JO’BURG: Real estate developers eye APIA to showcase inventive flair

The African Property Investment Awards (API Awards) slated for 24th August will be launched at this year’s API Summit & Expo 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The awards will recognise innovation and outstanding achievement across the entire property industry whilst providing distinguished developers, suppliers and owners working in Sub-Saharan Africa (Excl South Africa) with a platform to showcase their best projects and services.

API Events have proven their commitment to the African property industry, hosting successful and insightful summits for the last 8 years. As an independent organisation offering broad coverage of the African real estate sector, API Events have a reputation for fostering education, discussion and knowledge sharing throughout the industry, making them the ideal hosts for these prestigious awards.

“With these awards, API Events hopes to not only encourage industry players to continue to achieve these same levels in regard to both industry standards and expectations, but also to raise the development standards across the industry in future. As the market evolves we want to ensure that all stakeholders strive to achieve excellence, and at the same time recognise those who are delivering on pioneering developments in Africa’s often tough development environments,” says Kfir Rusin, API Events Managing Director.

This year’s judging panel will assess all entries in these categories:

Best Retail Development

Best Mixed-Use Development

Best Commercial High-rise Development

Best Architectural Design

Best Green Building in Sub Saharan Africa

Best Hotel Development

Best Housing Development

Within these categories, jury members will base their final decision on a wide range of criteria with specific focus on project location; infrastructure and transport access; integration into the environment; originality of the concept; technical and architectural quality; services offered; sensitivity to the local community; innovation; sustainability; corporate staff involvement; response to market demands; financial performance; occupancy; and the impact of the project on economic convergence.

“There hasn’t been a greater opportunity in Africa to transform the construction industry than now. Sharing of information and best practice across the continent is prevalent therefore, the API Awards will provide a platform to honour projects that seek to lead on development standards. Ultimately, what we build today will form the Africa of tomorrow,” says jury member, Elizabeth Wangeci Chege.

Entries for the API Awards will open on the 30th May 2017 and will close on 15th July 2017.