Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa October 2014 | Page 43

COMMERCIAL
REI COMMERCIAL

ENERGY-EFFICIENT BUILDINGS:
BETTER INVESTMENTS

A

new collaboration between IPD South Africa and the Green Building
Council of South Africa (GBCSA) proves that energy-efficient buildings
offer higher returns for their owners and are therefore better
investments.
The IPD South Africa Annual Green Property Indicators, sponsored by
Old Mutual Investment Group, show that energy-efficient buildings in 2013
had greater occupancy levels, generated higher net incomes per square
metre and delivered higher net income growth, compared with less efficient
counterparts. Furthermore, greener buildings consume around a third less
electricity and half the amount of water. This means lower utilities bills for
occupiers, enabling businesses to operate with lower costs.
For the year ending December 2013, properties with top-quartile energy
efficien