September 19 to 25 is World Green Building Week 2011. Introduced by the World Green Building Council, other Green Building Councils from around the world will showcase sustainability initiatives in the built environment. 

In celebration of World Green Building Week, which aims to draw attention to the importance of creating greener, healthier, more sustainable buildings and communities, the Green Building Council of SA (GBCSA), Aurecon and Rabie Property Group are taking GBCSA members on an official building tour of South Africa’s very first 5-star Green Star SA rated building. 

The case study of this building will then be further showcased at the GBCSA’s fourth annual convention and exhibition which will be held in Cape Town this October.  The convention is a key platform through which all this knowledge is shared with key decision-makers and built environment professionals. As SA’s official representative at the World Green Building Council, GBCSA has direct access to the most advanced and exciting knowledge and cutting edge thinking around the built environment in the world.

The GBCSA is an important voice in the World Green Building Council which now has a network of almost 90 global green building councils. “Together, we've joined forces to highlight the challenges of tackling global climate change while meeting local priorities,” says GBCSA’s CEO, Brian Wilkinson.

Dorah Nteo, Chief Director: Coordination and Information Management of the Department of Environmental Affairs and GBCSA board member concurs with this objective and adds that: “The green economy is prioritised as one of the key economic drivers in South Africa.”

Nteo explains that the implementation of the 2008 cabinet approved National Framework for Sustainable Development (NFSD) is being given precedence to ensure that the country follows a sustainable development trajectory.  "Green economy is prioritised in the February 2011 President State of the Nation Address.  Relevant government departments are to develop implementation plans and align their programmes with a special focus on job creation, especially in sectors such as the green sector which remains largely untapped,” explains Nteo.

“There is growing urgency in the need for South Africa to speed up the adoption of resource efficient production practices and progressively restructure away from energy intensive industries towards new green industries, which are financially viable and internationally competitive in the long run,” notes Nteo. She further points out that the construction of infrastructure for service delivery in South Africa is indeed supporting sustainable development principles. These principles directly contribute to meaningful climate action, which, according to Nteo, is through the implementation of recent national policy architecture.  This aims to effectively integrate industrial policy, the country’s growth path and its integrated resource strategy, as well as the diagnostic work by the planning commission that provides valuable guidance of pressure points and areas requiring strategic focus.

“Meaningful climate action is about seizing the opportunity - to build international competitiveness, new economic infrastructure, sectors and activity; create prosperity and jobs; transform our economy and society; reduce poverty; improve health and quality of life for all,” says Nteo.

That’s what the GBCSA Convention is all about, says Wilkinson: improving health and quality of life through the latest in green building technology and innovation, fostering sustainability and growing the green economy.

The GBCSA Convention and Exhibition, sponsored by Nedbank Corporate Property Finance, will showcase the latest green building technology and bring a wealth of global and local specialists together for workshops, lectures and networking.