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Insights from South African schools

Real experiences from SA schools managing electricity & water — practical guides, case studies and invoice lessons.

Backcasting for Schools

Working Backward from a Vision of Excellence. When School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and financial committees plan their long-term budgets, they almost universally rely on forecasting: looking at last year's utility bills, adding an estimated 8% or 10% for municipal tariff increases, and finding ways to absorb the cost.

Ken Nunes08 Nov 2026 · 3 min read

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Monitoring 09 Nov 2026 3 min read

The Imperative of Data Capture

In our previous discussion on Backcasting, we explored the power of working back from a clear vision: defining a vision and creating a step-by-step roadmap to get there. Moving from a strategic vision to real-world financial savings requires one essential ingredient: empirical data.

Ken Nunes 1

SGB Guide 07 Nov 2026 2 min read

Waiting for Perfect Means Not Starting

Many of you will have read Seth Godin's seminal books Permission Marketing and Unleashing the Idea Virus, along with his thought-provoking daily blog posts. Written primarily through a marketing lens, his insights seamlessly translate to the day-to-day operational challenges school leaders face when trying to drive change with a School Governing Body (SGB), a finance committee, or a facility team.

Ken Nunes 2

Water 07 Nov 2026 3 min read

Snap. Send. Save. Water Monitoring

Water is one of the most significant operational expenses facing schools today. Yet, despite rising municipal tariffs, many School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and facility managers are forced to rely solely on monthly municipal invoices to understand their consumption. By the time an inflated utility bill arrives, thousands of litres—and thousands of Rands—may have already been lost.

Ken Nunes 1

Case Study 07 Nov 2026 4 min read

AQUASTOP™ A SELECTION OF CASE STUDY TO 2022

AQUASTOP™ A SELECTION OF CASE STUDY TO 2022. BACKGROUND AND CHALLENGES. Since 2016, Suntricity has meticulously monitored and tracked electricity and water consumption in schools, predominantly in Johannesburg. Our approach involves a comprehensive analysis of municipal invoices to evaluate all aspects of kWh and KL usage, alongside the ancillary costs and tariff regimes imposed by the municipali

Ken Nunes 2

SGB Guide 07 Nov 2026 2 min read

The Billion-Rand Question

Changing the Isolation of School Utility Management. After years of working with schools across Johannesburg, we routinely notice a recurring pattern: very few administrators know how their school’s electricity and water costs compare to neighbouring schools in their Ward or District. The truth is, the public education sector operates in data silos.

Ken Nunes 2

SGB Guide 07 Nov 2026 2 min read

The Evolution of Water Costs in Johannesburg

The Evolution of Water Costs in Johannesburg. As schools across Johannesburg grapple with mounting utility budgets, establishing a clear baseline requires understanding one fundamental metric: the Effective Average Cost per Kilolitre (KL).

Ken Nunes 1

SGB Guide 07 Nov 2026 3 min read

The Evolution of Electricity Costs in Johannesburg

The Evolution of Electricity Costs in Johannesburg. Following our analysis of Johannesburg's water tariffs, this study examines the trajectory of municipal electricity costs over the same 14-year period from 2012/2013 to 2025/2026. Using the exact same auditing methodology, we calculate the Annual Effective kWh Cost by dividing the total monthly municipal billing

Ken Nunes 2

News 06 Nov 2026 2 min read

A Decade of Utility Data

Why the Next 10 Years Demand AI-Powered School Governance. On 22 June 2015, Suntricity published its very first blog post on the FirstLook platform. Our mission was simple: break down the complex, opaque world of municipal tariffs to give schools in Johannesburg straightforward, practical guidance to eliminate utility waste to protect their budgets.

Ken Nunes 3

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