Attacq have announced the appointment of its Chief Development Officer Giles Pendleton as the new Chairman of the Green Building Council South Africa, replacing outgoing Chairman Ilse Swanepoel.
“I would like to thank Ilse for leading the council over the past year and for the immense contribution she has made throughout her career to the development of sustainable building practices in South Africa” says Pendleton. “In terms of the road ahead, it is critical to have a stable and focused council that is aligned to its basic strategy, supported by a re-engineered board that has a strong industry centric input. This I believe will drive us towards more industry buy-in, partnerships and collaborations”.
Pendleton has played a pivotal role in Attacq’s flagship development Waterfall City which has been master planned as a green fields’ development, leveraging global best practice in urban design, smart and sustainable technology. This is grounded in the business’ overall strategy to build inclusive and sustainable assets that are grounded in cutting edge urban design and future forward environmental stewardship.
He has over twenty-three years in global commercial property development having been based in Poland, Australia, and the UAE driving smart and sustainable property developments. His vast experience includes serving as the Development Director for Omnivat, a premier Dubai developer in the Dubai International Financial Centre. He has also served as the Vice President for Property Development and Head of Master Planning for the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority (DIFCA).
“I look forward to working with Giles and the newly constituted board to drive the growth and adoption of sustainable building practices across South Africa’s property sector. Going into 2021, the promotion of a green recovery strategy and local value-added solutions will be imperative as we collectively work towards ensuring environmental sustainability within the industry“, says Lisa Reynolds, CEO of GBCSA.
As the new Chair, Giles’s primary focus will be on driving a new green economy and pushing for tools allowing for more existing buildings to be assessed and certified. He has prioritised a focus on green funding and green valuations as a catalyst to the green economy.
