About Us

The IEETR Centre.

The IEETR Centre a unit within MUT’s CDGT, under the auspices and in collaboration with the Technology Innovation Agency is devoted to support, promote, and develop energy efficiency technologies, training and skills transfer in the deployment of energy efficient solutions. Our key role players are Eskom, the GIZ (German International Agency) and TIA, all of whom are actively involved in the coordination and implementation of this program.

The key programs under the IEETR Centre will develop and drive the following:

Program 1: The BEAT Program.
Program 2: An Advanced Diploma in Energy Management.
Program 3: Diploma Program in Renewable Energy.
Program 4: Short Courses in the IEETR Centre.
Program 5: Measurement and Verification.
Program 6: Incubation Support Program (ISP) in Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Building Efficiency and Agro Processing Efficiency.
Program 7: Technology Development.

Program 1: The BEAT Program.

Since 2012 we have been setting up the Building Energy Audit Training (BEAT) programme for the KZN roll out. Our key role players are Eskom, the GIZ (German International Agency) and TIA, all of whom are actively involved in the coordination and implementation of this program.

To date, the pilot programme implemented the training of 25 BEAT students for 2012 of which some have been absorbed by Eskom IDM and some deployed into Industry. The IEETR Centre is now ready to take on the delivery of the BEAT training program for mass roll out in the KZN region.

This is a post – diploma program (NQF 7) scheduled to run for six months whose credits could be transferable to a cognate Advanced Diploma programme. The program has a course guide, course material and practical components in Energy Management, Measurement and Verification, Energy Auditing and Energy Optimization. The IEETR Centre seeks to gain the approval of the various Engineering advisory committees and ECSA accreditation for its intent to offer the BEAT program.

The IEETR Centre wishes to align the BEAT program in collaboration with Eskom, in order to help build capacity within the KZN region so that trainees may gain practical experience. The IEETR Centre in collaboration with Eskom will provide the resource that “mentor" and/or transfer of knowledge to the BEAT students. The students are then required to gain practical experience in Esco’s, companies and provincial government buildings within the KZN region and other regions.

The academic components and practical experience gained in the BEAT program will constitute a P2 component in the Engineering Diploma Program at MUT.

Program 2: An Advanced Diploma in Energy Management.

The MUT IEETR Centre in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering is of the opinion that an advanced diploma program in energy management will serve the needs of training and skills development within KZN and Mpumalanga. Such a program will be pitched at NQF level 7. The subjects will be:

Energy Management,
Energy Auditing,
Measurement and Verification,
Mathematics,
Project Management in Energy Efficiency,
Entrepreneurship in Energy Efficiency.

Program 3: Diploma Program in Renewable Energy.

Management at the IEETR Centre have motivated for a Diploma program in Renewable Energy to be incorporated into the Power Engineering strand in the Electrical Engineering Department at MUT. The idea is that students will be able to take these specialized Renewable Energy subjects within the Power Engineering strand. The students will also be able to cross paths between Power Engineering and Renewable Energy jobs. This will diversify the student’s selection of job preferences in the power and energy industries.

The following Renewable Energy Diploma subjects are to be incorporated with other Power Engineering subjects and have been accepted and approved within the Faculty of Engineering at MUT:

Principles of Solar Cells and Photovoltaic Engineering II.
Wind Energy Technology II.
Renewable Energy Systems: Analysis, Design and Applications III
Project Management in Renewable Energy III.

Program 4: Short Courses in the IEETR Centre.

The IEETR Centre is of the opinion that the following short courses once implemented will bring value to the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy mix.

Short course in Energy Auditing.
Short course in Energy Management.
Short course in Measurement and Verification.
Short course in Solar Cells and PV Engineering.
Short course in Wind Energy Technology.
Short course in Entrepreneurship in Energy Efficiency and RE.
Short course in Safety Management.
Short course in UPS.
Short Course in Project Management in EE and RE.

Program 5: Measurement and Verification (M&V) Centre.

The IEETR Centre intends to take on the role of energy advisor in energy management. To this effect, the centre Head, Professor S J Malinga has qualified and obtained certification as a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Certified Measurement, Verification Professional (CMVP) and Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) accredited by the World Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). Mr Shan Dwarika has obtained certification as a CEM. The centre is ready to assume the M & V role.

Program 6: Incubation Support Program (ISP) in Collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry.

In regards to the business opportunities within the EE and RE sectors the centre is in the process of aligning itself with the DTI’s Incubator Support Program (ISP). The Centre has identified and proposed five areas of incubation to the DTI. A formal application to the DTI for the IEETR Centre to be a facilitator for the incubators for start-up businesses for MUT’s graduates and youth in KZN and Mpumalanga has been initiated. Development of the business model for the following incubators is on-going.

Energy Efficiency: Energy Auditing, Energy Management, Measurement and Verification.
Renewable Energy: Solar PV and Wind Technology.
Agro Processing Efficiency.
Building Efficiency.
Water Efficiency.

Program 7: Technology Development in Collaboration with the MUT greening Initiative (MGI)

Technology Development will form a core objective of the IEETR Centre’s business practice.

The Technology Development Officer, Mr B S Ngwenya is currently engaged in research in

Areas of harvesting the sea wave energy. There are a number of academics from the Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering departments within MUT that are constructively engaged with the IEETR Centre via the MUT Greening Initiative (MGI).

Projects.

Solar Roof Design.
Hybrid Air Conditioning Project.
Sea Wave Energy Harnesser.
Mangosuthu University Energy Auditing.
Hot Water Project.
School Swimming Pool Project.
Water Efficiency Project.
Energy Awareness Campaign.

Gym Cycling to Electricity. Low cost green house,
“Plastic PET fibbers” in concrete,
Solar tiles for power generation incorporating capillary tubing to capture thermal energy,
Grey water recycling,
Transnet rail crossing project,
Thermo acoustic fridge,
Mother of Peace energy optimization Intervention,
Imvelo Solar Design.
Lab view based modelling and analysis of intelligent controlled hybrid green energy system.

The broad goals of the CDGT Centre are as follows:

To run an effective BEAT training course.
To develop an advanced diploma in energy management.
To develop and manage in conjunction with the department of electrical engineering a renewable energy diploma program.
To develop and offer short courses in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
To promote energy efficiency.
To collaborate with government and industry partners.
To train interns.
To establish a productive laboratory and test centre.
To strategically operate an Incubation Support Pprogram in EE and RE with world class quality standards in collaboration with DTI.
To identify the gaps in the Energy sector in KZN (and Mpumalanga).
To strive to instil the best engineering and business practices and application of sound and strategic project management principles towards the start-up businesses.
To develop MOU’s with industrial partners.
To hold seminars in the subject of energy efficiency and renewable energy. To have in place an effective seminar plan.
To host a website exclusive to the CDGT in conjunction with the MUT website.
To have in place an effective communication, marketing and operational plan.
To adhere to best practices in administration that is pitched at the level of an UOT. To adhere to sound financial management practice.
To collaborate with interested academics and industry in promoting various projects in EE and RE.
Research capacity building.
BEAT: Internship Training Program

The STEAM Centre:

The STEAM Centre integrates Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’ to incorporate the creative arts and culture into higher learning and education.

Since 2012, on realizing that South Africa’s innovation levels do not correlate with the country’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduation levels, MUT has been in conversation with similarly-concerned individuals and institutions on the identification and deployment of solutions that will alleviate this conundrum. One of the identified causative factors for this problem was the missing link of creativity, which is a necessary condition for innovativeness, in the STEM curriculum.

This gap can only be bridged through the integration of the creative arts into the STEM curriculum, resulting in the so-called STEAM curriculum.

For the STEAM curriculum to take shape and root there is a dire and urgent need for the establishment of STEAM Centres throughout the province whose role will be to spearhead the development and articulation of this new curriculum, and to support its implementation at school level in various regions of the province. This should, indeed, be a provincial undertaking, but MUT has taken it upon itself to show the way in this direction as far as it possibly can. It is for this reason that MUT has proposed the development of the STEAM Centre at the MUT main campus, with satellite centres in Ulundi (for the KZN northern region), Port Shepstone (for the KZN southern region), and Newcastle (for the KZN western inland).

One of the key areas in which the proposed STEAM Centres will function is in the support of the STEAM Curriculum for schools in the province. The creative arts form an important part in the proposed STEAM curriculum. Whilst most schools, from Grade 1 to Grade 12, will have Arts and Craft in their curriculum, there is no integration of this part with the STEM curriculum. It is important that, after the STEAM curriculum is developed by the MUT STEAM Centre at its main campus, there will be local support in the three identified regions (northern KZN, southern KZN, and western inland KZN) throughout its implementation.

Request for Stakeholder and Industry Collaboration.

The collaboration that the CDGT is seeks with stakeholders and industrial partners are in the following areas:

Building Energy Auditing in Energy Efficiency matters via our center that includes Measurement and Verification collaboration.
Deployment of BEAT trainees in their practical work in industry under the direction and supervision of the CDGT.
To establish a Memorandum of Understanding between our stakeholders and the MUT: CDGT.
Work Integrated Learning opportunities for Engineering students and the BEAT students.
Material support for the centre.
Renewable Energy initiatives collaboration: We would like to incorporate our stakeholders and industrial partners as Industry Advisor’s in the area of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Research collaboration: Possible research collaboration in Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy and other Green Technology development projects.
Creation of IPP’s, Esco’s and Entrepreneurship mentoring amongst students.

Conclusion.

The MUT: CDGT Centre is constantly seeking opportunities with industry to explore possible partnership and collaboration with the Centre.

We are optimistic that any partnership forged will be to our mutual benefit and to the benefit of our students, our alumni and youth in general.

We are also of the optimistic view that the CDGT will be able to position MUT, its academics and students into the new and developing frontiers of energy efficiency and renewable energy.