Blue Rock Village shoots for 6-star green rating

Blue Rock Village, said to be one of Africa's first green villages, has announced that it will be targeting a 6-star Green Star SA - Communities Rating from the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), as part of the GBCSA's pilot project programme.

The 6-star rating will position Blue Rock Village as a world-class development that is credibly green and internationally recognised by the GBCSA, which is a member of the World Green Building Council.

The Green Star SA-Communities Rating tool, which is originally from Australia, is the first of its kind in South Africa and is being locally adapted to the South African context. The tool evaluates the sustainability attributes of the planning, design and construction of the development project, on a precinct, neighbourhood, or community scale. Terramanzi Group, a sustainability consulting firm involved in the project, said that projects are rigorously assessed against a holistic set of design, planning, social, environmental and economic categories and one innovation category and that this achievement will set a very high yet achievable standard for the industry.

Developed by Swisatec on 40 hectares of land in Somerset West, near Cape Town, Blue Rock Village luxury apartments are built according to European standards, and are equipped with eco-friendly and cost-saving features and technology innovations. These include 2.4-metre rubber-sealed thermal-break aluminium double-glazed glass windows; insulation; LED lighting; 2.8-metre high ceilings to facilitate temperature control; a water underfloor heating system that ensures a moderated 22°C room temperature and eliminates the need for air conditioning or heaters; floating floors for noise reduction; self-generated solar power; central water heating system; non-toxic paints; smart irrigation systems such as the shower to sprinkler system and A++ rated appliances for energy efficiency.

Future additions to the village include a 5-star Blue Rock hotel and conferencing centre, the Santa Luzia Lifestyle Centre, Dollar House (a professional office space for banks, consultants, lawyers and financial advisors) a sports and wellness centre, a spa and beauty centre, academies (hotel school, IT school, graphic designing and language centre), and outdoor activities.

Construction of phase one of Blue Rock Village, Giovanni Luxury Terraced apartments, is expected to begin in September 2016.

View the Blue Rock Village fly through on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN3pPOKOIq4