Green Building in South Africa will take hold in the mainstream when the tenants of buildings push for a more sustainable built environment.

Tenants are starting to drive the transformation by becoming more environmentally conscious of broader issues such as climate change, enhanced living conditions and responsible developers are experiencing the increased interest, reiterates Brian Wilkinson, chief executive officer of GBCSA.

The way to ensure this market demand is through education, says Amdec’s head of sustainability, Josef Quraishi.

Long-term energy and water savings, which translate into cost savings, are steadily pushing business and homeowners to seek out green buildings, rather than leaving it up to built environment professionals, he says.

Amdec’s latest residential development – Forty on Oak located within the Melrose Arch precinct was the first in South Africa to achieve a 4 Star Green Star SA Multi-Unit Residential Pilot Design rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA).