Exxaro’s 18,500m2 head office is the second development in Growthpoint’s portfolio to achieve a six-star As Built rating. Earlier this year, One Discovery Place earned the same certification, outperforming its original five-star Design rating by achieving greater reductions in carbon emissions. The 112,000m2 Discovery head office in Sandton Central was developed in a joint venture by Growthpoint and Zenprop Property Holdings and is owned by Growthpoint (55%) and Zenprop (45%).
Grahame Cruickshanks, Growthpoint’s head of sustainability and utilities, comments, “To retain Growthpoint’s status as a green building leader among SA REITs, we believe it is important to progress our strategy by exploring new opportunities. We have intensified our focus on renewable energy with clean solar power, continuing our journey towards the goal of zero waste to landfill, and developing, testing and, in due course, implementing a carbon-neutral strategy.”
Growthpoint currently owns the biggest portfolio of green-certified buildings in South Africa, presently comprising 102 properties and an additional 10 buildings at the V&A. “Growthpoint is future-proofing its assets in a market where climate change and resource availability have become key risks for long-term business sustainability,” explains Cruickshanks.
