MATERIALS
DECARBONISING THE AFRICAN BUILT ENVIRONMENT A materials and certification perspective The built sector globally and within Africa has a vital role to play in responding to the current climate emergency given that buildings are currently responsible for 39% of global carbon emissions. Decarbonising the sector is one of the most cost-effective ways to mitigate the worst effects of climate breakdown. WORDS David Baggs, CEO, Global GreenTag
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n 2018, in line with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and to accelerate the built environment sector towards a 1.5ºC pathway, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) launched the Net Zero Carbon Buildings by 2050 Commitment. Embodied carbon contributes around 11% of global carbon emissions. Carbon emissions released before the infrastructure begins to be used, previously known as embodied carbon are increasingly being called “upfront carbon” for clarity and unless addressed, will be responsible for half of the entire carbon footprint of new construction between now and 2050. This growth threatens to consume a large part of the remaining global carbon budget if left unchecked.
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The WorldGBC as well as numerous country-based GBCs including South Africa have endorsed the enhanced focus on tackling upfront carbon emissions at the same time as moving to eliminate net operational emissions by 2050. GBCSA uses its Green Star framework to support a common understanding of what a green building is within the South African property sector, as well as Green Building Councils throughout Africa including Ghana, Nigeria, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe to achieve locally relevant context conditions within other African countries. GBCSA has embarked on an industry collaborative process of updating the Green Star framework and
POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 17
