PRESS OFFICE

Hyprop moves ahead with recycling, energy, and water projects to address climate change and stakeholder expectations

Hyprop is adapting its shopping centres, not only to satisfy changing consumer habits and expectations but also to ensure that its properties are resilient into the future. This reflects both the group's own ethical and commercial commitment to reducing greenhouse gases, as well as the prevailing consensus of its stakeholders.

Over 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. More such projects are in the pipeline for 2022/23.

"Buildings typically have long lifespans, and much of the stock existing today will still be in use in 2050. Retrofitting existing stock is essential if we are to transition to a low-emission future," says Steven Riley, Hyprop's Head of Developments and Sustainability.

Hyprop is working on updating Tenant Criteria Documents which focus on energy, water, and waste, and devising, with its tenants, "house rules" to ensure that everyone reduces their carbon and water footprint in line with Hyprop'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 and solar power, to water and waste.

As of 1 July 2022, Hyprop was officially the first REIT in South Africa to implement a collective zero-wet waste strategy across its entire portfolio. After a successful trial period that ran from mid-May to end-June 2022, the wet waste management programme has been successfully implemented at all Hyprop sites.

All food and organic waste are now 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 South African cities and provinces. Its target is to divert 100% of organic waste away from landfill by 2027, up from 50% in 2022.

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 start to upgrade seven more centres (Canal Walk has already been upgraded) with best-suited wet waste management technology and equipment available on the market relevant to each property.

On energy, Hyprop's reduction strategy identifies both short-term and long-term opportunities to reduce carbon emissions. It is implementing low-cost initiatives which have the potential to save c. R6 million at a cost of approximately R400 000.

The solar 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 burned, over 15 million litres of water, and the avoidance of more than 11 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.

In the year ahead, Hyprop will implement the next phase of solar PV at Woodlands Boulevard, Rosebank Mall, and Clearwater Mall. The total system size is 7 254 kilowatts peak (kWp) and it will produce 8 919 482 kWh per annum, equating to a saving of almost R21 million 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. This should improve the way consumption is measured and monitored.

Some of the opportunities for water saving that management has identified and implemented in the past year include installing Propelair toilets at Rosebank Precinct, Woodlands and Hyde Park Corner and converting some of the wet cooling systems in air conditioners to dry cooling. These initiatives will continue in the coming months.

"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," Riley says.

Back to previous page