In the hospitality industry going green and embracing sustainability are vital for environmental preservation, resource conservation, and long-term economic viability. It has become a corporate responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to global efforts in combating climate change, ensuring a healthier planet for current and future generations.
‘The revoir is a state-of-the-art structure that looks like a big money vault, but it contains something a lot more precious,’ says Peermont Maintenance Manager Jannie Roos, who spearheaded the project since 2023. ‘Emperors Palace can utilize up to 800 000 litres of water a day, which is equivalent to about 5 300 bathtubs being filled up. However, with the implementation of our onsite boreholes and a water reservoir, we’ll have a storage capacity of 2.9 million litres.’ The project not only prioritizes water conservation and management but also alleviates pressure on ailing municipal infrastructure in the Ekurhuleni area. In addition, there is a fire reservoir of 600 000 litres in the event of a fire which further unburdens local water resources.
Energy Efficiency: Illuminating the Way Forward
With the prevalent sunshine of Gauteng, The Palace of Dreams boasts an impressive array of 13,000 solar panels generating over 3,424 kWh, which is enough to power 180 houses. This solar initiative aligns with future plans to add an additional 2 megawatts in solar production, further solidifying Emperors Palace’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions. Coupled with electricity With the prevalent sunshine of Gauteng, The Palace of Dreams boasts an impressive array of 13,000 solar panels generating over 3,424 kWh, which is enough to power 180 houses. This solar initiative aligns with future plans to add an additional 2 megawatts in solar production, further solidifying Emperors Palace’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions. Coupled with electricity meters that have been strategically installed, this provides the ability to monitor and manage energy consumption across the resort effectively.
Part of Emperors Palace’s pledge to energy efficiency has seen the resort transition all lights to energy-saving LEDs, minimizing energy consumption. This includes the fluorescent lighting to the back of house and office areas that were not only a drain on electricity but required specialised services for the removal and disposal of the hazardous tubes.
Recycling: Wasting No Time
Emperors Palace takes pride in its waste reduction and recycling efforts having invested in it for over a decade. The resort recycles hundreds of square meters of waste annually, diverting substantial amounts from landfills. With a recycling program currently achieving a 60% waste diversion rate, Emperors Palace is making significant strides in reducing CO2 emissions, water, and energy consumption.
‘One of our integral waste reduction initiative is our organic composter,’ says Peermont Hospitality Executive Dave Milne, of the industrial waste machine that converts all organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. ‘The composter is integral to us since we have over 16 restaurants on complex as well as 3 hotels and being able to dispose of organic waste on the property further contributes to environmental sustainability and not ending up in municipal landfills.’
The compost is donated to local golf courses to successfully sustain their fairways with the rich organic matter.
2023 in Numbers
In 2023, Emperors Palace made noteworthy strides in sustainability, doing their part to conserve energy. ‘Last year we managed to reduce our carbon footprint quite significantly,’ says Milne, sharing the numbers from the various green initiatives.
2,033,958 kWh in energy was conserved
1593 trees were saved
2,448,908 litres of water saved
279,856 m² in CO2 emissions reduced.
These accomplishments underscore the success of the Emperors Palace’s green initiatives and its dedication to making a positive environmental impact. ‘This is just the beginning a in years to come we aim to be fully self-sufficient,’ concludes Milne of Emperors Palace’s pledge to keep at the forefront of green technology. Electricity generation, LED lighting, heat pumps, power factor correction, metering, and more efficient chiller technology. Is only the start.
