By Michael Hamlyn

The V&A Waterfront Property Company is looking to use the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean to cool its buildings, according to a note circulated on Tuesday by Simply Green Online, a South African website focussing on green news and information.

Colin Devenish, executive manager of the company's services department, is expected to present a proposal to shareholders for a R4.6 million project to achieve this.

Devenish spoke late last year at the Green Building Council Convention in Cape Town where the Council's environmental ratings system for buildings, Green Star SA, was launched.

Devenish said that the V&A Waterfront Company's 85 buildings were valued in the region of R7 billion.

While seawater is already used in the Waterfront residential units, the proposed project will use seawater for the air-conditioning in the retail sector.

Of the company's energy bill, 40%-50% is for air conditioning while 17% - 25% is for lighting.

An audit by specialised contractors of the entire electrical and water services is underway and is also expected to highlight ways to conserve water in toilet flushing systems as well as the recycling of water. The company will be going out to tender for a recycling operator in the near future.

Source: I-Net Bridge