City Power marked two milestones towards a sustainable energy future — honouring winners of the 2025 Schools’ Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management (EEDSM) competition and launching the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for municipal buildings.

The event, hosted at City Power’s headquarters on 13 August 2025, brought together pupils, teachers, and municipal officials to celebrate education-driven climate action. The EEDSM competition, run in partnership with the Department of Electricity and Energy, encourages high school pupils to develop innovative, sustainable energy solutions.

City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava praised participants, calling them “innovators shaping how our city uses and saves energy”. This year, 19 schools competed across three categories: posters promoting renewable energy, short videos on energy efficiency, and prototype models. Sgodiphola Secondary won first place (R35,000) for a cost-effective solar water heating model, followed by Seanamarena High (R25,000) for a household energy conservation video, and Jabulani Technical High (R15,000) for an automated classroom lighting system.

During the ceremony, City Power unveiled its EPC and 28 more for municipal buildings, certified under national regulations. EPCs measure a building’s energy efficiency based on 12 months of actual consumption and must be displayed in qualifying non-residential buildings.

Olga Chauke, Head of Energy at the City’s Environment and Infrastructure Services Department, said achieving EPC compliance demonstrates Johannesburg’s commitment to transparency, efficiency, and climate resilience. To date, 57 municipal buildings have been identified for certification, with 29 already issued EPCs, including Joburg Theatre and Joburg Market.

The celebration reflects City Power’s integrated energy transition approach — inspiring young innovators while improving municipal energy performance in line with the City’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Written by Tumi Mashishi