INNOVATION
ENERGY-EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURAL
WINDOW FILM SOLUTIONS “STATISTICS REVEAL THAT COAL SUPPLIES 67% OF SA’S ENERGY PRODUCTION, A NONRENEWABLE SOURCE.“
By Bunny Bala Various commercial activities contribute towards global warming by energy usage and carbon dioxide emissions. Although the African continent contributes the least towards global warming in both absolute and per capita terms, SA is the world’s 14thbiggest contributor of greenhouse gases (GHGs). It is one of the most industrialised countries on the continent and its CO2 emissions are primarily due to its significant dependence on coal. The biggest contributor of all has been proved to be the building and construction sector, which contributes 36% of global energy usage and 39% of CO2 emissions. This stems mostly from the operations of buildings in terms of energy consumption, typically heating and cooling. If the minimum requirements stipulated in SANS 10400-XA, which legislates effective energy savings, have not been employed, a building can consume a considerably larger amount of energy. This occurs because a poorly insulated building will consume more energy to create a comfortable environment for its occupants. Statistics reveal that coal supplies 67% of SA’s energy production, a non-renewable source. This
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SOUTH AFRICAN BUILDER SEPTEMBER 2021
