This year’s Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) Congress again placed sustainability in the spotlight, which has come to mean a complete shift in company philosophy and mindset.
Kevin Odendaal, PPC’s Executive of Business Development, argues that there has never been a better time to explore the possibilities associated with a sustainable business approach, particularly in Africa.
Ensuring that these translate into realities will require all players in the construction value chain to take a long-term view.
In the construction industry, sustainability references everything from how one does business, through to how one maintains the final structure delivered to the client well into the future.
Our understanding of sustainability thus needs to be dynamic, with actions and approaches subject to change with the development of new knowledge and findings.
Making these opportunities reality will require strategic and focused partnerships. The design of any building, along with the combination, quality and durability contributes to its sustainability.
Temperature control is important to the sustainability of buildings. Concrete is able to reduce energy requirements because of its thermal mass.
This makes its properties worth exploring, understanding and exploiting in the context of African climates.
It is also important that innovations take place across the full value chain. For companies with a Pan-African footprint, there has never been a better time to strive towards a more sustainable industry.
