Property owners offered rebates as city moots green building incentive policy

PROPERTY owners could receive property rebates if they construct their buildings in accordance with the eThekwini Municipality’s new green building incentive policy.

The draft policy released recently for public comment encouraged developers of new properties to build with the objective of combating climate change.

The city said if the buildings fully complied with the provisions of the policy, a formal decision would be taken by the eThekwini council on each application to give rebates.

It said the policy was part of the municipality’s plan to set a pathway for all new buildings within the municipal area to be “net zero carbon” by 2030.

This policy is planned to come into effect in the first quarter of next year.

It does not target existing buildings as they would be addressed in due course because they come with different dynamics and need different solutions.

Opposition parties expressed support for the initiative, saying climate change was a serious threat and everyone should contribute in this fight.

Describing an ideal building that complied with the policy, it said: “It is important to note that buildings should not be considered as being green or not. Rather, green buildings should be considered as having different ‘shades of green’. So at the lightest level of green, there could perhaps be LED lighting or designated recycling spaces.”

It said at the darkest shade of green, the building would be considered “net zero carbon” or “net positive carbon”.

The policy shows that property owners would be incentivised to make their buildings green. The buildings would be given points and rated for their “greenness” and the higher the rating, the higher the rebate.

For instance, the policy document shows a building with a 6-star rating, which means it has scored over 75 points, could qualify for a property rebate of 35%. A building with a 6-star rating which has scored between 60 and 74 points could get 20% rebate.

Residential buildings that achieve a minimum of 20% less energy use and 20% less water use could get a 35% rebate.

Members of the public will be briefed on the policy during a virtual presentation on October 5. There will also be in-person sessions.

“The purpose of the eThekwini green building incentive policy is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new buildings, encourage the development of resource efficient and resilient buildings, and state the incentives available for certified green buildings,” it said.

The draft policy details the rights and the responsibilities of the city and the building owners to ensure a successful implementation of the policy.

Among the key responsibilities of the city is the establishment of the green building incentives committee. The draft policy said the committee should convene on a monthly basis, or as needed by the city’s energy office, and assess reports tabled, to either decline or make recommendations on applications to the economic development and planning committee to approve a rebate.

The energy office, it said, would develop and maintain a database of all applications received, agreements concluded and reviews conducted.

It would also be responsible for “the submission of the request to Revenue for verification of calculation of rebate”, and prepare agreements in accordance with the rebate amount approved. Parties in the council said this was a positive step and should encourage all residents to get involved.

IFP councillor Mdu Nkosi said that climate change was a serious matter and if the city took steps to encourage business people to join this fight, they should be encouraged.

“We have seen the dangers of climate change whereby the weather threatens to devastate communities.

“If people are encouraged to contribute in this fight, we might not have severe climate problems in the future,” said Nkosi.

DA councillor Siboniso Sibisi said they welcomed the policy because it could help protect the environment. “The policy is important, there should be incentives for people to go green.”