Victory Park resident Don Boroughs won the first prize in the category for energy saving in households at the Eskom ETA Awards.
To win, entrants needed to reduce their electricity consumption in their homes by 75 percent.
For the past 16 years Boroughs made small changes to his home. Among other things he installed a solar geyser, used a wood-fired closed combustion fireplace and gas heating.
“I now have a variable speed pool pump as well which uses only a fraction of the energy ordinary pumps would consume,” said Boroughs. “The changes in our home include the extensive use of LED lighting throughout the house.”
With his project Boroughs and his family achieved savings of about R20 000 per year.
“The changes that I made to my home, can also be applied by other people in their homes. I have been living here for a long time and I have seen the difference the changes made. The changes are not drastic either.”
Boroughs said his cuts led to his house’s electricity consumption decreasing by three quarters in the past 16 years and he has plans to make his house even more green. He shares the knowledge about energy savings he has obtained through the years on his blog.
Details: Greenerhouse.co.za
