Date: 19/05/2005
Source: Department of Public Works
Title: Sigcau: Energy Efficient Month walkabout at military hospital
The Minister of Public Works, Ms Stella Sigcau, MP, delivers a keynote address during the Energy Efficient Month walkabout, 1 Military Hospital, Thaba Tshwane
The Programme Director
Members of the Eskom Management Team
Senior government officials
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
The national Department of Public Works is mandated to manage a complex and a capital-intensive immovable asset portfolio made up of State land and government buildings. This management function includes elements of planning, acquisition, maintenance and disposal, which are core to asset investment and management.
Given the long lead-times involved in the total life-cycle management of fixed properties, government and the department have been severely challenged in the last eleven years to find ingenious ways to optimise service delivery impact of these fixed assets at a minimum cost to the State and the taxpayers.
The adoption and use of energy efficient technologies in the provision and maintenance of our buildings is one of many initiatives conceived by government to lessen pressure on limited financial resources. It is also a statement of intent to alleviate the strain, brought to bear on our finite natural resources by our modern production and consumption habits.
In South Africa, the generation of electricity is still largely driven by fossil fuels, such as coal, and vast quantities of water are also utilised in the process. Despite its degrading effect on the environment, continuous mining of fossil fuels will sooner than later deplete these resources, leading to imbalances between supply and demand, which will precipitate unprecedented price wars. The fluctuating price of the Brent crude (oil) is an early but obvious indication.
The situation with regard to water sources in South Africa is no different. According to the Water Resources Management policy of government as espoused by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry:
South Africa is located in a predominantly semi-arid part of the world. The climate varies from desert and semi-desert in the west to sub-humid along the eastern coastal area, with an average rainfall for the country of about 450 millimetres per year, well below the world average of about 860 millimetres, while evaporation is comparatively high. As a result, South Africa’s water resources are, in global terms, scarce and extremely limited. The country has no truly large or navigable rivers and the combined flow of all the rivers in the country amounts to approximately 49 000 million cubic metres per year, less than half of that of the Zambezi River, the closest large river to South Africa.
The time to seek alternative and environmentally-friendly sources of power and energy is now. Awareness creation, continuous education and public mobilisation are necessary to turn our citizens into ‘environmental activists’ dedicated to saving our planet and all life in it. Government has a responsibility to step in and assist with the eradication of conditions, which breed material inequalities and perpetuate poverty, such as unequal access to natural and other resources.
Our partnership with Eskom is therefore not a coincidence. Eskom is responsible for mainly supplying and meeting the energy needs of this country, it is also a critical engine of economic growth, a key player in New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), exploiting its strength to do business in the African continent while being a driving force for growth in the South African economy.
To be able to do deliver on this mandate, Eskom is turning to Government for support in its campaign to create user awareness of efficient use of energy and the benefits thereof for companies, industry, individuals and the country as a whole.
Many would wonder, why a company the size of Eskom, would need Government on its side, when it has the resources to appeal straight to society at large with its message.
As alluded, the answer lies with the fact that Government is a key and influential player in the lives of its citizens. That means that Government has a role and a responsibility in communicating to the public those messages that promote the culture of our survival and prosperity as a nation.
We need to remember also that Government is the employer of over a million civil servants and the word-of-mouth effect of this campaign cannot be under estimated. As a responsible employer, government needs to lead by example and engender ethos of corporate governance underpinned by among others, conscientious approach to our interaction with the environment.
My Department has a special role in this campaign. As an agent of influence in the construction sector, the Department needs to ensure that we communicate the message of responsible use of scarce resources in the very construction and design of future projects. Natural lighting areas, light retrofitting technologies, low pressure irrigation systems for the horticultural sections of our buildings, greening and revegetation – are some of the cost-effective applications we can promote to give back to nature that which we uproot.
For the past ten years, the Department of Public Works had an ongoing project of energy efficiency, focusing mainly on the management of mechanical equipment such as centralised air conditioning plants and hot-water systems. In 2002, it was decided to invite tenders with a broadened scope to, among others, implement the latest technologies in the alleviation of the energy efficiency improvement on State facilities. The contract also included the provision to audit the municipal accounts to ensure that the State is correctly billed. A contractor was appointed in April 2003 and two years later, the Department is beginning to reap the financial rewards in the form of realised savings.
During phase two of the implementation state, projects were identified with potential for lager savings and these included the South African Police Service (SAPS) Building at Silverton, the BVR Building and the 1 Military Hospital, which collectively saved 979 kilowatts estimated at over R1.4 million per annum. Another 24 State facilities with a potential to save 1 400 kilowatts estimated at more than R2.3 million per year, have already been audited and submitted for project approval. These include, among others, the Pretoria Magistrate Court Building, New Palace of Justice, Pretoria West Dog School, South African Revenue Services and a number of government office buildings.
Our millennium goals will not be realised unless government, business and the civil society act in unison to manage our resources better for sustainability, prosperity and development. Squandering of limited resources through unbridled exploitation and hoarding, leads to long term poverty, which breeds disdain and indifference to any efforts to preserve and manage them. We appreciate the initiative taken by Eskom and as government we extend our hand of co-operation for this worth cause. Ladies and Gentlemen, join me as we celebrate this month as a milestone in our journey to total energy efficiency.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Public Works
19 May 2005
Source: Department of Public Works
Title: Sigcau: Energy Efficient Month walkabout at military hospital
The Minister of Public Works, Ms Stella Sigcau, MP, delivers a keynote address during the Energy Efficient Month walkabout, 1 Military Hospital, Thaba Tshwane
The Programme Director
Members of the Eskom Management Team
Senior government officials
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
The national Department of Public Works is mandated to manage a complex and a capital-intensive immovable asset portfolio made up of State land and government buildings. This management function includes elements of planning, acquisition, maintenance and disposal, which are core to asset investment and management.
Given the long lead-times involved in the total life-cycle management of fixed properties, government and the department have been severely challenged in the last eleven years to find ingenious ways to optimise service delivery impact of these fixed assets at a minimum cost to the State and the taxpayers.
The adoption and use of energy efficient technologies in the provision and maintenance of our buildings is one of many initiatives conceived by government to lessen pressure on limited financial resources. It is also a statement of intent to alleviate the strain, brought to bear on our finite natural resources by our modern production and consumption habits.
In South Africa, the generation of electricity is still largely driven by fossil fuels, such as coal, and vast quantities of water are also utilised in the process. Despite its degrading effect on the environment, continuous mining of fossil fuels will sooner than later deplete these resources, leading to imbalances between supply and demand, which will precipitate unprecedented price wars. The fluctuating price of the Brent crude (oil) is an early but obvious indication.
The situation with regard to water sources in South Africa is no different. According to the Water Resources Management policy of government as espoused by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry:
South Africa is located in a predominantly semi-arid part of the world. The climate varies from desert and semi-desert in the west to sub-humid along the eastern coastal area, with an average rainfall for the country of about 450 millimetres per year, well below the world average of about 860 millimetres, while evaporation is comparatively high. As a result, South Africa’s water resources are, in global terms, scarce and extremely limited. The country has no truly large or navigable rivers and the combined flow of all the rivers in the country amounts to approximately 49 000 million cubic metres per year, less than half of that of the Zambezi River, the closest large river to South Africa.
The time to seek alternative and environmentally-friendly sources of power and energy is now. Awareness creation, continuous education and public mobilisation are necessary to turn our citizens into ‘environmental activists’ dedicated to saving our planet and all life in it. Government has a responsibility to step in and assist with the eradication of conditions, which breed material inequalities and perpetuate poverty, such as unequal access to natural and other resources.
Our partnership with Eskom is therefore not a coincidence. Eskom is responsible for mainly supplying and meeting the energy needs of this country, it is also a critical engine of economic growth, a key player in New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), exploiting its strength to do business in the African continent while being a driving force for growth in the South African economy.
To be able to do deliver on this mandate, Eskom is turning to Government for support in its campaign to create user awareness of efficient use of energy and the benefits thereof for companies, industry, individuals and the country as a whole.
Many would wonder, why a company the size of Eskom, would need Government on its side, when it has the resources to appeal straight to society at large with its message.
As alluded, the answer lies with the fact that Government is a key and influential player in the lives of its citizens. That means that Government has a role and a responsibility in communicating to the public those messages that promote the culture of our survival and prosperity as a nation.
We need to remember also that Government is the employer of over a million civil servants and the word-of-mouth effect of this campaign cannot be under estimated. As a responsible employer, government needs to lead by example and engender ethos of corporate governance underpinned by among others, conscientious approach to our interaction with the environment.
My Department has a special role in this campaign. As an agent of influence in the construction sector, the Department needs to ensure that we communicate the message of responsible use of scarce resources in the very construction and design of future projects. Natural lighting areas, light retrofitting technologies, low pressure irrigation systems for the horticultural sections of our buildings, greening and revegetation – are some of the cost-effective applications we can promote to give back to nature that which we uproot.
For the past ten years, the Department of Public Works had an ongoing project of energy efficiency, focusing mainly on the management of mechanical equipment such as centralised air conditioning plants and hot-water systems. In 2002, it was decided to invite tenders with a broadened scope to, among others, implement the latest technologies in the alleviation of the energy efficiency improvement on State facilities. The contract also included the provision to audit the municipal accounts to ensure that the State is correctly billed. A contractor was appointed in April 2003 and two years later, the Department is beginning to reap the financial rewards in the form of realised savings.
During phase two of the implementation state, projects were identified with potential for lager savings and these included the South African Police Service (SAPS) Building at Silverton, the BVR Building and the 1 Military Hospital, which collectively saved 979 kilowatts estimated at over R1.4 million per annum. Another 24 State facilities with a potential to save 1 400 kilowatts estimated at more than R2.3 million per year, have already been audited and submitted for project approval. These include, among others, the Pretoria Magistrate Court Building, New Palace of Justice, Pretoria West Dog School, South African Revenue Services and a number of government office buildings.
Our millennium goals will not be realised unless government, business and the civil society act in unison to manage our resources better for sustainability, prosperity and development. Squandering of limited resources through unbridled exploitation and hoarding, leads to long term poverty, which breeds disdain and indifference to any efforts to preserve and manage them. We appreciate the initiative taken by Eskom and as government we extend our hand of co-operation for this worth cause. Ladies and Gentlemen, join me as we celebrate this month as a milestone in our journey to total energy efficiency.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Public Works
19 May 2005
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