Launched by our GM, Malcolm Samuel and Environmental Manager Ayanda Duma in September 2021, our Dragonfly Eco Awards are designed to draw our attention back to the ‘eco’ in our name. How eco-friendly are the homes on Simbithi, and how naturally beautiful are the accompanying gardens? Through the awards, we would like to reward homeowners who abide by our protocols, taking pride in the natural beauty of Simbithi.
The awards carry several benefits, including:
1. Habitat creation for all life on Simbithi
2. Increase public awareness of certain environmental practices
3. Encouraging best practice
4. Promotion of sustainability and eco-friendly practices in Simbithi, and other estates
5. Increase property values
How Do I Enter?
If you would like to participate, contact our environmental department (ea@simbithi.com) and let us know you’d like your home assessed. Entry is voluntary and will not be mandatory.
Once a year, a team comprising members of our environmental committee will visit the participating gardens by appointment, and assess the property based on:
1. Energy efficiency: using less energy to perform a task, thereby eliminating energy waste, and reducing gas emissions.
2. Water efficiency: reducing unnecessary water consumption, making water consumption more sustainable by focusing on responsible resolutions for the use, and supply of, water.
3. Building assessment: ascertain the performance of houses in terms of contribution to sustainable development
4. Garden assessment: compliance with the primary aims of the Simbithi landscaping protocol (to ensure that all gardens are designed and maintained according to sound environmental principles) and encouraging the conservation and optimal biodiversity of flora to support locally indigenous wildlife
5. Your contribution to the “eco” in Eco-Estate: this, related to any environmentally friendly practises that are not included in the aforementioned categories e.g.: worm forms, compost heap, beehives, vegetable gardens (containers).
Ecological Rating System for Residential Properties
Sustainability and diversity
Promotion of sustainable ecological practises on Simbithi
Evaluation of buildings and gardens
Measuring of how environmentally sound the design, maintenance and structures of residential properties are.
Please note: this is not an audit and comes at no cost to residents.
What Happens After the Evaluation?
Each homeowner will be provided with the comprehensive results of each ecological evaluation. Your home will then be rated between one and five dragonflies, depending on how environmentally sound it is. You will then be able to display your dragonfly rating on your house signage. Properties with higher ratings are more likely to be sought after when offered for sale.
Rating System:
1. ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Energy efficient lights
90% or more LED lights: 5
30% – 90% LED lights: 3
Less than 30% LED lights: 0
2. WATER EFFICIENCY
Rain water collection and storage
30 000 or greater litres of rain water storage: 4
5 000 – 30 000 litres of rain water storage: 3
1 000 – 5 000 litres of rain water storage: 2
No rainwater storage: 0
3. BUILDING ASSESSMENT
Light
All rooms usable in main, daylight hours without artificial lighting: 4
50% or more rooms usable in main, daylight hours without artificial lighting: 2
Less than 50% of rooms usable in main, daylight hours without artificial lighting: 0
4. GARDEN ASSESSMENT
Locally indigenous plants
100% of plants in ground are locally indigenous: 4
80% – 99% of plants in ground are locally indigenous: 3
DRAGONFLY RATING
20%: 1 Dragonfly
40%: 2 Dragonflies
60%: 3 Dragonflies
80%: Four Dragonflies
95-100%: Five Dragonflies
If you have any questions, please contact our environmental manager Ayanda Duma on environmental@simbithi.com, or environmental assistant Rowina Kanniappen on ea@simbithi.com.
