Renewable Energy Professional training going carbon neutral

22nd August 2014

The Energy Training Foundation will be hosting its second Certified Renewable Energy Professional training programme at the carbon neutral Hotel Verde in Cape Town from 14-17 October 2014. A tour of the hotel explaining the green aspects will be hosted on the 13th of October followed by a welcoming networking function where delegates and their guests can view exhibits followed by a short welcoming speech and relevant speakers in the industry.

REP will be presented by Dr Stephen Roosa from the USA, and EnTF is running a train the trainer programme during this time to create local lecturing expertise in REP. REP is a copyright training course of the Association of Energy Engineers in the USA, EnTF is the sole approved training partner of the AEE for the Southern African region. AEE’s qualification programmes are recognised in 90 countries, and are unique in that experiential background is recognised for obtaining Certification, as well as having to pass the AEE examination with 70%. No prior learning is necessary to attend REP. REP carries 3 CPD credits with ECSA. To maintain Certification with the AEE, three-yearly re-application for Certification is required. Thereby AEE ensures its Certified members are up to date on the latest knowledge, education and information in the industry – and being listed on the international database that is easily accessible for HR managers which provides professionals in the renewable energy industry with a world-renowned qualification.

REP provides the ideal platform to stimulate thinking on the very many levels of alternative methods to generate energy whilst keeping costs down, considering renewing and re-using of sources. It is not a technically challenging course, but content heavy with information that can be referred to and built on during a career in renewables. Therefore, the EnTF chose Hotel Verde as the venue for the next REP course in Cape Town as the innovation for greening at the hotel is in line with what is advocated in REP.

Hotel Verde was built by owners Mario and Annemarie Delicio.  It is the Delicio family’s vision and philosophy of, “Looking after our world we live in and handing it over to our children in a responsible manner,” that has been created a team of experts dedicated to finding alternative concepts and angles to look at energy, water and waste reduction.” Hotel Verde is not hailed as Africa’s greenest hotel for nothing.  Platinum accredited by international recognised LEED, every aspect of the hotel is aimed to be as sustainable as possible- literally from below the ground up. From initiatives like a grey water plant, water tanks, void formers, a plant room, a green roof, wind and PV generation, an eco-pool, rain water harvesting, energy efficient lighting and use of natural lighting, chalk boards in the conference room, to name but a few.

Should you elect to reside at Hotel Verde, by BON Hotels, during the REP course, you can even assist in generating energy by visiting the gym as gym equipment used generates energy used within the hotel. REP delegates can therefore attend at Hotel Verde, at hotel rates within the range of other luxury hotels in Cape Town.