Solid Green Consulting

Nedbank Campus Square

2026-10-21T14:32:26Z

This requires understanding how the brand is currently showing up across the various touchpoints, identifying what the customer wants and conceptualising what the Nedbank experience within the branch could be.

Goal: Bring a cohesive experience to the store environment that is:

Distinctive – on brand
Effective – does what it needs to do.
Efficient – works for both business and customers.
Sustainable – Is both cost effective long term, and futureproof.

Imagine offers the opportunity to create cohesion across the brand – not just within the in-store experience, but across the brand and all its touchpoints and speak the brand values that are built into every decision driving the design.

Building information

Address: Shop F03, Campus Square, Cnr Kingsway Road and University Road Auckland Park Gauteng N/a, Johannesburg, 2092
Total gross floor area: 256m²
Total commercial office area: 240.5m²

Sustainable building features include

Majority of the appliances and tenant equipment in the fit-out are energy efficient, rated under the Energy Star® system or the European Energy Labelling scheme.
All printers and photocopiers within the occupiable area meet the standards for low harmful emissions.
All selected gaseous and fire suppression systems and thermal insulants have an Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) of zero, eliminating contributions to long-term stratospheric ozone layer damage.
Paints, adhesives, sealants, and carpets feature low VOC emissions.
Furniture, assemblies, and floor coverings carry third-party eco-labels and certificates, reducing environmental impact.
The fit-out incorporates indoor greenery supported by a dedicated horticultural maintenance program.

Project Team

OWNER: Nedbank
ACCREDITED PROFFESSIONAL: Solid Green Consulting
ARCHITECT: Nedbank
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: AR Spares (sub-contractor)
QUANTITY SURVEYORS: Nedbank
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN REVIEW: Solid Green Consulting
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSULTANT: Solid Green Consulting
MAIN CONTRACTOR: Ukhuni
PROJECT MANAGER: Nedbank
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT COMPANY: Nedbank
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Nedbank
OCCUPANTIONAL HEALTH & SAFTEY MANAGER: Ukhuni
LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT COMPANY: Life Green Group
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR: Electrode Electrical Contractors
CONSTRUCTION / FIT-OUT CONTRACTOR: Ukhuni

Certificate

Download the PDF file .

Building Users’ Guide

Download the PDF file .

The post Nedbank Campus Square appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Nedbank Fourways Mall

2026-10-21T08:56:58Z

Goal: Bring a cohesive experience to the store environment that is:

Distinctive – on brand
Effective – does what it needs to do.
Efficient – works for both business and customers.
Sustainable – Is both cost effective long term, and futureproof.

Building information

Address: Shop 31, Fourways View, Cnr Witkoppen Road and Cedar Drive Witkoppen Gauteng N/a, Sandton, 2191
Total gross floor area: 408m²
Total commercial office area: 389.1m²

Sustainable building features include

Majority of the appliances and tenant equipment in the fit-out are energy efficient, rated under the Energy Star® system or the European Energy Labelling scheme.
All printers and photocopiers within the occupiable area meet the standards for low harmful emissions.
All selected gaseous and fire suppression systems and thermal insulants have an Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) of zero, eliminating contributions to long-term stratospheric ozone layer damage.
Paints, adhesives, sealants, and carpets feature low VOC emissions.
Furniture, assemblies, and floor coverings carry third-party eco-labels and certificates, reducing environmental impact.
The fit-out incorporates indoor greenery supported by a dedicated horticultural maintenance program.

Project Team

OWNER: Nedbank
ACCREDITED PROFFESSIONAL: Solid Green Consulting
ARCHITECT: Nedbank
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: K&V Aircomfort
QUANTITY SURVEYORS: Nedbank
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN REVIEW: Solid Green Consulting
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSULTANT: Solid Green Consulting
MAIN CONTRACTOR: C Power Trading
PROJECT MANAGER: Nedbank
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT COMPANY: Nedbank
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Nedbank
LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT COMPANY: Life Green Group
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR: C Power Trading
CONSTRUCTION / FIT-OUT CONTRACTOR: Alclad

Certificate

Download the PDF file .

Building Users’ Guide

Download the PDF file .

The post Nedbank Fourways Mall appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Mluleki Ngobese

2026-10-12T08:23:19Z

Mluleki Ngobese is an Environmental Design Honours graduate with a passion for design and the built environment. He enjoys exploring how thoughtful design can shape meaningful, functional, and sustainable spaces that respond to both people and their surroundings.

With a background in Environmental Design and experience in architectural drafting, technical documentation, 3D modelling, and sustainable building analysis, Mluleki is continuously developing his skills across different areas of the design process. He has a particular interest in the relationship between design, sustainability, and human experience, and is passionate about creating spaces that are both purposeful and environmentally responsive.

He is a curious and creative designer who enjoys learning, solving design problems, and turning ideas into meaningful spaces. Mluleki is motivated by the opportunity to explore new ideas, develop his technical and creative abilities, and contribute to designs that positively influence the way people experience the built environment.

The post Mluleki Ngobese appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Tanaka Manyange

2026-10-12T08:22:52Z

Tanaka is a Mechanical Engineering student passionate about innovative and sustainable solutions.

He is currently an intern at Solid Green Consulting, where he is gaining hands-on experience in green building design and building performance modelling.
Tanaka enjoys learning, solving real-world engineering challenges, and exploring how engineering can contribute to a more sustainable future.

The post Tanaka Manyange appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Francis Woods

2026-10-12T08:23:43Z

Francis is a sustainability consultant and green building specialist who helps organisations design, certify, and operate buildings that are better for both people and the planet. His work spans EDGE green building certification, renewable energy systems, and resource-efficiency consulting, guiding clients from initial assessment all the way through to certified, operational outcomes.

He has led certification efforts on landmark commercial projects, coordinating architects, contractors, and facilities teams around measurable targets in energy, water, and materials efficiency, including solar PV deployment, HVAC optimisation, and building-envelope performance. Beyond certification, Francis advises on practical efficiency measures, from inverter and renewable systems to water-saving technologies, translating technical complexity into clear, actionable value for his clients.

Francis combines rigorous technical insight with a genuine commitment to the built environment’s role in a sustainable future, making him a natural fit for teams working toward greener, smarter buildings.

The post Francis Woods appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Sidney Njau

2026-10-12T08:21:56Z

Sidney is a Mechanical Engineer and sustainability consultant with experience spanning across green building certification, construction project management and contract administration across East Africa. He advises on IFC EDGE, LEED and Green Star certification and ESG reporting, and acts as Engineer’s representative under FIDIC on industrial and healthcare projects, this experience bridges the gap between sustainability and execution, embedding green targets directly into quality control and project delivery processes.

Sidney is passionate about sustainability advocacy. Through his podcast, he leverages media and edutainment to make green building practices accessible and actionable for a broader audience.

Off the clock, Sidney is a hiker, cyclist, and swimmer. His deep connection to the outdoors directly inspires his work.

The post Sidney Njau appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Vanessa Mbithe

2026-10-12T08:20:25Z

Vanessa is a Sustainability Consultant based in Nairobi, Kenya, and holds a BSc in Construction Management. She started her career on construction sites and in project management, where seeing first-hand how buildings come together and the resources they use sparked her interest in sustainability and green buildings.

Vanessa is an IFC EDGE Expert and GBCI EDGE Auditor. She has supported developers through EDGE certification from early design through to post-construction, working on residential and commercial projects across East Africa. She also works with LEED and Green Star, and enjoys working closely with clients and project teams to turn sustainability goals into practical, achievable solutions.

She is passionate about continuous learning and believes that every project is an opportunity to create buildings that are better for people and the planet. Outside of work, Vanessa loves doing things with her hands, whether that’s baking, crafting or caring for her ever-growing collection of plants. She also enjoys spending time in nature, cycling and getting lost in a good novel, and is always keen to explore local art and music.

The post Vanessa Mbithe appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Nature-Inspired, Water-Wise: Meet the Arumloo

2026-09-07T12:46:13Z

For months, we lived with the quiet frustration of cheap dual-flush toilets that promised savings but delivered them only after a second, and occasionally a third, press of the button. Add in the long wait for the cistern to refill before you could try again, and you have a small but persistent daily reminder that not all “green” fittings are created equal.

So we decided to walk our own talk. We replaced two of our office toilets with the Arumloo, a low-flush toilet designed and manufactured right here in South Africa.

Why Arumloo

Part of what drew us to Arumloo is that it is proudly local. In an industry where so many “sustainable” products are shipped in from overseas, it was refreshing to find a genuinely local-is-lekker solution: designed in South Africa, manufactured in South Africa, and built specifically with South African water realities in mind.

The plastic Arumloo is 100% manufactured in SA
The ceramic components are manufactured in Egypt, ensuring that although the components are imported, supporting the African manufacturing sector is a priority
The final assembly is also completed in SA.

For a consultancy that spends its days helping clients source responsibly and think about supply chains, that mattered to us.

Biophilic Design

The Arumloo’s form is modelled on the arum lily, translating the plant’s curved petal and gentle taper into the shape of the bowl and cistern. It’s a reminder that biophilic design isn’t only about bringing plants indoors, it’s about letting nature’s forms genuinely inform the products we use every day. In a fitting most of us never think twice about, that’s a small but meaningful shift, and it’s the kind of detail that makes you smile every time you notice it.

The Installation

We’re the first to admit that when a bit of plumbing is involved, we brace ourselves for disruption. So it was a pleasant surprise that swapping out our old units for the new Arumloos was genuinely simple. Both toilets were installed within an hour, with no drama, no extended downtime, and no need to rethink our existing plumbing. If you’re a facilities manager weighing up whether a retrofit like this is worth the hassle: it isn’t a hassle.

Does It Actually Work?

This is really the question that matters. Anyone can promise water savings; the test is whether the toilet performs once it’s bolted to the floor and in daily use by an entire office.

The headline number is 2 litres per flush, a fraction of what a standard toilet uses, and even less than most “efficient” dual-flush units manage in practice. But the number on the spec sheet is only half the story. What actually convinced us was the flush itself. Arumloo’s flush mechanism uses a vortex action that clears the bowl properly, first time, every time. No second flush. No third flush. No standing around waiting for the cistern to refill before you can try again. It simply works: quietly, efficiently, and without any of the compromises we’d grudgingly accepted from our previous dual-flush units.

In other words, the Arumloo doesn’t ask you to sacrifice performance in exchange for water savings. It gives you both, which, if you’ve ever sat in a meeting about “water-wise” fittings that don’t quite deliver, you’ll know is rarer than it should be.

Why This Matters to Us

At Solid Green, we spend our days helping clients chase down every litre and every kilowatt-hour across major developments – office towers, hotels, precincts. It’s easy, in that context, to think of water efficiency as something that happens at scale, in big systems, in complicated certification credits. The Arumloo swap was a useful reminder that meaningful water savings can also start with something as ordinary and overlooked as the humble office toilet.

Toilets are, after all, one of the biggest consumers of water in any building, and one of the easiest places to make an immediate dent in consumption without asking anyone to change their behaviour. Two litres per flush, multiplied across a full working day and a full team, adds up to a genuinely significant reduction over time: water that isn’t drawn from an already strained system.

It’s a small, practical step, but it’s exactly the kind of step we encourage our clients to take: treating water not as an inexhaustible utility, but as the precious resource it is. In a country where water security is never far from the headlines, every fitting that genuinely performs as advertised is worth celebrating and worth specifying. Installing the Arumloos in our own office is one more way of making sure we practice what we preach, one flush at a time.

If you’d like to see the Arumloo range for yourself, have a look at arumloo.com or reach out to Jonny Harris. And, next time you’re in our office, feel free to put the vortex flush to the test.

The post Nature-Inspired, Water-Wise: Meet the Arumloo appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

A New Chapter: Solid Green East Africa

2026-09-04T18:13:17Z

Based at The View in Westlands, surrounded by lush greenery and a river that runs just beyond our windows, our office is a reflection of our commitment to supporting the growing demand for sustainable development across East Africa.

Across the region, momentum behind sustainable development, climate resilience and low-carbon infrastructure continues to accelerate. Governments, developers and businesses are increasingly recognising that the built environment has a critical role to play in addressing climate change while creating healthier, more efficient spaces for people to live and work. Kenya’s recent launch of the National Buildings & Construction Decarbonisation Roadmap (2026–2040) is one example of this commitment, setting an ambitious course to reduce emissions from a sector that currently contributes roughly a third of the country’s carbon footprint.

At Solid Green East Africa, we’re excited to contribute to this transformation by helping clients deliver resource-efficient, high-performing buildings that create lasting value for owners, occupants and surrounding communities. Guided by Solid Green’s vision of transforming the built environment into one that is regenerative and resilient, we’re proud to bring world-class sustainability expertise to projects across the region.

Delivering Practical Sustainability Solutions

One of the things that makes working in sustainability so rewarding is that no two projects are ever the same. Every building has its own story, every client presents a unique challenge, and every project provides an opportunity to create practical solutions that have a lasting environmental and social impact.

From our Nairobi office, our team supports projects across multiple sectors, including affordable housing, commercial developments, healthcare facilities and industrial projects. On any given day we may be assisting a client pursuing IFC EDGE certification for a residential development, reviewing LEED documentation for a commercial fit-out, or developing Green Star and Net Zero strategies for projects throughout East Africa. The diversity of our work constantly challenges us to learn, adapt and innovate while delivering sustainability solutions tailored to the unique needs of the region.

Our work goes far beyond achieving certification. Behind every sustainability strategy, carbon assessment and green building framework is a commitment to delivering measurable outcomes that improve building performance, reduce resource consumption and create healthier environments for those who use them every day.

The People Behind the Projects

While technical expertise is central to what we do, our greatest strength is our people.

Our Kenya office brings together engineers, project managers and sustainability specialists with experience spanning mechanical engineering, building systems design and green building advisory across EDGE, LEED and Green Star certifications. We combine technical excellence with practical thinking, helping clients turn ambitious sustainability goals into achievable outcomes.

John Mulatya

The office is led by John Mulatya, whose experience in developing and implementing sustainability strategies across healthcare, housing, commercial and industrial developments throughout Africa has helped shape the team’s practical, impact-driven approach to sustainability. Under his leadership, our focus remains on delivering solutions that create tangible value for building owners, occupants and surrounding communities.

Sidney Njau

Sidney Njau is a Mechanical Engineer who brings equal parts rigor and energy to sustainability. He turns EDGE, LEED, and Green Star targets into real-world, resource-efficient outcomes across industrial, housing, and healthcare developments.

Guided by a systems mindset, Sidney measures success through performance that delivers for occupants, investors, and communities alike. Beyond work, he hosts a podcast dedicated to demystifying environmental strategy, driven by a core conviction that game-changing sustainability thinking shouldn’t stay trapped inside consultants’ reports.

Vanessa Mbithe

Vanessa Mbithe is a Sustainability Consultant who believes every project is an opportunity to create buildings that are better for people and the planet. She works across EDGE, LEED and Green Star certifications, partnering with project teams to turn sustainability goals into practical, achievable outcomes while navigating the technical complexities of green building certification.

Curious by nature and driven by continuous learning, Vanessa enjoys working alongside clients and colleagues to solve challenges, share knowledge and celebrate progress together. She believes the best sustainability solutions come from collaboration, thoughtful conversations and a genuine commitment to creating lasting impact. As the green building movement continues to grow across East Africa, she’s excited to play a part in shaping a more resilient and resource-efficient built environment.

Life at Solid Green Kenya

What makes Solid Green Kenya truly special is our culture.

Although we’re a growing team, collaboration sits at the heart of everything we do. Technical discussions are part of our daily routine, with colleagues openly sharing ideas, challenging one another to think differently and supporting each other through every stage of a project. Whether we’re solving a complex technical challenge, preparing for a client workshop or simply catching up over a cup of coffee, there’s a genuine sense of teamwork that makes coming to work enjoyable.

Being part of the wider Solid Green family has also created incredible opportunities to learn from colleagues with deep expertise across multiple sustainability disciplines. This culture of knowledge sharing has accelerated our professional growth while strengthening our ability to deliver practical, high-quality sustainability solutions throughout East Africa.

It’s this combination of collaboration, curiosity and continuous learning that allows us to confidently take on increasingly complex projects while remaining grounded in the values that define who we are.

Looking Ahead

As our presence across East Africa continues to grow, so does our ambition.

We’re excited to contribute to projects that improve building performance, reduce environmental impact and create healthier spaces for the people who use them. At the same time, we’re building a workplace that values curiosity, collaboration and continuous learning, ensuring that our team continues to evolve alongside the rapidly changing sustainability landscape.

For us, sustainability is about far more than certifications or technical compliance. It’s about helping our clients make informed decisions, building trusted relationships and creating buildings that leave a positive legacy for future generations.

As we begin this exciting new chapter, we’re proud of what we’re building together at Solid Green East Africa and even more excited about the journey ahead.

The post A New Chapter: Solid Green East Africa appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Rethinking waste: from green building benchmarks to everyday choices

2026-09-04T18:14:10Z

Every year, tonnes of single-use plastics and untreated waste enter our ecosystems, choking waterways, polluting oceans, and swelling landfills. Waste is probably the most well understood way that human life is impacting the ecosystem and it is also the most visual. Waste is often treated as an inevitable side effect of modern life, but waste is a design flaw, a symptom of a linear “extract-manufacture-use-dispose” economic model that we need to transform.

Living plastic-free and actively reducing waste are not merely lifestyle trends; they are foundational pillars of a sustainable future. When we examine waste through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the interconnectedness of our daily choices becomes undeniably clear:

SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Directly challenges us to substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse (Target 12.5) while ensuring the environmentally sound management of chemicals and plastics throughout their life cycle.
SDG 14 (Life Below Water): Targets the prevention and significant reduction of marine pollution of all kinds, particularly from land-based activities including plastic debris that harms marine biodiversity.
SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Emphasises reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, specifically through spatial planning, municipal waste management, and circular economy practices.
SDG 13 (Climate Action): Addressing waste directly cuts greenhouse gas emissions, both by diverting organic waste that produces methane in landfills and by avoiding the heavy carbon emissions associated with manufacturing virgin plastics and textiles.

The macro scale: how green building certifications cut waste and plastic

At Solid Green, we see firsthand how high-performance built environments drive circularity. Green building rating tools such as Green Star, LEED, EDGE, and GBCSA Net Zero Waste are powerful structural mechanisms for eliminating waste long before a building even opens its doors.

1. Construction & demolition waste diversion

During construction and refurbishment, unmanaged waste can have a major negative impact on the direct physical environment and the general environment. Green building certifications require Construction Waste Management Plans (CWMPs), with the newer Green Star V2 tool mandating this. Projects are required to audit, sort, and track waste streams, diverting anywhere from 50% to over 95% of demolition and construction materials away from landfills through material recovery, adaptive reuse, and composting.

2. Operational waste & material audits

Once occupied, green-certified buildings target operational waste through dedicated rating criteria (such as Green Star’s MAT-2 Solid Waste Management or LEED Zero Waste). This involves:

Infrastructure for Separation: Installing multi-stream recycling stations and dedicated organic composting facilities in tenant spaces to eliminate single-use plastic contamination.
Procurement Policies: Encouraging sustainable building operations that eliminate single-use plastics in corporate canteens, events, and facilities management.
Waste Audits: Conducting continuous waste stream audits to track diversion metrics and hold waste contractors accountable to verified compliance standards.

The personal scale: mindfulness in everyday practice

While green building standards provide the structural framework, ongoing change also relies on personal accountability. Over the past year, I have made intentional shifts in my own household to align my daily habits with the very goals we advocate for professionally.

1. The glass transition (done mindfully)

I made a deliberate decision to stop purchasing plastic food containers and replace them with glass alternatives. However, true zero-waste living requires avoiding the trap of “sustainability consumerism.”

Rather than throwing out perfectly functional plastic containers simply because they are plastic, which would generate immediate waste, I adopted a gradual replacement strategy. I continue using our existing plastic containers for as long as they remain usable and safe, replacing them with durable glass alternatives only when they reach the end of their functional life.

2. Curbing textile and fashion waste

Textile production is one of the world’s most resource-intensive and polluting industries. To minimise fashion waste in my home:

minimalist purchasing: I consciously restrict how many new clothing items I buy, prioritising longevity over fast-fashion trends.
gender-neutral quality for kids: When buying clothes for my children, I choose high-quality, durable, gender-neutral pieces. This ensures that garments can seamlessly be handed down between siblings and family members, extending their life cycle for years.

3. Mending and Repurposing

Before any household fabric or garment gets discarded, I use my sewing machine to give it a second life. Mending worn seams, altering fits, or repurposing old textiles into kitchen cleaning cloths, household rags, or craft projects keeps fabric out of the waste stream and reduces the need for new single-use paper or plastic goods.

Collective action: voices from the Solid Green team

Sustainability is a collective culture. As part of our ongoing SDG series, here is where we spotlight the creative, practical ways my colleagues across Solid Green are reducing waste and living plastic-free.

Team spotlight & tips

Jennifer Dean: repurposing & plant propagation

Before sending food packaging to the recycling bin, give it a second functional life! I use larger plastic yogurt and ice cream containers as plant starters by simply punching a few drainage holes in the bottom. For water plant propagation, glass jars and containers work brilliantly, turning kitchen waste into green home decor. I also save plastic lids separately to donate to ‘Help the Sweethearts Foundation’, proving that even the smallest plastic components can create meaningful social and environmental impact.

Marloes Reinink: urban composting & community eco-bricks

Living in an apartment shouldn’t stop you from recycling! The key to effective recycling is keeping organic (wet) waste out of your dry recyclables, so I set up a Bokashi system. I keep a small tub on my kitchen counter and empty it into my Bokashi bucket every few days. Once the bucket is full and has fermented for a month, I transfer it to the compost area I set up in our communal garden.

To tackle soft plastics, I also started an Eco-Brick initiative in our building. Residents drop all soft plastics into a dedicated blue bin, and two ladies in our building use the plastic to make Eco-Bricks, earning a small fee for each brick they produce. Once they’re ready, I drop the finished Eco-Bricks off at Jackson’s Real Food Market! It’s a win-win for local livelihoods and waste reduction.

The way forward

Whether we are certifying multi-million-rand precincts to achieve Net Zero Waste or simply mending a pair of trousers at home, the underlying principle remains identical: resources are finite, and every item deserves a circular lifecycle.

By pairing rigorous corporate benchmarks with conscious everyday habits, we move closer to a resilient, low-carbon, and plastic-free future. What is one small waste-reduction swap you can make today?

The post Rethinking waste: from green building benchmarks to everyday choices appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.