Green buildings: A Mauritian built environment stakeholders’ perspective

The earth’s health is deteriorating and will deteriorate even more rapidly unless people adopt eco-friendly policies. Green building has long been a concept but it has not yet been universally applied in practice. The concept of sustainability emerged in 1713 in Germany and was internationalised in the 1970s and can be associated with the energy crisis and environmental pollution concerns. This research is aimed at comparing ‘green’ buildings with ‘non-green’ (traditional) buildings in terms of cost and to determine contractors’ and professionals’ knowledge of green buildings and materials. The literature reviewed and results of a survey among professionals and contractors from the island of Mauritius formed the basis of the study. Theliterature study on green buildings generally revealed that green  buildings may be more costly at the outset, but they contribute to long-term savings. This was confirmed by the majority of the survey respondents who stated that green building materials are more durable than traditional materials, resulting in cost savings. Furthermore, the most emphasised advantage is reduced energy and water use. Contractors are more familiar with traditional materials than green materials and professionals do not have sufficient experience in green building materials/concepts, resulting in a low growth rate of green building construction. The outcome of the study is very important for construction and design team members, clients and environmentalists. Keywords: Building costs, built environment, green buildings, sustainability Die toestand van die aarde neem gedurig af en die tempo daarvan sal nie afneem tensy die bevolking meer eko-vriendelike beginsels toepas nie. Die konsep van ‘groen geboue’ is reeds lank bekend alhoewel dit nog nie universeel toegepas word nie. Die konsep ‘volhoubaarheid’ het sy oorsprong in 1713 in Duitsland en internasionalisering in die 1970’s toe die energiekrisis en kommer oor omgewingsbesoedeling ontstaan het. Navorsing is gedoen om vergelykings te tref tussen ‘groen’ en ‘nie-groen’  (tradisionele) geboue, in terme van kostes en kennis van kontrakteurs en ontwerpspanlede. Die navorsing is op ‘n literatuurstudie en resultate van ‘n opname tussen verskillende professionele konsultante en kontrakteurs in Mauritius gebaseer. Die algemene literatuurstudie toon aan dat ‘groen’ geboue aanvanklik meer kos as tradisionele geboue, maar meer voordelig is in terme van langtermynbesparings. Dit is bevestig deur die navorsingsrespondente wat aangedui het dat ‘groen’ boumateriale meer duursaam as tradisionele materiale is met gevolglike vermindering in langtermynkostes. Verder is die laer energie- en waterverbruik van ‘groen’ geboue baie voordelig. Kontrakteurs is meer vertroud met tradisionele materiale as met ‘groen’ materiale en professionele konsultante het onvoldoende ondervinding in ‘groen’ geboue; dit alles lei daartoe dat die groeitempo van groen geboue nie na wense is nie. Die resultate van die navorsing is van uiterste belang vir alle persone in die bouomgwing, kliente en omgewingbewustes. Sleutelwoorde: Boukostes, bou-omgewing, groen geboue, volhoubaarheid