Alida Buckle
Parking in the upper level parking lot at Weskus Mall op a sunny day has become a shady affair, and it’s a good thing.
The newly-finished installation of carport structures provides shaded parking, a novelty in the Saldanha Bay area.
According to Wendy Bezuidenhout, General Manager of Weskus Mall, the shade is an added benefit, as the main aim of the structures is to house the solar panels.
“Our sustainability journey really kick-started in 2019, when we installed the first solar panels op the mall’s roof. Very few people may know that there are 3 690 Canadian 330 w panels and 126 Canadian 345 w installed op the roof.”
This Phase 1 solar installation system generates about 20% of the energy the Mall’s occupants need. The carbon footprint has shrunk with approximately 1 650 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (1,650tCO2e).
“What is often overlooked is the associated water saving derived from renewable energy. If Eskom uses about 1,43 litres of water to generate 1 kW, the Phase 1 solar panels save about 2 350 000 litres of water per year,” Bezuidenhout explained.
The Phase 2 installation (car ports) commenced earlier this year and consists of 2 219 Canadian 580 W solar panels op the roofs of 350 car ports.
“Once the installation is complete we will generate close to 38% of our own electricity. The annual carbon saving will increase to about 3 400 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, and the associated water saving will increase to about 4 900 000 litres per year.”
Also, the lights that Weskus Mall had installed underneath the carport structures are individually dimmable, with built-in motion sensors.
“This means the light dims down to 20% of its energy consumption when there is no movement underneath. When motion is detected it switches op to 100%, but will shortly dim again to energy-saving mode if no motion is detected.”
Bezuidenhout said a working experience for 12 students was created alongside the solar project in partnership with Terra Firma and the Industries Education and Training Institute (IETI). These students worked with Terra Firma for four months op the installation of the carports, providing them with valuable working experience.
Other water-saving devices that customers may have used which, at first glance, may seem space-age, are the Propelair toilets installed earlier this year. “These toilets have reduced our water consumption drastically, and we are saving, op average, 420 000 litres of water per month.”
They are also proud of their waste recycling initiative, whereby they are recycling 59% (measured by weight) or 75% (measured by volume) of the waste generated at the Mall.
Bezuidenhout reiterates that Weskus Mall is serious about sustainability.
They invite the public to share tips with them op how they could be even more sustainable.
