A key factor differentiating Rabie developments is the value added landscaping included in each project.

In fact Rabie spends anything between 2,7% and 3,8% of the total construction costs of a development on landscaping.

Assistant project manager, Nicola Aschmann, says that the Rabie professional team on each development include a landscaping architect as well as professional landscapers who work closely with the environmental officers of both the Century City Property Owners’ Association (CCPOA) and the City Council.

“The CCPOA has a stringent list of indigenous plants that we have to adhere to when landscaping our developments at Century City.

Aschmann said many of Rabie’s developments had won awards and there was no doubt the extensive landscaping in these developments had contributed to their success.

She said not only did Rabie undertake extensive landscaping of their developments but that the CCPOA – which represents all stakeholders at Century City and which is responsible for the day to day running of the precinct – also did similarly in terms of the greening of public open spaces.

“The CCPOA in fact has its own nursery, the primary purpose of which is to propagate endemic and local indigenous species.

“Endemic species, which currently include 24 Red Data Species, are collected within a 5km radius of Intaka Island to ensure the genetic pool stays pure and the endemic plants are mainly used on Intaka Island.”

The CCPOA is in partnership with Kirstenbosch in terms of its Biodiversity programme. The CCPOA assists Kirstenbosch with the collection and cultivation of species for Kirstenbosch while
Kirstenbosch in turn assists with the training of CCPOA’s nurserymen as well as the collection and cultivation of species for Intaka Island.

Aschmann added that as part of Century City’s environmental management plan, all irrigation within the precinct uses recycled water which is piped to Century City from the Potsdam Water Works.