Construction World November 2016

A L ADY LEADING THE WAY IN SUSTAINABILITY Chatting with Lisa Reynolds, sustainability development director at Saint-Gobain, world leader in the habitat and construction market, is an enriching encounter. One thing is for sure, she is a very involved, knowledgeable, influential, passionate lady, particularly when it comes

to energy efficiency, energy management, the environment and encouraging women’s presence in the world of sustainability.

driving corporate sustainability and responsibility. Women must work together to develop strategies that will make businesses adopt a sustainability mind-set. We need to move to a place where companies embrace creative, meaningful sustain- ability projects, based on the economic and social advantages of these,” says Reynolds. Sustainability in South Africa is certainly making significant strides to catch up with commonplace practices employed across the globe. According to Reynolds, the real problem in South Africa is not whether or not we have elec- tricity, the real problem is if we have no water. “Electricity can be generated, at a cost, but there is no possible way to generate water.” A very scary thought.“The water crises is catastrophic, by 2025 we will be 1,7% short on the water needed for people to survive. Our infrastructure is very old and needs to be upgraded. We are currently losing 43 million litres of water a year due to leaking pipes,” she explains. In 2011 energy efficiency for buildings was

Reynolds believes that having an environ- mentally aware society starts in the home. “It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children to be environmentally aware, and demonstrate practical ways of making a difference to the planet starting in our own homes,” explains Reynolds.“Teach kids that littering is forbidden, to use water sparingly, to turn off lights and elec- trical appliances not in use, and implement basic recycling practices so that everyone in the home makes an active contribution to the process,” suggests Reynolds. She explains that while households can make a difference en-masse, industry needs tomake the biggest contribution to sustainability, and erode the age old mind-set of purely driving profitability. “The environment must be a priority, businesses must implement sustainable practices, which will, in the long-run, result in major financial savings and improve their bottom line,” she adds. “When it comes to driving sustainability in business, women must stand up and own this space. Women must demonstrate leadership in >

Lisa Reynolds sustainability development director at Saint-Gobain.

legislated, thanks to Lisa’s passion and commit- ment to the cause. Today the building envelope must be designed and built in such a way that heat loss and gain are minimised. Every five years the standards are re-drafted to increase the requirements, with the long term vision as per the National Development Plan, for zero carbon emission building standard by 2030. It takes leading ladies, like Lisa Reynolds to show us the way on how tomake a real difference to the planet, to ensure that the planet is sustain- able for the children of the future.

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD NOVEMBER 2016