CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, November 15, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- - The 3 winners of this year’s competition, seeking to empower and upskill women within the green building sector, received special recognition during the Green Building Convention 2023.
- 51% of IFC EDGE Experts in South Africa in 2023 are women.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, in partnership with the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), honoured three winners of its Women in Green Building Competition today at the Green Building Convention 2023 held in Cape Town, South Africa.

Lenore Cairncross, IFC EDGE’s Green Building Lead for Africa, commented: “IFC EDGE is committed to supporting women in the green building sector through targeted training programmes, including this competition where we offered EDGE Expert in-person and online training to 10 finalists, and I am delighted that over half of South Africa's EDGE Experts are now women. The three winners recognised today are the three top-scoring EDGE Experts out of 10 competition finalists. By highlighting the accomplishments and innovations of these rising stars for the second consecutive year of this competition, we aim to inspire, empower, and further propel women towards leadership roles in sustainable construction, fostering an environment of equality and progress in the industry.”

Introducing this year’s winners

Luze Kloppers-Mouton, was awarded first place and commented: “Building better and green is still seen in most boardrooms as an add-on to a project rather than the better alternative. It is seen as a nice to have instead of a necessity to achieve project sustainability, not only environmentally and socially but also financially. Winning the EDGE competition, I strive to showcase what is possible and the benefits of EDGE Buildings in the boardroom, starting the conversations at the core of decision-making. I hope my actions will inspire others to join the conversations so that we can all build together to achieve a better future for us all.” Luze is an Assistant Manager in Sustainable Development at Lithon and holds a BSc in Interior Architecture.

Lungile Mthi, was recognised with second place in the competition, and said: “Through the message of sustainability, winning this competition has meant a change in my world and, subsequently, the ecosystem of those I come into contact with. This opportunity has given me the impetus to be more aggressive in my mission to break down barriers to sustainability within the FM (Facilities Management) industry. The simple yet profound concepts within the EDGE Certification affirm that the intersectional benefit to all stakeholders makes the implementation of EDGE methodologies and Green Building Design a requirement and not a nice to have.” Ms. Mthi runs the Facilities Management and Sustainability leg of F & L Facilities and Projects and holds a BSc Honors QS from Nelson Mandela University.

Giselle Pillay, a proficient Civil Engineer at JG Afrika, propels sustainable development with a comprehensive background in civil engineering and waste management. On achieving third place in this year’s competition, she commented: “Now recognized as an accomplished EDGE Expert, I perceive this milestone as a gateway to explore new opportunities and a pathway to advocate for sustainable practices in my ongoing project involving the design of schools for special needs children. Winning the EDGE Expert course and participating in the Green Building Convention provides a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, fostering collaboration for greater sustainability worldwide. Empowered by this accolade, my goal is to drive sustainable practices in my immediate projects and as a catalyst for building a resilient future for communities in South Africa and beyond.”

The award ceremony was held during the workshop “Celebrating Women in Green Building: Rising Stars” hosted by IFC to showcase women’s expertise and achievements within the green building industry. The workshop was moderated by Lenore Cairncross, IFC EDGE Africa’s Green Building Lead, and featured Bakang Moeng, Advocacy, Public Policy & Sustainability Specialist of GBCSA, Ndzipho Iphendule, Sustainability Consultant of WSP, Nomamfengu Mbele, Sustainability Specialist of Growthpoint Properties and last year’s winner Abi Godsell, Research & Content Project Manager of GBCSA.

Lisa Reynolds, CEO of GBCSA, said: “This is the second year that Green Building Council South Africa has partnered with IFC in support of this wonderful initiative. We are committed to the growth of the green economy and sustainable green jobs. The promotion of women within this space is a personal ambition of mine. We are pleased to host the IFC Ladies Event and the prize giving at our annual Convention in celebration.”

An innovation of IFC, the EDGE online platform (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is a green building standard and certification system for more than 150 countries, helping property developers to build and brand green in a fast, easy, and affordable way. It currently dominates the residential green building certification market with more than 90% of certifications in South Africa and 76% market share in all other African countries (Estate Intel Africa’s Green Building – 2022 Fact Sheet).

EDGE Experts are industry professionals trained to help developers, owners or larger project teams understand the EDGE standard, software and certification system, including advice on green design and assistance with preparation of an application for EDGE certification.

Sofía Costa Navarro
Gong Communications
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