INVENT SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
Saint-Gobain encourages sustainable construction and develops innovative solutions for new and renovated buildings that are energy efficient, comfortable, healthy and aesthetically superior, while at the same time protecting natural resources.
RAISING AWARENESS AMONG STAKEHOLDERS
Saint-Gobain is a founding member of the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), an independent, non-profit, membership-based organisation that was formed in 2007 by leaders from all sectors of the commercial property industry.
Saint-Gobain actively supports the GBCSA in its goal of ensuring that buildings are built and operated in environmentally sustainable ways, so that South Africans may work and live in healthy, effective and comfortable environments.
One of the GBCSA’s roles is to educate industry practitioners about green building, and this is achieved mainly through the GBCSA’s Green Star South Africa Accredited Professional Programme.
Upon graduating from this programme, accredited professionals have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Green Star South Africa rating system. Project teams that include an accredited professional from the start of the project are awarded two extra points toward their Green Star South Africa certification score.
Beyond its commitments with the GBCSA, Saint-Gobain is also engaged on specific projects and conferences with institutes and associations of architects in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. These organisations create an opportunity to familiarise local architects with the latest construction techniques.
INVENTING THE SOLUTIONS OF TOMORROW
Metrics are needed to gauge improvement. Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) are the main tool used by Saint-Gobain to evaluate the environmental footprint of its products and solutions.
Saint-Gobain is committed to providing customers with real added value by developing and distributing innovative solutions that reduce the environmental impact of buildings and infrastructure across their full life cycle. This is the objective of the Group’s eco-innovation policy, which is supported by tools and series of training courses.
With eco-innovation, Marketing and R&D teams take environmental impacts into account as they create the solutions of tomorrow.
Terri Wills, CEO of the World Green Building Council on Saint-Gobain commitments about sustainable habitat.
