Team Synergy convened today for a brief meeting at 11am in which it was decided that the Elevator Presentation would take on a 'four-pronged' approach, with the individual members of Team Synergy dealing with one factor each in the Elevator Presentation.
The factors to be included in the Elevator Presentation, and the members of Team Synergy tasked with dealing with them are as follows:
1) Presenting a Problem which requires a solution - Kai Marini
(i.e. the necessity for green buildings and the need to tangibly/visibly illustrate that a building has 'gone green')
2) Presenting the Solution to the problem posed - Kirsty Dolley
(i.e. the idea to provide a rooftop gardening service which transforms rooftops into 'green zones' so as to visibly illustrate that a building has in fact 'gone green')
3) Profitability of the Idea - Justin Commerford
(i.e. listing the ways and means our idea will be a profitable venture to the potential funder as his/her primary concern will be the money/return that can be made)
4) Viability of the Idea - James Jacoby
(i.e. identifying the ways in which our idea is viable and easily implemented, with due consideration for our target market)
Each team member is to forward their individual contributions (to be included in the elevator presentation) by commenting on this post.
Thereafter, these individual posts/parts will be combined to create a 3 minute presentation of our idea, incorporating all of the factors mentioned above.
(Following on from Justin's profitability)
ReplyDeleteWe’ve seen already that the idea of Rooftop gardens is viable from a financial perspective by looking at its profitability, but we also want to know if this trend will carry on to develop, grow and spread. Will our product and service be of demand in the future? Is this a dying phase or some sort of fashion?
Thankfully we can put those questions to rest because building green is in fact the present and the future. The world as we know it is losing resources fast and along with global warming, more and more businesses and summits are trying to implement the ‘Think and Act Green’ way of thinking. The world is going through the renaissance of how people think about the future which can only boost this product and service of rooftop gardens under a preservation scope. Under the new law in the South African Bureau of Standards, buildings are required to have green elements implemented into the construction and practice of the building; and so we see that even the law is on our side. The reason why these rooftops seem foreign to our country is because we haven’t quite caught on to the trend yet; places like Manhattan in America and cities in Australia have already and are continuing to adopt these green rooftop gardens.
South Africa has already adopted rooftop gardens such as in the case of the Aurecon Offices in Cape Town, Vodacom building in Johannesburg and the Department of Public Works in Natal, to name a few, all of these buildings receiving world renowned status. These are the sorts of companies and businesses that we will be targeting for our service. We may also look into tandem development with large based projects similar to those of Century City and Sandton.
This is not some dying matter, thinking and acting green is the future, and what better way than to implement your very own aesthetically pleasing, environmentally aiding and financially relieving garden to your rooftops. It is a concept that will easily be grasped by clients and go on to be implemented in many great developments to come.
1. Presenting a Problem Which Requires A Solution:
ReplyDeleteAs the built-environment in the 21st century becomes progressively more environmentally-conscious, there is an increasing trend for a number of buildings to embark on the transformational process of ‘going green’.
But why is there a necessity for green buildings?
Buildings account for almost 50% of the world’s material and energy consumption. As such, altering buildings so as to become more energy efficient, resource efficient and environmentally-friendly is one of the most direct and visible ways of having a positive effect on the environment while demonstrating a notable sense of (corporate) environmental-responsibility and concern for sustainable development practices.
Furthermore, costs for sustainable materials and products are decreasing, given government support for sustainable development, and so, ‘going green’ is in fact, one of the most cost-effective means of design, construction and operation of buildings in the 21st century.
More and more developers are starting to realize that: YOU CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO GO GREEN.
But, many developers don’t take into cognizance one key point when ‘going green’. How will the public know that the building has in fact ‘gone green’? While going green is profitable in the long-run, its initially expensive. If millions are spent on the installation of a natural ventilation system or a water-saving septic system, few people will be able to visibly tell that the building they’re in is, in fact, a green building.
As such, exists the implicit question: is there a way of demonstrating that a building has ‘gone green’ in a visible, tangible, cost-effective, profitable and viable way?
The answer to this question is simple: there is.
(Kirsty’s explanation of the idea to follow . . .)
The Solution to the problem:
ReplyDeleteDue to the increasing demand of ‘going green’, the solution is easy: incorporate green initiatives into existing buildings. Team Synergy, an urban development company, has come up with the idea to create ‘Rooftop Gardens’ which do not only create green zones but are also visually enhancing to the eye. Team Synergy aims to transform vacant urban space into high functioning green areas within city centers ie Cape Town CBD, Johannesburg etc. ‘Rooftop gardens’ are a clear representation that a building has in fact gone ‘green’ and these buildings will be recognised and most definitely rewarded may it be an increase in worker moral or an increase in consumers. ‘Rooftop Gardens’ are the way forward.
Urban spaces such as rooftops, balconies, alleyways and underutilized areas within the built environment are ideal platforms to implement and develop green zones.
Developing these areas into green zones will not only help reduce the carbon footprint of the respective buildings, but also enhance the entire city area in terms of both visual and functional aspects.
Introducing renewable resource technologies such as solar panels will further decrease the carbon footprint of the respective buildings while effectively utilizing the available space. The idea of water catchment could also potentially contribute to the green initiative.
Our green roofing idea is not only profitable for investors, but also profitable for clients.
ReplyDeleteFrom a clients perspective, apart from the architectural enhancements, recreational opportunities and “personal advertising” that can be seen as investment for the business, green roofing has been proven over the long run to be more cost effective through temperature control and hydrological benefits.
Reduced energy use: Green roofs absorb heat and act as insulators for buildings, reducing energy needed to provide cooling and heating.
Enhanced storm water management and water quality: Green roofs can reduce and slow storm water runoff in the urban environment; they also filter pollutants from rainfall, reducing maintenance costs.
Not to mention the direct energy saving from solar panels and solar geysers.
“A University of Michigan study compared the expected costs of conventional roofs with the cost of a 21,000-square-foot (1,950 m2) green roof and all its benefits, such as storm water management and improved public health from the absorption of nitrogen oxides. The green roof would cost $464,000 to install versus $335,000 for a conventional roof in 2006 dollars. However, over its lifetime, the green roof would save about $200,000. Nearly two-thirds of these savings would come from reduced energy needs for the building with the green roof.”
With all these benefits direct and indirect, companies are sure to want to go green and where possible use us.
From an investors point of view, this company should have no problem with being profitable. Clients would be charged directly for all the equipment and plants installed, and on top of that charged for labour. There is very little risk involved. Our company is in a market that is highly in demand, and our green roofing is our own sense of advertising, and something I can see easily becoming a trend, leading to further business, as seen in the below examples.
“Becoming green is a high priority for urban planners. The environmental and aesthetic benefit to cities is the prime motivation. It was calculated that "the temperature in Tokyo could be lowered by 0.11–0.84 °C if 50% of all available rooftop space were planted with greenery. This would lead to a savings of approximately $1.2 million USD per day in the city's electricity bill."”
“Singapore is very active in green urban development. When surveyed, 80% of Singapore residents voted for more roof gardens to be implemented in the city's plans.”
Why wouldn’t you invest in Green Roofing?