a simple, easy-to-learn language to erase global communication barriers. It never caught on.

The reality is we don’t all want to be and sound the same. Humans thrive on diversity and cultural richness. And our communities and the built environments we live in are very similar. This shouldn’t come as a surprise – buildings are so interwoven with our social fabric that they are not just shaped by cultures, but also shape cultures.

So when it comes to implementing decarbonisation and resilience strategies (let’s not forget buildings are responsible for almost 40% of global carbon emissions) we must not lose sight of their inherent diversity, or we won’t bring everyone along this zero carbon journey with us.

It’s no surprise that the loudest voice calling for internationally harmonised definitions of net zero buildings is the financial sector’s. Built environment leaders convened with policymakers in Paris in March for the Buildings and Climate Global Forum , and so we must ensure as a sector we are moving towards the direction of more aligned methods for measuring the environmental impact of buildings, so that finance can flow more easily where it is needed.

There is no one-size-fits-all definition of a net zero building. How we decarbonise a historic legacy building will be hugely different to how we tackle shopping centres, homes and hospitals.

It is because of this huge diversity in buildings that standardising targets is so difficult to do. As a result, we see a mismatch of metrics and standards used differently

by different groups of actors. This confusion risks sending investors in the wrong direction and governments are unable to set more ambitious policies.

THE RIGHT TERMINOLOGY

There is, however, a way policymakers and investors alike can get on the same page. Firstly, we need to align around the right terminology. As an industry, we seem to be conflating building standards, ratings and policy – all important in the decarbonisation and resilience journey, but these should be distinct from one another. And there’s confusion, too, about which tools are suitable for an individual building and those that should be used across a whole portfolio.

Just as with language learning, we need a common understanding of the principles. When we understand the concepts of tense, verbs and adjectives, cases and conjugation, then learning and switching between languages becomes possible. This is the approach we need for the built environment: a common set of principles that underpin our understanding of decarbonisation across the sector, but which allows for diversity and context.

THE CHALLENGE OF CONTEXTUALISATION

Globally, there are very different requirements when it comes to decarbonising buildings. What makes sense in Northern Europe may not be appropriate in South America. Leaders should be honest with the market – a single global definition is not realistic and overlooks local situations that can deliver the most relevant impact.

What is realistic is to assess existing standards, policies and rating tools, and bring the stakeholder community together to define the scope of harmonised and compatible principles that enable alignment and provide the foundations for a global framework – one that upholds transparency of information and assumptions, allows regional appropriateness considering health, resilience, equity, resources and circularity measures, and ensures accountability through third-party verification.

It does not mean we cannot go beyond alignment around key principles – like we are in Europe, for example, where we are leaning into the leadership of green building councils (GBCs) to deliver on aligned definitions of zero emission buildings that support the implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).

NATIONAL DECARBONISATION ROADMAPS

A key tool to help us all get on the same page are National Decarbonisation Roadmaps, which give clarity to the market on next steps and leave space for recognising the relevancy of setting. Across the globe, GBCs are already leading on such roadmaps, for example through our #BuildingLife initiative . These roadmaps are tailored to the specific needs of each market and co-developed with hundreds of experts. As we have witnessed in Europe, they offer a robust navigation tool for industry and governments to get on an alignment pathway to decarbonise buildings in an accelerated and coordinated way.

Additional efforts to align on metrics and targets are also underway. On 7–8 March 2024 at the Buildings and Climate Global Forum, World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), with the support of the French Government and UNEP-GlobalABC (Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction), led on the dialogues on harmonisation with some key international organisations also driving this work, including International Code Council, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and others.

WHAT HAPPENS ONCE WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE?

If policymakers have the same guidelines to help them set ambitious and implementable policies based on aligned standards, ultimately we will start to see rapid decarbonisation from one of the biggest carbon-emitting sectors. Investors will be able to rely on rating tools to guide investments in line with environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting requirements – in other words, they can minimise physical and transitional risks, while having access to the needed information to unlock impactful investments.

Industry players will not need to worry about what tools they are using, as they will be aligned with key principles. We’ll also start to see enhanced energy stability and security, as well as spending shifts to decarbonised and sustainable buildings rather than on energy consumption, including reduced fossil fuel subsidies opening up governments’ budgets.

NEXT STEPS

WorldGBC supports the Buildings Breakthrough , where the first priority action identified is linked to standards and certification. We have been selected as a “coordinating initiative” that will support work on alignment of Whole Life Carbon (WLC) and resilience assessments.

Our collaborative leadership with key partners will deliver principles for the alignment and harmonisation of existing standards and support their effective implementation. Together with key partners, we are exploring development of a “Whole Life Carbon and Resilience Framework” to be delivered by the UN Climate Summit COP30 in Belem, Brazil.

And we can use the existing experience and resources of our network to feed into this work, including #BuildingLife In addition to the 12 national and one EU WLC roadmaps, we have also published a position paper on WLC policy, which sets out how European policymakers can align.

And through the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment and our Sustainable Finance work, we’re supporting industry with the tools and guidance to be part of this alignment journey.

Just as we learnt with Esperanto, we can’t afford to wait for everyone to agree on a single language. There may never be a one-size-fits-all definition of a net zero building, but that doesn’t mean we can’t achieve alignment and commonality – we just need national and cultural nuances to be allowed to thrive. Experience teaches us that this is the approach with the greatest chance of success. www.worldgbc.org

CEO of WorldGBC, Cristina Gamboa leads the world’s largest and most influential local-regionalglobal action network, spearheading the sustainable transformation to decarbonised and resilient built environments for everyone, everywhere.

As a leading voice within the #BuildingToCOP Coalition, she continues to play a pivotal role in championing the built environment globally as not only a priority climate change solution, but also key to driving resilient, regenerative and equitable spaces to thrive.

An economist with a leadership record in sustainability, policy and multi-stakeholder partnerships, Cristina has been a trusted convener and advocate for sustainable development at international platforms such as the UN Climate Summits Conference of the Parties (COP), the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Built environment leaders convened with policymakers in Paris 0n 7-8 March this year for the United Nations Environment Programme’s Buildings and Climate Global Forum.

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In the realm of proptech, platforms like GCX DASH enable the collecting and sorting of building operational data, allowing it to be analysed and formatted for ESG reporting.

PROPTECH:

driving the built environment’s sustainable future

Technologies in the property sector – proptech – have changed the way owners, users and investors operate within the sector. But how is technology changing the environmental sustainability future of the built environment?

WORDS Melinda Hardisty Chidau

The rise of technology in recent decades has affected almost all areas of society and now influences nearly every aspect of our lives.

Proptech encompasses a great many technologies, being utilised in all different areas of the property environment. The development of technologies in the property sector can be traced back to the early days of online property listings and transactions in the 1990s. By the 2010s, significant attention had been paid to data and analytics, and improving user experience. Most recently, there has been a greater emphasis on harnessing technology to create more sustainable buildings and settlements.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN LANDSCAPE

Internationally there has been a focus on the property industry as an area of greatest impact in terms of sustainability, and this has also been a driving force for proptech. Further to global issues, South Africa has its own, unique set of problems relating to the power grid and general service delivery. It was in this context that the South African Property Owners’ Association (SAPOA)

recognised a need for a specialised sub-committee that would provide proptech-related research, education and support to its members. The SAPOA proptech committee was constituted in 2022 and quickly embarked on a largescale survey to ascertain where South Africa stands in terms of proptech needs and uptake. The data collected formed the basis of the first SAPOA Proptech Report in 2023, compiled by REdimension Capital.

REdimension Capital’s Peter Clark and Matthew Marshall, the authors of the report, explain that there has been a recent focus on technologies that aim to drive efficiencies, improve the end-user experience, and reduce environmental impact within the property sector, but that South Africa is still lagging behind the rest of the world. Fundraising within the South African proptech sector is

Constituted in 2022, the SAPOA proptech committee embarked on a large-scale survey to ascertain where South Africa stands in terms of proptech needs and uptake.

REdimension Capital

The SAPOA Proptech report survey produced insightful results as to how proptech is currently being utilised in South Africa and what the potential appetite for growth is.

challenging and, combined with a developing appetite for adopting new technologies, investment and uptake has been relatively slow. However, there are indications that the sector is set for growth.

Peter Levett, Joint-Chief Executive at iShack Ventures, adds that South Africa “has seen the implementation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) regulations and Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) that directly impact the real estate industry. These initiatives have had significant impacts in other markets such as the UK and, given potential fines and reputational risk of breaches, compliance with these regulations is important, and will become increasingly so. Possibly more important is the fact that investors and tenants are more inclined to consider ESG factors in their decision-making processes”.

SECTOR CATEGORIES AND GROUPS

The three main sector categories that derive benefit from proptech, as defined by the SAPOA report, are the Space Users, the Building level activities (development, facilities management and leasing), and Portfolio level (monitoring, managing and reporting – see below). There

are currently over 150 companies servicing these proptech requirements in South Africa. These companies service across nine main categories: Data & Analytics; Artificial Intelligence & Digital Innovation; Management Software; User Experience; Leasing & Sales; Smart Building & Sustainability; Future Retail; Space-as-a-Service; and Finance, Investments & Payments.

UNPACKING THE SMART BUILDING & SUSTAINABILITY CATEGORY

The built environment has long been understood to be the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions globally, both through embedded and operational carbon. So, unsurprisingly, there is an increasing focus on a building’s ability to monitor and reduce its environmental impact. This report category deals with how smart-building technologies provide the much-needed insights and monitoring ability to be able to optimise consumption and enhance building performance. The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the interconnected network of objects and devices that are now equipped with some sort of smart chip or other technology, allowing communication and monitoring across a broad spectrum of objects and installations. IoT sensors, benchmarking and analytics platforms, predictive analytics and automation tools that produce analytics are all utilised more frequently to drive consumption optimisation within property portfolios. South Africa is also at the forefront of distributed sustainable energy adoption, owing to its unique and pressing energy-supply failures, with numerous technologies assisting in an asset’s embedded renewable energy infrastructure.

CEO at GCX, Kevin James, adds that when combining behavioural factors, lack of control measures and engineering expertise, the global average for avoidable energy wastage is 43%. “Using IoT and other monitoring technologies, combined with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), utilities (electricity, solar energy, diesel, gas, water) can be monitored in real time. When there is availability of real-time energy demand and consumption (kWh, kVA, power factor, tariffs, time of use), energy costs and consumption and can be optimised.”

Proptech advances affect three main groups: Space Users, the Buildings level activities (development, facilities management, and leasing), and Portfolio level (monitoring, managing, and reporting).

smartbuildingapp.com

Proptech has the potential to be able to track built environment operations and enable control and adjustments to be made to contribute to more sustainable cities.

Smart-building technologies provide the much-needed insights and monitoring ability to optimise consumption and enhance building performance.

DIGITAL TWIN, AI AND BEYOND

New proptech applications tend to combine technologies such as IoT and Digital Twin (a virtual model of a real-life system) to create a smart model that collects and stores real-world data. AI and ML can then be harnessed to collect and analyse data, monitor operations, and make recommendations and adjustments to enhance building performance. Any number of reports can also then be drawn from the data automatically. Abhijit Nath, Lead Technologist at GCX, explains that there are several other technologies that he believes will soon start to play a greater role in proptech and sustainability. Firstly, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will play a larger role as “custom VR/AR experiences will highlight a property’s sustainability

A Digital Twin is a detailed model that represents a reallife city, building or system, enabling in-depth monitoring and reporting of operations or other data.

Using Digital Twin technologies, entire cities or precincts can be mapped, their operations monitored, reports created and resource usage or emissions controlled.

Using the Internet of Things, every aspect of a building’s operations, equipment and usage can be easily tracked.

smartbuildingapp.com

Proptech apps like Smart Building bring all the metering and monitoring functions across a building portfolio into one, easily accessible place.

Aspects like waste management can be managed and controlled, enabling a real understanding of how waste can be reduced – see “Waste Not, Want Not” on page 14.

features by integrating with third-party ESG data providers to display ESG information within VR/AR experiences”. Secondly, 5G technology, combined with IoT and edge processing capability (the ability to act on data as close to its physical location as possible) will be used to collect and analyse ESG data. “This will involve developing custom IoT sensors and devices that track ESG metrics by integrating with third-party IoT platforms that provide ESG data. Vast amounts of ESG data generated by these devices can be analysed and reported on at source, reducing time delays. This data can be used to identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption, improve indoor air quality and promote sustainability”.

Nath adds a third up-and-coming advancement, where ESG metrics can be incorporated into existing property management software, which learns from the data that it has been fed and outcome that it provided, and later relearns from it. “This will help property managers identify areas for improvement, set sustainability goals and demonstrate their commitment to social responsibility.” Finally, Nath says that “Implementing cybersecurity measures will become

more crucial in coming days. It will help properties meet regulatory requirements, protect tenant data and build trust among stakeholders. Strong cybersecurity measures will protect sensitive ESG data, prevent data breaches and ensure business continuity, all of which contribute to a positive ESG profile.”

CASE STUDY: SMART BUILDING (AI)

Developed by iShack Ventures, Smart Building is an asset and property management, tenant communication and facilities management smart data portal. It incorporates IoT data and AI into a user-friendly centralised app that collect and collates usage and behavioural data about buildings and their operations. Peter Levett explains that this type of technology enhances efficiency and decision-making, increases tenant satisfaction, drives sustainability and social responsibility, creates connected communities, and fosters financial and operational transparency. It integrates easily into existing property and accounting systems such as MDA.

The Smart Building app provides an easy user interface for any aspect of a building to be monitored on a phone or tablet.

Proptech affects many areas of the built environment and building operations, including the sustainability of buildings and their operations.

REdimension

Facilities managers are able to use apps like Smart Building to monitor their buildings’ operations in real time.

Smart Building boasts universal IoT device compatibility, enabling links with any devices: usage sensors, indoor condition devices, smart thermostats, lighting controls and security installations. It enables monitoring of utilities use in real time, which highlights potential leaks early and enables optimised, data-driven resource management, and even facilitates predictive maintenance. Routine processes can be automated, and machine learning technologies can highlight patterns in data and make predictions and suggestions that can continuously enhance a building’s performance. In addition, indoor air quality can be monitored, as can desk and room occupancy. This allows for both a healthier and more efficient space.

The GCX DASH platform allows for the data to be formatted in different ways to suit different ESG reporting requirements.

CASE STUDY: GCX DASH

GCX has developed a proprietary platform for collecting and sorting building operational data, allowing it to be analysed and formatted for ESG reporting. Kevin James explains that “once data has been collated from various systems across the enterprise (utilities systems, building management systems, waste management dashboard, ERP systems, travel agencies), this data can be reviewed using a combination of AI and humans to ensure its integrity, and then visualisations and reports can be automated to ensure efficient and timely reporting and communications.”

The platform allows for the data to be formatted in different ways to suit different ESG reporting requirements. Enhanced accuracy in terms of data optimisation, scrutiny and digital transformation minimises disclosure risk when reporting to the public domain. Landlords can now also benchmark tenants’ performance in categories such as electricity, diesel or water consumption, as well as waste production, on a per square metre basis. This allows them to judge how tenants are performing overall and fosters better landlord tenant engagement on resource management.

James adds, “Our clients use the data to benchmark performance at all levels of the data hierarchy and across all relevant human resources to ensure that targets and milestones are tracked and met. 3D Digital Twin functionality and visualisations are part of our product development roadmap and will help clients see their assets in 3D and be able to visualise the material flows of utilities and waste through the facilities.”

PROPTECH OF THE FUTURE

“The future of climate tech in South African commercial real estate is promising. We can soon expect to see the emergence of even more innovative technologies and practices,” believes Levett. “Smart buildings equipped with advanced automation systems, energy storage solutions and circular economy practices are likely to take centre stage.”

With proptech increasingly being embraced, particularly by larger building portfolio managers, technology advancements – and the inevitable sustainability improvements – are likely to see an exponential rise in coming years.

Using GCX Dash, landlords can now also benchmark tenants’ performance in categories such as electricity, diesel or water consumption.

Building apps like GCX DASH enable easy monitoring and reporting of facilities and processes, consumption and emissions.

A GREENER AFRICA

Leading bamboo composite building materials manufacturer Eva-Last is building for a greener Africa – faster than its sustainable raw material, bamboo, takes to replenish!

At Eva-Last, we supply sustainable composite decking, cladding, architectural beams and railing made from recycled plastic combined with fast-growing bamboo, to over 30 countries around the world.

Demand is anticipated to accelerate even further as more and more designers, architects and specifiers, both locally and internationally, begin to understand and accept bamboo plastic composites (BPC) as a viable construction alternative.

GREEN AT HEART

At Eva-Last, our proprietary production processes provide stylish bamboo composite building materials to beautify the built environment while simultaneously preserving the natural one.

Our commitment to responsible consumption and production means we are continuously developing eco-friendly products that both reduce deforestation and actively eliminate the plastic waste plaguing the planet.

RENEWABLES ENGINEERED TO PERFORM

Our understanding of the outstanding sustainability credentials of bamboo, coupled with its superior performance characteristics, motivated us to produce bamboo plastic composite (BPC) rather than wood plastic composite (WPC).

Bamboo grows 50 times faster than hardwood trees and releases 35% more oxygen, while boasting less than 2% of waste, compared to a dismal 13% utilisation of wood and added-value timber.

As a grass that requires no pesticides or harmful chemical fertilisers to grow, bamboo replenishes itself within

3-5 years. With over 1 250 species worldwide, it is an abundant resource. This is in comparison to diminishing timber species, such as cedarwood, that can take up to 50 years to regrow.

In addition, bamboo fibre’s inherent tensile strength is higher than that of steel, and can withstand compression better than concrete, while its natural thermal properties avoid temperature extremes in either extremely hot or cold climates. Bamboo thus provides an abundant and replenishable reinforcing raw material with exceptional performance characteristics. This therefore means that our composites can offer high impact resistance and superior dimensional stability, limited moisture absorption and biological resistance to insect or environmental degradation, as well as added strength and extended durability.

“Inspired by Nature, Designed for Life”, our range of composites provide the look and feel of timber without denuding the earth of trees or our precious oxygen supply. Since inception, we have saved an equivalent of 2 358 rainforests, while over 71.2 tons of plastic are recycled annually.

In a move towards clean, renewable energy consumption in our production processes, we have installed over 22 858 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels at our manufacturing facilities. The panels generate over 44 000kWh to power our energy-intensive extrusion process, saving more than 2 000 tons of CO 2 emissions daily.

By offering high-quality, environmentally friendly bamboo composite alternatives to timber decking and building products, we are saving trees, saving our planet from plastic waste and excess emissions, and proving that we can life better when we live with sustainability in mind. www.eva-last.co.za

ENERGISING CHANGE

+Impact chats to Simisha Pather-Elias, sustainable energy advisor at Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA), who shares some insights as to how the NPO advocates for energy issues within South African governance structures.

South African municipal electricity staff are trained on embedded generation.

Q: Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA) specialises in supporting local government climate action and sustainability planning – please tell us more about the organisation and its goals.

Simisha Pather-Elias: Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA) is a South African non-profit established in 2000 to combat the climate crisis, address South Africa’s energy-intensive economy, and rectify the unequal energy distribution within the country. SEA has been instrumental in bringing the concept of energy thinking (as opposed to just electricity) into city strategic planning. Recognising the multifaceted nature of the energy-climate-poverty nexus, SEA’s mission is to enhance access to safe and affordable energy services through energy-efficiency measures and transitioning to sustainable energy sources like solar power.

SEA emphasises the crucial role of local government in sustainable energy transitions, providing support through capacity building, policy engagement and research. Key focal areas include transitioning from centralised fossil fuel-based energy, ensuring equitable energy distribution, addressing carbon-intensive urban form and mobility, and bolstering climate resilience.

Our current work focuses on advancing ambitious sustainable energy transitions, spurred on by the prevailing global energy technology disruptions, the national energy crisis, the electricity market liberalisation and the growing urgency of the climate crisis. SEA’s approach of helping others develop their own knowledge and understanding, and its core practice of responsivity, is key to building trusting relationships that form the basis for changing attitudes and gaining goodwill for taking forward low-carbon and equitable thinking and practice in Cities.

Q: What are the key challenges South African municipalities face in implementing sustainable energy initiatives, and how can they overcome these challenges effectively?

SP-E: Globally, the energy transition is well underway and South Africa is at the forefront. This is a result of the climate commitments of the country, but also rapidly accelerated by the domestic energy security issues (i.e., load shedding). Municipalities, as the providers of key services such as water and electricity, need to act at a scale and pace that is required to buffer the country against energy challenges and climate-related impacts.

Addressing the challenges of implementing sustainable energy initiatives in South African municipalities is indeed multifaceted. Our major Cities are reliant on the revenue from the volumetric sales of electricity to cross-subsidise electricity and other services to poor households, so one of the major challenges is how to manage and overcome this through changing business models and associated tariffs. Key hurdles include the need for improved data management,

Sustainable energy initiatives succeed when they’re built on the needs and input of local communities.

limited financial resources, gaps in governance and policy, technical and staff capacity constraints, and ensuring community engagement.

To overcome these, municipalities can start by enhancing their energy data-management systems. This foundational step involves building robust platforms for collecting, monitoring and analysing energy data. The electricity cost-of-supply study is critical in reshaping the electricity business so there is a decoupling of the costs for the units of electricity sold and the cost of the infrastructure needed to deliver the service. Technical capacity is critical to this. Investing in training and development for municipal staff equips them with the necessary skills to implement and manage and review sustainable energy projects effectively. Many Cities have partnerships with academic institutions to undertake research and analysis.

Financially, exploring a mix of funding avenues is crucial. Given that municipalities are cash-strapped and that the fiscus is throttled, it is now more important than ever that municipalities practise prudent financial management and explore innovative funding models. This can be achieved through donor funding such as that which will be channelled through the Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan . Cities can also leverage private funding through private-public partnerships, to provide incentives for energy efficiency and renewable energy investments. However, none of this is possible without clearly identified needs and concepts, good governance and the required supporting regulatory measures.

Lastly, engaging with citizens and business is essential. Sustainable energy initiatives succeed when they’re built

Ceiling retrofit in a low-income house in Langa, Cape Town.

An electricity substation in Cape Town.

Bablu Virinder-Singh City of Cape Town

on the needs and input of local communities. It’s about fostering a sense of ownership and participation, ensuring initiatives are not only implemented, but sustained over time. Learning and collaborating with communities and building on existing initiatives not only strengthens success, but also amplifies previous achievements. Municipalities need to ensure that there is long-term monitoring to ensure that the objectives continue to be achieved.

Q: Can you cite some examples of successful projects implemented by municipalities – what lessons can other municipalities learn from these initiatives?

SP-E: South African municipalities have demonstrated successful sustainable energy initiatives, particularly in the metro municipalities where large-scale projects have been implemented. These initiatives serve as valuable examples for other municipalities seeking to follow suit and showcase how pioneering South African cities are setting global best practice. Numerous case studies have been developed to showcase these successes, facilitating global knowledge exchange and providing lessons for replication.

A recent example is from the City of Johannesburg, which is in the process of implementing its Climate Action Plan The City is embarking on data collection and setting up systems to monitor progress for various initiatives that are both implemented by the City itself, and by business, civil society and communities, especially the youth. In so doing, the City is learning that by engaging these sectors, municipalities can not only unlock and mobilise actions at scale, but can also galvanise society through a sense of purpose and ownership.

Another example is the work undertaken by SEA on the municipal small-scale embedded generation readiness programme (SSEG) (see graph below). This was initiated close to a decade ago to upskill municipalities across the country on establishing policies, tariffs and systems for private-sector embedded generation uptake. Initially resistant to change and the perceived threat of revenue loss from electricity sales, municipalities are now learning that if set up correctly and they work collaboratively

Municipalities should actively engage in policy discussions, using their onthe-ground experience to advocate for practical regulations that accommodate local sustainability efforts.

with their customers, trust can be built, and they can maintain municipal finances and further unlock financial opportunities, and enhance energy security at the local level.

These examples demonstrate that with the right combination of policy support, community engagement, innovative financing and a willingness to explore new solutions, municipalities can successfully implement sustainable energy initiatives and serve as models for others to follow. For further information and case studies, visit the Urban Energy Website at www.cityenergy.org.za

Q: How do local municipalities navigate the complexities of policy frameworks and regulations to drive meaningful climate action and sustainable planning?

SP-E: Successfully tackling these complexities requires a strategic approach, blending understanding, advocacy, partnerships, innovation and expertise. SEA supports municipalities by undertaking research to understand these complexities and various policy implications. By working with government, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), and other experts, vertical alignment of policies can be unpacked to strengthen capacities at the local level to ensure alignment both vertically and horizontally. Aligning local efforts with these policies ensures compliance and, more importantly, leverages national priorities for local benefit. For this reason, municipalities should actively engage in policy discussions, using their on-the-ground experience to advocate for practical regulations that accommodate local sustainability efforts. Participation in government dialogues can help shape policies to support municipal initiatives. Therefore strengthening capacities through capacity building and knowledge sharing is critical.

Training programmes, alongside sharing best practices through knowledge platforms, deepen understanding and foster a culture of sustainability. As an example, SEA, together with SALGA and the South African Cities Network, hosts the Urban Energy Network as a sharing space for municipalities. This network has been running for more than a decade and has been critical to knowledge dissemination and peer learning.

Sustainable Energy Agency (SEA)

SEA - C40 City Technical Officers visiting NZC buildings in Beijing, China.

Partnerships are also key. To leverage resource availability, municipalities need to partner and collaborate with each other as well as with academic institutions, NGOs and the private sector for technical and legal expertise to catalyse innovation methods. Such partnerships strengthen the case for policy support at the local level, pooling knowledge and solutions.

Finally, municipalities must undertake piloting to learn and demonstrate successful implementation to advocate for supportive policy changes. This approach ensures that local initiatives position municipalities as proactive change agents that reflect local needs in broader policy contexts.

Q: What role do partnerships between municipalities, private-sector entities and community organisations play in advancing sustainable energy agendas at a local level?

SP-E: Collaborations like these are instrumental in advancing sustainable energy agendas at a local level, leveraging the strengths and resources of each partner to drive innovation, share knowledge and implement practical solutions.

An example is the iShack Project , a collaboration between the Stellenbosch Local Municipality, the Sustainability Institute at the University of Stellenbosch, and a locally based environmental social enterprise. The initiative runs a community-owned solar energy project and implements an energy efficiency programme in an informal unelectrified community in Stellenbosch. The municipality provides funding via the Free Basic Electricity grant, the university does the research and provides technical expertise for solar PV and energy-saving devices, and iShack installs and provides the energy-efficient appliances, and mobilises local residents to invest in and benefit from the project. This partnership not only expands access to clean energy, but also creates economic opportunities through local job creation and strengthens community resilience. The model is expanding to other cities in the country.

Q: Have you encountered any exciting examples of municipalities – or departments within municipalities – doing something different, new, or experimental?

SP-E: Energy efficiency in buildings – implemented by SEA, the progressive, C40-led South African Buildings Programme has the four large metro municipalities of Tshwane, Cape Town, eThekwini and Joburg committed to the target of all new buildings being net zero carbon by 2030, and all existing buildings by 2050. The aim is to accelerate the development and implementation of transformational building energy efficiency policies and programmes that advance the national regulations on energy efficiency for buildings. It requires that cities work cross-departmentally to establish and implement the policy and processes. More information is available on www.smartbuildings.org.za

Renewable energy development – the City of Cape Town is spearheading lots of initiatives to strengthen energy security and decarbonise. These involve being the first city to initiate building its own large-scale solar power plants; incentivising embedded generation through cash payments to customers (not just crediting of electricity bills); and undertaking wheeling projects – which allow customers to buy electricity from a producer directly by utilising the municipal electricity lines.

Electrification for informal settlements – in a first-of-itskind micro-grid installation project, the City of Joburg and City Power are providing electricity to informal households in Alexandra township, Johannesburg, through a micro-grid solar PV project www.sustainable.org.za

Simisha Pather-Elias is a project manager at Sustainable Energy Africa, and has been with the NGO since 2013. In her current role, Simisha is responsible for policy and strategy formulation, research and capacity-building initiatives on sustainable energy issues at the local government level. She is currently leading the energy-efficiency projects at SEA and has a keen interest in net zero carbon buildings. Simisha completed an MSc (Engineering) degree in Energy and Development at the University of Cape Town’s Energy Research Centre in 2011.

This image and below: A micro-grid pilot in Alexandra, Johannesburg.

City of Johannesburg

URBAN edge

Barlow Park Lifestyle Estate has taken an affordable, high-density model and replicated it successfully in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Atterbury

Sandton’s Barlow Park Lifestyle Estate Phase 1 – which has achieved EDGE Preliminary Advanced Certification – shows that mixed-use precincts might well become a feature of sustainable urban living.

WORDS Marlinée Fouché

PROJECT NUTSHELL

STRUCTURAL STRENGTHENING

STRUCTURAL STRENGTHENING

STRUCTURAL STRENGTHENING

Sika CarboDur® SYSTEM

Sika CarboDur® SYSTEM

Sika CarboDur® SYSTEM

More than 20 years’ experience with installations all over the world

More than 20 years’ experience with installations all over the world

More than 20 years’ experience with installations all over the world

THE SIKA CARBODUR® SYSTEM is one of the most established and well-proven, carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) based structural strengthening solutions worldwide. It consists of Sika CarboDur® CFRP plates and rods, plus the structural epoxy resin based adhesives Sikadur®-30 and Sikadur®-30 LP. This simple and reliable, high performance system is easy to apply and provides outstanding long-term durability in service.

THE SIKA CARBODUR® SYSTEM is one of the most established and well-proven, carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) based structural strengthening solutions worldwide. It consists of Sika CarboDur® CFRP plates and rods, plus the structural epoxy resin based adhesives Sikadur®-30 and Sikadur®-30 LP. This simple and reliable, high performance system is easy to apply and provides outstanding long-term durability in service.

THE SIKA CARBODUR® SYSTEM is one of the most established and well-proven, carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) based structural strengthening solutions worldwide. It consists of Sika CarboDur® CFRP plates and rods, plus the structural epoxy resin based adhesives Sikadur®-30 and Sikadur®-30 LP. This simple and reliable, high performance system is easy to apply and provides outstanding long-term durability in service.

■ Proven long term solutions

■ Proven long term solutions

■ Proven long term solutions

■ Fast installation = minimal down time

■ Fast installation = minimal down time

■ Fast installation = minimal down time

■ Invisible strengthening

■ Invisible strengthening

■ Invisible strengthening

■ Whole system = one supplier

■ Whole system = one supplier Call us for more

■ Whole system = one supplier

www.sika.co.za

www.sika.co.za

www.sika.co.za

Redefining urban living in the affluent Johannesburg suburb of Sandton is Barlow Park Lifestyle Estate – an unprecedented modern, mixed-use precinct that offers affordable, quality accommodation in a sought-after location.

The lifestyle estate includes a Curro school and 2 000 rentable residential units, along with retail shopping, restaurants, shared amenities and landscaped recreational areas – and has even adopted a local park from the City of Johannesburg. Leasing for the first phase of rental apartments became available in February this year, and most of them have – unsurprisingly – already been snatched up.

Well known for its inner-city projects, developer Divercity Urban Property Group decided to venture beyond those borders with Barlow Park. “We believe in the importance of providing well-located affordable housing close to economic opportunity,” says CEO Carel Kleynhans. “Barlow Park brings Divercity’s affordable living product to the heart of Sandton, and arguably the best-located employment node in South Africa.”

Architect Wandile Mntambo of GASS Architecture Studios believes there’s a healthy demand for such precincts. “The idea of living, working and playing within your immediate environment is really attractive to people,” he says. “It is really unique to the South African context – unlike overseas, particularly in Europe, where they’ve been working at this [concept] for a long time.”

STRUCTURAL STRENGTHENING

STRUCTURAL STRENGTHENING

By combining retail, residential and educational facilities in one building, an opportunity for a more sustainable space, where each ‘sector’ feeds into the next – is created. According to EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) auditor and owner of Inside Out Consulting, Yvonne Pelser, the phase one residential and school developments’ EDGE Preliminary Advanced certifications have been bestowed. To achieve this rating, a minimum of 20% savings in the Water and Materials categories and 40% in the Energy category must be proven. So, what gives this development the edge?

ENERGY

Residential: 53.71%

School: 100%

For Mntambo, the first aspect of this category that springs to mind is the use of heat exchangers and heat pumps that warm the 750 residential units’ water, housed in three 40 000-litre hot-water tanks. The heat exchangers allow

Hot air from the retail store, which would have been wasted, is harnessed to heat the water tanks.

Sika CarboDur® SYSTEM

Sika CarboDur® SYSTEM

More than 20 years’ experience with installations all over the world

More than 20 years’ experience with installations all over the world

THE SIKA CARBODUR® SYSTEM is one of the most established and well-proven, carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) based structural strengthening solutions worldwide. It consists of Sika CarboDur® CFRP plates and rods, plus the structural epoxy resin based adhesives Sikadur®-30 and Sikadur®-30 LP. This simple and reliable, high performance system is easy to apply and provides outstanding long-term durability in service.

■ Proven long term solutions

■ Proven long term solutions

■ Fast installation = minimal down time

■ Fast installation = minimal down time

■ Invisible strengthening

■ Invisible strengthening

■ Whole system = one supplier

■ Whole system = one supplier

THE SIKA CARBODUR® SYSTEM is one of the most established and well-proven, carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) based structural strengthening solutions worldwide. It consists of Sika CarboDur® CFRP plates and rods, plus the structural epoxy resin based adhesives Sikadur®-30 and Sikadur®-30 LP. This simple and reliable, high performance system is easy to apply and provides outstanding long-term durability in service.

Call us for more

www.sika.co.za

Barlow Park’s development team –construction of the modern, mixed use precinct began in June 2022.

BUILDING A SAFE HOUSE

No person can erect a building/house without approved building plans prepared by a registered architectural professional.

Any member of the public who erects a building/house without approved building plan prepared by registered architectural professional is considered guilt of an offence.

A member of the public will also suffer losses because the building will be demolished.

Furthermore, a person who is not registered with the South African Council for the architectural profession (SACAP) will not be able to advise a member of the public not to build a house on a site which is subject to flooding or does not drain properly.

A building plan prepared by a person who is not registered will be dangerous to

the specification of the heat pumps to be smaller in size, rendering them more cost-effective and efficient.

The heat exchangers recover hot air from the shopping centre on the ground floor, which has a refrigeration plant at the back of the retail store, says Mntambo. “You will always feel hot air coming out at the back of an air conditioner or fridge. In this case, the hot air that would have been wasted is [harnessed] to heat the tanks – that’s very uncommon for this kind of development.” Pelser adds that the heat pumps used for only the residential units’ water are quite efficient at a COP (coefficient of performance) of 4.9, and 35% of the energy used is solar.

A second unique feature is the large rooftop solar system, peaking at a capacity of 620kWh. Power is shared among the different uses of the building: “The retail is on the ground floor, the school is on the first floor, and the residential units are at the top,” says Pelser. “This type of design is

Barlow Park brings an affordable living product to the heart of Sandton.

not often found in the likes of Sandton – but will mostly be found in the inner city.”

Mntambo adds that the apartments and the school will receive sufficient power from the solar system and batteries on site – meaning they are independent of the national power utility for electricity.

Vinyl has been used as flooring, says Mntambo, as experience has proven that concrete cools rooms down – especially in colder months. “Tenants then tend to add heaters, so with vinyl flooring, we’ve saved on both material and energy consumption.”

The precinct’s ground level accommodates the retail space, the first floor houses a Curro school at the bottom right, and the residential apartments occupy the upper floors.

Divercity Urban Property Group

The Barlow Precinct Lifestyle Estate brings affordable, sustainable living to the heart of Sandton.

MATERIALS

Residential: 45%

School: 23%

Sourcing the right material for this precinct was a balancing act between local availability (ensuring the lowest possible carbon footprint) and affordability (in terms of maintaining an economical housing project such as Barlow Park).

A mixed-use precinct automatically utilises less material, says Mntambo, especially, for example, in terms of roofing – naturally, the school and retail components of the building don’t require one.

Mntambo says they decided on steel sheeting predominantly because of its cost-effectiveness. “There’s very little maintenance required. Your materials need to meet the budget as much as possible, so that it remains affordable, and we also trust the product.”

“Because this is a high-rise building, you need a concrete structure with infill brickwork: many of the exterior walls and the interior walls are concrete,” says Pelser. To lower the carbon footprint, an eco-friendly concrete was used, along with mostly hollow face bricks.

On the use of vinyl flooring, Pelser echoes Mntambo’s sentiments on maintenance. “You want long-term sustainability through durable materials that don’t need replacing every time a tenant moves in.”

A mixed-use precinct automatically utilises less material.

WATER

Residential: 36.88%

School: 41.55%

Water from 14 on-site boreholes is collected in a 500 000-litre tank, and sanitary ware was adapted for the precinct, plus drip irrigation is used, says Mntambo.

“The intention behind the boreholes was to obtain enough underground water under our water licence to feed the entire phase one, and to avoid using water from the usual supplier to the site,” he says. From there, it flows into

Sustainability doesn’t stop at erecting the building.

the 500 000-litre tank – which could be topped up with the municipal supply if necessary. The water is purified in the tank, from where it is either heated, or pumped into the building as cold water.

Taps have fitted flow restrictors, low-flow shower heads have been installed and each tap in the building is fitted with an aerator, which further lessens volumes.

Pelser says the project team also installed an interrupted flush system in the residential units. “It’s not a typical dual or single flush system. It has a flush mechanism on the inside, and the water used to flush depends on how long the mechanism is held down.”

Although not completely new abroad, the concept is relatively new to South Africa, having recently been introduced by a supplier. “The issue is that people want to use the dual flush, but not many understand how to use it [correctly]. They end up pushing both buttons at the same time, or push the wrong button, and end up flushing again – thus limiting savings.”

PEOPLE-CENTRED LIVING

This precinct means more to Mntambo than just the facts and the figures. “Sustainability doesn’t stop at erecting the building,” he says. “It also requires another step, which is to actively inform people of the sustainable features in the space they are using.” Awareness is key after construction is completed: “The more you make people aware of how we can live in exactly the same manner – yet save on the cost of living in a way that’s better for the planet – the more you can help better humankind.”

Barlow Park Lifestyle Estate has taken an affordable, high-density model – often limited to inner cities – and replicated it successfully in Sandton. Evidence of that success is in the numbers. As Pelser notes, “renting out 350 units in one month is quite a feat!”

The Barlow Precinct Lifestyle Estate has an open-air neighbourhood centre of 5 500m2

GASS Architects

45 years of retaining excellence Building Blocks

An award-winning, Cape Town-based company, Terraforce is known for its versatile hollow-core concrete block retaining-wall systems. Meet the women who are steering this innovative business towards an even brighter future.

Carving out their own path – while honouring a family legacy that spans more than four decades, – Elgin Rust and Karin Johns (née Rust) are taking over the reins of the retaining wall business conceived 45 years ago by their father, Holger Rust.

The dynamic duo is not only driving forward the company’s success, but also redefining the role of women in the construction and retaining wall industry.

ROOTED IN INNOVATION

The story of Terraforce is rooted in the vision and entrepreneurial spirit of Holger Rust. In 1979, he began by importing gabions, a conventional method of retaining walls, into South Africa. However, he recognised the need for a more cost-effective, practical and aesthetically pleasing solution.

Rust pivoted towards developing innovative earthretaining solutions that would meet the unique demands of the South African landscape.

QUALITY-DRIVEN

In a market where cheaper, less durable replicas are finding their way onto sites, Rust and Johns caution the market to ensure that the product specified, and the one used on site, is indeed a genuine Terraforce product.

Citing the technical support, research, testing and engineering excellence that the brand is known for, they affirm the commitment of this heritage company to the local construction industry.

Growing up surrounded by the construction business, Rust and Johns found their calling, inheriting their father’s

THE FUTURE IS FEMALE

As women in a (still) predominantly male-dominated industry, Rust and Johns faced numerous challenges along the way. Yet, their resilience and unwavering commitment to quality allowed them to overcome barriers and earn respect within the construction community.

Their journey serves as a testament to the vital role that women play in the built environment.

Rust and Johns are dedicated to honouring their father’s legacy, while charting a new course for the company’s future. Their story serves as an inspiration to aspiring female entrepreneurs and professionals, proving that with vision, discipline, determination and a willingness to challenge the status quo, women can thrive in the construction and retaining wall business.

For more information, contact Terraforce:

Tel: +27 21 465 1907

Email: info@terraforce.com

Website: www.terraforce.com

Main Logos

Heritage brand, Terraforce, celebrates 45 years and new female leadership to catapult it into the future. From left: Karin Johns and Elgin Rust.

Karin Johns, Holger Rust and Elgin Rust at Klapmuts Concrete, Terraforce's Western Cape licenced manufacturer.

It’s predicted that by 2030, there will be a 40% gap between global fresh water supply and demand, with the built environment being responsible for around 15% of fresh water use.

With nearly half the global population predicted to be denied access to fresh, clean water, this humanitarian crisis has now become as urgent as tackling greenhouse gas emissions in the fight against climate change. That’s why the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) has launched an innovative publication through its global

EVERY DROP COUNTS:

building a water-resilient future

The fresh water crisis is now as urgent as making the transition to zero carbon –WorldGBC has launched a new position paper outlining the role of the built environment in tackling the global water shortage.

WORDS & IMAGES WorldGBC

Circularity Accelerator programme: Building a WaterResilient Future, which outlines the role of the building and construction sector in tackling the global water crisis. This report was launched at GBCSAʼs 2023 convention by Dominika Czerwinska, WorldGBCʼs Director of Engagement and Networks.

At the UN Climate Summit COP28 in Dubai, UAE (30 November–12 December 2023), the role of the built environment was spotlighted in addressing how we can secure an equitable and resilient future for everyone.

Building a Water-Resilient Future outlines the role of the building and construction sector in tackling the global water crisis.

This work was showcased at COP28 to demonstrate how the built environment provides one of the greatest opportunities in helping the world transition to zero carbon, meet the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and tackle the water crisis. The paper is aimed at the building and construction sector, and has been developed with extensive collaboration from WorldGBC’s global network and industry experts. It lays out the magnitude of the challenge – and what we can do to change course.

THE CHALLENGES WE FACE

Fresh water is essential for human existence. As our population continues to grow, combined with the lack of systemic and long-term planning, fresh water has become a globally scarce resource. As a result, the world is now facing a global water crisis that is being exacerbated by climate change, with global water use, storage and distribution contributing to 10% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Although the surface of the planet is approximately 70% water, less than 1% of the water on Earth is available for human consumption and use.

In the past century, population growth, industrialisation, urbanisation and climate change have collectively contributed to a rapidly accelerating global water crisis. Today, nearly four billion people are affected by water

scarcity, and predictions suggest this number will rise as global water demand is projected to increase 55% by 2050.

In addition, the global building floor area is expected to double in size by 2060 – meaning an urban area the size of New York City is being built every month. The sector is using water across four scales – the materials supply chain, construction, operating buildings and cities – at all stages of the life cycle.

THE SOLUTIONS WE NEED NOW

The impact of tackling the water crisis within the built environment has immense opportunities to address the water crisis on a global scale. Supported by exemplary case studies from around the world, this paper highlights four key areas across the built environment, where solutions can, and are, being actioned to tackle this crisis. The infographic (on page 56) demonstrates the four key stages of the lifecycle where water use can be most effectively addressed.

This paper has been developed by WorldGBC in collaboration with a network of 26 Green Building Councils around the world, as well as our partners Arup, Brightworks Sustainability, CBRE, Foster + Partners, WSP, Kingspan and ARKANCE (formerly VinZero), and a network of over 30 individual experts.

Building a Water-Resilient Future is the latest report from WorldGBC’s global Circularity Accelerator programme, which released the Circular Built Environment Playbook earlier

Infrastructure resilience and sustainability are critical in positively shaping the future of water.

in 2023. The Playbook outlines how the building and construction sector can implement circular economy and resource efficiency principles throughout the entire lifecycle of a building.

View the Building a Water-Resilient Future paper at https://worldgbc.org/article/water-paper/ and follow the campaign at #CircularityAccelerator and #ChangeTheCourse. www.worldgbc.org

A MESSAGE FROM CRISTINA GAMBOA, CEO, WORLDGBC:

“I am proud to launch this industry position paper, which outlines the magnitude of this challenge – yet also the great potential of the built environment to address it. This is a sector that contributes to an enormous 15% of freshwater use. So we must take a systems change approach and utilise every resource and opportunity to leverage our influence and expertise to drive real change across global infrastructure.”

JOHANNE GALLAGHER, STRATEGIC DELIVERY LEAD – SUSTAINABILITY, ARKANCE (FORMERLY VINZERO):

“Infrastructure resilience and sustainability are critical in positively shaping the future of water. The technology already exists. There is no lack of resources; the solution lies in competent leadership, efficient stakeholder engagement processes and acting collaboratively in taking a whole systems approach to solutions, in time. We must come together to design, build and solve our infrastructure challenges and ensure that our future means we all have clean and safe water for life.”

EDGE RESIDENTIAL ESTATES:

benefits in terms of real-world savings

WORDS Dr Saul Nurick

The growth of green certified buildings in the South African commercial property market has dominated industry attention since the certification of the first green office building in 2009. Office, retail, industrial and educational buildings have obtained certification via one of the Green Star certification tools. The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) subsequently incorporated Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) into their suite of certification tools, specifically for the residential property sector.

THE BACKGROUND

South Africa continues to face multiple infrastructure challenges, especially with regard to electricity reliability (load shedding), coupled with above-inflationary year-onyear price increases. This has resulted in residential property owners and developers implementing solar photo voltaic (PV) energy systems in an effort to future-proof real estate assets via renewable energy, as a form of green building features and initiatives (GBFIs). Fortunately, a favourable climate, encourages the implementation of solar PV. The convergence of electricity challenges and high quantities of sunlight have created an opportunity for residential real estate developers to produce mid- to high-end housing solutions that incorporate solar PV from project inception. Furthermore, these housing products are EDGE-certified, which guarantee a minimum level of energy efficiency.

Research conducted by UCT’s Urban Real Estate Research Unit (URERU), in collaboration with a prominent South African residential property development company, attempted to determine how electricity savings (via solar PV) could be used to generate real-world savings for owners of EDGE-certified residential units, comprising one, two and three bedrooms.

THE RESEARCH

The investigation looked into the impact of electricity savings on tangible investment options for professionals owning and residing in an EDGE-certified residential estate located in Gauteng, South Africa. The residential estate contained 503 units, comprising 219 one-bedroom units, 232 two-bedroom units, and 52 three-bedroom units. The monthly electricity savings for the one-, two- and three-bedroom units were R157, R320 and R684, respectively. These savings were underpinned by actual kilowatt hour (kWh) usage for each of the unit types, and the energy savings were compared to the energy consumption of a non-EDGE rated residential estate (also containing one-, two- and three-bedroom units).

Research was conducted to determine the market price of the three residential typologies. Moreover, assumptions were made in terms of bond finance, which was an 80% loan-to-value (LTV), for a period of 20 years, with a cost of finance of 11.75% (prime interest rate) for non-EDGE units and of 10.75% (prime less 1%) for EDGE units. The monthly electricity saving was added to the monthly bond repayment to determine at what rate the loan duration would decrease, which would also result in an interest saving for the debt.

THE FINDINGS

For a one-bedroom unit where the monthly electricity saving was R157, the loan duration reduced by 56 months (Figure 1), resulting in an interest saving of R81 748. The two-bedroom units experienced a monthly electricity saving of R320, and indicated a loan duration reduction of 61 months (Figure 2), resulting in an interest saving of R129 221. The three-bedroom units, with a monthly electricity saving of R684, exhibited a reduction in the loan period of 77 months (Figure 3), producing an interest saving of R204 807. Table 1 provides a breakdown of the electricity savings and loan details.

Table 1: Electricity and loan details for each typology

Figure 1: One-bedroom unit accelerated repayment schedule

INVESTING THE SAVINGS

A hypothetical, proposed form of investment for the electricity savings plus the notional bond repayment, is the EDGE Alternative Investment (EAI) Fund. This would be an exclusive balanced fund, where owner/residents could start investing when the mortgage bond is settled, as a form of long-term wealth creation. The asset allocation of the EAI Fund is similar to other balanced funds currently offered in the investment market. The future value (FV) of the EAI Fund contribution until the original maturity of loan (240 months) is calculated, where a present value (PrVa) is calculated, applying an annual inflation rate of 5%.

The PrVa is compared to the original loan amount for each typology. The PrVa for a one-bedroom unit is R164 557, compared to a loan of R560 000, resulting in a real-world saving (RWS) loan ratio of 29%. This means that in today’s money, the EAI Fund returns represent slightly over a quarter of the loan amount. For the two- and three-bedroom units,

the RWS loan ratio is 33% and 46%, respectively. In today’s money, the EAI Fund returns equate to a third and almost half of the respective loan amounts (Table 2).

Green building features and initiatives in the form of electricity efficiency can have a greater impact than the obvious direct financial (savings) and a positive contribution to the environment, which has been the standard argument since the emergence of certified green buildings in the South African commercial real estate market. The research exhibited the potential for real-world savings and future wealth creation for owners and residents of EDGE-certified residential units.

Dr Saul Nurick is a senior lecturer and programme convenor for the BSc Property Studies and BSc (Hons) Property Studies degrees offered by the Department of Construction Economics and Management at the University of Cape Town. Dr Nurick is also affiliated to the Urban Real Estate Research Unit (URERU).

Van Wyk, A. and Van Der Merwe, I. (2023) An Investigation into the Benefits of EDGE Residential Estates in terms of RealWorld Savings, Unpublished Thesis, Department of Construction Economics and Management, University of Cape Town.

Table 2: Summary of key findings for each typology

Figure 2: Two-bedroom unit accelerated repayment schedule

Figure 3: Three-bedroom unit accelerated repayment schedule

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Not only were we the first to measure kiln emissions in Southern Africa, we were the first to install bag-house filter technology to reduce kiln emissions, setting a benchmark for the industry by not only identifying a production problem but providing a productive solution. We were also the first to achieve a 90% reduction in particulate emissions and a 33% reduction in CO2 emissions because, as the leaders in sustainability, putting sustainability first has been, and always will be, second nature to us.