The 2025 Women in Green Building Competition reached an inspiring finale at the annual Green Building Convention, where this year’s winners were honoured and guest speaker Zandile Ndhlovu, founder of the Black Mermaid Foundation, challenged the sector to adopt a stronger gender lens in driving a just and sustainable transition.
Why It Matters
The Women in Green Building Competition is more than an awards platform — it’s a catalyst for skills development, professional visibility, and meaningful inclusion in a sector that remains heavily male-dominated. The Council for the Built Environment (CBE) reported that as recently as 2021, that only 13% of South Africa’s registered built environment professionals (including architects, engineers, and construction managers) were women.
Initiatives like this competition help shift that landscape, creating accessible pathways for women to step into leadership roles within the green building space.
Empowering Green Careers
Now in its fourth year, the competition is proudly hosted by the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). It offers women across South Africa and neighbouring countries the opportunity to gain internationally recognised green building credentials, including EDGE Expert and EDGE Auditor training.
By combining EDGE training with their disciplines — whether architecture, engineering, finance, policy, or real estate — participants can meaningfully strengthen their career prospects and deepen their impact on a greener built environment.
Kushinga Kambarami, Green & Resilient Built Environment Lead for Africa at IFC, notes:
“This competition continues to open doors for women in our field. We saw female professionals — many of them Black — step forward as green building leaders. In South Africa, nearly half of accredited green building experts are now women. But true inclusion means these trailblazers bring their communities along, ensuring African cities grow greener for all.”
Lisa Reynolds, CEO of GBCSA, adds:
“This competition is more than a learning opportunity — it’s an accelerator for women driving sustainable change in the built environment. We’re thrilled to see it grow year after year, and the positive impact it’s having on the careers of many women.”
Expanded Access in 2025
This year saw entries from a wide spectrum of built environment professionals — architects, engineers, sustainability specialists, facilities managers, real estate professionals, retail experts, and more. For the first time, the 2025 competition introduced an EDGE Auditor stream, enabling eligible EDGE Experts to elevate their credentials through Auditor-level training and mentorship via GBCSA Academy. Until now, the competition had focused solely on EDGE Expert development.
- Phase 1(April – May): Application and selection
- Phase 2 (May–September): EDGE Training (Expert or Auditor) and EDGE Expert Exams Access
Launching the programme earlier in the year extended the training window, making it more accessible for women balancing demanding careers, studies, and family responsibilities.
Following Phase 1, ten participants were selected and placed in the appropriate stream. They received their training through GBCSA Academy and were also granted access to IFC’s Design for Greater Efficiencies (DfGE) training — further broadening their sustainability skill sets.
Celebrating the 2025 Winners at the Green Building Convention
The final awards took place at a dedicated convention session titled “Rising Tides: Women Shaping the Future of Green Building,” which highlighted the importance of gender inclusion in accelerating climate-positive built environments. The packed room reflected the sector’s strong appetite for transformation and equity.
Winners from both competition streams were recognised and received certificates, EDGE hampers, R10 000 Incredible Connection vouchers, and full access to the 2025 Convention.
2025 Women in Green Building Competition Winners
• EDGE Expert Stream: Niksha Singh
• EDGE Auditor Stream: Zantelli Kruger
Both women demonstrated commitment and excellence throughout the programme. Their achievements signal a promising future for women leaders advancing green building transformation in their organisations and communities.
A Keynote that Moved the Room
The session also featured a keynote by Zandile Ndhlovu, South Africa’s first Black female freediving instructor and the founder of The Black Mermaid Foundation. Zandile is a globally recognised ocean advocate, storyteller, and creative whose work spans conservation, film, photography, and literature.Her children’s book — translated into all of South Africa’s official languages and several globally — inspires young readers to love and protect the ocean.
In her keynote, Zandile shared the story of her journey in ocean conservation and gentle community activism, and invited the audience to consider how inclusion, courage, and community shape the future we are building. Her challenge to the sector was to create spaces where women’s voices and leadership can rise — not in isolation, but as part of a collective tide driving meaningful environmental change.
A relevant and exciting commitment
The competition’s growth and success over the years reflects a consistent commitment to supporting women in a sector undergoing rapid transition. Its continued relevance lies in its ability to adapt, respond, and equip participants with the skills required for an increasingly sustainability-driven built environment.
Title image: Zandile Ndhlovu at the Green Building Convention