The spotlight is on building “green” to save energy and water.
Developing countries, like South Africa, have an opportunity to build from the design phase right through to implementation, while developed countries, are refurbishing old buildings to make them energy efficient.
Why? Because promoting energy efficient buildings, should ultimately decrease operational costs.
Speaking about the importance of “green buildings” David Martinon, French Ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, said “we have a role to implement policies to promote energy efficiency in buildings, from policy to design to implementation.” He was speaking at an energy efficiency workshop, organized by the French Embassy in Pretoria, today.
He said South Africa has a double challenge, its energy transition to cleaner energy, as well as load shedding.
He also said today’s workshop was purposed to gather experts, Government and private companies to share knowledge and expertise. “The role of Government is to design rules. The Private sector must play the game with passion” he said.