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Vodacom opens R80m green building in Lesotho

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 29 Nov 2017
Vodacom has unveiled its first green building in Maseru, Lesotho.
Vodacom has unveiled its first green building in Maseru, Lesotho.

South African telecom Vodacom has unveiled its first green building in Lesotho. The building is said to be worth R80 million.

According to Vodacom, the Maseru-based building is the biggest green building in Lesotho and the firms' second green building in the region. In 2012, Vodacom opened doors to the Innovation Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg.

"The new building is part of the Vodacom Group's new ways of working, which includes promoting a healthy working environment, encouraging recycling and the separation of waste products in the office, the use of technology in boardrooms, promoting telecommuting and reducing our carbon footprint. This building is carbon neutral and powered by renewable energy," explained Vodacom Lesotho MD Rishaad Tayob. "We aim to be one of the leading companies in Lesotho to roll out a building powered by renewable energy and lead in the promotion of a green economy," he added.

According to Tayob, 86 out of a total 300 base station sites in Lesotho are powered through a combination of energy-saving technologies such as wind and solar power, with other technologies, including power system optimisation that ensures business continuation, for up to three hours, in the event of a power failure.

"There is a strong business case for installing green base stations as they reduce ongoing operating costs and these cost savings will ultimately benefit our customers. Our base stations are powered independently of diesel generators or the national grid, making these among the first of their kind worldwide, this is why it was a natural for us to launch a green build," said Tayob.

In 2016, 193 world leaders adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, of which Goal 13 - climate action - includes taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impact on the world. Corporate companies have been urged to play their role in assisting to meet the set targets of ending the threats of climate change by 2030.

Diego Gutierrez, chief officer for international markets at Vodacom Group, noted that the telco's success in the country would be returned through constant growth in the country. "We will return that trust and support, in the form of explicit commitment, in the form of this investment, superior customer service and delivering products that empower customers and measurably contribute to socio-economic development in Lesotho."

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