Housing in Southern Africa February 2016

Energy Efficiency, Green building & IBTs

500 000 solar water heaters The City of Cape Town recognises that resource efficiency is critical to building economic activity and increasing a city’s competitiveness and resilience. This is reflected in the city’s recently approved Energy 2040 Goal, which includes the installation of over 500 000 solar water heaters and heat pumps.

E xecutiveMayor, Patricia de Lille says that city plans include a 37% reduction in carbon emis- sions, with 22% coming from energy efficiency alone. The Energy 2040 Goal models a more resilient, lower carbon, re- source-efficient and equitable future for Cape Town, which grows the administration’s stature as a leading and innovative city. The targets for 2040 will also result in: • the installation of over 500 000 residential solar water heaters and heat pumps • lessdependencyoncoal,withexten- sive embedded renewable genera- tioninthecommercialandresidential sectors as well as diversified large- scale energy supply with photovol- taics, wind, storage and possibly natural gas • a modal shift from private to public transport, with increased access to public transport andmotorised pas- sengertravelinefficientvehicleswith higher occupancy levels • a remodelled city with increased densification andmixed use in areas of economic activity • increased energy savings from ef- ficiency and cheaper energy De Lille adds that given rising electric- ity tariffs and the serious constraints on South Africa’s electricity supply, energy efficiency is critical to eco- nomic growth and stability. The com- mercial sector uses an estimated 44% of the electricity supply in the Cape Town area. “It is therefore imperative that we increase our efforts to promote a responsible commercial sector will initiate energy efficient initiatives to reduce its energy costs,” she says. In2009, theCity, inpartnershipwith Eskomand the SouthAfricanProperty Owners Association, launched Cape Town’s Energy Efficiency Forum (EE Forum) which has been assisting commercial buildings and operations with practical know-how to improve energy efficiency. In 2012, the forum introduced the Energy Efficiency Forum Awards to recognise leader- ship in the commercial sector, and to motivate the continued reduction in energy consumption. Bayside Mall and the Cape Town French School were named as the

averaging at 11% so far, with the hot summer months still to come where savings reach about 17%. The winner of the Small Building Retrofit Category is the Cape Town French School. Over the past three years, the school has been working on energy efficiency and adding renewable energy to its operations, with the help of Energy Intelligence. It has replaced all fluorescent lights with LED technology, and installed a heat pump for hot water. De Lille emphasises: “We need to use the opportunity to get more companies and households to be- come energy generators so that we can become more energy secure.” ■

winners of the 2015 Energy Efficiency Forum Awards. The mall’s energy efficiency interventions include up- grading to LED lighting, and improve- ments in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. The flagship project is a 500 kWp pilot rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, with 2 108 panels covering 3 300 m² and supplies 5%of their electricity needs. The annual average daily ener- gy production of the PV panels is 2100 kWh, which equates to the aver- age daily use of 105 middle-income households in Cape Town (using 600 kWh per month). The interventions have yielded consistent monthly energy savings

February 2016