The National Cleaner Production Centre, South Africa (NCPC-SA) is calling on industrial parks and special economic zones (SEZs) managers and tenant companies to make use of the Eco-Industrial Parks South Africa Knowledge Portal on their journey to transition to the EIP model.

Launched last year in July, the portal is a free-to-access online resource for insights, tools, and case studies tailored to support the planning, development, and assessment of sustainable industrial spaces and Eco-Industrial Parks in South Africa. 

The EIP concept is about creating resource efficient and cost-effective industrial spaces which are more competitive, attractive for investment, and risk resilient.

In South Africa, it is estimated that there are around 400 industrial parks/spaces, with East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) standing out as one of the successful industrial spaces to have adopted and implemented the EIP methodology.

According to NCPC-SA Senior Project Manager, Bernd Oellermann, the transformation of traditional industrial spaces into EIPs or sustainable industrial spaces presents a valuable opportunity to tackle economic, environmental, and social challenges and capitalise on opportunities for sustainable industrial development.

“The aim is to transition these spaces into sustainable industrial spaces by way of the EIP approach that is based on the international EIP framework developed by UNIDO, GIZ and the World Bank. The portal therefore speaks directly to supporting efforts that create resource-efficient, competitive and risk-resilient industrial spaces.”

The portal provides practical tools and knowledge to help industrial spaces improve their environmental, economic, and social performance.

South African park management and tenant companies looking to transition to global sustainable models are invited to register today at no cost and explore the available tools and guides here: https://industrialefficiency.co.za/eip/tools_guides/.