Trends in application of green star SA credits in South African green building

Abstract

The South African green building industry is growing towards maturity. Stakeholders need to observe, document, and be informed  about trends and development of the industry. This article evaluates whether application trends have emerged of often achieved and seldom achieved Green Star SA credits by all new office buildings that received a Green Star SA rating between 2009 and 2015 in South Africa. Any observed trends are further described by aspects such as the categories of the Green Star SA tool and the Green Star SA rating achieved. The article considers the data of 95 office buildings, made available by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). A quantatitive research approach is used to investigate the use frequency of every credit in the Green Star SA tool and to identify trends in credit use. The study finds that 21 of the 67 credits are achieved on average by >80% of the certified projects. Another 14 credits have an average achievement rate of <20%. The nine categories of the Green Star SA tool also varies from average achievements of 84% for Water to only 19% for Innovation. The Green Star SA rating level is also found to be positively correlated to often used credits and negatively correlated to seldom used credits. This article observes industry-wide trends with the potential to negatively affect the ability of green buildings to deliver the required sustainability outcomes expected of them. This finding and the potential outcome thereof need to be monitored and managed by stakeholders such as the GBCSA.

Keywords: Application trends, green building, South Africa, sustainability, trends

Die Suid-Afrikaanse groenbou-industrie groei tot volwassenheid. Dit is belangrik dat belangegroepe ingelig bly oor die verskillende fasette en ontwikkelings van die industrie. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die tendense in die toepassing van die Groenster-krediete van die verskillende nuwe Suid-Afrikaanse kantoorgeboue wat Groenster-gradering verwerf het tussen 2009 en 2015. Die studie soek na die bestaan van tendense in die nastreef van krediete wat verwerf is as deel van die groenbousertifiseringsproses. Enige geïdentifiseerde tendense word verder beskryf deur evaluering van aspekte soos die kategorieë van die Groenster-werksdokument en die Groenster-graderingvlak wat verwerf is. Die artikel oorweeg die data van 95 kantoorgeboue, beskibaar gestel deur die Groenbouraad van Suid-Afrika (GBRSA). ’n Kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg om die gebruiksfrekwensie van elke krediet in the Groenster- werksdokument te ondersoek en om tendense in die gebruik van krediete te identifiseer. Die studie bevind dat 21 van die 67 krediete gemiddeld deur >80% van gesertifiseerde geboue verwerf is, terwyl 14 ander krediete deur <20% van gesertifiseerde geboue verwerf is. Die nege kategorieë van die Groenster-werksdokument wissel ook van 84% gemiddelde benutting vir Water tot 19% vir Innovasie. Die Groenster-gradering was ook positief gekorreleerd met dikwels benutte krediete en negatief gekorreleerd met selde verwerfde  krediete. Die artikel identifiseer tendense met die potensiaal om die vermoë van groengeboue om hul verwagte volhoubare resultate te lewer, negatief te beïnvloed. Hierdie bevindinge en die potensiële effek daarvan behoort gemonitor en bestuur te word deur ’n belangegroep soos die GBRSA.

Sleutelwoorde: Groenbou, ontwerpstrategieë, Suid-Afrika, tendense, volhoubaarheid