Neighbourhood News Update: 14 April 2022

The V&A Waterfront was on Monday announced as the silver winner at the highly contested World Responsible Tourism awards for its outstanding efforts at reducing its carbon footprint.

The V&A won in the category Decarbonising Travel & Tourism at the World Travel Market (WTM) Africa’s awards which took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

Among Africa’s premier tourist destinations, the V&A was recognised for its carbon reduction journey which began in 2009. Since then the V&A has managed to reduce carbon emissions by 47% even though the footprint of the V&A expanded by 110,000m² over the same 13-year period.

Since 2009, the V&A has:

• 62% reduction in water usage
• R38 million invested into energy and a 40% saving achieved
• 1,595 tons of waste diverted from landfills annually

The 123-hectare mixed-use V&A neighbourhood, incorporating the oldest working harbour in the Southern Hemisphere, is one of Africa’s greenest precincts, with Diamond Status (through the Heritage Environmental Rating Programme), and South Africa’s greenest shopping centre.

Some of the key initiatives which have helped drive the precinct’s decarbonisation journey include:

• drip irrigation and waterwise landscaping
• the use of boreholes, grey water, and filtered sea water
• Energy-saving through solar panels and skylights
• charging stations for electric cars
• energy efficient lighting and electricity meters
• a water-cleaning boat
• diverting 1595 tons of waste from landfills annually
• operating its own Recovery and Recycling Plant
• Pioneered sea water district cooling
• Permanent desalination to be operation by 2023
• A black water treatment plant to be operational during 2022
• A pyrolysis plant (waste to energy) to be operational by 2024
• Installation of pressure reducing valves to reduce water pressure and wastage
• Incorporated Business intelligence models to track and evaluate consumption patrons to act as accelerator to change tenant behaviour

An environmental impacts and aspects register is reviewed and updated monthly to help keep track of processes and projects while the V&A is committed to annual heritage, greenhouse gas emissions, ESG and SEC reporting.

The V&A established a department called SOLVE to give focus to our strategic efforts to innovate around issues facing cities and communities and to see how the Waterfront can be a test bed space and help facilitate solutions to pressing global needs.

To join us on the journey of collaborations for a better planet, find out more about SOLVE here.

MasterChef SA 2022 winner, Shawn Godfrey has partnered with internationally awarded chefs Callan Austin and Darren Badenhorst to host an exclusive pop-up dining experience called The Chefs’ Collective for three nights only, at Makers Landing.

Guests will be a part of an intimate setting (20 guests only) for a ten-course dining showcase featuring dishes inspired by those Shawn cooked on MasterChef SA. Seats are limited and tickets are available for purchase here.

Click here for more details on the event.

• WOOF Project dog adoption – Nobel Square (15 April – 28 May 2022).
• Kids Market: Easter edition – Centre Court, outside H&M (16 & 17 April 2022).

Please click here for more details on our events.