TWO second-year Bachelor of Architecture students at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) are among three deserving recipients of bursaries from the Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency (SAEE), a chapter of the US-based Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).
NMMU students Brian Saunders and Sheree Anne Marinus and a second-year student from the Durban University of Technology (DUT) are the three recipients.
All three candidates delivered excellent academic results in their first year of study with former Grey High School matriculant Brian attaining 11 distinctions in his first year. He was also named the 2010 Student with the Best Overall Performance in the First Year of Study in Bachelor of Architectural Studies’ Award at NMMU.
“When we consider the vast amount of renewable energy resources available in South Africa, it is hard to understand that our country’s energy sector continues to rely almost completely on our coal reserves as a means of producing electricity,” said Brian.
He ascribes the reasons for this to be the global skills shortage in the renewable energy field as well as the high cost of harnessing renewable resources.
“With his positive attitude towards challenges and creative problem-solving work ethic, we feel confident that Brian will make a contribution to reducing the load placed on energy resources through his Architectural field of study, especially since the building sector is one of the highest users of energy across the world,” said Prof LJ Grobler, President of the SAEE, at the official hand-over of the bursaries which formed part of the SAEE’s Annual Banquet and Awards ceremony.
The SAEE bursary committee was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm shown toward the energy efficiency cause by these youngsters. The three students have been earmarked as persons with great vision for the future of South Africa.
A touching motivation from Sheree Anne Marinus grabbed the attention of the SAEE bursary committee.
Her biggest dream is to make a difference to township living by contributing towards affordable, durable family homes through Architectural innovation. Homes that are sustainably built to last for a long time without requiring unnecessary resources to make it optimally habitable is her vision.
“Homes without leaks, without too much solar radiation penetrating through them, homes that these families can live comfortably in for a long time without using scarce resources to sustain it”, said Sheree.
The SAEE annually awards three bursaries to deserving students in the built environment, environmental and engineering fields of studies to encourage them to continue making contributions to an energy efficient economy for the country. This year a staggering 51 applications were received from educational institutions across the country.
Alan Straton
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