Page 11 - Landscape SA 98

FEATURE

a step further in 2019 when it became
a member of the GBCSA and in 2020, The aim is to conserve as many pockets of natural environment
employees commenced a training as possible within the head office park.
programme on new buildings and major
renovations. This will be followed by
further training courses in 2021. The
organisation is also working on a green
building policy that will be applicable
throughout all its operations.

Some of the current efforts under-
way include the following:
• the head office site (179 ha) is designated
as indigenous, with natural areas and a
variety of flora and fauna. The building
also boasts large areas of indoor gardens
and potted plants, thus improving the
working environment for staff. The site
is currently undergoing some design
changes to the indigenous landscape,
including improved hydrozoning;
• the head office also has large areas
of hard landscaping and the aim is to devices, which will allow for improved • several new buildings are in the design
harvest all ballast and stormwater runoff monitoring of water use and leaks; and planning phase, with all green
from the parking facilities. Harvested • staff are continuously engaged with building principles being applied.
water will be used for landscape water conservation aspects that impact However not all will necessarily be
irrigation and veld fire control. This not only the work environment but also officially rated through the GBCSA;
proposal is currently in the final design what they can implement at home in • aspects such as climate change, water
stage; order to save water; security, nature based solutions and
• with the continued drive to reduce • an in-house department is dedicated water based nexus are being revisited,
energy consumption, heat pumps, solely to ensuring that the organisation to be addressed by the organisation
geyser blankets and various solar panels complies with all aspects of for improved understanding and
have been installed across various areas, Environmental Impact Assessment/ applicability.
with additional sites and buildings Basic Assessment/Water Use License/
under investigation for “conversion”; Heritage authorisations and processes The path that the organisation continues
• with the objective of being water wise for all projects and developments to charter is both positive and an example
and effectively monitoring water usage, undertaken by the organisation; to other public utilities to ensure that
Rand Water is also in the process of • continued research is underway in all aspects of the work environment are
assessing all internal water metres on various departments of the organisation assessed and where required, are changed
sites. Over time, the aim is to replace into aspects of improved water use, or improved to assist with moving towards
all existing meters with pulse meters reduced waste production, re-use of by- a greener, more sustainable economy. LSA
and install automatic meter reading products and water conservation;

Rand Water has a nature reserve adjacent to its head office, which
is conserved as a natural area

Landscape SA • Issue 98 2021 9