Energising South African Cities & Towns - City Energy Support Unit

and thermal comfort of the basicRDP housing unit through theseinterventions, which also bringabout a reduction in grid electricityand CO 2emissions.The project is part of a collaborativepartnership between the Cityof Cape Town and an NGO, South-SouthNorth, working to build capacityfor sustainable developmentand Clean Development Mechanism(CDM) projects among localand national project developers andhost government institutions.Carbon savingsThe project activity mitigates climatechange by avoiding nearlytwo tons of CO 2per house per year,with an international carbon marketvalue of around 3 US$ a ton.The personal benefitsElsie Tshabalaza explained the benefitsof these interventions to theSouthSouthNorth team: ‘Things aremuch better. Since the ceilings havebeen installed, it is much warmer, andmore beautiful than it was before.’Elsie’s house is 5˚C warmer thanthe houses of her neighbours, andelectricity savings of up to 40% havebeen experienced. Additional benefitsinclude a reduction in householddust due to the insulated ceiling, anda reduced need for paraffin stovesand other unhealthy heat sources.Other members of the community,frequently visiting the beneficiarieshouses, look forward to the implementationphase, when the interventionsare to be rolled out to 2 309 housesin Kuyasa. The project has increasedawareness of energy efficiency andits relationship to affordability inthe community at large, as well aswith local politicians.Above: The Moshoeshoe Ecovillage demonstration project.MOSHOESHOEECOVILLAGE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTThis demonstration project of 13 units in the Sol Plaatjie Municipality wascompleted in March 2002. It serves as a demonstration site for the largerHull Street Project. The latter, which will consist of 2 500 units, resulted froma partnership between SIDA and the Sol Plaatjie Municipality. MoshoeshoeEcovillage demonstrates the innovative eco-block concept with doublestoreyunits around communal agricultural and open space. The circulardesign encourages interaction amongst residents and improves securitythrough good street surveillance. The residents were provided with trainingin the different innovative components and actively chose to live here.The project was funded by the Sol Plaatjie Municipality, SIDA and housingsubsidies.Innovative components included:• Compact semi-detached and row houses: 1 unit adapted for disabledperson; 3 and 4-unit row houses; 2 semi-detached houses.• Rental units with option to buy after 4 years.• Passive thermal design including roof overhangs and light coloured roofs;insulated ceilings.• Renewable energy sources: Solar water heaters with electricity back up;grid-interactive solar and wind electricity in office building (2 units).• Compact fluorescent light bulbs.• LPG for cooking is provided on bulk supply contract from Easigas.• Demonstrates eco-block concept (see project description above).• Dry sanitation and urine diversion delivers water savings for irrigation;grey water will be recycled and rain water will be harvested.• Plots of 50m 2 for urban agriculture; agricultural training will be provided;organic waste from faecal material will be used as fertiliser.The residents of the project chose to live here, following community workshopsabout the innovative components (dry sanitation being the mostcontentious). The project and residents will provide residents of the muchlarger Hull Street Project with training and practical demonstration of theeco-block concept and stories from their own experience.ENERGISING SOUTH AFRICAN CITIES & TOWNS 29