NHC goes green and reduces its electricity bill

NHC Health Centre has taken the steps to go green and save the environment to the next level.

The NHC Health Centre in Honeydew can now produce between 70 and 80 per cent of the electricity it needs daily to operate – thanks to a

multi-purpose building design which generates clean energy for the centre.

It costs R2,6 million to install the Solar Photo-Voltaic system which uses solar energy to generate electricity.

This system, which is called a grid-supplementary system, forms part of the centre’s architectural design, and in part turns its buildings into solar energy producers.

“The radiation from the sun is absorbed by solar cells which are installed on the roof of the building and its parking shades. The solar cells

then transport the radiation into a system in the building that turns it into electricity,” says Luigi Ferro, system consultant.

The system includes various other energy-saving measures such as LED lights and heat pumps, all of which aid the building in generating or

saving energy, thus making it less dependent on the energy that usually comes from the national electricity system.

Depending on the time of day, the number of people using electricity in the building, and the season, this solar system can generate up to 80 per

cent of the electricity required to power the centre.

The Honeydew centre has about 75 people working in it. That means, 75 people are making tea and coffee and powering their cellphones, laptops and PCs on any given day. Furthermore, it has a demanding air-conditioning system and lighting infrastructure, as well as medical equipment.

“With the high costs of electricity, and the ever-present issue around climate change, homes and businesses are finding alternative sources for electricity. Solar energy is fast-becoming a viable alternative energy source for businesses in South Africa where we have an average of eight hours of sunshine per day – compared to the four hours per day global average,” says Hermann Kohlöffel, managing director at NHC Ltd.

Ferro believes that constantly changing technologies are bringing new and innovative ways for people to function in their environments. Solar technology is becoming more popular as more people educate themselves about ways they can reduce costs at home and work.