Page 17 - LandscapeSA Issue 108

FEATURE

the global decline of honeybees. Their
dwindling populations and the associated
loss of pollination is a real concern.
Partnerships
In addition to working with the GBCSA
and Endangered Wildlife Trust, Emira
also has strategic partnerships with the
WorldWide Fund for Nature and Food and
Trees for Africa.
Food and Trees for Africa
This is the third successive year that Emira
has offset its operational emissions by
working with Food and Trees for Africa
to plant trees, both on its own properties
as well as at under-resourced schools.
Over the past three years, it has planted
over 600 new trees. The company has
an alignment with the theme of trees as
it was the first in South Africa to target
Knightsbridge Office Park demonstrates Emira’s commitment the shot hole borer infestation that is
decimating many of the country’s trees.
to a sustainable environment of indigenous plant life
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
WWF are tenants of Emira in one of
its Cape Town properties. They have
partnered with them as there are only
limited environmental initiatives that
they can tackle themselves. In doing so,
they can help address numerous issues
such as wildlife conservation, ocean
health and water quality.

Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)
Emira partnered with the EWT on the
release of the National Biodiversity
Protocol (NBP). As early responders within
South Africa, they have been working
to develop and streamline the protocol,
using their properties as pilot studies,
as well as trying to provide insight into
the NBP team as to where they may get
‘push-back’ from corporates in terms of
participating in the disclosure project. It
has been a mutually beneficial alignment
as Emira gained valuable insight into the
objectives of the protocol. At the same
time, the NBP team got the opportunity
the recently completed Knightsbridge to be excellent in allowing Emira to to work within a corporate ‘mind-space’
proved to be an ideal subject case as it was mitigate numerous impacts through to hopefully get a better response from
developed with indigenous landscaping engineering controls. In the 12 plus years the market.
and natural bioswales; also, its original 30 of environmental auditing, the audit
year old trees were replanted in the office team has not found a comparable office Serving communities
park after being removed and kept safe park in terms of overall environmental Emira’s aim is to serve communities
during construction. management.” responsibly and protect the environment.
Its policies and plans to reduce its
Justin Bowen, head of sustainability Following this project, a biodiversity environmental impact, preserve
and national development manager of action plan is being crafted for Emira and restore the natural biomes at
Emira, says that all the office buildings based on BD Protocol. These include their properties supports this. They
at Knightsbridge have received a 4 star indigenous landscaping, removing and have already created a sustainable
rating from the Green Building Council of controlling alien vegetation, encouraging environment of indigenous plant life at
South Africa (GBCSA), so it was important habitats for indigenous birds, installing many of their properties and the next
that this pilot project also promoted an beehives in appropriate spaces, water step is developing individual biodiversity
understanding of how the BD Protocol harvesting and improving erosion and plans for all of their directly-held
and GBCSA sustainable management stormwater drainage – many of which properties.
policies work together. Emira started doing a while ago. The
new beehive at Knightsbridge is in fact Information and photos supplied by
The Biodiversity Company said in its the fourth that has been safely installed Marketing Concepts on behalf of emira
findings: “The design and construction at different Emira office properties in
of Knightsbridge Office Park was found response to mounting concerns about www.emira.co.za

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