Green Building Conference 2009
This year’s Green Building Conference at the Sandton Convention Centre proved to be a roaring success. In its third consecutive year, the conference started with a high note from the Deputy Minister of Public Works, asking over 700 delegates key questions regarding the future of sustainable buildings within the South African context.
Emilio Ambasz from the USA presented next, demonstrating his goal of achieving a balance between nature and the built environment. With case studies such as the Venice-Mestre Hospitable and the Fukuoka Phoenix, he shows that “green” can cover the “grey” and building can fulfil a bigger need of than just function but attribute to the general well-being of the people that live/work/recreate within it.
Llewellyn van Wyk led the audience into a spiral of theory and practise, as he presented “green buildings as an instrument of transformation.” By bringing in words of wisdom from Kingsley Davis and combining them with current statistics of the situation in South Africa, he proposed how green building could be a solution to many of South Africa’s and the world’s problems.
Kam Sing Wong from Hong Kong, brought in a unique perspective of how they have used sustainable buildings as a solution for Asia’s high density concern. He also made the point that, South Africa must “brew our own cup of tea” and learn from the world and transform that into South Africa’s context.
Other speakers, including Mokena Makeka, Tiffany Tsui, Gita Goven, Hans Erhorn, Patrick McKelvey and Al Stradford all presented outstanding points of information and referred both to “the principles” and “the practical”, using case studies and inspirational examples of green design. The break-away sessions held on day two covered a variety of topics from landscape ecological design through to energy and water efficiency as well retrofitting. Local and international speakers joined together to present possible solutions and ideas on how the built environment and the public can relieve the impact that humans have on the planet.
When not interacting and being absorbed by presentations, delegates roamed through the over 100 exhibition stands displaying sustainable products and ‘green’ services by international and regional companies. On day two an hour of product demonstrations were held during which exhibitors shared their knowledge and their services/product solutions on green building projects. Discussions where held after each demonstration during which delegates were able to ask for advice on their own personal situations and challenges and how the company products could assist.
The first Green Building Conference, held in 2007, saw an attendance of 400 delegates and 60 exhibitors. This year’s conference and exhibition saw almost double that amount of attendees. Lloyd McFarlane, MC of the conference and Director of alive2green, the hosting company of The Green Building Conference and Exhibition, shared both his and alive2green’s goal of attempting to bridge the gap between professionals, home owners and corporates within the context and common interest of ‘green’ buildings. “By hosting conferences, connecting key stakeholders with relevant information through online media and handbook publications we hope to create a community of common knowledge and shared experiences in both theory and practise.”
