Highest Rated Project (Existing Operations)

• Winner: Old Mutual Mutualpark (Old Mutual)

  Accredited Professional (AP) supporting: Zoe Rushin, Old Mutual

• Runner Up: Promenade Mall (Liberty Two Degrees) 

  AP supporting: Danika Taylor (Imbue Sustainability & Solid Green Consulting)

Runner Up: Promenade Mall (Liberty Two Degrees)

Highest Rated Project (New Development)

• Winner: 105 Corlett Drive, Balwin Head Office (Balwin Properties)

  AP supporting: Jennifer Dean (Solid Green Consulting)

• Runner Up: CPT 14 Zola AWS Central (Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust)

  AP supporting: Makhosazana Mthethwa (Solid Green Consulting)

Winner: 105 Corlett Drive, Balwin Head Office (Balwin Properties)

Runner Up: CPT 14 Zola AWS Central (Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust)
AP supporting: Makhosazana Mthethwa (Solid Green Consulting)

Best Quality Submission (Existing Operations)

• Winner: Advocates Chambers

  Sinethemba Ndlovu (Zutari | Southern Africa)

• Winner: 148 On Katherine (Eastgate 20)

  Mellissa Titus (Greenspace)

• Winner: Anslow Park – Nestle

  Mellissa Titus (Greenspace)

Best Quality Submission (New Developments)

• Winner: Garden Cities Sunningdale, Northridge Coastal Estate

  Fabio Venturi (Terramanzi Group)

• Runner Up: Arterial Industrial Estate Phase 2

  Alison Groves (WSP in Africa)

EDGE Auditor Excellence

• Winner: Yvonne Pelser, Inside Out Consulting

Rising Green Star

• Winner: Thato Molapo, Solid Green Consulting

• Runner Up: Danika Taylor, Imbue Sustainability & Solid Green Consulting

Winner: Thato Molapo, Solid Green Consulting

Runner Up: Danika Taylor, Imbue Sustainability & Solid Green Consulting

Established Green Star

• Winner: Fabio Venturi, Terramanzi

• Runner Up: Makhosazana Mthethwa, Solid Green Consulting 

Runner Up: Makhosazana Mthethwa, Solid Green Consulting

Net Zero Champion

• Winner: Redefine Properties. Recognising Net Zero Carbon

  Level 2 – Building + Occupant Emissions (Measured) achievements of Alice Lane, Ballyoaks Office Park and CTICC Convention Tower.
  AP supporting: Kamohelo Selepe (Solid Green Consulting)

• Runner Up: Discovery Central Services (Pty) Ltd. Recognising Net Zero Waste

  Level 2 – Operational Waste achievements at Discovery KZN.
  AP supporting: Marcelle van Tonder (Zero Waste Technologies)

Winner: Redefine Properties

EDGE Residential Champion

• Winner: Century Property Developments

• Winner: Balwin Properties

• Winner: Divercity Urban Property Group

• Winner: International Housing Solutions (IHS)

EDGE Commercial Leader

• Winner: Redefine Properties

  for the Herholdts Brackengate 2 project, achieving 100% energy savings and leading water efficiency.

• Runner-up: Atterbury Properties

  for the Atterbury Solar project, also achieving 100% energy savings.

Green Star Leader for New Developments

previously named Transforming Tomorrow with Green Star (New Developments)

• Winner: Riverlands Precinct – Zenprop Property Holdings.

  With a 5-Star Sustainable Precinct rating, two 6-Star Green Star Office ratings, and a 5-Star Mixed Use Custom rating, Riverlands showcases what true sustainability in development looks like.

• Runner Up: Country Road V&A – Country Road Group

Winner: Riverlands Precinct – Zenprop Property Holdings

Green Star Leader for (Existing Operations)

previously named Transforming Tomorrow with Green Star (Existing Operations)

• Winner: Growthpoint Properties

  achieved the highest number of certifications

• Runner Up: Absa

  for bulk certification of their branches

• Runner Up: Liberty Two Degrees

  driving change at scale through Existing Building Performance (EBP) certifications on their retail centres across SA.

Runner Up: Liberty Two Degrees

Special Recognition

• Nedbank CIB EDGE Expert team

  In recognition of Nedbank’s establishment of an in-house team accredited as EDGE Experts enabling the acceleration of South Africa’s green building transition at scale.

• Redefine Properties

  In recognition of Redefine’s leadership in integrating Green Star Existing Building Performance (EBP) processes and efficiencies internally. This integrated model demonstrates how business objectives and certification can work hand in hand.

Redefine Properties

As sustainability expectations continue to evolve, these awards reinforce our belief that responsible design is not optional, it is essential. We are proud of the progress achieved and inspired to continue pushing boundaries in energy performance, carbon reduction and long-term resilience.

The post Solid Green Shines at the GBCSA Leadership Awards 2025 appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Because that’s what a Green Star submission really is: proof. Not promises. Not good vibes. Not “we totally did the thing.” It’s the careful stitching together of drawings, calculations, policies, product data, procurement records, photos, sign-offs and narratives that show, credit by credit, that the project truly meets the requirements.

So when you hit submit, you do the sensible things: you check file names, you cross-reference evidence, you run internal quality checks. You tell yourself it’s strong. You remind the team the process is robust and fair.

And then you wait.

Waiting for Round 1 results is always slightly nerve-wracking, because the outcome can go either way. Assessors are highly skilled, but they’re still human — and interpretation can vary. Some are exceptionally detailed and meticulous; others take a more pragmatic, realistic approach while remaining faithful to the tool. Either way, the Round 1 report typically arrives with a range of comments: points to clarify, strengthen or refine before moving into Round 2.

That’s normal. It’s part of the rigour of Green Star.

But it also means Round 1 often determines what your next few weeks look like. A tough Round 1 can trigger a second wave of work: rewriting narratives, digging for missing proof, chasing late sign-offs, and revising documentation while everyone’s already moved on to “the next urgent thing”. A strong Round 1, on the other hand, is like a giant exhale. It’s momentum and confidence, and gives the project team the feeling, “Yes! This is landing the way we intended.”

Across more than 150 submissions, we’ve only had a handful; maybe four or five, where Round 1 came back already at 4-Star level (45 points). Those are the ones you remember, because they mean the documentation wasn’t just adequate but it was clear, complete, and hard to argue with.

And then came last week.

We received Round 1 results for two Green Star Interiors projects in Cape Town, both targeting 6 Stars… and both came back with more than 75 points approved in Round 1.

Let that sink in. More than 75 points. In Round 1. Twice.

It was exciting. It was unprecedented. It was the kind of result that makes you reread the scorecard slowly, just to check you haven’t accidentally opened someone else’s report. And when the reality finally landed, we did what any reasonable sustainability team would do.

We celebrated like we’d won the World Cup.

We danced. We messaged the team with far too many exclamation marks. We enjoyed the sweet relief of knowing we wouldn’t be spending the next few weeks revising and re-uploading document after document. And we soaked up something that’s easy to forget in the daily grind: moments like this are a real validation of quality.

Because results like these don’t happen by accident. They reflect the work done on the project, and the work done behind the scenes: planning credits early, tracking evidence properly, keeping the team aligned, and obsessing (just the right amount) over whether the submission actually tells a clear, defensible story. They also highlight the value of a Green Star AP’s role – turning good sustainability intentions into a certification-ready reality.

In a world where sustainable outcomes must be proven, not promised, a great Round 1 result is more than a score. It’s a celebration of the process done well and a reminder that, sometimes, the hard work really does pay off.

The post When Round 1 Results Feels Like Winning the World Cup appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

To date, Solid Green has achieved a remarkable 216 Green Building certifications and has proudly received over 30 GBCSA Green Star Leadership Awards, solidifying our position as a leader in the green building sector. These certifications translate into 2,595,916 m² of Green Star certified space and an impressive 5,081,305 m² of EDGE certified space—a testament to the region’s increasing commitment to sustainable and high-performance buildings.

Since 2023, we have recorded a 74% increase in certified projects, highlighting both the rapid growth of the green building sector and the trust our clients place in us.

In 2024, Solid Green’s market share continues to demonstrate our leadership:

• Green Star New Buildings: Solid Green was responsible for 76% of all projects certified (13 out of 17).
• Green Star Interiors: We led 71% of all certified Interiors projects (5 out of 7).
• GBCSA Net Zero: Solid Green delivered 67% of all certified Net Zero projects (14 out of 21).

Below, we highlight some of the standout certifications awarded to our clients this year.

Green Star Certifications – 2024 Highlights

Commercial & Office Buildings

• V&A Signal View – 5-Star Green Star Office Design v1.1
  Client: Investec
• Barloworld Irene Building A – 5-Star Office As Built v1.1
  Client: Abland, Giflo Developments, SOM
• Irene Building C & D & E – 4-Star Office As Built v1.1
  Client: Abland, Giflo Developments, SOM
• First Capital Bank, Zambia – 5-Star Office Design v1.1
  Client: First Capital Bank
  
• Prime Plaza II, Botswana – 5-Star Office As Built v1.1
  Client: Primetime Holdings
  
• Galileo Tower, Waterfall City – 4-Star Multi-Unit Residential Design v1
  Client: Waterfall City

Interiors

• 7 Parks Boulevard – Ikusasa (Anglo American) – 6-Star Interiors v1
  Client: Intaprop / Anglo American
• Vodacom South Africa – Interiors v1
  Client: Vodacom
• Nedbank: Alex Mall & Fox Street – Interiors v1
  Client: Nedbank
• Rockefeller Foundation – Interiors v1
  Client: WebLimited

7 Parks Boulevard – credit GLH Architects

Nedbank Alex Mall

Residential Projects

• Menlyn Maine Residential, Pretoria – 4-Star Multi-Unit Residential Design v1
  Client: Menlyn Maine Investment Holdings

Menlyn Maine

Retail & Mixed Use

• Liberty 2 Degrees – Multiple Malls (5x) – Net Zero Waste Level 2
  Client: Liberty 2 Degrees

Liberty 2 Degrees NetZero

Industrial & Custom Projects

• Nexus Waterfall City, Building 2 – 4-Star Custom (Hotel Design) – Design & As Built
  Client: Attacq
• Plumblink Industrial – 4-Star Custom Industrial v1.1 Design
  Client: Attacq
• The Matus Office & Warehouse, Germiston – 4-Star Custom Industrial v1.1 Design
  Client: Bidvest

Net Zero & Green Star Combined

• Balwin Thaba Eco-Village Lifestyle Centre
  • 6-Star Custom Design
  • Net Zero Carbon Level 1 (Design)
    Client: Balwin Properties
• Balwin Headquarters
  • 6-Star Office As Built v1.1
  • Net Zero Carbon Level 1 (Design)
    Client: Balwin Properties

Thaba Lifestyle Centre

Balwin Properties’ headquarters

EDGE Certifications – 2024 Post-Construction Highlights

Residential

• De Zicht, Milnerton – Balwin Properties
• The Reid, Linbro Park Sandton – Balwin Properties
• Greencreek Phase 1, Pretoria East – Balwin Properties
• Kikuyu, Midrand – Balwin Properties
• Green Parks, Boksburg – Balwin Properties

Commercial & Mixed Use

• Pick n Pay Distribution Centre, Kempton Park – Pick n Pay
• Units on Jorissen, Johannesburg – Eris
• Barloworld, Gaborone – Barloworld
• The Lincoln, Johannesburg – Leogem Property Developments
• The Mallard, Johannesburg – Leogem Property Developments
• Capricorn Corner, Namibia – Bank of Windhoek
• 19 Girton, Johannesburg – Caliber Properties
• World Bank, Lusaka – World Bank
• St Davids, Johannesburg – Caliber Properties
• Idwala, Johannesburg – Caliber Properties

PnP Eastport

The post Solid Green’s Certifications in 2024 appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.