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The Cintocare Hospital in Pretoria has received the Green Building Council of South Africa's first Custom Healthcare Green Star certification awarded in Africa.
The seven-floor, 100-bed hospital will focus primarily on head and neck, spinal, neuro- and vascular surgery by specialised medical professionals.
Construction of the R470-million hospital began in July 2018 and, despite the Covid-19 lockdown, the project is on track for completion in the final quarter of 2020.
SA's largest listed property company, Growthpoint, developed the hospital in conjunction with Cintocare, and planning for the project included the collaboration of doctors. The hospital received a 5 Green Star Custom Healthcare design certification, awarded for its architectural design that incorporates several sustainable principles and fits in with Pretoria's "green precinct" of Menlyn Maine.
The development will form part of Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings, an unlisted healthcare fund that invests exclusively in healthcare property assets in SA, including hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and laboratories.
Road map
Growthpoint, Cintocare and the GBCSA say they regard the new green certification tool as a "road map" to drive the development of more green healthcare buildings in South Africa in future.
Lisa Reynolds, CEO of the Green Building Council of SA, says the certification shows a commitment to green building and an innovative approach.
"Together, they [Cintocare and Growthpoint] are creating a sustainable healthcare facility designed around the well-being of patients and hospital staff that supports the environment and its communities - changing the future of healthcare properties in SA," says Reynolds.
According to Dr Linda Sigaba, fund manager of Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings, green healthcare buildings are designed to have positive impacts on their users, their surrounding communities and the environment, and are the future of healthcare properties globally.
"We will continue supporting the growth of the healthcare sector by providing the capital to build new healthcare facilities and the green buildings of the future," says Sigaba.
* Compiled by Carin Smith
