Diamond miner De Beers’ new rough diamond sorting, valuation, and sales building, Sky Park, in Johannesburg, has received multiple prestigious green ratings from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA).
The building has earned a five-star interior green rating and two four-star green building ratings.
These ratings were awarded for sustainable design elements proposed and approved by the GBCSA, as well as the ‘As-Built’ rating, which evaluates the use of green and sustainable materials during construction.
The waste, water, and power management strategies implemented during construction were also recognized.
The five-star interior green rating was awarded for sustainable choices made for the building’s interiors, including the selection of eco-friendly materials for furniture and furnishings, advanced water consumption systems, and the integration of internal gardens.
The assessment also considered the building’s energy efficiency, highlighted by the installation of a solar plant and water management systems.
“Achieving the green star building ratings for the Sky Park building affirms [De Beers’] commitment to creating spaces that harmonize environmental responsibility with innovation,” said De Beers Sightholder Sales South Africa (DBSSSA) senior sales and office manager Richard Steenkamp on July 22.
In January last year, De Beers announced the relocation of its sightholder sales activities in South Africa from Kimberley in the Northern Cape, where it had been operating since 1974, to Johannesburg. This move followed a review of its sorting activities in the country.
DBSSSA is part of a global sightholder sales network that sells rough diamonds for beneficiation purposes in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Canada.
It is responsible for the distribution of De Beers rough diamonds in South Africa and aims to support the diamond industry in maintaining a sustainable diamond manufacturing industry through its beneficiation strategy.
The relocation supports the government’s strategy to consolidate South Africa’s mineral beneficiation sector into one area at the Gauteng Industrial Development Zone, close to OR Tambo International Airport.
