Promoting energy efficiency in a South African university

Maistry, Nandarani; McKay, Tracey

doi:10.17159/2413-3051/2016/v27i3a1553

Cited by 20 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…In Nigeria for example, public universities often experience rolling blackouts due to the high demand for electrical energy and the inability of supply authorities to meet their demands (Adelaja et al , 2008). Such losses of electricity supply are hugely disruptive and costly (Maistry and McKay, 2016). To augment the shortage in electricity supply, many Nigerian public universities rely on diesel-powered generators that are expensive and not environmentally friendly.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determining key drivers of efficient electricity management practices in public universities in Southwestern Nigeria

Nunayon¹,

Olanipekun

Famakin

2020

IJSHE

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Purpose University campuses are one of the major consumers of electricity. Therefore, it is important to investigate factors related to electricity saving. This study aims to examine the key drivers in achieving efficient electricity management (EEM) practices in public universities. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the objective, 23 drivers of EEM practices were identified through a comprehensive literature review and an empirical questionnaire survey was performed with 1,386 electricity end-users of three public universities having staff and students’ halls of residences in Nigeria. The collected data were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 21) to identify the number of components that could represent the 23 identified drivers. Findings The relative importance index ranking results indicated that 18 drivers were critical. The top five most critical drivers were understanding of the issues, understanding the vision and goal of an energy management programme, knowledge and skill, risk identification and good and effective communication among relevant stakeholders. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that the underlying grouped drivers were raising awareness, top management support and robust energy management team, risk management and stakeholders’ participation. This study also indicates that the most dominant of the four underlying groups was raising awareness, which highlights the role of increasing awareness and public consciousness as a significant catalyst in promoting EEM practices in public universities. Research limitations/implications Geographically, this study is limited to the opinion of respondents in public university campuses in Nigeria. Although this study could form the basis for future studies, its limitation must be considered carefully when interpreting and generalizing the results. Practical implications This paper has highlighted a few drivers of EEM practices in public universities. The results of this study present scientific evidence that can be used as a basis for formulating public policies that could be incorporated into the energy management regulations of university buildings. It is most important for policymakers to pay adequate attention to the most critical drivers especially those that are related to the “raising awareness” factor to promote sustainable campuses. Originality/value This study provides practical knowledge for university management to develop effective methods to implement the identified drivers of efficient and sustainable electricity management on the campus. This study also contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of energy management.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determining key drivers of efficient electricity management practices in public universities in Southwestern Nigeria

Nunayon¹,

Olanipekun

Famakin

2020

IJSHE

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“…In general, universities are facing acute funding shortfalls, as they have been inadequately funded by the State; with State's contribution to university budgets falling to only 40 per cent in 2012. 1 Thus, many universities are dealing with operating deficits, as they battle to pay salaries, maintenance, library acquisitions and even services such as water and lights (Maistry and McKay 2016;Qonde 2016). Consequently, in terms of universities assisting unfunded students, there is significant pressure to ensure that funds awarded to the right student at the right time (Harrison-Walker 2010;Badat 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student funding and student success: A case study of a South African university

Naidoo

McKay

2018

SAJHE

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The 2015/16 #FeesMustFall protests brought the insufficient tertiary-level student funding problem into the national consciousness, with students arguing they are being excluded from higher education as they do not have sufficient funds. But, the relationship between academic success and access to student funding is not clear. Thus, this study sought to contribute clarity to our understanding of the relationship between student bursary funding and academic performance. Methodologically, it involved an analysis of 8099 undergraduates for the 2011 cohort year. This 2011 cohort was tracked over a period of three years, a period considered as minimum time to gradation. Results show that was no relationship between students being awarded a bursary, and their successful graduation (throughput). Nor was there any relationship between the value of bursary awarded and students' academic performance. Furthermore, the presence of genuine outliers in the dataset is an indication that the allocation of bursary money to individual students must be made more transparent and accountable. In terms of the cohort under study it can be concluded that student academic performance was not a function of bursary funding, although merit bursaries awarded on academic merit yielded the best results. We conclude that student funding is a complex and challenging function, and cannot be viewed as a simple action of funding financially needy students. The limitations of the study should also be noted: it was confined to one large contact institution of higher education and it does not capture those students who take four or more years to complete their qualification.

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“…Energy-efficient facilities are not common in South Africa; therefore, technical interventions must be supported in order to achieve energy efficiency [44]. [45] is of the view that wellmotivated personnel are best at developing and implementing energy efficiency policies which can produce benefits such as cost reduction, savings on utility bills, improvements in ways in which facilities and equipment are operated and maintained, and creation of energy efficient systems.…”

Section: The March 2008 Issue Of South African Energy Statistics [32]mentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Crises in South Africa and New Ways of Fast-Tracking Remedial Actions Through Diversified and Decentralised Generation

Nhleko¹,

Inambao²

2020

International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology

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Promoting energy efficiency in a South African university

Abstract: Electricity supply issues have resulted in widespread blackouts and increased utility costs in South

Cited by 20 publications

References 37 publications

Determining key drivers of efficient electricity management practices in public universities in Southwestern Nigeria

Determining key drivers of efficient electricity management practices in public universities in Southwestern Nigeria

Student funding and student success: A case study of a South African university

Energy Crises in South Africa and New Ways of Fast-Tracking Remedial Actions Through Diversified and Decentralised Generation

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