From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. The need to mitigate the impact of climate change to the environment continues to be a global initiative. This has since seen more and more companies shifting into green buildings as a means to decrease the impact of climate change on the environment. Distributor of electronic products Ellies has recently launched its new green building in Johannesburg, which operates fully on renewable energy. Zandile Mavuso has the story.

Zandile Mavuso:
Based in Village Deep, in Johannesburg, Ellies has launched its new green building which operates on 100% off-grid energy as a result of its seventy-two 210 Watt solar panels as well as a wind generator. This being the case, Ellies executive commercial manager Rowan Randle explains why Ellies felt the need to switch to renewable energy.

Ellies executive commercial manger Rowan Randle

Zandile Mavuso:
Having experienced the benefits of using renewable energy in its everyday running of events, the Ellies Green Building also serves as a showroom of all the latest global trends of energy saving inventions. Randle points out why Ellies saw this as a business opportunity.

Rowan Randle

Zandile Mavuso:
Having installed the solar panels at the Ellies Green Building, renewable energy company African Solar Power country manager Chris Stockwell indicates the possibilities of going off-grid and relying solar panels for adequate energy supply.

African Solar Power country manager Chris Stockwell

Zandile Mavuso:
Not only is switching to renewable energy becoming a global trend, Stockwell also mentions that it has positive cost savings as well.

Chris Stockwell

Zandile Mavuso:
Energy saving lighting has been the most popular energy saving trend in the past few years. Ellies head of renewable energy Andre Bothma mentions that more advancements have emerged in lighting which make them more energy efficient.

Ellies head of renewable energy Andre Bothma

Zandile Mavuso:
Bothma says that the cost-savings of switching to energy efficient lighting are significant.

Andre Bothma

Zandile Mavuso:
Energy saving can also be experienced through the latest trending LED television sets, which are High Definition Multimedia Interface or (HDMI), Ellies audio division manager Craig Bissell tells how this is possible

Ellies audio division manager Craig Bissell

Shannon de Ryhove:
President Jacob Zuma has officially opened the Department of Environmental Affairs’ (or DEA’s) new green head office in Pretoria, describing it as an event that would usher in a new green-focused era for the South African construction industry, as Natalie Greve reports.

Natalie Greve:
The design and the construction of the 30 654 m2 headquarters, dubbed Environment House, was completed in alignment with green building specifications, resulting in it becoming the third building in the country and the first government building to be awarded a 6-Green Star South Africa rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa, or GBCSA.

At the launch, Zuma lauded the development as a tangible example of government’s commitment to lessen its environmental impact and mitigate its carbon footprint.

President Jacob Zuma

Natalie Greve:
The building’s overall energy consumption would be limited to a yearly maximum of 115 kWh/m2, while solar-generated power would provide between 15% and 20% of the building’s energy needs, making it a flagship development in the green building space, GBCSA CEO Brian Wilkinson enthused.

GBCSA CEO Brian Wilkinson

Shannon de Ryhove:
That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy.