Hyprop Investments, which owns some of SA’s leading malls such as the Canal Walk, Hyde Park Corner and Rosebank shopping centres, says it is investing extensively to reduce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2).
“Buildings typically have long lifespans, and many will still be in use in 2050. Retrofitting existing buildings is essential if we are to transition to a low-emission future,” said Steven Riley, Hyprop’s head of developments and sustainability.
He said in the past four years, Hyprop has been investing in auditing and addressing various aspects relating to its own and its tenants’ consumption of natural resources across its portfolio.
JSE-listed Hyprop also owns Capegate Shopping Centre, Somerset Mall, The Glen, Woodlands and other malls in Eastern Europe.
Riley said in the coming year, the company will continue focusing on energy, water and waste management initiatives at its malls to ensure its tenants reduce their carbon and water footprint in line with the company’s strategy.
Hyprop itself is guided by global targets to reduce emissions and is doing so across a range of projects, from building management to its use of electricity, solar power, water and waste.
It has successfully applied a wet waste management programme at all Hyprop sites.
Riley said food and organic waste are separated at source, diverting wet waste from landfills to composting or composting facilities. “This will ensure that Hyprop complies with new management regulations being applied in various SA cities and provinces, and our target is to divert 100% of organic waste away from landfill by 2027, up from 50% in 2022.”
He said the group’s overall recycling rate across the centres was also up to 46% in the 2022 financial year, compared to 44% in 2021. During 2022/23, Hyprop will upgrade seven more centres (Canal Walk has already been upgraded) with best-suited wet waste management technology and equipment relevant to each property.
Going solar
On energy, Hyprop’s reduction strategy identifies both short-term and long-term opportunities to reduce carbon emissions. It is implementing low-cost initiatives that have the potential to save about R6m at a cost of about R400,000.
Buildings typically have long lifespans, and many will still be in use in 2050. Retrofitting existing buildings is essential if we are to transition to a low-emission future.
— Steven Riley, Hyprop head of developments and sustainability
The solar photovoltaic (PV) panels that were installed in 2020 at six of the centres performed above expectations and, together with the existing system at Clearwater Mall, produced a total of 10,684,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) for the 2022 financial year. This results in a saving of 6,000 tonnes of coal burnt, over 15-million litres of water, and the avoidance of more than 11,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, he said.
Riley said in 2023, Hyprop will implement the next phase of solar PV panel installation at Woodlands Boulevard, Rosebank Mall and Clearwater Mall. The total system size is 7,254 kilowatts peak (kWp) and it will produce 8,919,482kWh per annum, equating to a saving of almost R21m per annum.
Water-efficient equipment is being installed throughout the portfolio. Water efficiency is considered when choosing technical plant and equipment such as toilets, urinals, taps and air-conditioning systems for all new developments, renovations and upgrades.
Bulk water consumption at centres is monitored daily to identify unusual patterns that might indicate leaks. IoT.nxt, an internet-based smart building management system (BMS) pilot, has been launched at Clearwater Mall to improve consumption measurement and monitoring.
Other water-saving initiatives include the installation of Propelair low-flush toilets at Rosebank Precinct, Woodlands and Hyde Park Corner and converting some of the wet cooling systems in air conditioners to dry cooling.
“We simultaneously manage the costs of utilities and centre operational costs, while investing in the changes needed to reduce their environmental impact and build the necessary resilience to withstand future shocks, such as exorbitant tariff increases and prolonged droughts,” said Riley.
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