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Building green impeded by skills shortages

23rd May 2014

By: Donna Slater

Features Deputy Editor and Chief Photographer

  

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Alack of skills and resources nationwide is hampering environment-friendly and sustainable methods of construction, says engineering and design company WSP Group Africa.

WSP Group Africa commercial director Simon Berry tells Engineering News that the South African construction industry has the determination and knowledge to build world-class green buildings, but that its develop- ment is being hindered by an insufficient amount of qualified young talent in design engineering and environmental sciences to support the future requirements of building green.

The skills shortage is further exacerbated by the nonexistence of formal degrees or courses that people who are interested in green building can obtain, he says.

“This leaves it up to the construction industry to undertake some form of investment strategy focused on developing the desired skills that are cur- rently required through on-the-job training and by creating oppor- tunities to foster future talent.”

Berry notes that “South Africa is certainly aligned to interna- tional best practices”, as is illustrated by the Green Star rating tool, which was developed based on a similar tool used in Australia to rate the environmental impact of buildings.

Additionally, the social agenda in South Africa is maturing rapidly and cookie-cutter solutions of the last decade have made way for more mature and in-depth engagement. “The potential, as well as the results, of sustainable building is extraordinary, and South Africa is making great strides among developing countries,” he says, adding that, to claim the lead, more nuanced and mature initiatives that focus not only on energy efficiency, but also social and economic sustainability, will need to emerge.

Industry Challenges
Berry notes that encouraging clients to realise the long-term value of converting projects to green buildings is one of the greatest challenges faced by the green construction industry.

“In today’s tough economy – where any construction project is measured by rigorous return- on-investment rates – there is still a need to educate the broader market on what it takes to create a green building and on the cost differences between outlining the upfront capital investment and the long-term efficiency and potential financial gains.”

Berry notes that the cost of creating a green building is often the number one concern raised by construction companies, adding that few people realise that ongoing operational savings do ensure a return on capital outlay fairly quickly. “This is particularly true now that the new regulation 12L tax incentives apply,” he says, whereby energy efficient companies can claim tax savings according to the amount of energy they consume.

Future Development
Notable trends in the construction industry that may affect the future development of green building include the refurbish- ment of existing buildings or the existing built stock, space planning that is centred on productivity, and using computational fluid dynamics to model airflow and associated thermal comfort and renewable energy.

“Currently, about 40% of carbon emissions in built-up or urban areas can be attributed to buildings, either in the con- struction or operation thereof. This has placed renewed pressure on the built environment to accomplish energy efficiency targets of close to 30% across the entire built stock,” says Berry.

Reaching the 30% target will require intervention and the implementation of strong measures to refurbish the existing built stock using green principles.

Productivity and space planning – particularly for office buildings – is featuring more frequently in the design and construction of new buildings, as well as in the refurbishment of existing ones, says Berry.

He notes that WSP Group Africa has taken note of the advantages of adopting a more open-plan floor platform in its offices.

“We reclaimed more than 30% of our space, reduced costs and energy consumption, and benefited from improvements in natural light, air movement and ventilation. The ability to achieve all this, while still fostering a positive culture of learning, socialising, collaboration and focus, is an appealing strategy, and will likely continue to mature locally within the next few years,” says Berry.

Edited by Megan van Wyngaardt
Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

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