Broll Property Group is taking the forward-thinking lead in making specialist green resources available to its clients in the retail, commercial and industrial property industry by announcing the appointment of utilities management expert Douw de Kock as the group's dedicated ‘Green Officer’.

An active participant of the year-old Green Building Council of SA (GBCSA), De Kock's new role within Broll could see him becoming one of the most influential figures in SA's fast-evolving green movement as he advises Broll’s extensive client base of property investors, developers and managers – covering over 600 properties nationwide -- on the benefits of going green – and how to best achieve this.

"Mindsets about yields and costs, mindsets about consumption and efficiency, and mindsets about being environmentally conscious – they all need to change," he says.

Most energy efficiency measures are just plain common sense. De Kock points to recycling, rainwater harvesting, using alternative sources of energy and reducing the carbon footprint of buildings as key starting-points for commercial and industrial property.

Swopping hazardous chemicals with environmentally-friendly alternatives, and putting recycling programs in shopping centres are all ways that commercial property owners and managers can start to run greener portfolios.

"In combination with that common sense, it's our role to provide clients with the best information available to help them make smart green choices."

Since the US, Canada, Australia and Europe all have a headstart on SA, there's a wealth of information and resources available on developing a green building industry. "We're lucky we don't have to reinvent the wheel, but can tap into lessons that have already been learnt across the globe," he adds.

De Kock's call to action is now. South Africa’s electricity crisis has been the focal point of green building up until now and will continue to drive the adoption of green building principles. But the energy crisis may well be followed by a water crisis and property owners need to prepare themselves now for the green building initiatives of the future.

He laughs as he describes his own greener, lifestyle choices.

"I live in Pretoria, but work in Johannesburg so I opted to replace my car with a motorbike," he says. "I'm saving fuel and time, as well as reducing my carbon footprint."

For property owners who prefer a carrot approach, it's worth noting that the drive for green buildings is being spearheaded by international tenants who are accustomed to the environmental principles and cost savings associated with green buildings.

"That means replacing old-fashioned bulbs with energy-efficient ones, using timers and motion sensors to trigger lighting in a building, switching off lights in vacant areas and switching off air-conditioning when it's not needed," he explains.

Demand for green building does pose challenges for older portfolios, admits De Kock, because it's near impossible to change the design or orientation of existing buildings.