Wide selection of sensors meets needs in monitoring and detection of a range of gases in a variety of applications, including leak detection in refrigeration and gas systems and solvent detection in air-conditioning systems 

Johannesburg, South Africa, 20 June, 2017 - RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the global distributor for engineers, has announced availability of a diverse range of compact gas sensors from Figaro, a world leader in developing gas detection sensor technology.

Targeting a wide range of gas monitoring and detection applications across many industrial sectors, the Figaro range employs multilayer, semiconductor and electrochemical detection methods that are specially optimised for specific gas types.  

Key applications include safety, alarms, measurement and control systems, leak detection in refrigeration and gas systems, detection of combustible gases, solvent detection in factories and in air-conditioning systems, and the monitoring of air quality and carbon monoxide. T

he sensor selection covers a wide range of gases including carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ammonia, chlorine, hydrogen sulphide, methane, halocarbons, LP (liquid petroleum) gas and other combustible gases.

The range also covers several air-quality sensors designed to measure the presence of volatile organic compounds, which can often be responsible for ‘sick building syndrome’. Other products include a series of evaluation modules that are designed to perform the testing of various sensors within the Figaro range to provide an understanding of application performance, plus gas test boxes and a wide choice of sensor sockets. 

The Figaro gas sensor range is now available from RS.

 -Ends-  

About RS Components 

RS Components is the market leader in the high service level distribution of electrical, electronic, mechanical, tools and industrial products. Operating in 26 countries whilst serving a further 100 through third-party distributors, RS serves every sector of industry in the procurement of their products relating to maintenance, repair, operations, low volume production, research and development.   

With over 500 000 products across 2500 leading brands, the company is committed to ensuring that their 1,5 million customers have fast access to a broad, as well as deep range, of products and technologies, all under one roof. RS’s customers, whether ordering single or multiple items, experience a quick, easy, secure, painless and cost effective process.  The RS catalogue, available at za.rs-online.com, offers full colour pictures with extensive clear product specifications. 

Free access to thousands of datasheets ensures the correct product choice.  Order placement is easily facilitated through za.rs-online.com, the call centre, e-mail, fax and trade counter.  Locally held stock is delivered to customers within 24 hours, and products held internationally, within four to six working days.    

It is proven that departments traditionally spend 80% of their time sourcing products that account for only 20% of their total procurement spend. RS is focussed on reducing the customers “total cost of product ownership” by reducing the need to make multiple calls to various companies to source products, reducing supplier related administration and allowing for the amalgamation as well as consolidation of supplier bases. 

Through this process, procurement efficiency is improved and time is freed up to concentrate on the more important business decisions. 

For more information, please visit the website at za.rs-online.com 

Press Office:                                                                       

Le-andra Olivier

PR and Communication Specialist

RS Components South Africa

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

+27 11 691 9345 

Further information is available via these links:

Twitter: @RSNewsSA; @RSElectronics; designsparkRS

Facebook: facebook.com/RSSouthAfricaRS Components on

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/company/rscoms 

Relevant Links:

RSProRS Components South Africawww.electrocomponents.comDesignSpark Magazine - http://www.designspark.com 

Pretoria, South Africa – Prokon Software Consultants, the preferred Autodesk Gold Partner for Civil and Structural Engineering in South Africa and an accredited Training & Certification Centre, as well as an Autodesk Authorised Developer, today announced that it has earned the new Construction Specialisation designation for value added resellers from Autodesk, Inc., a world leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. As an Autodesk Specialised Partner, Prokon has shown that they have made a significant investment in their people, they have a business plan specific to their specialisation area, they have customer references, and that they can offer a high level of technical background and support to customers in the construction industry. 

The new Autodesk Partner Specialisations enable value added resellers to highlight and brand their expertise in delivering services in key industry areas. By completing the required curriculum and training, as well as meeting required levels of service and standards set by Autodesk, Prokon demonstrates they are trusted advisers to Autodesk customers throughout Africa.

“We help companies to deliver projects that are high quality, on time, on budget and to customers’ specification. Our integrated solution assists with greater visibility over the lifecycle of the project and streamlines communication.” – Leon van Rensburg, BIM Solution Specialist, Prokon Software Consultants.  

“Prokon, Autodesk and BIM360, will transform your business into a technologically advanced competitor in the industry.” – Sampie Goosen, BIM Implementation Specialist, Prokon Software Consultants.  

To be the first Autodesk Partner in Emerging Europe awarded with the Construction Specialisation is not only an honour but also a true reflection of the hard work and dedication that our Prokon team bring to the construction industry. With over 28 years’ engineering experience and an Autodesk Advanced Structure Specialisation, Prokon Software Consultants is known to be the leaders in the structural industry. Combining our expertise within these two industries, we are adding value to our customers by expanding our professional solution driven services within the African market.  

Partner with Prokon to experience the full BIM solution.  

Autodesk is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates, in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.  

Highly flexible coloured LED strips are ideal for integration into architectural features and for outside use 

Johannesburg, South Africa, 19 June, 2017 - RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE: ECM), the global distributor for engineers, has announced the availability of new flexible LED strips and accessories from Osram. The LINEARlight FLEX range features a series of coloured LED strips that are flexible and can be cut to fit custom lighting installations, making them especially suitable for use in architecturally integrated applications as well as being suitable for outdoor use.  

The range includes LED strip lights that are ideal for architectural integration such as being placed on walls or under coves or around other complex contours. They can also be used on handrails or to provide illumination in information signage, advertising hoardings or in display cabinets. Providing a smooth diffuse illumination solution that is ideal for use where light needs to flow around architectural features, custom lighting solutions can be easily created as the LINEARlight FLEX strip modules are flexible and feature easy cut points to support design freedom. 

Delivering diffused light lines without visible spots, the strips are available in long operational lengths, with a single power feed for lengths up to 6m. The modules also offer extra-strong self-adhesive backside for easy mounting. Constructed from high-performance silicone, the LED strips provide IP67 protection and resistance to UV light sources, according to ISO 4892-2 - Method A, and resistance to salt mist, according to IEC 60068-2-52 severity 1. 

As well as a wide range of LED colours – including white LED strips with colour temperature options from 2700K to 6500K, red, green and blue LED-strip products – the LINEARlight FLEX range also includes LED drivers, controllers, dimmers and mounting accessories.  

The Osram LINEARlight FLEX range now available from RS. More information on these products, and other lighting solutions from RS, can be found here: http://za.rs-online.com/web/c/lighting/. 

-Ends-  

About RS Components 

RS Components is the market leader in the high service level distribution of electrical, electronic, mechanical, tools and industrial products. Operating in 26 countries whilst serving a further 100 through third-party distributors, RS serves every sector of industry in the procurement of their products relating to maintenance, repair, operations, low volume production, research and development.   

With over 500 000 products across 2500 leading brands, the company is committed to ensuring that their 1,5 million customers have fast access to a broad, as well as deep range, of products and technologies, all under one roof. RS’s customers, whether ordering single or multiple items, experience a quick, easy, secure, painless and cost effective process.  The RS catalogue, available at za.rs-online.com, offers full colour pictures with extensive clear product specifications. 

Free access to thousands of datasheets ensures the correct product choice.  Order placement is easily facilitated through za.rs-online.com, the call centre, e-mail, fax and trade counter.  Locally held stock is delivered to customers within 24 hours, and products held internationally, within four to six working days.    

It is proven that departments traditionally spend 80% of their time sourcing products that account for only 20% of their total procurement spend. RS is focussed on reducing the customers “total cost of product ownership” by reducing the need to make multiple calls to various companies to source products, reducing supplier related administration and allowing for the amalgamation as well as consolidation of supplier bases. 

Through this process, procurement efficiency is improved and time is freed up to concentrate on the more important business decisions. 

For more information, please visit the website at za.rs-online.com 

Press Office:                                                                       

Le-andra Olivier
PR and Communication Specialist RS Components South Africa
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+27 11 691 9345 

Further information is available via these links:

• Twitter: @RSNewsSA; @RSElectronics; designsparkRS
• Facebook: facebook.com/RSSouthAfricaRS Components on
• LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/company/rscoms 

Relevant Links:

RSProRS Components South Africawww.electrocomponents.com
DesignSpark Magazine - http://www.designspark.com 

More than 15 tons of recycled, Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) have already gone into the production of 20,000 Greenlite Concrete blocks used in the new Table Bay Mall that is currently being constructed. Expected to open its doors at the end of September this year, this 65 000 m² regional shopping centre is located on a 20 ha site on the corner of the R27 (West Coast Road) and Berkshire Boulevard in the heart of the rapidly growing West Coast area. 

Vivid Architects / Group Five Construction contractors are at the helm of the project, and specified Greenlight Concrete blocks for use primarily on the fire escape passages owing to the product’s excellent fire rating. 

“With climate change looming and the rising cost of energy, building contractors are looking at sustainable building options. Over the past 18 years, we have been involved in the manufacturing and installing of Alternative Building Technologies. We were looking for a more environmentally friendly way of implementing our insulated building systems, when we started experimenting with recycled polystyrene as the basis for our energy efficient walling systems,” explains Hilton Cowie, Technical Director of Greenlite.

Greenlite’s Insulated Concrete is the culmination of more than 18 years’ of experience and research, the blocks consist of recycled polystyrene which is used as a lightweight aggregate mixed with cement and additives to form insulated, soundproof, fireproof, water-resistant lightweight concrete blocks and screeds that have already been used in various large, commercial projects such as the Trumpet Towers in Johannesburg, the BMW Pavilion and Zeits Museum in the V&A Waterfront, Baywest Mall in Port Elizabeth and the Gautrain Station in Sandton.

“The developers were amazed at how quick and easy it was for them to build the walls using Greenlite blocks. Because these blocks are lightweight, they are easy to move around the site and the engineers saved weight loading onto the suspended concrete slabs,” Cowie says.

These blocks are proving invaluable to the construction industry where clients and contractors are able to reduce their structural concrete and steel requirements due to the lightweight nature of the walls. The highly insulated walls also offer the added benefit of further energy savings to the client over the lifespan of the building. Greenlite Concrete accepts any form of polystyrene for recycling on their premises, and is willing to assist in arranging collection of large quantities of Polystyrene.   

"We recycle and use the polystyrene faster than we can get our hands on it.  Builders Warehouse are now also exclusive stockists of our various sized Jumbo blocks and screeds, creating an even greater demand for polystyrene that we can use,” Cowie explains.

“We are very excited about the growing popularity and rapid market acceptance of this new building technology. Not only does it have a direct and positive impact on our recycling rates by diverting large volumes of post-consumer polystyrene from our country’s landfills, but it also helps to create more employment opportunities, reduce building costs and increases productivity. We are hoping to improve on our 2016 record of 2 036 tons of polystyrene that were successfully recycled through our Project Build,” concludes Adri Spangenberg, Director of the Polystyrene Packaging Council.  

For more information, visit www.polystyrenepackaging.co.za or www.greenliteconcrete.co.za

Polystyrene recycling in South Africa has continued to grow in 2016, contrary to international reports that labelled this versatile product as “challenging to recycle” and sometimes even as being unrecyclable.

According to Polystyrene Packaging Council Director, Adri Spangenberg, the reprocessing of expanded and high impact polystyrene has increased by 106 % between the period 2013 and 2015 in South Africa owing to the fact that more end-markets were developed and knowledge of the fact that the material can successfully be reused in various different applications, continued to grow.   

“We are still awaiting the official recycling figures for 2016, but early indications show that approximately 3 600 tons of recycled polystyrene were added to the traditional recycling figures – making this our best year to date,” Adri says.   

“We have managed to prove that polystyrene can successfully be recovered from households and industries by working closely with waste management companies and municipalities. Moreover, our recycling projects are undoubtedly successful and yet another proof that South Africa is a truly unique country. We may be small, but we have our own way of doing things and have an ability to find solutions to problems that the rest of the world might find insurmountable,” she says.   

Polystyrene is widely being used by spaza shops, take-away vendors, cafeterias and supermarkets around the country due to the fact that it insulates food and beverages, protects food and contents, is cost-effective, lightweight and convenient. Although it is a single-use plastic item, it gets recycled into items that continue to improve lives and create jobs in a variety of different industries, ranging from building and construction, to picture frames, cornices and home décor, clothing hangers and stationery.    

“Last year alone, 2 036 tons of polystyrene were successfully recycled for use in lightweight concrete through our Project Build,” Spangeberg says. Hilton Cowie of Greenlite Concrete (http://greenliteconcrete.co.za) in Cape Town and Hennie Snyman of the Get Connected Group in Gauteng were the two biggest projects the PSPC currently supports, and uses recycled, post-consumer polystyrene for large commercial and residential construction projects around the country.  

“We needed to have hammermills installed at both these premises last year in order to assist with the processing of the large volumes of polystyrene that are required for their construction projects. These mills are capable of pelletizing 150 kg of expanded polystyrene per hour in order to keep up with the demand,” she explains.  

Another area that has seen impressive growth in the amount of recycled polystyrene it used, was the home décor market.  More than 1 377 tons of expanded and high impact polystyrene were recycled last year for use in picture frames, cornices and curtain rods through the PSPC’s Project Dècor. 

“Apart from the fact that it helped divert polystyrene from landfill, we are particularly pleased that this is another market where jobs and products were manufactured locally as opposed to relying on cheap imports from the Far East that have a detrimental impact on our own markets,” Spangenberg adds.

Looking ahead at 2017, the PSPC will continue to promote the use and the recycling of polystyrene to South Africans of all walks of life.  “The Davos World Economic Forum gathering released their report last week in which they called for strategies to dramatically increase recycling of plastic packaging — from the current 14 % to 70 %. 

So, whether you are an avid gardener who gets your plants from seedling trays, a business person getting your morning coffee from the work’s canteen or a miner enjoying your afternoon lunch from the cafeteria, the polystyrene you use should be recycled.  Plastic is worth much more than its original purpose when used in infrastructure applications.  For this reason, we believe that polystyrene should be re-used and recycled into building projects that will benefit many generations to come.  Our polystyrene recycling projects not only touch lives and improve communities, but are also key to reclaiming useful carbons and a valuable resource that would otherwise have been lost.  Polystyrene recycling helps to create jobs, opportunities and innovative new products in a true, circular economy model,” Spangenberg concludes.

Kigali, Lusaka and Dar es Salaam are open for business and are showcasing their future land and development plans at the African Real Estate Summit in Cape Town from 2-3 November 2016.

“We passionately believe that Africa is a continent of opportunity. With improving economies, rising populations, rapid rates of urbanisation and burgeoning middle classes, some African cities are expected to grow between 70-100% in the next 15 years.”  This is according to Mr Jean-Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG).

The UCLG Africa is the patron of the upcoming African Real Estate Summit in Cape Town - an international platform that will bring together the full spectrum of the continent’s real estate sector. The summit will assist African cities and governments in securing new international investment for economic development based around commercial real estate and infrastructure projects that will contribute to Urban Development Plans (UPDs).

Mr Mbassi adds: “it is our hope that the African Real Estate Summit can help African cities and local governments highlight the need for quality commercial and residential real estate that this growth creates. And in turn generate the partnerships and investments from investor groups, developers and operators to deliver on this worthwhile opportunity”.

The summit will provide an invaluable opportunity for investors, developers, landowners and the cities themselves to conduct business, sign contracts and develop the future cities of Africa. Alongside the Urban Development Plan City Showcase sessions, the two-day high-level conference will also offer private companies case studies and practical guidance on how to do business in new markets.

Leading African cities
The African Real Estate Summit has invited some of the top cities in Africa to showcase their UDPs in the form of models or presentations. This will allow for delegates and exhibitors to understand the future plans of developing cities and build business relationships with key city officials including: city managers, city mayors, city council members, town planners, town clerks, district officials and city and finance directors amongst others.

Some of the development opportunities to be showcased are in Lusaka, Kigali and Kigamboni in Dar es Salaam:

* The City of Lusaka’s vision is of an ECHO Garden City by providing a world class and competitive business and living environment by the year 2030. Lusaka will showcase the following urban developments and infrastructure projects:

• Chibolya Urban Renewal
• Grade Separation Junction improvement
• Dual Central Business District Development
• Industrial Parks Development

* The Rwandan capital of Kigali says its vision is to become: ‘The Centre of  Urban Excellence in Africa’ and will be showcasing:

• Nyarugenge: ‘‘The Green Financial Hub and vibrant Growth Centre of Kigali”
• Gasabo: ‘‘Diverse Employment Hub and Cultural Heartland of Kigali”
• Kicukiro: ‘‘Knowledge Hub and Green Gateway of Kigali”

* Tanzania’s capital Dar es Salaam will be showcasing the Kigamboni New City Master Plan, including residential, commercial, trade and business, industrial, educational, and tourism facilities.

The African Real Estate Summit is organised by Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK. Spintelligent is well known for organising exhibitions and conferences across the continent in the infrastructure, energy, mining, agriculture and education sectors. Longstanding flagship events by Spintelligent include African Utility Week, East African Power Industry Convention (EAPIC), West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC), Agritech Expo, DRC Mining Week and EduWeek.

UCGL Africa
The UCLG AFRICA is the umbrella organisation and the united voice and representative of local government in Africa. It is an institution that gathers 40 national associations of local governments from all regions of Africa as well as the 2000 cities that have more than 100.000 inhabitants. Therefore UCLG AFRICA represents nearly 350 million Africans citizens.

Dates for African Real Estate Summit 2016:
Showcase and conference: 2-3 November 2016
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: http://www.african-real-estate-summit.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ARES_Summit
Linkedin: African Real Estate Summit

Media contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Our ongoing efforts to grow out footprint in South Africa and selected countries are bearing fruit.

At our interim results announcement on February 18, we updated the market on the progress we are making.

Here’s a rundown of what’s in the development works.

In South Africa:

• We fully opened the 149-room City lodge Hotel Waterfall City Hotel at Midrand in February
• The 148-room City Lodge Hotel Newtown (downtown Johannesburg) is well underway and will open before the end of 2015
• The 90-room Road Lodge Pietermaritzburg will commence in February and is scheduled to open in November

Elsewhere in Africa:

• Earthworks are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2015 for the 169-room City Lodge Hotel Two Rivers in Nairobi, Kenya, and for the 147-room City Lodge Hotel Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
• A financial feasibility study is being conducted into the possible development of a 150-room City Lodge Hotel in Kampala, Uganda.
• A memorandum of understanding (subject to conditions) has been entered into for the possible development of a 140 to 150-room Town Lodge in Windhoek, Namibia
• Negotiations are at an advanced stage for the development of 150 to 160-room City Lodge Hotel in Maputo, Mozambique.

The bottom line is that we will soon have more great locations to meet your business and leisure accommodation needs – both in SA and elsewhere on the continent!

​In partnership with Power Construction, the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government Habitat for Humanity is calling on all active citizens to come together and join them in their Desmond Tutu International Build Week in Pelican Park from the 2 – 6 March.  Responding and putting into action the request in the words of their patron Archbishop Desmond Tutu “Do your little bit of good where you are - it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world’.  

Teams from as far afield as the USA and Ireland will be joining the build event together with 18 of  ​Habitat's International Board of Directors from across the 70 countries in which Habitat operates as they have chosen Cape Town as their venue for their Board meeting this year.   Funding provided by the event helps provide valuable funding for Habitat’s Social Facilitation Programme as part of Habitat’s community development work in the Pelican Park project.     

Through their Social Facilitation Programme in partnership with the communities and galvanising the support of active citizens and other stakeholder partners, communities are empowered to take ownership of their communities through leadership, skills development and self-belief to become the champions of their own developments and their communities.  

“Our five-year goal through our community development process is to meaningfully transform the lives of at least 100, 000 fellow South Africans living in communities across South Africa.  Help us achieve this by joining our team build event, helping to build homes, communities and hope” said Adrienne Burke, Habitat’s Marketing Manager.  If you or your company are interested in getting involved contact Habitat’s Head Office on 021 657 5640.    

Editors notes

Founded in 1996, Habitat for Humanity South Africa is the national organisation of Habitat for Humanity International and part of Habitat’s Europe, Middle East and African region. Habitat South Africa is entirely self-funded and works in partnership with all stakeholders to serve the poor and marginalised in our country. Based on the firm belief that decent shelter provides the greatest opportunity for families to break the cycle of poverty, Habitat works with all people to give a hand up in building homes, communities and hope.    

This press release has been distributed on behalf of our client, Habitat for Humanity South Africa.  

Top tips for saving and celebrating a greener Christmas 

Load shedding is a fact of life for the foreseeable future in South Africa and a little planning and creativity can alleviate a lot of the unpleasantness during the holidays. This is according to Evan Schiff, event director of the annual African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa conference and expo in Cape Town.

He says furthermore that higher electricity prices in South Africa have become an increasing strain on consumers’ monthly expenses and that “Christmas is a great time to introduce energy saving habits into a household as many easy and simple changes in the way we live can end up putting extra money into your pocket.”

Practical tips to plan for and cope with load shedding this holiday:
•    Be prepared, keep a regular eye on websites with information on load shedding schedules and print these out.  http://www.loadshedding.eskom.co.za/
•    Create a Whatsapp group for your neighbourhood and keep each other informed.
•    Make sure that there are enough candles, matches, torches, batteries and so forth for load shedding periods after dark.
•    Be ready for it! Make sure all cellphones, tablets, laptops and toys are fully charged before the lights go out. This way you can keep the kids entertained with a movie, or at least be able to use the phone.
•    Have fun activities ready for when the lights are off such as board games and family time around the barbeque.
•    Keep a gas burner as a back-up in the kitchen to be able to heat water and do essential cooking.   

An energy efficient holiday season
“There are a variety of ways we can use a lot less electricity this holiday season”, says Schiff, “such as using LED* Christmas lights which use 90% less electricity than regular Christmas lights. Consider investing in solar powered outdoor lights which can also be used on the Christmas tree and only come on at night.”

He continues: “up to 40% of all batteries are purchased during the holiday season so try to buy toys and gifts that don't use electricity or batteries. Gifts made of recycled material are also a great environmentally friendly gesture.”

More handy energy saving tips for the holiday season:
•    Don’t use the tumble dryer unnecessarily – it is summer, so take advantage of solar powered drying.
•    Turn off the room lights when the Christmas tree lights are on.
•    Set a timer to Christmas and outdoor lights to limit the time they are on.
•    Create a romantic and intimate atmosphere by using candles instead of lights.
•    Enjoy the weather and celebrate the holidays outside with a braai instead of cooking on a stove!  Or enjoy cold meats and salads during this summer season – it’s healthier and saves on power.
•    If you’re going away, turn off/ the geyser, empty and unplug the refrigerator.Advice for improving energy efficiency in your home during the year:
•    Invest in a geyser blanket. Unless the geyser is properly insulated, switching it off does not save electricity.
•    Insulate the roof to make the house cooler in summer and warmer in winter and thereby saving on seasonal heating and cooling.•    Switch off appliances at the wall plug when not in use.
•    Replace CFL (compact fluorescent lamps) bulbs with LED.
•    Use cold water to do laundry, it saves electricity and is better for the clothes.

Gathering thousands of energy professionals
For the past 14 years, the African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa conference and exhibition has helped to reduce the energy consumption of commercial and industrial large power users and has assisted in African utilities providing electricity and water to all of Africa. The event brings together thousands of utility professionals from across the globe to learn, share knowledge and debate the key topics that will secure the future development of Africa’s power industry. These include energy efficiency, improved service delivery, renewable energy, collaboration across the continent and investment in new power projects. South Africa’s state utility Eskom has been a key partner for many years.

The 15th edition of African Utility Week is expected to again attract more than 5000 attendees and feature 250 exhibitors, 190 speakers, eight conferences, free technical workshops on the expo floor, three high-profile plenary sessions and the coveted industry awards gala dinner. Stakeholders from across the industry and continent are represented, from Ministers of Energy through to power and water utilities, municipalities and regulators to investors and technology and service providers.  

Attending the African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa exhibition is free when registering in advance and it showcases energy saving technologies and services for the industry and features hands-on demonstrations and workshops on the exhibition floor.

*LED=light-emitting diodes

Eskom’s 49M campaign encourages all South Africans to take the 49M pledge to save at least 10% electricity.  http://www.49m.co.za

African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa are organised by Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK.

The dates for next year’s African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa are:  
Exhibition & Conference: 12-14 May 2015
Industry awards: 13 May 2015
Site Visits: 15 May 2015
Location:  CTICC, Cape Town
Website:  www.african-utility-week.com, www.clean-power-africa.com 

Contact for interviews:
Event director: Evan Schiff
Mobile: +27 83 415 3534
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.african-utility-week.com/pages/detail/15725

The second development phase at Somerset Lakes, a 42-hectare residential estate in Somerset West, will be released to the market in mid September. The first phase sold out rapidly, with 114 sales being recorded within just six weeks of the launch. Construction of the first phase is well under way and occupation is expected to take place in mid 2015.

The new phase, Waterford Green, comprises 48 freestanding double-storey houses, selling from R1,3 million including VAT, no transfer duty. These two and three bedroom homes offer spacious, contemporary, open-plan living areas and private gardens. All homes include at least two bathrooms, one being en suite, and the three-bedroom design offers a garage and an optional guest toilet.

According to Dave Harris, Sales and Marketing Manager of Somerset Lakes, the new product has been specifically designed to help meet the growing demand for affordable, quality housing in the popular Somerset West area.

“We’ve been inundated with requests from buyers looking for houses,” Harris said. “People want freestanding homes with gardens, views and security, in close proximity to the centre of Somerset West, and that’s exactly what our latest product at Somerset Lakes has to offer.”

Designed by Schabort Associates Architects, the new development phase is located alongside the six-hectare lake that gives the estate its name.

“This unique feature is a huge attraction,” Harris commented. “It’s ideal for swimming, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and fishing, and home to a rich variety of water birds. A magnificent community clubhouse on the shores of the lake, The Summer Club, will enhance the appeal of this fantastic recreational asset, providing residents with play areas, boat sheds, a sandy white beach, and a swimming pool and deck area with stunning views of False Bay and the Hottentots Holland mountains.”

The developers, Omwieco (Pty) Ltd, a consortium of highly experienced development professionals backed by financial giant Investec, have devoted no less than 40% of the estate’s total area to green, open space for the recreation of residents. This includes the lakes and other water features, a mature forest of stone pine trees, landscaped parks and gardens, and kilometres of walking trails and mountain biking tracks.

An indigenous fynbos nursery has been established on the estate, which was recently awarded the prized 2014 SALI Gold Award for landscape design by the South African Landscapers Institute.“No expense has been spared to implement the most technically advanced security system at Somerset Lakes,” said Harris. "These measures include electrified perimeter fencing with 70 high-definition surveillance cameras, which are monitored around the clock from the hi-tech guardhouse, 24-hour guarding and patrols, and an on-site rapid response team. Other advanced features include biometric fingerprint access control."

All homes in the estate will be hardwired with fibre-optic cabling for superfast internet access, DStv and VOIP telephone connectivity, which will allow free telephone calls within the estate.

A Curro Castle School is being constructed on the estate and is due to open its doors in 2015.

Convenient access to the Somerset West village has been provided by the developers through the R16 million construction of Reunion Drive, which links the main entrance of Somerset Lakes to Sir Lowry’s Pass Village Road under a specially constructed railway bridge. Just a few hundred metres from this entrance, an upmarket new shopping centre is now under construction, where Checkers, Woolworths Foods and Clicks will be the anchor tenants.The Vergelegen Mediclinic and the Somerset West CBD are less than two kilometres away, while popular Somerset Mall shopping centre is just 3,5 kilometres from the estate.

“When you consider the amazing lifestyle advantages Somerset Lakes offers, the security, the convenience of the surrounding amenities, and the incredible natural beauty of the estate, I have no doubt our second phase will sell as fast as the first one,” said Harris.“I strongly advise anyone interested to register online for an invitation to a pre-launch sales opportunity, ahead of our public launch in mid September, to avoid disappointment.”

For further information visit www.somersetlakes.co.za or phone 021 202 2200.