Hotel Verde wins GBCSA Green Star award

The Green Star SA Leadership Awards is 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.

"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," Brian Wilkinson, CEO of the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), said.

Other winners

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.

Monte Circle Building A, won the best quality submission award. It 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 with Solid Green's Dash Coville was the project's green building Accredited Professional.

The Gatehouse building at Black River Park in Observatory, Cape Town was chosen as the runner-up in this category for its EBP pilot tool rating. Owned by Redefine Properties, Sally Misplon was the green building Accredited Professional for the project.

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

Making a difference

"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," Wilkinson said.

"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," he concluded.