City Industrial Property’s flagship Belville facility, home to City Logistics in Cape Town, has achieved a 4-Star Green Star Custom Industrial rating and a Net-Zero Carbon rating from the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA).

“City Industrial Property is showing true leadership with this facility, and setting an example that others in the industrial property sector can follow.

“It is one of just three Net-Zero Carbon certifications in the industrial sector – a forerunner in a market that is steadily moving towards the goal of all new buildings operating at net zero by 2030 and all existing buildings operating at net zero by 2050,” says GBCSA technical head Georgina Smit.

She adds that these are the ambitious commitments required to meet the national and international climate change targets, adding that “pioneers like City Industrial Property”, which are greening the industrial sector, show that it is possible.

Achieving a Net-Zero Carbon rating essentially means that the building is as energy efficient as possible and the energy that is required for building operations is sourced from renewable energy.

This results in net-zero carbon emissions from energy over a year.

As well as numerous energy efficiency measures in the building, City Industrial Property’s Cape Town facility also has a 120.6 kW rooftop solar photovoltaic array, which provides renewable energy all year round.

“The payback periods for the sustainability initiatives we have in place here, make it a practical choice. And going for green building certification voluntarily means that our customers are aware of our priorities as a business. Our facilities, like our business, are resilient and ready for the future,” says City Industrial Property MD David St Clair. 

The industrial facility comprises warehouse space, while ground- and first-floor offices boast a number of sustainability interventions, which contributed to the Green Star certification.

Green Star is a holistic certification system which takes into account energy, water, materials, management, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), transport, emissions, and land use and ecology.

Some of the initiatives at this facility include mixed-mode ventilation which contributes to energy efficiency and improved IEQ and light-emitting diode light fittings and efficient lighting control systems, which also contribute to energy efficiency.

Low-flow sanitaryware fittings and rainwater harvesting, contribute to water efficiency and resilience, and the facility’s wash bay makes use of a comprehensive water and wastewater treatment system, where no potable water is used.

Zero ozone depleting potential insulation is used in the facility, as well as low volatile organic compound internal finishes, which have environmental benefits and contribute to improved indoor environment quality, which has significant benefits for the occupants of the facility.

The facility has a dedicated waste management area, where recyclables are sorted and managed, thus sending less waste to landfill.