At Solid Green, our next frontier is moving from Net Zero to Net Positive. We are no longer just looking to do less harm; we are aiming to create ecosystems, buildings, and operational practices that are actively regenerative and restorative.

Nowhere is this shift more tangible, and more challenging, than in the space of Carbon-Free Mobility.

The SDG Blueprint for E-Mobility

Decarbonising how we move is a cornerstone of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Transport electrification isn’t just an isolated technological upgrade; it is a critical lever that intersects with multiple global targets:

• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): True carbon-free mobility relies on an energy grid anchored in scalable, renewable energy sources. Driving an EV is only as clean as the power charging it.
• SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): Transitioning away from fossil fuels requires an unprecedented infrastructure rollout, expanding resilient smart grids and localised technical innovation.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Decarbonising urban transit hubs and corporate travel pathways reduces localised pollution, creating healthier, low-carbon value chains where people live and work.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): With the transport and energy sectors driving the vast majority of global greenhouse gas emissions, immediate transition strategies are non-negotiable to limit global warming.

The Reality of the Transition: A Case Study on the Road

To communicate sustainability authentically, you have to live it. I recently took our company’s fully electric BYD Atto 3 on a 367 km journey from Johannesburg to Nelspruit for the DAS Conference.

On paper, the “Extended Range EV Trip Plan” was seamless. In reality, it was a sharp lesson in the vulnerabilities of our current transitional infrastructure. A leisurely charging stop to view wildlife left us with no buffer upon arrival, and a return-leg charging station abruptly went offline mid-charge, resulting in a tech-support saga that added an extra hour and a half to the drive. Standing at a dark, unresponsive charging bollard in the late afternoon, the gap between intent and infrastructure became glaringly obvious. It highlighted a core truth of the sustainability transition: zero-emissions technology is commercially viable right now, but its long-term reliability hinges entirely on systemic resilience.

South Africa’s electric vehicle landscape currently exists in a delicate balance between rapid, innovative “wins” and severe systemic “setbacks.” On the winning side, market momentum is accelerating, with new energy vehicle (NEV) sales climbing to over 16,700 units in 2025 which is nearly 19 times the volume recorded in 2021.

Additionally, the International Energy Agency previously ranked South Africa fifth globally in terms of the ratio of public EV chargers to vehicles, highlighting an incredibly proactive rollout of public charging points relative to early adoption. However, the critical vulnerability lies in the structural framework supporting this network. The traditional grid, constrained by aging infrastructure and transmission bottlenecks, was never designed to handle the heavy demands of large-scale EV fast-charging. Consequently, traditional grid-tied stations are heavily exposed to energy insecurity and regional power cuts. This creates friction between a booming vehicle market and an unstable grid.

The Net Positive Frontier: Regenerative Mobility

This is where the shift from Net Zero to Net Positive becomes crucial.

A Net Zero approach to mobility simply means swapping an internal combustion engine for an electric one and offsetting the remaining operational footprint. It keeps us at a baseline of zero impact.

A Net Positive approach, however, looks at the holistic management of the entire lifecycle and system. It means moving toward circular shared value:

1. Grid-positive charging: Moving beyond standard grid-tied EV chargers to localised, solar-powered corporate microgrids that feed clean energy back into the national system when vehicles aren’t charging.
2. Infrastructure resilience: Building charging networks equipped with decentralised battery storage and generator backups so that localised outages don’t stall the macro-economy.
3. Circular life cycles: Taking into account the choice of materials, battery supply chains, and future use cycles of the vehicles themselves, preventing resource depletion from the outset.

Walking the Walk

We can design and certify the greenest, highest performing buildings in Africa, but those buildings do not exist in a vacuum. They are connected by human beings who need to move between them.

True carbon-free mobility requires us to push past the comfort zone of simple compliance. As we navigate this structural global transition, the hiccups on the road are inevitable – but they are indicators of where we must build stronger, smarter, and more resilient systems. The goal is no longer just to reach the destination with a neutral footprint. It’s to leave the road better than we found it.

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The theme for the 2023 Congress was Leave No One Behind, with six subthemes that focused on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and attempted to consolidate these into digestible topics that could be addressed within the 3-day conference. These sub-themes were: Climate Adaptation, Health, Inclusivity, Resilient Communities, Partners for Change, and Rethinking Resources.

Towards the end of 2022, I came across a call for an abstract submission for publication and presentation at the 2023 UIA Congress in Copenhagen. I saw this as an opportunity to share my ideas and to attempt academic writing.

Together with an industry colleague, Mlondolozi Hempe from PJC and Partners, we drafted an abstract about our topic of interest “Sustainable Rural Development through Generative design”. The abstract and ultimately the paper were submitted and approved for presentation at the Congress under the theme ‘Inclusivity’.

And so, the preparation to head to Copenhagen began and, on 29 June, I boarded the first flight on a 3-flight, 20-hour trip! Arriving in Copenhagen, I was struck by the incredible transport infrastructure that allowed me to catch a train at 10pm from the airport and connect with a bus to my Airbnb. The city center was buzzing with young and old using the public transport network or cycling. Although it was late and I was alone and in a new country, I found it easy to navigate. There is also wifi everywhere!

With a day to spend exploring the city and taking in the architecture, I wanted to experience what a normal life in Copenhagen would feel like, so I went grocery shopping and walked for a few hours just taking the city in, and tried to figure out how I would get to and from the venue. Staying in Sorborg and with the Congress at the Belle Center, I had about a 30-minute commute. The experience of grocery shopping itself was a story worth telling, but this article is less about urban life in Denmark, and more about the UIA Congress.

Day 1:

The first day of the conference kicked off with an opening ceremony where the president of the UIA, Jose Cortes shared some words on his journey with architecture and leading the UIA. The rest of the day included incredible keynote panels and smaller breakaway presentations. I attended the Next Gen Keynote session, where Nyasha Harper-Michon, a self-proclaimed “Archtivist” together with Jerome Foster and William Chan, discussed Architecture for Activism, which really resonated with me as someone who pursued the architectural profession with an impact driven intent.

Another interesting session I attended on the day, aside from the introduction session for the Science Track speakers I was part of, was a presentation titled Local Conditions: Learning from Vernacular Architecture in the Faroe Island which touched on the importance of looking back in order to make informed decisions going forward.

Day 2:

This was the morning of my presentation. In the rush to get to the venue on time, I found myself on the wrong train and heading in the opposite direction to the venue but, fortunately, with the effective public transit systems, I quickly redirected myself and arrived right on time to talk about how data can be used to drive rural development in the Eastern Cape.

Our paper focused on how data being built into the design process can assist architects, urban designers, and town planners to effectively make development recommendations and approach projects with a perspective that is not prescriptive but rather responsive, specific and nuanced for the community for which each project is developed.

Immediately after our presentation, we made our way to the keynote address by Francis Kere, who shared his architectural journey and his approach to architecture; and Minik Rosing, a professor of geology at the University of  Copenhagen – who shared an insightful perspective on how construction and building habitat is not something to be avoided, but that we need to change how we do things, by creating things that are beautiful and useful and can last a long time. He also spoke about how our quest to save the planet is for our benefit, that it is humans who cannot survive without the Earth. This was a particularly insightful concept for me as it forced me to consider how we view sustainability as an attempt to save the planet instead of the need to save humanity.

I spent the afternoon on a historic city architectural tour, where we walked around the city exploring the many historic buildings and castles, and experiencing the rich history of this very modern city. This tour ended with an architectural open evening at the Danish Institute of Architecture where we viewed an architectural student presentation and enjoyed a relaxed evening.

Days 3 & 4:

Day 3 was the first day where I felt I could take a step back and be a conference attendee, walk around the venue, and engage with the exhibitions. I came across the Nordic pavilion which held several talks and engaging discussions sharing how Nordic architectural practice is choosing to approach sustainability and inclusive design concepts.

After having spent the last days getting to know some of the other South Africans who attended and were presenting at the Congress, I went to support them at the Roundtable: Community Architecture and “The Housing Ladder” where 15 delegates from around the world discussed community architecture and housing issues.

Day 4 was the wrap-up and consisted of the closing function, exchanging contact details with fellow delegates, and making plans to one day visit each other’s countries and, more importantly, committing to seeing each other at the next UIA Congress, taking place in Barcelona in 2026.

Key Take Aways

I would sum up with the following takeaways from the convention:

• The planet doesn’t need humans to survive, humans need the planet. Approaching climate change-driven targets and goals is a matter of survival.
• Collaboration and cross-pollination are key. The UIA Congress was a complex blend of architects in practice and academia, engineers, developers, creatives, entrepreneurs, researchers, activists and change-makers, all working to create impact. The work of creating a positive impact on the climate, fighting inequality, poverty, and displacement can only be achieved when a group consensus is achieved and worked towards.

Use the tools you have. Start where you are. A lot of solutions already exist in the information you are exposed to. Use data, use history and use the context to find solutions.

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However, now and then, a project team is required to do some site work. The Sustainable Cities and Research Department recently visited Mauritius as part of our role in supporting The Precinct in targeting an EcoDistrict certification. Phase 1 of the development, Unity Building, has already secured a 5-Star Green Star Office v1.1 Design Certification.

The property is being developed by Gateway Real Estate Africa (GREA) in partnership with GRIT Real Estate Income Group. Strategically located at the entrance of Grand Baie, approximately 20km from Port Louis, the project is envisioned as a state-of-the-art office space.

The EcoDistricts certification will be a first for Mauritius and aligns well with the ESG targets set by both GRIT and GREA, organisations that are committed to making sustainable development decisions that are focused on driving carbon neutrality and maximizing the positive impact on the communities they serve.

Adrie Fourie, Head of the Sustainable Cities and Research Department and I, embarked on our journey in the middle of February, not knowing the full extent of the adventure that awaited us. After an uneventful flight, the first thing that hit me was the density of the air and the heat, which I surprisingly enjoyed. However, my suitcase was nowhere to be found! Fortunately, the officials at the airport were efficient, taking my details and assuring me they would reunite me with my suitcase soon.

The drive from the airport introduced us to this beautiful, green island with an undulating landscape and an architectural expression unique to the island – culturally inspired buildings sit next to modern structures hiding between dense tropical vegetation. It was like nothing I had seen before.

Our hotel, a stone’s throw away from The Precinct, is an eco-responsible and EarthCheck Silver Certified hotel, boasting several sustainability initiatives, including:

• Wastewater recycling used for irrigation purposes, with automated sensors, aerated taps and rainwater harvesting systems to reduce potable water consumption.
• Renewable energy initiatives across the whole chain of hotels, contributing to 20% savings in power consumption.
• Motion sensors to switch lights and HVAC off when guests are not in their rooms.
• Integrated waste management where waste is separated for recycling, managing nearly 40% of waste being recycled.
• Food waste that is reduced through programs that distribute surplus foods to nearby communities and farmers, who collect non-donatable food for composting.

Fortunately, after breakfast the next day, I was reunited with my suitcase. While doing my research for this trip, I found several stats that spoke about the low levels of theft and crime in Mauritius and the speedy recovery of my suitcase felt like a testament to that.

I facilitated the first EcoDistricts workshop, providing insights on Centering Equity in EcoDistricts to the steering committee comprising relevant stakeholders and role-players. The training session focused on defining all vulnerable groups impacted by the project. The EcoDistricts Protocol understands that, when cities identify and acknowledge those most vulnerable to change, they experience stronger and longer-lasting growth. The well-attended workshop provided us with significant insight into contextual nuance and its impact on equity.

The next two days, facilitated by Adrie, required participants to workshop specific ways in which the three Imperative Commitments – Equity, Resilience and Climate Projection – will be embedded in The Precinct EcoDistrict. Focus was placed on creating a strong commitment from all stakeholders in support of “collective impact” to tackle the complexities and interconnections of precinct-scale sustainability. The remainder of the sessions were focused on collectively identifying the action plan that will move The Precinct toward carbon neutrality, while formulating its sustainability strategy around the 6 Priority Areas of the EcoDistricts Protocol: Place, Prosperity, Health & Wellbeing, Connectivity, Living Infrastructure and Resource Regeneration.

We also had the opportunity to visit La Croisette Mall, an exceptionally beautiful space with an open-air design. This design approach provides a unique shopping experience as a result of the strong connections created with the external natural environment. It also reduces the need for air conditioning and electrical lighting. Walking in the streets of Grand Baie and grabbing a drink while overlooking the crisp blue harbour littered with boats and catamarans, made this the most holiday-ish work trip I have ever been on.

Before leaving, Mauritius had one last surprise in store for us, Cyclone Freddy! With staff on high alert, the building was readied for a 1 in 100-year storm. Many businesses on the island were forced to close, the international airport was shut and, while Cyclone Freddy passed at approximately 120km to the north of Grand Baie, waves reached heights of 8m, a significant amount of rain fell across the island and, the next morning, the after-effects were still very visible.

The trip to Mauritius was very successful workwise, and it was an experience I will never forget – from the weather to the people, the warm beaches and the ever-changing menu at the hotel restaurant. But the most valuable part was spending time with my colleague Adrie and getting to know someone I work with on a personal level.

Hopefully we will be invited back once the project is certified and the other two building on site have been completed, with no suitcases going missing and, hopefully, no hurricanes to give us the full experience of island life!

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