Improving Energy Efficiency in a Municipal Building: Case Study of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Buildings in South Africa

Abstract

The energy efficiency impact of replacing fluorescent lamps with light-emitting diode (LED) and electric water heaters with solar thermal systems in two municipal buildings in Ekurhuleni, South Africa, is examined, including effects of current policies. The analysis shows that switching from fluorescent to LEDs achieves 37.3% energy savings and 41.6 tonnes CO2-equiv emissions savings, while installing motion sensors results in 56.8% energy savings and 73.8 tonnes CO2-equiv emissions reduction. Adding motion sensors led to NPV of 17,163 USD and payback period of 2.4 years, compared to 29,682 USD and 2.8 years without them. Solar water heating led to 63.3% in energy saving and 9.2 tonnes CO2-equiv emissions savings. Under current policies, payback period of lighting project with LEDs and motion sensors decreases to 1.4 years. For solar water heating, existing policies allow receiving 56.4% of capital cost in incentives, which results in a payback period of 5.7 years.