Over the past year, we have worked hand-in-hand with our ecosystem to deliver outstanding results, including sector-leading project certifications. These include 43 Green Star Certifications comprising 13 New Build, 13 Net Zero, 8 Existing Building Performance (EBP), 6 Interiors and 3 WELL certifications, together with 11 EDGE Prelim Certifications and 15 EDGE Post Construction certifications. Below are just a few examples from this 2024 portfolio:

• Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) became the first property group in South Africa to receive the Net Zero Waste Level 2 certification from the GBCSA for five of its malls in Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg, Bloemfontein, and Cape Town.
• Nedbank branches at Alex Mall and Fox Street, Johannesburg, proudly received their Green Star Interiors ratings, underlining their commitment to creating healthy and comfortable indoor environments for both employees and clients.
• Plumblink Head Office and Distribution Centre in Gauteng received a 4-Star Green Star PEB Custom Industrial Certification, proving that it’s possible to design industrial spaces that are mindful of their environmental impact.
  
• Menlyn Maine Residences’ was awarded a 4-Star Green Star Multi Unit Residential Design V1 rating.
  
• Balwin’s Headquarters on Corlett Drive, Johannesburg, was awarded a Net Zero Waste Level 1 certification in addition to its 6-star Green Star Office v1.1. As Built rating – the first commercial-level Net Zero Waste Level 1 (construction waste) certification in South Africa.
• The iKusasa building, situated in Johannesburg’s Oxford Parks Precinct, was the first in developer Intaprop’s portfolio to achieve both a 6-Star Green Star As Built rating and a Net Zero Carbon Level 1 certification.
• We supported two major residential property clients in obtaining EDGE certifications. Leogem Property Developments secured EDGE certifications for two developments in Johannesburg, The Lincoln Carlswald and The Mallard. And Balwin Properties secured two EDGE certifications for large residential developments – one in Kwa-Zulu Natal and one in Gauteng – Izinga and Mooikloof Eco Estates.
  

Our memorable moments

At the heart of our success are our relationships – with clients, colleagues, suppliers, and our team. These connections form the foundation of our business. So it came as a huge shock when, in February, we were informed of the tragic loss of a highly regarded member of the Solid Green family, Mthokozisi ‘Giant’ Nxumalo, a man like no other. Giant’s passing has left a deep sadness for those of us who knew him, and it is taking time to adjust to the loss of one of our own.

In recent months, our workload has meant expanding our team, and we have welcomed the following new talent:

• Amy Symington, Junior Green Building Consultant (January 2024)
• Thobeka Zuma, EDGE Project Manager (April 2024)
• Melissa Laubscher, Accountant (March 2024)
• Janki Malefane, Modelling Technician (May 2024)

Two of our team members directed the development of categories under the Green Star New Build V2 rating tool. Piloted at the end of 2023, the tool expands the minimum requirements that need to be met by project teams seeking this certification. Annelidé Sherratt, Head of Solid Green’s Green Building Certifications department, directed the Healthy category while Adrie Fourie, Head of Solid Green’s Sustainable Cities & Research department, directed the Places category.

During this year, we continued to transform our office in Parkhurst, a journey that has allowed us to explore our commitment to sustainability and the built environment. We also commissioned a stunning new mural on the street-facing side of our building, which serves as a bold statement of who we are and what we stand for.

Celebrating Industry Recognition

We are extremely proud of our team who, once again, excelled in delivering exceptional quality Green Star submissions. These were recognised when our projects were recognised in the SAPOA Awards 2024:

At the 2024 GBCSA Leadership Awards, we were delighted that Annelide Sherratt was acknowledged as runner-up for the Established Green Star. Several of our projects also received prestigious awards:

• In the Transforming Tomorrow category, various projects were featured including two projects certified this past year: 7 Parks Boulevard (As Built) and 5 Parks Boulevard (Design), developed by Intaprop with Solid Green as AP on the certifications.
• The Net Zero Submission award went to Liberty Two Degrees Net Zero Waste Retail Portfolio.
• In the Highest Rated Building category, the runner-up was Anglo-American by Intaprop for its Interiors v1 certification.
• In the Best Quality Submission category, the runners-up included Anglo-American for its Interiors v1 certification.

Strengthening Our Shared Commitment

We are profoundly grateful for the commitment that we share with our clients and colleagues to creating a regenerative future for both people and the planet. As we continue to innovate and collaborate, we look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead. We look forward to working with you in 2025 and wish you and your loved ones a restful and enjoyable holiday season!

The post Our Journey in 2024 appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Our relationships with our clients, colleagues, suppliers and team have always been the foundation of our business. Over the last twelve months, we collaborated closely with our ecosystem to achieve sector-leading project certifications. These include achievements in South Africa as well as other African countries.

• The Greenbay Lifestyle Centre in Gordon’s Bay achieved both 6-Star and Net Zero certifications, highlighting the project’s commitment to environmental stewardship and community well-being.
• dsm-firmenich achieved a notable milestone as the first GBCSA certified, Net Positive Ecology Level 2 – Operational Ecology (Measured) project in South Africa. It also received a 6-Star Interiors rating in 2022, and is targeting Net Positive Carbon, Water and Waste certifications.
• The fit-out for ENS, Africa’s largest law firm, achieved a commendable 5-Star Green Star Interiors v1 certification, underscoring the clients commitment to collaboration, productivity and user wellbeing.
• Lapalala Wilderness School, a non-profit, public benefits organisation in the Waterberg District of Limpopo Province, inspired us with its Green Star Net Zero Carbon Level 2 certification.
• Redefine continued to demonstrate sector leadership when three of its properties in Gauteng were awarded Net Zero Carbon Level 2: Building & Occupant Emissions (Measured) certifications – namely 2 Pybus and 90 Rivonia in Sandton, and Rosebank Link in Rosebank.
• Oxford Parks’ 5 Parks, developed by Intaprop, set a new benchmark for sustainable and innovative workspaces by achieving a 6 Star, Green Star Office v1.1 certification and targeting a Net Zero Carbon Level 1 (Modelled) certification.
• Developed by Gateway Real Estate Africa (GREA) in partnership with GRIT Real Estate Income Group, The Precinct in Mauritius received the country’s first Ecodistrict certification.
• The First Capital Bank Head Office in Lusaka was awarded a 5-star Design rating, making it the first building in Zambia to achieve a Green Star rating.
• The Nedbank Head Office Campus in Windhoek was awarded a 6-star New Build Office As-built rating by the GBCSA, making it the first 6-star building in Namibia to receive this certification.
• The new headquarters of Fuchs Lubricants in Kempton Park, with a usable floor area of 2554m², received a Net Zero Carbon certification from the GBCSA.

Our milestones this year

We are extremely proud of our team who, once again, excelled in delivering top notch Green Star submissions. At the GBCSA’s Green Building Convention in November, the Nedbank Head Office Campus in Windhoek, with Elri Syfert as Accredited Professional (AP), was Winner of the Highest Rated African Green Star Submission as well as Runner-up for the Highest Rated Building (Asset Rating Design Project). Elri was also Runner-up for the Rising Green Star award. And Rewardsco Block A, with Makhosazana Mthethwa as AP, was Runner-Up Best Quality Submission.

Another huge achievement was the completion of our office renovation! The vision was born in 2019 with the purchase of an old house in Parkhurst. The journey took a little longer than expected, but we now have a beautiful space crafted to our exact needs. Together with a thriving garden and tranquil outdoor seating area, this supports our team and visitors to our office with a light, bright environment in which to work and enjoy each other’s company.

Solid Green offices

Our people have always been our greatest asset and, this year, we were delighted to welcome five new team members on board – Kayce Theunissen, Elri Syfert, Bosa Mochotlhi, Thato Mohale, and Hannah Watt (from intern to real employee).

Our shared commitment

As we continue to drive transformation and sustainability in the built environment, we are deeply grateful for the commitment that we share with you towards a more regenerative future for both people and planet. We look forward to continuing this journey in 2024, and wish you and your loved ones a relaxing and enjoyable holiday season!

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Project milestones

• The Ikusasa Building in the mixed-use Oxford Parks precinct received a 6-star Green Star Office v1.1. Design certification in July and is targeting the As-built and Interiors certifications as well as a Net Zero Level 1 certification.
• The S&J Industrial Estate secured the final EcoDistricts endorsement required to reach full certification on 14 June 2022.
• The new Balwin Headquarters on 105 Corlett Drive, a refurbishment of the iconic Creative Council building on the M1 highway, achieved a Net Zero Carbon-Level 1 certification this year as well as a 6-star Green Star certification last year.
• Block B in the 2 Ncondo Place precinct for Rewardsco in Umhlanga achieved a 5-Star Green Star SA Office v1.1 Design certification.
• The Precinct, Unity Building, an office development in Mauritius, achieved a 5-Star Green Star Office Design certification, making it the first building in Mauritius to achieve a 5-star design rating.
• Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, is targeting an ambitious 6-Star Interiors v1 certification for their refurbished offices and laboratories.
• Nexus Building 01 is the first building in Waterfall City to target a Net Zero Carbon-Level 1 certification as well as 5-star Green Star Office v1.1 Design, As-built and Interior v.1 certifications.
• Liberty Two Degrees (L2D)achieved a 6-Star Green Star SA Interiors v1 certification for their interior fit-out.
• The Tlokweng Road Commercial Development in Gaborone is currently targeting a 4-Star Green Star New Build Office Design certification and is only the third development to target this certification in Botswana.

Rewardsco – Karl Beath Photography

Our wins at the Convention

The commitment of our proactive and dedicated team was evident this year at the GBCSA’s Green Building Convention. Makhosazana Mthethwa brought home the Rising Green Star award, with Alex Varughese as runner-up.

The Fuchs Lubricants Headquarters won in the category Net Zero Submission with accredited professional (AP) Alex Varughese. We also had two runners-up in the category Highest Rated African Submission – Mashatu Terrace in Gaborone (5-Star Green Star Office As-built v1.1 submission) with AP Nomamfengu Mbele, and The Precinct, Unity Building in Mauritius with AP Adrie Fourie. The winning project for the overall Highest Rated Building and Highest Rated African Submission is also a Solid Green project; however, the client wants to remain confidential!

Welcome and farewell

Our people are our greatest asset, and we are thrilled to welcome a number of new team members on board – green building consultants Ranjita Pillai and Jennifer Dean; junior green building consultants Aadil Fayzoo & Kamohelo Selepe; modelling & simulation consultant Thato Molapo and modelling technician Xenia Scott; technical services success manager Wardah Peters; and modelling technician interns Wish Mundondo and Kasonde Mumba.

Four of our valued longstanding team members moved on to other pastures this year – Zendré Compion, Dash Coville, Nomamfengu Mbele and Alex Varughese. We are deeply appreciative of the time we shared with them and of the skills and passion they brought to their work here, and we would like to wish them everything of the very best moving forward.

We are grateful!

Our journey is only possible thanks to the loyal support of our clients, staff, colleagues, supporters and suppliers. You continue to inspire us with your commitment to a better future for people and the planet. We look forward to more shared successes next year and wish you and your families a relaxing and enjoyable holiday season!

7 Parks Boulevard – credit: GLH Architects

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As we were reading through the GBCSA’s Annual Integrated Report 2021 and looked at the table of certified buildings that year, some celebratory statistics came to the fore. A total of 139 projects were certified by the GBCSA in 2021 under the New Buildings, Existing Building Performance, Energy Water Performance, Interior, Net Zero, and EDGE tools.

Of the 34 Green Star New Building certifications in 2021, Solid Green was the Green Star accredited professional (AP) on 20 buildings – this is a 59% market share of all New Building certifications in 2021. There were 9 buildings that received Net Zero certifications, and Solid Green managed the certification process of 8 of these (89%). Below is an overview of the buildings that received certification managed by Solid Green. This is a major achievement. We are very grateful to our clients for trusting us with their Green Building aspirations, and to our team for managing the Green Star process for our clients so efficiently and effectively.

Green Star Tool Overhaul

The Green Star tool has been in existence since 2008 and Nedbank Phase II (135 Rivonia) was the first building that achieved a Green Star certification in 2009. Now, in 2022, the Green Star tool is undergoing a major renovation and update, which will bring a whole new dimension to green building certifications. There are some exciting and challenging changes coming. Several members of the Solid Green team are intimately involved in the Green Star V2 process as category leaders and category supports. Adrie is leading the Place Category and Annelide is category leader on the Health & Wellbeing Category; Alex and Dash are team members on the Positive Category, and Alex is also on the team of the Health & Wellbeing Category; Nomamfengu and Cebisa are on the People Category team, and Elri is a team member for the Resilient Category.

Solid Greeners seeking greener pastures

In the last year we have also had to say goodbye to some valued staff members who have decided to continue their green career elsewhere. Early in the year, Zendré Compion left Solid Green to seek greener pastures with her own company. Jeffy Pallamattan emigrated to New Zealand but is continuing his work with Solid Green, just on the other side of the world. In July we had to say goodbye to Alex Varughese, who is taking up a modeling role at the green department within WSP. And in August, Dash Coville left Solid Green after 10 years of being a Solid Greener; he is going to further his career at the GBCSA in the Technical Team. We wish Zendré, Alex and Dash all the best and we certainly going to miss them on the team. August also saw a new incoming Solid Greener – Thato Molapo joined as a junior modeling and simulation consultant; and we will also welcome some new faces in October, but more about that in the next Solid Green update.

28 Green Star Certified Buildings in 2021

The post Our Green Building Certifications in 2021 appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

• the In2food Bonaero Park facility, one of the few industrial facilities in South Africa achieving both 4-Star Green Star Industrial Design v1 and Net Zero Carbon Level 1 certifications;
• 203 Oxford and 8 Parks Boulevard, which were developed by Intaprop in the Oxford Parks precinct, and which both achieved 5-Star Green Star Office v1.1. Design certifications;
• the new Balwin Headquarters, a refurbishment of the iconic Creative Council building on Corlett Drive in Johannesburg, was awarded a 6-star Green Star Office Design v1.1 rating and is targeting Net Zero Carbon and Net Zero Waste certifications;
• several lifestyle centres for Balwin Properties’ portfolio, including the Greenlee Greenbarn in Linbro Park, the Greenpark Lifestyle Centre in Boksburg, Ballito Hills Lifestyle Centre in KZN, and the De Zicht Lifestyle Centre in Milnerton, Cape Town – all of which received Net Zero Carbon and 6-Star Green Star Public & Education Building (PEB) Design certifications earlier this year.
• Motswere Prime Plaza II, an A-grade office space for Primetime Holdings in Gaborone, Botswana, achieved its 5-Star Green Star Office Design v1.1 rating in May 2021.

As always, our top achievement is the dedication of our team – our people are our greatest asset.

Marloes Reinink was one of the winners under the ‘Green Building’ category of the 17th edition of the Mail & Guardian’s Greening the Future flagship awards. The programme celebrates the dedication of environmental and sustainability trailblazers who are working towards ensuring that CO2 emissions decrease within prescribed bounds to limit the precarious rise in global temperatures.

This year’s Ghana Green Building Summit (GGBS), held from 23-24 September, centred around the theme ‘Rethinking Operations Management for High Performance Buildings’. On Day 2, Chilufya Lombe moderated the panel discussion “The Zero Game – Is the Race to Net Zero Buildings a Fad?”, which looked at the prominent place of net zero on the African agenda.

Earlier this year, under our new strategy for the coming years, we decided to establish a new department, Sustainable Cities & Research, headed up by sustainability expert, Adrie Fourie. This work focuses on providing support to our clients and delivery partners on projects that have an impact beyond the scale of individual buildings.

We were also thrilled to be able to welcome four new people to our team, especially in these uncertain times. Cebisa Mafukuzela, a sustainability consultant with a B. Architectural Studies from NMU, is passionate about finding architectural solutions with sustainability as the core driver in design decisions. Elri Syfert holds a B. Arch from NMU, and her passion is to actively make a positive impact on the environment as an Accredited Professional in green buildings by realising the client’s vision in a mindful way.

Ruth Ndlovu, who is performance driven and goal-oriented, has a diploma in Economics and Management Sciences through UNISA and is pursuing a B. Comm Accounting degree. Samantha Phiri, who believes in staying up to date with current technology and developments in the economy and environment, studied Accountancy at UJ and is the process of obtaining her CIMA qualification.

We are especially proud of the dedicated, powerful members of our team who brought home GBCSA Leadership Awards from the GBCSA’s Green Building Convention! These were Zendré Compion, the accredited professional on the Balwin Head Quarters, which placed 2^nd for the Highest Rated Building category; Dashiell Coville, who was named runner up for Established Green Star; and Alex Varughese, who was named runner up for Rising Green Star.

Our whole team of super-cool and committed people is continuing the journey of our sector-leading sustainability work from our new office in Parkhurst. A lot of work has gone into ensuring that these new offices reflect our values and ethos of regenerative design and development, and this includes creating a beautiful and functional garden for our team.

To our clients, team, collaborators and suppliers – as always, thank you for your ongoing presence. You make our work possible and our journey meaningful!

The post A Rewarding 2021! appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Vleihuis Development in Linden

“Net Zero represents the beginning of the first true response to climate change from the building industry,” Chilufya Lombe, Sustainability Consultant and Director at Solid Green observes.

While it is evident that we cannot stop the development of new buildings as cities grow, it is possible to ensure that impact on the environment as a result of development is negated. A Triple Net Zero certification represents the pinnacle in environmental design with a structure that has zero impact on resources.

We are delighted to report that our footprint is growing into countries like Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, Mauritius and Namibia. This includes our collaboration with Enerxis Solutions on Mauritius’ first Green Star certificated project, the Mon Trésor Business Gateway.

Mon Trésor Business Gateway 2

We are particularly proud of our people, who have excelled this year in proactively contributing towards transformation in the property sector. Annelide Sherratt and Jesse Hamman were acknowledged for their dedication at the 2018 Green Building Council Leadership Awards when they were awarded Runner Up: Established Green Star and Winner: Rising Green Star respectively.

And, on 23 October 2018, at the national 4th South African Women in Property Awards (SAWIPA), Marloes Reinink was named Business Woman of the Year: Entrepreneur! The SAWIPA Awards recognise women who continue to influence and change the landscape of the property industry – which Marloes has achieved as founder of the largest dedicated green building consulting firm in South Africa, the only ambassador in the country for the Living Building Challenge, and tireless advocate for all things that contribute towards a healthier and more regenerative world.

4th SAWIPA National Awards: Marloes Reinink named Business Woman of the Year: Entrepreneur.

“It is crucial that cities grow in a sustainable manner,” Reinink says.

Cities today are nodes of opportunity to move green design beyond the building scale into the public realm. It is a great privilege to be acknowledged as SAWIPA’s Business Woman of the Year: Entrepreneur amongst such high-calibre professionals. Particularly because the SAWIPA Awards offers a platform for celebrating not only gender equity in our property industry, but also the important advances that the sector is taking to align itself with best practice worldwide.

At Solid Green, we believe in walking the talk and have committed to providing a healthy work environment for our team, together with lifestyle guidance and ongoing mentorship. Our office, which was awarded a prestigious LEED Platinum certification for Commercial Interiors and the first 6-Star Green Star SA Interiors v1 certification in 2016, was the first project in Africa to be featured on the Biophilic Map earlier this year.

Biophilic map.

A number of our staff members are activists for the circular economy, and challenge themselves daily to lead lives that are more in sync with available natural resources and cycles. We advocate for waste reduction, and Gavin Westbrook went so far as to set himself a plastic-free month challenge, with interesting results! We also educate our network around dietary choices and put programmes in place to enable our staff members to transition towards sustainable modes of transportation.

From its inception, Solid Green has taken the practice of mentoring young people very seriously; and we are constantly rewarded by their personal and professional growth and enthusiasm. Nomamfengu Mbele and Mapula Matlakala took time out to share their experiences of working with our team. Our mentoring work this year also included Chilufya Lombe’s work with start-up organisation, Khora Group – headed up by Katlego Mothapo – which was accepted into the Innovation Hub’s Climate and Innovation Centre (CIC).

Annelide Sherratt, Nomamfengu Mbele, Mapula Matlakala , Marloes Reinink at the 2018 GBCSA Convention Gala Dinner

All our achievements are only possible thanks to the loyal support of our clients, staff, colleagues, supporters and suppliers. We are encouraged on a daily basis by your commitment to furthering a fully sustainable built environment for current and future generations. We look forward to sharing the next stage of our journey with you, and wish you and your families a very blessed and enjoyable holiday season as we head towards 2019!

The Solid Green team.

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Our project highlights in 2017 include the National English Literary Museum, the first Public & Education (PEB) building in South Africa to achieve a 5-Star Green Star SA Design rating, and an impressive 5-Star Green Star SA PEB v1 As-Built certification earlier this year.

Another first was the certification of ten Standard Bank branches countryside, which all achieved 4-Star Green Star SA Interiors v1 certifications in May. These projects demonstrate a strong commitment by Standard Bank to providing healthy and comfortable interior environments for both staff and clients.

The new Green Star Sustainable Precincts tool has recently been launched, with Solid Green consulting on four of the first thirteen projects that will be piloting the tool, including Sandton Gate. With a shared vision of demonstrating sector leadership in sustainability, developers Abland and Tiber are targeting a Green Star certification for the whole precinct under the Sustainable Precincts tool, and each commercial building in the precinct will be required to attain a minimum 4-Star Green Star rating for the building itself.

And, in a very BIG first, 78 Corlett Drive received a Net Zero Carbon Pilot Rating from the GBCSA at the end of November, with Solid Green handling the certification process!

Our involvement in policy development throughout Africa is incredibly important to us, and on 29 August 2017, Nigeria’s first Building Energy Efficiency Code (BEEC) was officially launched in Abuja by the Federal Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN). Solid Green was commissioned as technical consultant on the project, and Director, Chilufya Lombe, spoke at the launch event.

We have continued our commitment to education in the green building sector through our involvement with Streetlight Schools – Jeppe Park Primary, the first school in South Africa to achieve a 4-Star Green Star Interiors v1 As Built Rating, demonstrating ‘Best Practice’. The school has developed a Sustainable Education Awareness Program – which has been developed with a specific focus on young learners’ wellbeing – to teach learners new behaviours in using resources optimally from an early age; as well as a Wellness Education Policy that specifically focuses on young learners’ wellbeing and health.

And, in our quest to change mindsets and stay at the forefront of thought leadership around green buildings and sustainable city development, Solid Green is proud to be a partner in the newly-launched GreenED, an online resource offering best-in-class online and contextual learning on sustainable design in the built environment and green rating certifications.

We have also spent time learning from the best and contributing to the global conversation around green and sustainability. In April, USAID Low-Emissions Development (USAID-LED) co-sponsored three South African project teams to attend the 2017 EcoDistricts Incubator in Portland, USA; in November, we participated in the Hack4Climate hackathon in Bonn, Germany, hosted by Cleantech21; and also in November, we attended GreenBuild 2017, the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building.

We would like to thank our clients and colleagues for the privilege of working with you, and look forward to another exciting year in 2018!

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