Newsletter Issue 5 May 2019

Project Manager’s Message

Welcome to the 5th edition of the S&L News; packed with up-to-date project information at a glance. It’s our way of keeping you, our stakeholders and partners, informed and involved every step of the way.

Please feel free to share this with interested colleagues. And if you’re new to the newsletter, hit the subscribe button to receive your monthly issue.

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In This Edition

  • A tactical revamp of the programme website.
  • Creative redesign of the current energy label to now incorporate QR coding.
  • The status of setting the MEPS for the next group of electrical equipment.
  • The latest update on the creation of a complete appliance registration database.

In other news; the lighting stakeholder consultation workshop will be taking place on 14 May, and we will provide feedback in the next newsletter. If you are an affected party please contact me directly for information, or keep yourself updated on our website or through the industry-relevant associations – IESSA and SAFEhouse.

Lastly, members of the S&L team will be representing the programme at Africa Utility week at the CTICC which takes place in Cape Town 14 to 16 May.

Theo Covary
S&L Project Manager

Website Revamp

The programme website https://www.savingenergy.org.za/ is currently being revamped in line with its expanded role as both a portal and information access point. The facelift focuses on making the site more user-friendly while taking the needs of all potential visitors into account. Look out for its relaunch soon!

Energy Label Redesign

Technology improvements and recent project developments mean that the existing energy label will soon not be fit for purpose.

Appliance performance has improved over the years, which now means that many have moved up several energy classes. In response, the EU has decided to revert back to the A-G scale, (eliminating A+ A++ and A+++), as consumers were finding it difficult to identify the most efficient appliances.

Here, given that South Africa is closely aligned with the EU label, we need to consider how this may impact our programme. You can find out more about the new EU labels here.

Also, our own product registration database is about to become operational – allowing consumers to access product information directly, via the QR code (as detailed in the Jan and Feb editions of this newsletter). Of course, incorporating QR Codes requires redesigning current energy efficiency labels to accommodate this. And it coincides with the shift in EU labelling practices – thus allowing us to consider both.

We will be undertaking critical research to make informed decisions about optimal label reformatting. Most importantly, this research gives stakeholders a seminal opportunity to play a role in the redesign of EE labelling – with huge potential future impact – and we encourage you to do so. Please click here if you’d like to participate directly in the research, which will decide the final look, feel and information of the new and improved appliance energy efficiency label.

Expansion of MEPS

Workshops on the next set of electrical equipment to enter the programme took place in early April.Thank you to all who participated! The final list of items selected includes TV’s, laptops, pool pumps, external power supplies, three phase motors, commercial refrigeration, chillers, and electricity distributors.

Valuable stakeholder feedback was received and incorporated into the consolidated submissions to government – all relevant presentations can be accessed below. Formal submissions will soon be made to the NRCS for approval and transition into regulation by the Minister.

Appliance Registration Database

The development of a consolidated appliance user database enters its last step – with final internal NRCS training scheduled for 17 May – after which we plan to go live. The approach to be taken is still being finalised, but our intent is for a speedy rollout; and we’ll keep you informed throughout.

“What we need to do is really improve energy efficiency standards, develop in full scale renewable and alternative energy and use the one resource we have in abundance, our creativity.”

– Lois Capps