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Singita: Sustainability on the wild side

South Africa-based Singita has a dozen lodges and camps in three southern African countries, but it calls itself a conservation company.

With properties in wilderness areas, sustainability initiatives run the gamut from upcycling furniture to using solar power. Andrea Ferry, Singita’s sustainability consultant, says recent refurbishments to two lodges at Kruger National Park in South Africa were managed to minimize waste. Local artists were employed to provide interior decoration, and hard-wearing rhino wood walkways and baths that require less water to fill were added.

A solar power facility in the park generates energy for the lodges; new HVAC systems are reducing power consumption by 50%. “Singita entered into a power purchasing agreement with the renewable energy provider,” Ferry says. “This meant we did not have to put up the cost of the system up front. This is a good way to reduce the potential cash flow burden of a large infrastructure investment.” Ferry told HOTELS about other initiatives the company is undertaking to “touch the earth lightly.”

HOTELS: What are some energy-saving initiatives that the South African lodges are utilizing?

ANDREA FERRY: Installation of DVM inverter HVAC systems reduced power consumption by 50%. All old HVAC systems where pumped down to prevent depleting gases from escaping into the ozone. Depleting gases where captured via recovery system to prevent ozone-depleting gases from venting into the ozone. 

H: How much of an investment was made for those improvements, and what impact on the bottom line do you expect?

AF: Singita entered into a Power Purchasing Agreement with the renewable energy provider. This meant we did not have to put up the cost of the system up front. This is a good way to reduce the potential cash flow burden of a large infrastructure investment. Since the (Singita Kruger National Park) site was off-grid, the business case was clearer than for our other on-grid lodges, which are resourced by relatively cheap national grid energy.

A suite at Singita's Sweni Lodge, in South Africa's Kruger National Park
A suite at Singita’s Sweni Lodge, in South Africa’s Kruger National Park

H: Can you to share more details on energy savings?

AF: Singita has already seen promising results from the PV power installation. A 70%-80% drop in diesel use in the generators means the system is forecast to save close to 1,000 tons of carbon emissions a year. Generator diesel usage was 77% less in the first six months of (2017) than for the same period in 2016, due primarily to the installation of the new technology. The system is capable of producing 1600MW hours of clean energy a year. This is enough energy to power 430 middle-income South African homes.

Solar panels at Kruger National Park
Solar panels at Kruger National Park

H: Were there any challenges in shifting to clean energy?

AF: Our concessionaire, SANParks, were open to Singita shifting to clean energy. That said, there were still administrative hoops to jump through to enable the project to go ahead. Since land conservation is SANParks’ primary concern, we needed to apply for permission to install the solar PV system. We had four environmental audits during construction, worked closely with our park ranger to ensure we were abiding by the rules, and followed the environmental management plan for the project. After completion, SANParks also sent a delegation to view the site as they are keen to shift their park rest camps to renewable energy. We were very pleased to be able to show a successful installation for this purpose.  

H: What would you offer as a convincing argument that an upfront investment in sustainable energy is a good one?

AF: Diesel cost prices are extremely difficult to predict, but grid-based electricity prices are rising across the world, and solar costs are falling. The cost of solar panels has dropped 60% in the last 10 years, and battery costs are dropping too.

Multiple factors that feed into an assessment of the financial aspects of an investment in renewable energy infrastructure: whether the site is on- or off-grid, and if on-grid, what are the electricity costs and whether they are expected to increase. Desire for energy independence and grid stability should also be assessed, as this also has a business (and hence financial) impact. Although each case should be looked at individually, the case for shifting is definitely clearer than it has ever been before.

H: Any sustainability initiatives at Singita Kruger National Park in the next year or so?

AF: We are following the 10 sustainability principles of the One Planet Framework, so we continue to work on many projects from the environmental to the social. More specifically, now that we have a fantastic solar PV plant installed we would like to further reduce energy usage and cut hours required from the generators to an absolute minimum. We will do this by continuous engagement with staff on energy saving and by ensuring additions or replacements of equipment are of the highest energy efficiency standards.

As ever Singita Krueger National Park will have a strong focus on water. In 2018 we are increasing our water metering to achieve better granularity on leakage rates and functional areas of usage, so we can further reduce water consumption. Our biological waste water system (a system of reed beds) will undergo a refurbishment to ensure our waste water is treated optimally and that water released back to the river systems is of a high standard.

H: What do you think is the most urgent sustainability issue in the coming year for the hotel industry?  

The lack of urgency over mitigating climate change is our most critical issue. I fear many hotel owners are unaware of the massive impacts climate change is most likely going to have on their businesses. Everything from water shortages, damage from fire and flooding, to labor interruptions and social unrest is likely to result from extreme weather events caused by climate change. Although it seems to many a distant and vague occurrence, it is real and here, and we should all be doing as much as we can as quickly as possible to mitigate, and prepare for adaptation. This means taking a serious look at energy usage and other connected factors, such as land use.

Hotels have an important part to play in showcasing and educating guests and staff to run their own homes and businesses in more sustainable ways. The challenge is in how to maintain a wonderful guest experience and educate about these serious matters. Singita, as a conservation company and a tourist destination, strives for this balance of guest service and sustainability advocacy.

H: What is the hotel industry ignoring at its peril?

AF: Ignoring our sustainability challenges means operating, as we know it will cease to exist. Resources will not be as free flowing, and social conditions more rocky as drought, environmental refugees, demand for land and increasing inequality cause business and supply chain interruption and reduce the attractiveness of certain locations. Invest in sustainability now as an investment in your future business.

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