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March 2016
News
P
rogramme Leader of Quantity
Surveying Danie Hoffman and
fellow member of the Associa-
tion of SA Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS)
says that the study for the Green Build-
ing Council of SA (GBCSA) provides
comparative costing of 55 Green Star
office buildings certified between 2008
and 2014.
According to Hoffman, one of the
greatest challenges facing green
building in South Africa is fear of the
unknown, particularly costing. He says
green building techniques are often
perceived as expensive and challeng-
ing to execute - but this need not be
the case, particularly when full life-cy-
cle costing of building is added to the
equation. “Life-cycle costing covers
all the financial implications of build-
ing: from concept to end-of-life, and
incorporates the costs of construc-
tion, materials, design, engineering,
water and electricity tariffs, heating
and cooling, repair costs and eventual
disposal cost, or residual value. Quan-
tity Surveyors, as cost consultants, will
play an increasingly important role
to inform decision makers on green
building. However, the responsibility
for cost-effective green building solu-
tions will have to be shared between
Quantity Surveyors and the entire
supply chain: developers, designers,
contractors and end-users.” Hoffman
explains, “Quantity Surveyors are
essential links in the supply chain as
they are involved from initial design
stage to the conclusion of construc-
tion processes, and can advise on the
specification of construction materi-
als, prepare and control budgets as
well expenditure.”
He says that educational institu-
tions also have an important role to
play to promote the cause of sustain-
able construction by informing the en-
tire industry of the availability of sus-
tainable materials and technologies,
and the benefits of best practice.
■
Supply
chain
buy-in
The University of Pretoria’s
Department of Construction
Economics is currently leading
a study on the ‘true cost’ of
green building.
A
ccording to Kevin Mileham,
Democratic Alliance Shadow
Minister of Cooperative Gover-
nance and Traditional Affairs.
Tightening regulations will deter
unscrupulous behaviour, particularly
in the run up to the Local Government
Elections (LGE) says Mileham. The DA
previously called on Pravin Gordhan,
in his former capacity as Minister of
Cooperative Governance and Tradi-
tional Affairs, to initiate a review of
the Supply ChainManagement regula-
tions and processes atmunicipal level.
Now, says Mileham, in his new ca-
pacity as Minister of Finance, Gordhan
has the authority to launch a reviewof
regulations and processes and should
do so swiftly.
Review of Supply Chain Management
The DA has requested Minister Gord-
han table a programme for the review
of the regulations and processes, and
his plan of action to deal with the
corruption.
Mileham says, “Corrupt actions
and negligent management will only
be deterred if wrongdoers know that
their deeds will have consequences.
We would therefore increase the pen-
alties for corruption, specifically the
violation of the Public Finance Man-
agement Act (PFMA) and the MFMA.
We will furthermore enforce proper
legal action against officials involved
in financial misconduct. In particular,
we would ensure that corrupt officials
are removed from public office and
not simply transferred elsewhere to
repeat their offences as has been the
case in the past.”
He concludes, “Tender fraud can
also be combated by making the bid
evaluationandadjudicationprocesses
open to the public.”
■
Recent tender irregularities and corruption in Beaufort West has once
again highlighted the urgent need for a reviewof theMunicipal Supply
Chain management regulations.