South Africa’s top rated green building and professionals recognised

Winners of the Highest Rated Building category in the Green Star SA Leadership Awards 2015, from left; Anaia dos Santos, David Pollock and Andre Harms of Hotel Verde in Cape Town, with Seana Nkhahle and Manfred Braune of the Green Building Council of SA.

Image gallery

South Africa’s top rated Green Star SA buildings and leading green building professionals were announced in the Green Star SA Leadership Awards 2015 at the annual Green Building Convention in Cape Town.

Sponsored by Old Mutual Property, the awards comprised of four categories. For buildings, there are the Highest Rated Building and Best Quality Submission awards, while individual professionals are recognised as either a Rising Green Star or an Established Green Star.

Brian Wilkinson, CEO of the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), comments: “Our convention this year aimed to Inspire Better Buildings, and this is exactly what our leading building professionals and projects are achieving. Like us, they constantly work towards designing, building and operating better, greener buildings that tread lightly on our stressed planet. These winners are at the forefront of making a difference in the built environment. They are leading by example in the greening and sustainability space.”

As the sponsors of the Green Star SA Leadership Awards this year, Regional Manager for Old Mutual Property, Faieda Jacobs, says they are proud to be a part of the event.

“Old Mutual Property is committed to sustainable development, and the breadth and quality of entries submitted only serves to prove there are many corporates out there starting to come on board too. We see our participation in the awards as an important step in building a better future for South Africa,” she says.

Hotel Verde in Cape Town was officially named the winner in the Highest Rated building category for its Existing Building Performance (EBP) Pilot tool rating. Hotel Verde is owned by Mario Delicio, with Andre Harms from Ecolution as the project’s Accredited Professional (AP).

Wilkinson explains: “This award is given to the project that attains the highest points in the final rating for the 12 month period under consideration. Hotel Verde, with its 6-Star Green Star SA EBP rating, showcases some of the most advanced, environmentally conscious technological installations, construction methods, procurement and operational practices of any hotel in the country.”

Runner up in this category, Upper Grayston Building in Sandton Central, Johannesburg was recognised for its 6-Star Green Star SA Office v1 As Built rating. It is owned by Tower Property Fund and its Accredited Professionals were Annelidé Sherrat and Marloes Reinink of Solid Green.

The best quality submission award was won by Solid Green’s Dash Coville, for his work as the green building Accredited Professional on the Monte Circle Building A development. The development received a 4-Star Green Star SA Office v1 Design rating and achieved a score of 98% of points targeted. Monte Circle is owned by Abland.

The runner up in this category was Sally Misplon for her work as the green building Accredited Professional on the Gatehouse Building at Black River Park in Observatory, Cape Town. The building received an EBP Green Star SA rating and is owned by Redefine Properties.

Acknowledging outstanding and ongoing contribution to green building in South Africa, Alison Groves of WSP was awarded the Established Green Star. Jaco Kemp of Arup was named the runner up in this category.

“We consider it very important to recognise those who have continually contributed to the green building economy and, in particular, through Green Star SA buildings,” says Wilkinson.

Mauritz Kruger of RHDVH was named this year’s Rising Green Star and Nick Gorrie of Agama was the category’s runner up.

“The future is indeed bright with professionals like these working together for a better built environment.” Wilkinson says. 

In 2009 the country’s first green certification was awarded by the GBCSA. In April 2014 the country celebrated 50 Green Star SA ratings; and, to date, the number of Green Star SA ratings has nearly tripled to 140 certified projects.

Wilkinson concludes: “The significant growth in green building is thanks, in part, to the support of our sponsors. Having achieved 100 certifications in April this year, we have been overwhelmed by the commercial property sector’s commitment to sustainability and resource efficiency.”