Frost: Green Buildings Offer Promising Solution to South Africa Energy Crisis
November 25, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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While South Africa's green building market lacks formalized regulation, the private sector is quickly grasping its importance.
According to Frost & Sullivan, opportunities in providing innovative technologies for water, energy and materials conservation are beginning to be exploited.
Eskom, the South African national electricity utility, is likely to struggle to meet demand for a number of years.
Given that buildings are responsible for 50% of energy consumption in South Africa, it is imperative that the country adopts resource-efficient building principles.
Analysts said the installation of equipment, such as solar water heaters, can reduce electricity consumption by as much as 50%.
However, the regulatory environment in support of green building practices is still in its developmental stages, analysts said.
At the moment, South Africa has adopted the Green Star rating system, which Australia uses, with some adjustments required to make it more suitable for the country. The need for energy-efficient buildings in South Africa has been recognized, but the government has not made any commitment to initiating policies in this regard.
"The Green Building Council of South Africa has taken up the mandate of educating the public on the benefits of green building practices," said Frost & Sullivan program manager David Winter. "Its financial backbone is the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA), because the government has not yet committed itself to this cause."
With green buildings being a fairly new concept, most people still need to be educated on what the technologies offer, analysts said. A public awareness campaign backed by the relevant government departments could overcome this challenge.
Source: Frost & Sullivan.