Search
Close this search box.

ProNature: Where did it all start, why would one want to be involved with natural paints?

By Bernhard Lembeck – ProNature Founder and Managing Director

Imagine, you are the boss of a wood coatings company in Germany losing tons of business to a natural paint company? Who are these guys and how dare they take business away from us?

This is exactly where my journey with and my passion for natural coatings began. I became obsessed with the idea to make paints not based on the raw material crude oil, a very finite source, but to make coatings from raw materials that are sustainable, non-toxic yet functional and comparative to conventional coatings. In 1997 we started ProNature in Cape Town focusing on coatings made from sustainable natural ingredients. ProNature main interest is in wood finishes and architectural coatings strictly adhering to the following “6 commandments”:

  • Abandonment of crude oil based raw materials.
  • Unobjectionable, non-petroleum based raw materials and their compositions for all living creatures.
  • Problem-free integration of raw materials and their compositions into the natural cycle
  • Raw materials from sustainable resources are preferred to synthetics.
  • The growing and extraction and production of raw materials as well as the complete coating must follow ecologically sound principles i.e., least possible ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT
  • All raw materials used must be declared in simple form on the product label.

Despite comments like: Come on Bernhard, you know how to make proper paints and now you come with this green nonsense, we persevered.

All our years of educational efforts, the birds and the bees story of green, sustainable chemistry so to speak, finally bore fruit when eventually big corporates recognised the benefits of true eco-friendliness as we were far removed from the greenwashing that had come about where all of sudden all companies wanted to become somewhat greener than they really were.

To our delight the green issue was further pushed along with the establishment of the Green Building Council South Africa and their demands for VOC free coatings (which we had introduced already years before) which was a wonderful recognition of our immense efforts.

And we shall not waver and will always strive to be the forerunners of guaranteed and truly sustainable, eco-friendly products as we live what we preach.

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 - R 4080.00
  • Total Employees: 6 - 20 Employees - R 12570.00
  • Total Employees: 21 - 50 Employees - R 24690.00
  • Total Employees: 51 Plus Employees - R 43840.00

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