OVERVIEW
Energy Energy efficiency is a win-win.
SECTOR INSIGHT A national strategy for energy efficiency in South Africa is being developed.
E
nergy costs are on the rise, both in real terms and in terms of pollution and climate change. One solution is to look for cheaper forms of fuel, including gas, biogas and renewable energy in the form of solar, wind or even wave power. But there is a growing trend towards energy efficiency, which saves on both sides of the equation by reducing energy demand, a genuine win-win solution. South Africa is one of the world's biggest emitters of carbon dioxide, with a fleet of ageing coal-fired power stations. The Department of Energy (DoE) has established its own unit to tackle this challenge, the Energy Efficiency Directorate. With the support of Danish Energy Management, an updated national strategy for energy efficiency is being developed for South Africa. Denmark is a world leader in energy efficiency and has found ways to reduce its energy usage despite the country's GDP growing ever stronger. The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) programme for support of emerging economies is also behind the project. One of the best known fields of energy efficiency is Green Buildings, but the energy sector itself is a rich field for savings, as SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2017
62
are public services and industries of every sort. A particular target in many countries is the transport sector, where quick and very beneficial savings can be made very quickly. The Green Building move has developed so quickly that a star-rating system for buildings is now in place, run by the Green Building Council of SA (GBCSA). The Department of Environmental Affairs' new head office in Pretoria is fittingly a leader in the field when it comes to public buildings, having achieved a six-star rating with a design conceived by Boogertman & Partners Architects. Some of the features of DEA's building are solar car charging stations for electric cars, solar panels on the roof, making sure (through alignment) that the building takes full advantage of natural light for lighting and heating (and the creation of shaded areas) and rain-water harvesting. Other noteworthy buildings in South Africa include