THE BUILDINGS ARE GREENER ON THIS SIDE

THE BUILDINGS ARE GREENER ON THIS SIDE

Lockdowns brought just about everything to a halt. The architecture sector did not come out of it unscathed.“The architectural profession is experiencing devastating financial distress resulting from the economic downturn and Covid-19 pandemic,” said President of the SouthAfrican Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP), Ntsindiso Charles Nduku, in the council’s 2021/2022annual performance plan. As building plans were slowedor abandoned altogether, broader questions have come up of how the regulatory structure can be adapted, and how the sector can transform itself to be more reflective of the wider South African population.

With transformation and shocks to the sector at the forefront, how architects affect the environment cannot be neglected. Green, sustainable architecture is key; the stakes are as high as they’ve ever been. Architects and firms who adapt will find themselves ahead of the curve as climate change continues to hit home.

SACAP

In order to practice in South Africa, architects must register with the SACAP, which is mandated by law to provide oversight for the profession. Not only do they deal with the registration of architects, the accreditation of educational institutions and administering of exams, they also take in-depth looks at the profession all the way from the students to the architects and firms practicing.

SACAP links their approach to the National Development Plan. Growing the number of skilled individuals requires better education and training. This needs to be driven by innovation, to position South Africa’s architects as leaders in the world. This outward-looking approach has to be taken with a transformation mindset, to create an inclusive environment with opportunities for redressing inequality. None of this will be possible without empowering regulators and actively developing legislation.

SECTOR ISSUES

SACAP identifies five main issuesin the sector:

1. Diversity among registered architects

2. Scarcity of black women architects

3. Barriers for black women architects

4. Uniformed public

5. Limited mentorship for transformation purposes

DEMOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF REGISTERED SACAP INDIVIDUALS

The GBCSA evaluates building designs to provide certification for those that are environmentally sustainable. GBCSA sets the benchmark for what a green building is. Because of their efforts, the equivalent of 80 500 households worth of energy will be saved; the equivalent of 345 000 cars off the road, per annum, in terms of CO²reductions; and water savings to meet the daily drinking needs of1 450 000 people.

THREE TYPES OF CERTIFICATION FOR DESIGN STAGE:

Green Star New Build DesignEDGE certificationNet Zero Certification SINCE 2009

740 certifications 11.6-MILLION M² certified 1650 RUGBY FIELDS of space

ANNUAL SAVINGS1400-MILLION KG of CO²

1 050-MILLION LITRES of potable drinking water

11.50-MILLION KWH