environment awareness for construction industry
10 May 2007

While Cape Town is leading the way, other areas, such as Durban, are also taking steps to go green, said a senior researcher at the CSIR.

The process of developing the bylaw in Cape Town has already begun with the finalisation of a draft "Green Building Guidelines for the City of Cape Town", which is seen as a first step and will form the kernel of the planned bylaw, said Grace Stead, Agenda 21 coordinator for the City of Cape Town.

Agenda 21, which refers to the UN programme for promoting sustainable development, falls under the Environmental Resource Management Department of the City.

The guidelines are to be tabled before council in May, following which they will be made available for public comment.  In an executive summary of the guidelines, it states that a "key area of concern" is the amount of energy and greenhouse gas emissions accounted for by the built environment. The summary states that in some countries this accounts for 40% of total energy use.

"It is essential that both the capital and operating costs be considered when designing a new building, and that costs should not only include financial aspects, but also the cost to the environment and the social costs."

Stead said should it be accepted, the bylaw would mean new developments would have to ensure they incorporated green-friendly measures such as solar heating, insulation and water retention systems.

All types of buildings, including commercial, industrial and residential buildings would be affected.

Llewellyn van Wyk, CSIR Built Environment senior researcher, said Cape Town was "first out of the starting blocks" on the initiative, but Durban was also "making moves".

Executive counsellor for planning and environment, Marian Nieuwoudt, said feedback from both developers and the community on the draft bylaws had been positive. - Patrick Burnett and Steve Kretzmann

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