Saratoga gets sustainable with Emergent Energy

Sustainability, in its most simple definition, refers to the capacity to endure. The term was first used as sustainable development, which means: "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Bruntland Report for the World Commission on Environment and Development (1992). It was from this that the idea of sustainability in other areas of life was born.

Today the word has taken on multiple meanings, depending on who you speak to and in which industry they work; but most often it has simply come to mean “going green”, with all the implications that has across industries.

In determining the core values and mission of Saratoga, the concept of having practices and policies that were both ethical and sustainable were an important factor. It may seem that this “buzz word” was simply thrown in, but speaking to Saratoga's CEO, Anthony Robinson, it becomes evident that this word has a deeper meaning.

Its sustainability team is tasked with investigating various practical ways this can be implemented on a day-to-day basis, from as simple as using less paper in the office to embracing multidimensional thinking and user-centric design as part of the development processes.

Business guru Malcolm Gladwell has suggested that part of the reason the world's economy has seen the credit crunch is as a result of too many businesses taking operational rather than social risks. This feeds into the idea that in order for businesses to be sustainable, they need to be operating in a way that is ethical and that keeps in mind the impact they have both socially and ecologically.

Over the years, Saratoga has jumped at the chance of taking on partnerships that have really made a difference, such as with a project done in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry that leveraged cellphone technology to allow low income groups access to insurance. Traditionally, it was not financially viable for insurance companies to offer products to this sector due to high distribution and service costs. Saratoga understood the positive social significance this product could have by providing a safety net for those who need it most.

While projects like these make an impact, Robinson was interested in making a bigger and more practical commitment to sustainability. In 2010, Saratoga jumped at the opportunity to invest in Emergent Energy.

CEO and Director, Frank Spencer, reveals: “Emergent Energy's vision is to tackle the 'big picture' issues such as climate change, wealth inequality, resource depletion and how energy fits in to all this. Our goals are to provide solutions that are based on best practice and having a net positive impact in southern Africa.”

He went on to outline the greater goals of the company and some of the projects Emergent Energy has been part of.

In 2008, Eskom announced its plan to start load-shedding, which saw planned power cuts across the country. As a result, energy efficiency became a hot topic in the media. Emergent Energy answers this need by offering energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions plus consulting services to businesses and government projects in southern Africa. It has worked on a number of projects that have made use of state-of-the-art technology to help clients save on energy costs.

One of the services that Emergent Energy provides is a full energy modelling. For Chevron's new Cape Town headquarters, it is providing a full analysis by simulating the building's interior conditions every 10 minutes for an entire sample year. This gives an accurate indication of the efficiency of the building's design: including its orientation and shape, its materials of construction, and the design and specifications of air-conditioning and lighting systems. It is also modelling how effectively the building uses natural daylight to illuminate workspaces and other interior areas, reducing lighting electricity, and improving occupant comfort and productivity.

Emergent Energy has installed and commissioned numerous wind meteorological towers, including a recently erected tower near Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape.

The tower, erected for the French wind turbine manufacturer and developer, Nordex, gathers detailed wind, temperature and pressure data over an extended period. This information is being gathered in order to find the most suitable conditions for the best use of wind farms in green power generation.

A recent project which has had a huge impact and provides an exciting example of just what can be achieved is the solar heat pump installed at Bishops, one of South Africa's oldest and most prestigious schools. It was identified that they used between 4 000 to 6 000 litres per day for the boarding house and 2 000 litres per day for the kitchen. With the pump installed, Bishops is now estimated to be saving an impressive 70% on their water heating bill.

Frank Spencer explains that this kind of project shows great possibilities for large housing developments where it could also be implemented, in order to supply residents with hot water at a fraction of the normal cost.

Interestingly, the partnership between Saratoga and Emergent Energy is becoming more than just one of investment and a passion for sustainability. As sustainable energy technology advances, it demands software and information technology innovation. “We see increased convergence over time,” says Saratoga's Robinson. “Both industries are concerned with matters of efficiency and sustainability, and both are moving towards cloud-based utility-type services that are information and technology rich.”

Contact Emergent Energy on +27 21 1000 007 or e-mail info@emergy.co.za. Visit the Web site at www.emergy.co.za.

Author: Sarah Meder
Saratoga Staff Writer