“Green”, energy-efficient buildings save clients money and make for happier tenants, heard a meeting of environmentalists and businesses in Cape Town On Wednesday. Andre Harms of Ecolution speaks of the Africa’s Greenest Hotel, Hotel Verde, which is under construction near the Cape Town International Airport and is due to open in August of 2013. Hotel Verde is being built with natural ventilation, would recycle water as well as create energy via solar panels and wind turbines fixed at the entrance to the hotel. Hotel Verde has a zero-waste-to-landfill goal which will be adhered to during the operation of the hotel too. Andre Harms explains how building green creates a return on investment which in turn lowers the operational costs of the building. “We are spending 14.5% more than conventional buildings. But a green building can bring down energy costs by 75%”. It has been proven that there is great value in green buildings. The value of the property will increased because it is built with sustainability in mind.”
Green Buildings Save Energy and Costs
