Since 2008, we have been transforming how we use and conserve energy and water, manage waste, build, and interact with people and businesses throughout our neighbourhood. Whether it’s reducing single-use plastic, using grey water, recycling, or empowering communities, we constantly seek ways to improve. Our purpose is to create and nurture a neighbourhood that leads in sustainability, fosters art and design, supports entrepreneurship and innovation, and drives positive social and economic change. We are committed to people and the planet. We believe working with communities, respecting the environment, and operating with passion and integrity is a more effective, productive, and compassionate way of doing business. Through the collective effort of many, we will make a difference. When we act from our better nature, nature gets better! Aligning our efforts to the global sustainable development goals The V&A Waterfront is an iconic mixed-use destination located in the oldest working harbour in the Southern Hemisphere. With Table Mountain as its backdrop, the 123-hectare neighbourhood sits within the beautiful city of Cape Town, welcoming millions of people from all over the continent and the rest of the world. The V&A is a symbol of heritage and diversity, where people from all walks of life can play, live, shop, dine and work while immersed in the vibrant spirit and authentic local culture that thrives in this bustling ecosystem. It sees its role on the continent to be a platform that facilitates and champions art and design, to support entrepreneurship and innovation, lead the charge on sustainability, and drive positive social and economic change. By prioritising people and the planet, the V&A is an example of how working with communities, respecting the environment, and operating with passion and integrity is a better, more productive, and kinder way of doing business.The organisation sees for itself the opportunity to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all, in alignment with the United Nation’s Sustainable Goals.LEARN MORE Water Water Water is life, and we’ve implemented numerous measures to conserve this precious resource. These include installing water meters throughout the neighbourhood, water-efficient toilets and urinals, sensor-operated taps in all bathrooms, and using borehole and grey water. We've also taken steps to prevent wastage, such as installing automated leak detection systems. These initiatives have significantly contributed to our sustainability goals, resulting in a 62% reduction in water consumption! Did you know?Our blackwater plant converts a monthly average of 5,000 kL of black water to irrigation standard, which is then repurposed for flush ablutions in Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre.62,000m2 of our neighbourhood is landscaped. Eighty percent of that is indigenous, and 90 percent of all plants are drought tolerant.Coming soon! Our desalination plant (managed by Proxa) will be up and running soon and can produce 3.3 million litres of fresh water daily, contributing to the city's water supply. Waste Waste We’re on a waste management and pollution reduction mission, diverting 37% of all waste collected annually. All tenants are encouraged to recycle and manage waste responsibly, which we monitor through regular inspections. We’ve also signed the Plastics Pact, a global initiative that aims to change how plastic products and packaging are designed, used, and reused to lessen the impact of plastics on the environment. As part of this pact, we’re committed to reducing our use of single-use plastics by 50% by 2025 and are eliminating plastic straws from the neighbourhood. We also collaborate with our restaurants to research alternatives to harmful plastics, find sustainable solutions, and reduce plastic pollution at the source. These initiatives contribute to a cleaner environment and inspire others to take similar actions towards a more sustainable future. Did you know?Thanks to the collective efforts of our tenants and the dedicated work of our Waste Recovery and Recycling Centre, we divert a substantial 2700 tons of waste from landfills each year. Approximately 2,100 tons of trash are recycled, and another 200 tons of organic waste (food and garden waste) are composted.We implemented a green lease target to eliminate certain single-use plastics by 2025.Look for our sweeper boat! This beloved trooper removes nearly two tons of waste from the canals and waterways monthly!Our tenants are strongly encouraged to separate their waste at source through a waste billing system based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle, underscoring our belief that those who generate waste should bear the cost of its disposal. All recyclable waste is then collected from tenancies free of charge, and food and organic waste separated at the source is charged at 50% of the rate that waste to landfill is charged.We appointed a Waste Compliance Officer in April 2022 to work alongside our tenants to ensure all staff receive the required training. Since then, we’ve witnessed remarkable tenant behaviour improvements, with some tenancies enhancing their diversion ratios by more than 30%! Well done, lovely tenants. Energy Energy We collaborate with all our tenants on energy-saving initiatives and have installed electricity meters on their premises, which is fantastic for monitoring usage and being eco-conscious. Plus, in certain spots around the neighbourhood, we're using seawater cooling for air conditioning and generating our own energy through solar panels, a game-changer for sustainability! Did you know?We’ve reduced our energy consumption by 40%We’re proud to be one of Africa’s greenest precincts and home to 22 green-rated buildings. Buildings in our neighbourhood save energy by using windows and skylights to provide 95% of their daytime lighting requirements.Our solar panels produce 1 640 000 kWh of clean energy (5% of the total power generated on the property is from solar).Recently, we installed four small-scale vertical wind turbines in the Silo District to assess their viability as an addition to our energy supply.Coming soon! Our waste-to-energy pyrolysis plant can thermally combust all on-site waste except glass, metal, and builder’s rubble. The process will leave behind a residue of 10 – 15% of the biomass processed, which can be used as road fill and for brickmaking. The plant's capacity is 1,000kg per hour, providing about 60% of the electricity required to operate the desalination plant. Watch this space! RECOGNITIONS
