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INDUSTRY AWARDS SOME HEROES DON’T WEAR CAPES – SAEE AWARDS The Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency (SAEE) celebrates the ‘energy super heroes’ who are saving the world by saving energy I n his opening address at the SAEE Convention, Karel Steyn the SAEE president reminded attendees that nine years ago, in years of energy abundance in South Africa, energy efficiency was not a frequently talked about topic. He highlighted the changing landscape, drawing attention to the fact that ‘no business will survive by always channelling these ever increasing energy costs through to their customers. Finding alternative solutions should therefore be a normal part of business sustainability and management activities – hence, business efficiency must include being energy efficient.’ SAEE 2014 AWARD WINNERS & HEROES Energy Patron of the Year Dr Marco Lotz, Sustainability Carbon Specialist, Enterprise Governance and Compliance, Nedbank Limited Energy Newcomer of the Year Ensight Energy Solutions Energy Excellence of the Year Woolworths Energy Project of the Year Tronox Namakwa Sands Energy Company of the Year Toyota South Africa Motors Dr Marco Lotz, expressed his thanks, stating that ‘the 2014 SAEE Energy Patron of the Year Award represents a pause to see how far the energy efficiency industry has come and the part I could play. Our future is simple in its resolve, but requires irrational amounts of tenacity. We simply need to keep on pushing, including respectfully differing in opinion, to build a South African energy landscape we will be proud to leave behind.’ Karel Steyn, President, SAEE THE ENERGY NEWCOMER AND LIFETIME PATRON SHARE A COMMON GOAL Ensight Energy Solutions, winner of the Energy Newcomer Award, partners with large industrial energy users to deliver energy cost savings through its flagship Energy Leadership Programme. This approach entails Ensight becoming the energy management business unit within the client’s operation. With almost a decade of expertise, the Patron of the Year Award winner, 54 ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS A ‘DO OR DIE’ JOURNEY Walking away with the Energy Excellence of the Year Award was no easy task as Woolworths strove to implement energy- saving measures in its stores and reduce carbon emissions. Says Les Hall, manager for real estate development at Woolworths: ‘We recognise that we are on a journey and it’s encouraging to be acknowledged for significant milestones along the way. We will continue our efforts to reduce our energy consumption and carbon emissions, and ensure that we become more energy efficient.’ Brownfield or greenfield projects in the residential, commercial or industrial sectors were considered for the Energy Project of the Year, with Tronox Namakwa Sands standing out above the rest for their smelter waste gas project which generates electricity through the use of gas engine technology. ‘As a mining company, it is especially rewarding to receive an award for a project that lessens our impact on the environment. The cogeneration project enabled us to reduce our carbon footprint and energy consumption and to meet Eskom and the Energy Accord’s savings targets. This project, and the people who made it possible, is a demonstration of our commitment towards improving our environment,’ said a proud Peter Haley, senior engineer at Tronox Namakwa Sands. ‘RESPECT FOR THE PLANET’ IS A WINNING VALUE Toyota South Africa Motors, who won the Energy Company of the Year Award, has set aggressive environmental targets for its manufacturing and retail divisions, including the reduction of energy usage, vehicle emissions and waste, the reuse of packing and other materials and the recycling of waste and end-of-life vehicle components. Arden Wessels, senior manager for environmental engineering and compliance at Toyota SA, is heartened by the award, stating that ‘the value of “Respect for the Planet” is incorporated in the global vision of Toyota. To ensure this commitment to our planet is actioned, we set challenging targets in accordance with its [Toyota’s] environmental action plan’. ESI ESI AFRICA ISSUE 4 2014