Unlike a Design rating, EBP measures actual 12-month performance across energy, water, occupant comfort and environmental management. The results show how operational improvements, driven by people, can turn sustainability goals into measurable progress.

Portfolio Results Overview:

• 11 Buildings Assessed: 8 standard recertifications and 3 new certifications including 1 first-ever certification.
• Key Achievements: 4 buildings reached 5-Star status, 10 increased their score, 1 held steady, and none regressed – yielding a combined portfolio gain of +59 points.

Figure 1: Portfolio results

A Three-Year Report Card

As EBP requires recertification every three years, it creates a comparable performance trendline over time. For the eight standard recertifications with established core policies and management systems, the EBP process focused mainly on updated performance data and current indoor environmental quality audits.

Figure 2: Every project’s previous certified rating moving to its newly achieved rating, plotted against the 4-Star and 5-Star thresholds

Read left to right, the pattern is striking. Every single project in the portfolio either improved or held its ground. None went backwards. And four didn’t just improve – they crossed an entire rating band.

The 4 Buildings that reached 5-Star

Four projects successfully crossed the threshold into 5-Star territory (“South African Excellence”):

• 1 Holwood Park (single-tenant call centre and office): Jumped from 46 to 62 points (+16 pts), achieving the portfolio’s largest single increase through improved energy and water performance.
• Pharos House: Climbed from 45 to 60 points (+15 pts). Assessed as a new certification due to its lapsed EBP status, it achieved 5-Star status driven by a leap in water efficiency and stronger energy management.
• Mayfair on the Lake (multi-tenanted office): Rose from 54 to 62 points (+8 pts), bringing its ongoing operational performance into alignment with its original 5-Star New Build design rating.
• Ridgeview Umhlanga (multi-tenanted office): Moved from 58 to 61 points (+3 pts), crossing the threshold after sitting near the top of the 4-Star band.

Figure 3: Four buildings crossed into 5-Star territory

What Drove the Improvement

Portfolio gains were driven by operational monitoring across five core categories:

• Indoor Environmental Quality (+27.5 pts total gain): Delivered the largest total point increase across the portfolio, driven by improvements in air quality, thermal comfort, acoustic comfort, and occupant satisfaction surveys.
•  Energy (+18 pts total gain): The single biggest contributor to individual building score increases, achieved through continuous monitoring and management rather than major capital expenditures.
• Water (+5 pts total gain): Better monitoring of potable water use reduced demand on municipal infrastructure, notably at 1 Holwood Park, Mayfair on the Lake, Pharos House, and Peter Place Office Park.
• Emissions (+7 pts total gain) & Transport (+4 pts total gain): Driven by commuter surveys, refined refrigerant management, and stormwater best practices.

Figure 4: What drove the improvement

The Practical Importance of Timely Recertification

Recertifying within the required three-year window allows properties to use a streamlined recertification path. The main focus is on updated measurements and audits (energy, water, indoor air quality) when existing management frameworks like the Green Cleaning Policy, Building Operations Manual, and Green Travel Plan are maintained.

Missing the window forces a full, ground-up assessment as a new certification. The takeaway for managers? Recertifying on time confirms existing systems; recertifying late requires rebuilding them from scratch.

Portfolio Scoreboard

Why this matters beyond the Plaque

A Green Star EBP rating acts as an operational diagnostic providing independently verified proof of environmental and comfort improvements for tenants, financiers, and consultants. Achieving these results required close collaboration between facilities management teams, sustainability specialists and building owners, together with independent assessment by the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA).