SAHETIANS MAKING HEADLINES

Theo Covary

Class of 1987

MBA-GIBBS JOHANNESBURG SANEA AWARD

SAHETI Alumnus, Theo Covary, owner of company Unlimited Energy won the SANEA award for the best energy project of 2015/16. The SANEA Awards are held annually for the Engineering and Energy industry in South Africa. SANEA stands for the South African National Energy Association. He partnered with Berkley University in the USA to reduce the energy consumption of solar water geysers. His savings were so great that South African legislation was changed to ensure that his system is implemented in all state subsidised developments. The project impressed the Engineering fraternity as well as Government.

His name has become well known in the American Engineering space. One of the judges of the SANEA award, of whom is a chemical engineer and director at Anglo American was really proud and re-iterated how important Theo's work is and how extraordinary he is.

Theo's project was up against multi-billion dollar projects funded by Saudi-Arabia, Eskom and the big corporates. It is an extraordinary achievement.

Theo is currently studying a PHD in Engineering at University of Cape Town.

A company initiative is to assist schools in improving their environmental performance. The SAHETI school Board was receptive when I approached them in 2011, and the work we did started the school’s environmental programme. Visiting the school after many years brought back great memories and it’s great to see just how much the school has developed since I matriculated.