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Gear up your rating as a green building professional

A GBCSA Accredited Professional (AP) is equipped with the knowledge and expertise to become a confident leader in guiding projects through Green Star certification.

To recognise the maturing of the green building sector in South Africa, Green Building Council South Africa has introduced tiers to the AP ratings given to professionals who are accredited with the GBCSA to work on Green Star or Net Zero projects.

The three tiers: Accredited Professional Candidate (APc), Accredited Professional and Accredited Professional Practitioner (AP+), make the sector more transparent and accessible to those inside and outside the industry.

Accredited Professional Candidate (APc)

Students can take their first step towards a career geared towards sustainability by completing the GBSCA Green Building Certification Program while enrolled in their university. With this extra qualification current students, or recent graduates in a building industry related field with less than six months industry experience, will find it easier to transition towards a fully-fledged AP. Upon graduating and gaining six months of industry experience, an APc can go on to become an AP by attending the Accredited Professional Workshop in the tool that they have opted to specialise in and by signing the Accredited Professional Agreement.

Accredited Professional (AP)

Industry professionals, many of whom want to reflect the realities of a changing world in their practices, are entitled to complete an Accredited Professional Program in their chosen specialisation. Individuals should have either two years’ experience or a recognised tertiary qualification, or be a current APc.

The skills and perspectives offered by these niche specialisations have proven popular – as can be seen by the more than 500 certified buildings and projects – they are for New Build, Existing Building Performance, Interiors, Sustainable Urban Precincts, and Net Zero. These programs provide significant exposure to the GBCSA grading and certification system and are of value to all involved the green building sector.

Accredited Professional Practitioner (AP+)

Practicing APs who have shown higher levels of activity, through their professional work and by participating in knowledge sharing opportunities in a 12-month period, gain the AP+ accreditation. This reflects their standing as having fulfilled the criteria for one or more areas of AP specialisation and maintaining a point count of 10 or more.

How points are maintained

  • Project owner on project certified within last 12 months: 3 points
  • Lead AP on project certified in last 12 months: 5 points
  • Support AP role on project certified in last 12 months: 2.5 points
  • Professional role on project certified in last 12 months (this includes professional services, modelling inputs and specialist consulting input): 1.5 points.
  • Faculty (including honorary) on AP course: 1 point
  • Assessment/ Moderation completed: 1 point
  • Attended convention: 2 points
  • Attended GBCSA course: 1 point
  • Attended GBCSA members event or building tour: 1 point

In line with the overall purpose of the AP program, to improve project owner and teams understanding of green design principles, the scope of the APs work includes advice to clients on green design and assistance with preparation of a client’s submission for certification.

Aside for complying with the agreed code of conduct, APs will retain active status if accumulate a set number of points with the GBCSA. APs are required to maintain a score of 5 to 10 each year, and those scoring more than 10 will be recognised as Accredited Professional Practitioners (AP+).

Find out how you and members of your team can benefit from registering to become an AP.

Individual Membership

Designed for professionals acting in their individual capacity, including single consultant-businesses.

Organisational Membership

Ideal for companies, government departments, and organisations.

  • Total Employees: 1 - 5 Employees
  • Total Employees: 6 - 20 Employees
  • Total Employees: 21 - 50 Employees
  • Total Employees: 51 Plus Employees

Lisa Reynolds

Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director

Lisa Reynolds is the CEO of the Green Building Council South Africa.

Lisa was the driver for the drafting of Energy Efficiency Standards and Regulations for Buildings and has been involved in Energy Efficiency since 2003. She serves on many committees in the SABS and within the energy management professionals’ space. She was President of the SAEEC from 2016 to 2019 and was the previous President of the ESCo (Energy Services Companies) Association. Lisa was instrumental in the formation of SAFEE (Southern African Females in Energy Efficiency) within SAEEC.

She has assisted the South African Government with its Green Building Framework policies, Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives and Energy Efficiency Strategies

Her passion for the “Green space” started with the birth of the Green Building Council in 2007. Lisa served on the Board and the Technical Committee of the GBCSA, as well as on several Technical Working Groups for Rating Tools and Criteria. Lisa. became CEO in June 2020.

Lisa has a BSc, an MBA and a CEM. Lisa’s awards include the 2007 ETA Award for Women, 2008 Individual Energy (SAEE), 2012 SABS Standards Writer Award; the 2014 Women in Energy (SAWIEN); and the 2016 Ian Lane Hall of Fame award.

Lisa is committed to growing the Green Economy within a Green Recovery.

Organisational categories

As an organisational member, you will fall into one of the below categories, and be charged according to specific size indicators. Please reach out to us for any further clarity on which category is best for your organisation

Property Developers

Annual Turnover

Investors, Owners, Property Managers

Total Asset Value

Major Corporate Tenants & Retail

Annual Gross Rentals

Building Contractors

Annual Turnover

Building Product Manufacturers & Distributors

Annual Turnover

Professional Services: Architects, Designers, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, PM’s, Consultants, Legal

Number of employees

Research, Higher Education, NGO’S & Regulators

NGO or Research/Higher Education/ Regulators

Related Interests: Utilities, Financial, Insurance, etc.

Annual Turnover

Government

Local/ municipal/ provincial/ state 
Contact GBCSA to confirm your category