Sustainability considerations have been an instrumental driving factor behind the construction of CTICC East since inception. This commitment was proven by the appointment of a sustainability consultant prior to the rest of the professional team coming on board.
Artist’s impression
As one of the world’s leading sustainable convention centres the CTICC is continually setting the benchmark in terms of international standards of best practice. The centre is one of the few convention centres in the world to have aligned its reporting standards to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework and to achieve a Level B + rating.
“We live in a world in which we are dealing with the effects of climate change. This makes sustainable business development a non-negotiable element of any successful business,” said CTICC Board Chairperson Gary Fisher.
“In keeping with our aim of achieving a world class green building we ensured that sustainability was entrenched into the design of the expansion. We are subscribing to and in some cases exceeding internationally recognised standards.
“Our focus is on minimising our carbon footprint and the environmental impact of the expansion. CTICC East has been designed to use less energy per square meter, less potable water and less waste to landfill than the present building.
“Some of the centre’s key sustainability targets for the expansion include a 45% reduction of potable water usage, 30% reduction in operational energy consumption and a 60% reduction in construction waste, energy and water efficiency measured over the life of the building,” he added.
The reduction in energy would be achieved through the building’s passive energy design and the provision of efficient building services. The amount of waste being sent to landfill sites would be reduced through the provision of adequate space for on-site sorting and recycling.
“The CTICC expansion will form part of a pilot project of the GBCSA, where the socio economic and sustainability elements will be measured according to an innovative new building rating tool, which entrenches socio economic considerations into green building ratings,” concluded Fisher.
The sod turning event for the construction of CTICC East was held on Monday 21 July. The main construction work will start in early 2015, with the venue scheduled to open its doors to the public by early 2017.
