Petroleum products group Engen has completed a two-year greening pilot project, during which it made multiple energy and water saving alterations at selected service stations in neighbouring countries.

The company believes it has identified the most effective sustainability interventions for its purposes, which can result in a substantial decrease in its carbon footprint and operating costs when rolled out.

Of the three pilot stations, the greenest service station is Rundu1-Stop, located in the Caprivi Strip, in Namibia. It features a sunlight harvester that projects sunlight into the retail areas of the site and lux sensors on the internal lights automatically dim as the sunlight increases.

Light-emitting diode (LED) lights, equipped with motion sensors, illuminate the forecourt canopy. This enables the lights to self-dim when there is no traffic on the forecourt.

LED lighting is also used on all signage and in other lighting, while motion sensors in storerooms, change rooms and cold rooms have been installed. All light switches have been removed in rooms with low human traffic.

Engen has installed reflective roof coatings to reduce the need for air conditioning, as well as solar geysers, water-wise tap fittings and equipment for rainwater harvesting. These measures contribute to a 15% to 20% energy saving for each of the three stations.

In subsequent projects, Engen will focus on greening more of its retail sites by introducing these measures to its 19 territories across sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. The company will then focus on its depots and offices across the group.
Engen construction and engineering manager Cecil van Niekerk says the company started the pilot project in 2008 at its Noordoewer service station franchise, in Namibia. The retail partners – Wimpy and Corner Bakery – were included, thereby securing buy-in, and several ‘quick-win’ interventions were identified upfront, with easily demonstrable significant benefits.
“Some worked very well, while others proved ineffective [such as] waterless urinals in very hot climates,” he says.