It’s not often one gets to sound off about how the resurgence of the green movement is influencing development in South Africa. But we stumbled recently upon a piece of marketing about a new redbrick building going up in district 6 in Cape Town that looks like a step in the right direction.

The architects, arthur quinton darryl croome, and aquacor property developers have come up with something rather original. They’ve designed some pretty trendy looking apartments - that admittedly clock in from a cool R1 million – in a building marketed as a ‘neo-industrial masterpiece’ that is ecologically friendly and looks set to set new standards in taking sustainability mainstream.

But just what makes the building green, beyond the fact that they’ve used no paint on the exterior, thus saving the environment from toxic fumes and buyers from extensive ongoing costs to maintain the building...

solar hot water – rooftop solar panels provide hot water from the energy of the sun
grey water recycling - waste water is stored in an underground tank where it is treated, purified and used to water the building’s many plants and flushing toilets
low energy lighting - used to light both inside & outside the building
passive and low energy architecture - each façade of the red brick building shades itself in summer and receives more light in winter – reducing the need for heating and cooling [see urban sprout’s guide to green your heating & cooling]
intelligent design - open stairwells and light wells allow for circulation of air, helping the building to breathe
trees & plants - a large selection of indigenous trees and plants will keep the interior & balconies of the building green

Sustainable building is the way forward, not only because it saves huge amounts of water and electricity but also because more thoughtful design will conserve our environment for generations to come.

Find out more about the red brick building