CREATING SOMETHING NEW

There are two types of people (so some say…): Those who watch things happen and those who make things happen.  We try to be in the latter group.  Throughout history there have been people who need to pioneer, explore and exist beyond the boundaries.  There are also those who need to stay behind and keep the home fires burning.  They are not mutually exclusive and couldn’t actually exist without the other.  We often find ourselves inspired by the people who think so radically differently, that we find ourselves moving beyond the boundaries of our profession and working harder to stay ahead of the pack.

Here is one such example.  Berndnaut Smilde is a Dutch artist that has created indoor clouds.  His concepts of creating something new within a space is not too far from what we do.  Sure, the materials and backdrops are vastly different, but the idea of recognizing the need to co-exist with our environment is synonymous with the current global trends.

In his own words, he is fascinated with the ephemeral aspect of his work.  These clouds only exist in photos as they are tricky to create and impossible to sustain.  In the building industry, we are realizing that, whilst our buildings seem to last an age, in retrospect, they too are ephemeral.

GREEN STAR SA

why is a green star rating necessary?

The wizards of Oz are known for setting the global pace in many industries.  In particular, Australia’s Green Building Council devised a specific system to evaluate building projects and their impact on the environment, which provides the framework for the Green Building Council of South Africa’s (GBCSA) Green Star SA.  It is a rating system that is tailored to our local natural environment and provides the property industry with an objective measurement for green buildings.  This comprehensive tool also rewards and recognises the initiative of those willing to lead the way in the industry.

According to the Green Star SA mandate, it seeks to achieve the following:

• Establish a common language and standard of measurement for green buildings
• Promote integrated, whole-building design
• Raise awareness of green building benefits
• Recognise environmental leadership
• Reduce the environmental impact of development

Build to endure: green building design

As we embark on hosting the world’s leading conference on environmental sustainability, COP17, South Africa has some serious work ahead as carbon emissions have increased by almost 30% in the last six years (440 metric tons in 2004 to 552 metric tons in 2010).  Vexiflex is committed to green design, environmental sustainability and is a member of the Green Building Council of South Africa.