Since its launch at The Westin, Cape Town in 2015, EDGE has evolved into a global benchmark for resource efficient, climate smart buildings that empower teams to achieve measurable savings in energy, water and materials.

A Toast to Ten

The 10-year anniversary celebrations began with “Toast to Ten” at Constantia Glen Winery in Cape Town on 16 September 2025. The relaxed networking evening brought together developers, financiers and consultants for an informal celebration of collaboration and innovation.

Ommid Saberi and Prashant Kapoor, co-founders of EDGE, led the toast — reflecting on the journey from a small pilot to a globally recognised green building standard. Guests enjoyed a warm, community-focused evening of coffee, mocktails, and conversation around sustainability and design excellence.

Insights from the EDGE Summit

The following day, The Westin Cape Town hosted the EDGE Summit & Gala, a platform for sharing research, celebrating achievements, and exploring the future of green building.

Kushinga Kambarami, EDGE Africa Lead, opened the summit with a presentation on the EDGE journey in Africa. Speakers including Sibusiso Ndlovu, Avuyile Kewana, and Blake Bowden of IHS Housing shared inspiring stories of innovation and social impact, including more than 13,000 EDGE-certified homes across South Africa.

A key theme of the event was capacity building. A panel featuring Solid Green’s Wardah Peters and experts from Peru, India and Indonesia discussed how training, education and collaboration are vital to expanding green skills across the sector. Partnerships with Balwin, Nedbank and IFC were highlighted as drivers of large-scale, sustainable development.

In a subsequent discussion on quality assurance, representatives from Camacol, Sintali, GBCI, GBCSA, and Bureau Veritas emphasised the importance of maintaining global certification standards and continuous improvement.

Recognising Champions and Looking Ahead

The Summit celebrated EDGE Champions — organisations whose leadership and commitment have shaped the programme’s success in South Africa. Honorees included Solid Green Consulting, Balwin, Nedbank, IHS, Equites, Kasada, and Savvy Green.

In a heartfelt address, Prashant Kapoor and Ommid Saberi shared the founder story, recalling the inception of EDGE and unveiling the next chapter:

• EDGE V4, a performance-based update to the certification model.
• EDGE for Operations, a new tool to track ongoing building performance.
• Integration with IFC’s wider sustainability tools such as APEX Green Cities and Eco-Industrial Parks.
• The Sustainable Buildings Finance Guide, aimed at unlocking future green investment.

The Gala: A Celebration of Impact

The festivities concluded with a Gala Dinner celebrating innovation, resilience and leadership. Guests enjoyed local cuisine, music, and awards honouring trailblazers in sustainable development.

Solid Green Consulting was recognised as a Premier Service Provider, with 61 completed certifications spanning 5.1 million square meters, representing 4.15% of the total global certified area under EDGE.

The evening closed with dancing, laughter, and a shared sense of pride in how far the green building movement has come — and how much further it can go.

Moving Forward

For Solid Green, EDGE’s 10-year milestone is both a celebration and a call to action. The firm continues to lead with technical excellence, education and innovation, fostering new partnerships and mentoring the next generation of green leaders.

As EDGE enters its second decade, one message rings clear: sustainability is no longer optional — it’s the foundation of the built environment’s future.