GBCSA announces winners of Green Star SA Leadership Awards

Annelide Sherratt, left, represents Dash Coville – the winner of the Best Quality Submission category in the Green Star SA Leadership Awards 2015, with Seana Nkhahle and Manfred Braune of the Green Building Council of SA.

The awards, sponsored by Old Mutual Property, 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.

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

As the sponsors of the awards this year, regional manager for Old Mutual Property, Faieda Jacobs, said they are proud to be a part of the event. "We are 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."

Highest Rated Building

Hotel Verde in Cape Town was officially named the winner in the Highest Rated Building category for its Existing Building Performance Pilot tool rating. Hotel Verde is owned by Mario Delicio, with Andre Harms from Ecolution as the project's accredited professional.

"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," Wilkinson explained.

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.

Best quality

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