Green Building Council and our affiliation

 

We are proudly affiliated with the GBCSA (Green Building Council of South Africa). We‘re taking a closer look at who they are and what being an affiliate means for Sonae Arauco.

The GBCSA, or Green Building Council of South Africa, is a council which, in its own words, works with its members and affiliates to inspire a built environment in which people and the planet can thrive. The GBCSA is one of many global members of the World Green Building Council and operates across the commercial, residential and public sectors, promoting the sustainable design and operation of buildings across South Africa.

The main objectives of the GBCSA are to provide a platform for the advocation, education and certification of built environment professionals with a focus on green building:

 

•   Advocation

By working hand in hand with its members and affiliates, the GBCSA is focusing on raising awareness on the contribution the built environment sector makes towards global warming and advocating for a healthy, efficient and productive built environment which is ultimately beneficial both for people and the planet. This is achieved by providing people with the tools and solutions for the sustainable design, construction and operation of buildings as well as by creating partnerships with the intention of engaging in sustainability and lessening the environmental impact of the sector.

 

•   Education

The GBCSA works to create a platform which facilitates the education of built environment professionals, from the suppliers to those involved in the construction and operation of buildings. This includes programs, workshops, online courses and exams, which give students the opportunity to learn in their own time and which focuses on green building and the Green Star and Net Zero rating tools.

 

•   Certification

The GBCSA offers certification for buildings based on the Green Star, Net Zero, EWP and EDGE rating tools in order to create a credible and objective standard by which to measure green buildings, from homes to offices, precincts and interior fit-outs. 

 

The green building standards that a building must meet, as set out by the GBCSA include:

 

•   Design, construction and management – this involves the adoption of certain regulations throughout the duration of the building project, from its design to its construction and operation after completion.
•   Energy efficiency – this focuses on ensuring that a building achieves a reduction in energy consumption and the reduction of energy generated pollution.
•   Water conservation – this focuses on the building‘s ability to conserve water through practices such as water-efficient plumbing and water recycling.
•   The use of materials that have minimal environmental impact – this focuses on reducing environmental impact and waste by using recycled materials, non-toxic materials and materials from suppliers with sustainable mindsets such as Sonae Arauco.
•   Indoor environment quality – this focuses on the well-being of people within the building and includes factors such as lighting, air supply, heating and cooling.
•   The environmental impact of the building – this focuses on lessening the negative impact a building has on surrounding ecosystems as well as reducing the pollution and emissions of the building.

 

As affiliates of the GBCSA, Sonae Arauco align ourselves with their goals of creating a built environment in which people and the planet can thrive. As such, we work to ensure that we practise sustainability in all aspects of our business, from creating boards with a lower environmental impact and achieving E1 certification with regards to formaldehyde emissions, to raising environmental awareness, practising reforestation and responsibly utilising renewable resources. To find out more about the GBCSA, what they do and a more in-depth breakdown of their standards and rating tools, you can visit their website here.