Official publication of Green
Building Council South Africa
IMPACT 24
Powering
NET ZERO
towards
ISSUE
Website: www.blue-sky.energy Email: enquiries@blue-sky.energy
123RF
Strive for Net Zero
while saving 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 high-
value spaces such as
shade for parking or
tunnels for agriculture.
CONTACT THE EXPERTS AT BLUE SKY ENERGY RIGHT NOW!
123RF
Did you know that Section
12B of the Tax Act allows for
the accelerated depreciation
of your power generation capex,
resulting in a 27.5% saving on
your project installation?
Your first tap
into Renewable
energy
WWK 304 ZA
Secure your investment with aesthetical cutting edge water
heating technology
Compact series specially developed for outdoor installation
High available mixed water volume, up to 550L, and hygienic
DHW temperatures up to 65°C in heat pump mode
Categorised in the highest possible energy efficiency class for
water heaters
Permanently high efficiency and safety across the entire service life
of the appliance, due to spring-loaded roll-bond heat exchanger
Reduced operating costs via intelligent interface to increase
consumption of on-site photovoltaic energy - Go off-grid
Highly reliable and cost effective due to the impressed current
anode integrated as standard
Very quiet operation due to sound-insulated compressor and
positioning away from the air flow
www.stiebel-eltron.co.za
Comfort through Technology
Also suitable for indoor installation (recirculation air mode)
POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 24
6
OUR EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
8
EDITOR’S NOTE
9
COLUMN
Chair’s corner
12
CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE
Six female Green Building Council South Africa board
members weigh in on women’s involvement and
leadership in the climate change space
16
HOLDING ALL THE GREEN CARDS
The V&A Waterfront’s The Watershed has upheld its 6-Star Green Star EBP
rating, and is aiming for net zero for existing and new buildings by 2035
22
DEEP DIVE: NATURE, RESILIENCE & PLACES
In the build-up to the pilot phase launch of the Green Star New Build V2
tool later this year, we unpack three of its eight categories
28
FUTURE FORWARD: GREEN REAL ESTATE
The MSCI South Africa Green Annual Property Index showed that, in 2022,
energy- and resource-efÏcient real estate again offered a better return
on investment
32
A GREEN CONNECTION
Having recently achieved a 5-Star Green Star OfÏce Design v1.1 rating,
the Nexus 1 building in Gauteng’s Waterfall City sets a benchmark for
sustainable premium ofÏce space
38
INDUSTRIAL RESOLUTIONS
Investec Property Fund’s portfolio of industrial buildings have earned
their Green Stars using the customised Existing Building performance
Custom Industrial PILOT tool
44
PICTURE PERFECT
Fujifilm South Africa’s double celebration: a Net-Zero Carbon Level
1 Modelled rating for its new Sandton head ofÏce – and a decade of
operations in the country
52
SPACE AGE: MAXIMISING EFFICIENCY
THROUGH SHARED SPACES
A look at reimagining our workplaces, and how they could integrate
with and support more sustainable communities
ISSUE
POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 24
Consulting Engineers South Africa
Professional Membership Partners
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any way or in any form without the prior written permission of the Publisher. The opinions expressed herein are not
necessarily those of the GBCSA or the Publisher. All editorial and advertising contributions are accepted on the understanding that the contributor either owns or has obtained all necessary copyrights and
permissions. GBCSA and the Publisher do not endorse any claims made in the publication by or on behalf of any organisations or products. Please address any concerns in this regard to the Publisher.
Chief Executive OfÏcer
Lisa Reynolds
Finance & Operations and
Executive Director
Levinia Palmer
Editor
Mariola Fouché
editor@positive-impact.africa
Director
Danielle Solomons
dani@positive-impact.africa
Editorial Contributors
Nicole Cameron
Georgie Chennells
Marlinée Fouché
Katherine Graham
Melinda Hardisty
Anne Schauffer
Editorial Assistant
Melanie Taylor
GBCSA Editorial Advisory
Georgina Smit
Jenni Lombard
Jo Anderson
Dash Coville
Anja Thompson
Ann-Mari Malan
Design and Layout
Carla Lawrence, CDC Design
Media Sales
Tanya Duthie
Glenda Kulp
Vania Reyneke
Cover Photograph
Franz Rab
The official publication of GBCSA
IMPACT
ADVERTISE WITH US
For advertising and sponsored content contact Danielle Solomons 081 7800 233 | dani@positive-impact.africa
Advertising rates are discounted for GBCSA members and further discounts are available for booking multiple editions in 2023.
TALK TO US Subcribe to newsletter | www.greeneconomy.media
CALLING ALL THOUGHT LEADERS
+Impact Magazine, the ofÏcial publication of the GBCSA, presents thought leadership from local and international green building commentators and
practitioners, and showcases the excellent work of GBCSA members. Are you a thought leader in your relevant field? GBCSA members are invited to submit
stories about projects, design concepts, materials, research and anything else that promotes a healthy sustainable built environment. Submit a 100-word
description of your content idea to: editor@positive-impact.africa
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
RUNNER-UP
PROPERTY NEWS
WEBSITE OF
THE YEAR
2022
RUNNER-UP
PROPERTY
PUBLICATION
OF THE YEAR
2022
Scan the QR code for
more information.
The new imagePROGRAF GP Series of large-format printers from Canon gives users
the opportunity to produce unforgettable prints with fluorescent colours and excellent
colour development.
The imagePROGRAF GP-4000 printer expands the colour gamut of the
imagePROGRAF range to an incredible 10 colours including newly developed Red,
Orange, Green and Violet, plus introducing Canon’s exclusive Fluorescent Pink.
COLOURIMAGINATION
BEYOND
POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 24
JUTTA BERNS
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.
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 ofÏce 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.
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.
MARLOES REININK
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.
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.
IMPACT
www.boogertmanandpartners.com
www.boogertmanandpartners.com
www.growthpoint.co.za
www.growthpoint.co.za
www.ecocentric.co.za
www.ecocentric.co.za
www.solidgreen.co.za
www.solidgreen.co.za
https://www.uct.ac.za/main/explore-uct/sustainability
https://www.uct.ac.za/main/explore-uct/sustainability
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Keep the bad weather out,
and the good weather in.
Scan to find out more about
our entrance solutions
FROST
INTERNATIONAL
Entrance and Security Solutions
Energy Efficient: Save energy, save costs.
Reduce heating and cooling expenses by
minimising air exchange. Improve Traffic
Flow Management: Ensure smooth and
uninterrupted pedestrian flow. Improve
Security: With controlled access and easy
integrate with your building's smart system.
Revolving doors minimise external
noise for a quieter, peaceful
environment. Create extra space:
Making internal spaces comfortable
thereby increasing use and rental
opportunities.
Improved Climate Control: Maintain a
stable indoor climate, stay comfortable in
any weather. Accessibility: Inclusive and
convenient. Revolving doors cater to
everyone, including those with disabilities
or using mobility aids. Noise Reduction:
Experience tranquility indoors.
Leaders
in Entrance
& Security
Design
EDITOR’S NOTE
POSITIVE IMPACT ISSUE 24
s the daughter of an architect, I have fond memories of traipsing behind
my late father as a child on frequent inspections of the churches he’d
designed for Cape Flats communities. At home, my walls are adorned
with framed illustrations of iconic historical structures, painstakingly
hand-drawn for his portfolio as a student in the ’50s.
How times have changed since then – for better, and for worse. He’d have been
amazed and proud of the way the built environment has adapted and evolved as we
become increasingly aware of our impact on the planet.
Having always nurtured a fondness for design and sustainability, I’m honoured
to be wearing a new hat as editor of +Impact magazine, a space that showcases the
great strides being made by the building and construction sector towards a greener,
more sustainable future. The Green Building Councils of the world work tirelessly
towards accelerating change, reducing our carbon and waste footprints, and helping
reshape our energy landscape.
Underscoring the value of green economy growth is the MSCI South Africa Green
Annual Property Index, which, in 2022, continued to support the investment case
for energy and resource-efÏcient real estate. On page 28, you can read more about
how green-certified prime and A-grade ofÏces have outperformed non-certified
ofÏces of similar quality by 20.9% since 2016.
As a Cape Town native, I’m used to winter showers, but it’s been many years
since we’ve experienced so much rain (and the resultant havoc) so early on in the
season. Weather extremes seem to have become the norm. In a nod to this – and
August being Women’s Month – we asked some of the amazing women on Green
Building Council South Africa’s board to share their views on leadership in the
climate-change arena.
An essential part of the sustainability solution is a circular economy. The World
Green Building Council (WorldGBC) is the largest and most influential local-
regional-global action network, championing the transformation to sustainable and
decarbonised built environments for everyone, everywhere.
On 31 May, GBCSA Planet Shapers co-hosted an online launch of the WorldGBC
Circular Built Environment Playbook, delivered by its Circularity Accelerator global
programme, which calls for a circular economy and resource efÏciency in the built
environment. Through the playbook, the WorldGBC network aspires to increase
awareness and accessibility of circular economy solutions. Green Building Council
South Africa’s Michelle de Nysschen was joined by Adrian Jackson, Circularity
Accelerator Programme OfÏcer, WorldGBC; Dorota Bacal, Sustainability and
Innovation Lead, VinZero; Cinthia Espino Castillo, Associate at Foster + Partners
Sustainability Group; and Alison Groves, Regional Director at WSP in Africa. You
can listen to the webinar here.
As always, we continue to celebrate these champions of change – we hope you
enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Mariola Fouché
Editor
“I have long understood that climate change is not only
an environmental issue – it is a humanitarian, economic,
health and justice issue as well.”
– Frances Beinecke, former president of the Natural
Resources Defense Council