This year’s API Summit & Expo 2017 will feature the inaugural African Property Investment Awards. The awards will recognise innovation and outstanding achievement across the entire property industry.
The API Awards are intended to provide a platform for developers, suppliers and owners working in sub-Saharan Africa to showcase their best projects and services. However, South African projects will not be included.
Categories include 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, and Best Housing Development. The judges 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.
Judges include owner of the W Hospitality Group Trevor Ward, Gerhard Zeelie, Head of Real Estate Finance: Rest of Africa at Standard Bank, Joao Terlica, Managing Director at Sagaci Research from Nigeria, David Kinyua, Director at Esham Park Group in Kenya, Kaisi Kalambo, President for the Architects Association of Tanzania and Malcolm Horne, Group CEO of The Broll Property Group. Other panellists include Elizabeth Wangeci Chege, Chief Executive Officer at WEB Limited and Chairperson of the Kenya Green Building Society, Godfrey Tapela, Director at IFC in Kenya, Wafula Nabutola, Regional Director of RICS (East Africa), and Jenny Luesby, Managing Director of African Laughter in Kenya.
“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.
“As the continent’s pre-eminent property investment summit, it is fitting that API Summit & Expo should recognise excellence by giving awards to the best of the best. The prestige of an API Award will undoubtedly bring an increase in quality in all fields in the property industry in Africa,” adds Trevor Ward.
Entries for the API Awards will open on the 30th May 2017 and will close on 15th July 2017. Entries can be submitted at www.APIsummit.co.za/api-awards.
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