No load shedding for these luxury developments in Cape Town

House hunters wishing to escape load shedding can look to new developments that offer off-grid electricity, says Alexa Horne, the managing director of Dogon Group Properties.

Horne said that the demand from buyers for homes that offer alternative energy solutions is massive and that these properties are garnering far more interest and demand than similar homes on the market.

A similar trend is also being seen in the case of rentals, said Odette Maartens, the head of rentals for Dogon.

For those keen to be free from the load shedding clock-watching, Paul Upton, head of developments for Dogon Group Properties, shared a list of load shedding-proof properties currently on the market in Cape Town:

The Fynbos

Located on Upper Bree Street in the centre of Cape Town’s CBD, the building is undergoing Green Star accreditation for its heavy use of renewables.

“It will feature integrated PV solar panels, which will generate the electricity quota needed to power all the common areas, and will also power the lifts in the building. Not totally load shedding free, but you will never need to take the stairs,” said Upton.

Studio units at The Fynbos start at R1,104 million. The one-bedroomed apartments start at R1,728 million, and the two-bedroomed apartments start at R4,920 million.

Station House

This property is a 12-storey mixed development located at 19 Kloof Road in the heart of Sea Point.

The building features 230 luxury apartments, ranging from studios to two-bed units priced from R2,195 million up to R5,495 million.

The whole development is linked to its own full-capacity generator – meaning no load shedding.

Villa Flora

The brand-new residential estate in Newlands features 31 townhouses.

“The beautiful homes here, which are priced from R2,850,000, all boast an energy-efficient geyser and a backup inverter and battery system that will run all the lights in the home during blackouts – never another dark night.”

The Kenilworth

According to Upton, the Kenilworth is a brand-new development that offers 16 one and two-bedroom apartments ranging in price from R2,3 million to R4,95 million.

Residents here can look forward to a blackout-free life as the on-site generator has the capacity for 100% load shedding protection, added Upton.

Apartment block in Kenilworth Upper – R2,300,000

Domaine Bordeaux

Those with more to spend could look into a four-bedroom house for sale in Domaine Bordeaux for R19.9 million – the last available property in the security estate in Constantia.

Upton said: “In addition to every modern convenience, as well as features such as a private gym, home office, staff accommodation and more, lucky residents here can enjoy solutions like a solar pump geyser and a backup inverter which will provide enough energy for all the lights, TV, WiFi, alarm, garage doors, and intercoms during load shedding, as well as for all common area security systems.”

4 Bedroom House for Sale in Constantia – R19,995,000

Medburn Villas

This villa overlooks the Atlantic Seaboard and is based in Camps Bay, with prices starting from R22 million.

Upton said there is only one unit left for sale – a three-storey, four-bedroom home with private elevator access that offers filtered borehole water supply and a solar PV inverter backup electricity supply.

Residential Estate in Camps Bay – R22,315,000

The Estate

Based in Sea Point, The Estate is a luxury development on the slopes of Signal Hill.

“Four lift-accessed apartments are available here (priced from R22,995 million) that, in addition to every deluxe design element expected for the price tag, also offer complete backup power and water supply – ensuring your peace of mind is guaranteed knowing that you never have to worry about power supply interruptions ever again,” said Upton.

Residential Estate in Sea Point – R22,995,000

Read: South Africa is living the ‘best-case scenario’ for load shedding