A rare combination of skills

Khosi holds a Master of Architecture (Prof.) degree from the University of Cape Town, and her work reflects that design background paired with extensive expertise in green building certification, sustainability strategy, and building performance. Over the past year, that combination has shown up across a range of milestones:

• Runner-up, Highest Rated Project (New Development) at the GBCSA Leadership Awards: lead Accredited Professional on CPT 14 Zola AWS Central in Cape Town’s Riverlands Precinct.
• Runner-up, Established Green Star at the same awards, recognising her sustained contribution to the Green Star space.
• Delivery of Africa’s third, and one of the continent’s pioneering, WELL Health-Safety Ratings, bringing occupant health and wellbeing into projects alongside the usual energy and resource metrics.
• Authorship of the Green Star Local Context Reports for Kenya and Zimbabwe, enabling Green Star certification in new African markets, including the first Green Star-rated fitouts in Kenya for clients such as The Rockefeller Foundation and Mastercard.

As Khosi puts it:

Sustainability is most impactful when it’s embedded into every decision. Technical rigour, collaboration, and evidence-based thinking are what transform ambition into measurable outcomes.

Sharing what she knows

Beyond project work, Khosi puts real time into strengthening the wider industry. She has lectured seasonally at UCT and serves as a judge for the Greenovate Student Awards, helping the next generation of architects and engineers think about sustainability from the start of their training. She also contributed to the technical development of Green Star South Africa Version 2, helping shape the future of sustainable building standards.

Her own path, from green building student to GBCSA “Green Rising Star” to national award winner, is also a strong example for women building technical careers in a sector that’s still often male-dominated.

Part of a bigger picture

Khosi’s award reflects the kind of work Solid Green has built its reputation on. Her work across Green Star, WELL, Net Zero Carbon, and sustainability strategy has helped strengthen Solid Green’s position as a leader in sustainable building certification across Africa.

Congratulations, Khosi! This award recognises what you’ve built over the past decade, and we’re looking forward to what’s next.

The post Celebrating Makhosazana Mthethwa: South Africa’s Construction Professional of the Year appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Solid Green has been working closely with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to develop an easy to understand User Guide for Section 37 of the Ghana Building Code. Section 37 of the Ghana Building Code focuses on Green Buildings and sustainability in buildings. We have also developed a training package for architects, consulting engineers and other professionals from the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

The purpose of the training sessions held in October 2019 was to set out the different methods of compliance for future buildings to acquire their local authority approvals. The two methods are the prescriptive route of compliance and the green building certification-based route.

Prescriptive Route of Compliance – Ghana Building Code Section 37

Ghana is revamping its building code and it’s a monumental feat! The Ghana Building Code draft is an adoption of the International Building Code. The 1700-page document was created by the Ghana Standards Authority for the Ministry of Works and Housing and was supported by the IFC with donor funds from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

This progressive code has set a new benchmark in sustainability for buildings in Section 37, which outlines Green Building Requirements. As is widely known, existing buildings account for more than 40% of the world’s total primary energy consumption and 24% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Buildings are also responsible for a huge share of water and materials consumption. The good news is that the building sector has the greatest potential to deliver significant reduction in emissions at minimum cost.

This code shows Ghana’s commitment to mitigating against climate change, as the standard is set relatively high when compared to other countries. Furthermore, the GSA aims to revise the code every three years to ensure a consistently improving benchmark.

The highlights of the new code will include:

Energy Efficiency:

• Minimum efficiency requirements for electric air-cooled systems – Energy Efficiency Ratio of 2.8.
• Maximum lighting power densities and efficient luminaires based on building typology.
• All lighting must have occupancy sensor controls.
• Renewable energy generation is required for homes over 75sqm and commercial/industrial buildings over 5000sqm.

Water Efficiency:

• Onsite stormwater management (with a minimum of 50% permeable or soft landscape required).
• Minimum of 50% of the roof area to be used for diversion to a dedicated rainwater storage tank.
• Metering of all ground water wells.
• Onsite sewage treatment facility must be provided for all building larger than 1500sqm, or with more than 15 multi-family residential units. The treated water must be used for irrigation, cooling towers or flushing.
• All water fittings and fixtures must be below the maximum allowed water consumption.

Waste Reduction and Recycling:

• An onsite enclosed waste collection and separation facility that is at least 1sqm per 250sqm GFA of the building.

Performance Route of Compliance – Green Building Certifications

As an alternative, the GSA allows professionals to submit a green building certification to demonstrate compliance with Section 37. Green building rating or certification systems reward buildings achieving a sustainability performance target. The approved certification systems are:

• Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) Buildings (IFC)
• Green Star Africa (via GBCSA)
• LEED (USGBC)
• DGNB (DGNB Germany)
• BREEAM (BRE – UK)

Our training extended to providing demonstrations on how to make use of the EDGE tool. EDGE, an innovation of the IFC, is a fast, easy and affordable green building certification tool. EDGE provides design solutions that are climate specific. It also supports the ambitions of Architecture 2030 and the World Green Building Council for new buildings to be zero carbon by 2030 and all buildings to be zero carbon by 2050.

It was a privilege to be able to contribute further to the Green Building movement in Africa, and to pass on the skills that we have acquired over the years!

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I joined Solid Green in November 2018 but have interacted with the team since the company’s inception in 2011, mainly through meeting Marloes or Chilufya at conferences and at the offices of my previous workplace in Cape Town.

My first project at Solid Green is one of my favourites. It was the preparation for a Green Star Net Zero Carbon submission for MDA’s offices. When I started working in the green building industry, there was a big drive towards energy efficiency with the focus on reducing carbon emissions, but very few professionals were looking into nullifying carbon emissions altogether. Presentations by Bill Reed and Jason McLennan at a GBCSA convention inspired me to think of net zero and net positive buildings as very feasible and imperative in the path to restorative architecture and urban spaces.

Almost eight years later, I joined Solid Green and was fortunate enough to have my first project – for MDA Attorneys – awarded its certification in March of 2019. I am currently also working on a potential net-zero project in Harare, Zimbabwe; and have worked on two EGDE office buildings in Nairobi, Kenya, which received their certifications in May 2019. In addition, I am coordinating four office buildings targeting 4 Star Green Star ratings in Durban, Cape Town and Midrand. And my latest challenge is preparing a Green Star Interiors rating submission under the guidance of Marloes.

All in all, it has been a pacey start!

Being a part of the Solid Green family is great. Individually, everyone has strong, unique characters and talent. However, a wise person once said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” We function well as a team and we’re all passionate about each of the roles we play in the team. Everyone is very supportive of each other, which is essential in a multidisciplinary office. I believe that’s one of the things that make the difference in our industry. Simply put, we get the job done.

At the same time, there is not a day that goes by without laughter, jokes or, more recently, a game of chess. The office is run in a very people-centric way which, in a high-speed industry, is a breath of fresh air. On the subject of fresh air, one of the appealing aspects of being a part of this team is the office building that shelters us. The Solid Green offices are pleasant to work in due to the amazing quality of daylight and natural ventilation and the inclusion of plant features everywhere. Sick building syndrome is a real phenomenon in the building industry and, quite honestly, the people who work in our office don’t get sick as often as other people working in office spaces seem to. Our office environment also supports our ability to be alert and focus on our work. I guess that’s why the space holds both a LEED Platinum certification for commercial interiors, and the first 6-Star Green Star Interiors v1 certification in the country.

As an architect who’s had substantial experience in sustainable developments, I believe it’s imperative to have an integrated design approach. Integrated design is a holistic approach that brings all built environment specialists to the table at concept stage. This provides a platform for collaboration between architects, consulting engineers, sustainability specialists and stakeholders upfront. It is the most effective way to achieve green developments that are also cost effective. It’s also the best way to achieve truly innovative architectural solutions.

I also believe that, when looking at sustainable developments, the focus should not only be on energy efficiency, responsible water use and waste management, but also on finding ways to offer our society an equitable built environment where all occupants can thrive. This should be a top priority.

My experience at Solid Green is certainly influencing my direction. I think there is something special about working in a group of people with a shared purpose. We all ultimately want to create spaces that are essentially good for the planet and people; and my experience here reinforces my convictions. I’m also excited about our footprint expanding beyond our borders. There is so much potential to build ‘green’ in African countries and, because our built environments are developing, it gives us an opportunity to do things right from the outset. Solid Green has set up the platform that allows me to engage in such projects across the African continent.

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