Top 5 green building trends for 2020
There are more than 500 certified green buildings in South Africa and this number keeps going up. The rands and sense of building green is becoming better understood by clients and an ever-growing number of services and products keep up with the demands of the green value chain.
Green Building Council to reduce physical footprint
Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) will be reducing their physical office footprint from two regional offices into one, resulting in GBCSA operations being located in Cape Town. Operating from one location reduces building, transport and other related environmental impacts and served as a key motivator for this decision.
Green Game-Changers Win Greenovate Property and Engineering Awards 2019
University of Pretoria is the winner of the Greenovate Property Award 2019 and North West University the winner of the Greenovate Engineering Award 2019.
How architecture could support a degrowth economy
Architecture, by definition, is the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings and this leads to the belief that there is always more to be built. More infrastructure, more houses and more office buildings, all to accommodate growing economies and societies.
Celebrating South Africa’s Inspiring Sustainable Architecture
South Africa has more than a few inspiring examples of sustainable architecture and we want to celebrate the progress made in the field by highlighting how approaches in sustainable architecture can stretch from informal to industrial buildings and everything in between.
Work as a GBCSA Accredited Professional
In the years prior to 2016 the Green Building in South Africa: Guide to Costs and Trends Report found the cost of building green, over and above the convention cost of construction, averaged 5.0%.
Gear up your rating as a green building professional
To recognise the maturing of the green building sector in South Africa, Green Building Council South Africa has introduced tiers to the AP ratings given to professionals who are accredited with the GBCSA to work on Green Star or Net Zero projects.
Step one to a lighter 2020: Reward your team with training
It’s bonus season, or is it? 2019 has been another tough year for many organisations and their teams. Find out more how you can make the case for a bonus through professional development, a move that would benefit both the organisation and team members.
Turn Santa’s red sack green this Christmas season
Plane tickets, check? Using a flight carbon calculator, work out the carbon footprint of your air travel. An economy return flight between Johannesburg and New York will generate 3.55 tons of CO2 equivalent, while to Cape Town it is 35kg CO2 equivalent.
Sharpen your green edge with GBCSA membership
In the last decade, in parallel with the rise of global warming and associated weather events, Green Building Council South Africa has matured. Today, there is such widespread acceptance in efficient electricity and water use practices that it is a challenge to name an industry that is not adopting green approaches.
5 easy steps to lighten your carbon footprint at home
Using electric heaters or air conditioning to increase the comfort level of your home are just two of the reasons you burn through more electricity in the cold and hot months.
New GBCSA Accredited Professional tiering system
Now, the criteria of qualification, experience and level of activity and engagement in the industry will guide the GBCSA’s awarding of the Accredited Professional qualification into to arrange three distinct tiers.