Wind turbines, lifts running on regenerative drives, solar panels and a grey-water recycling plant are some features that make the R180-million Hotel Verde arguably Africa’s greenest hotel.

The hotel at the Cape Town International Airport opens on August 27.

Hotel owner Mario Delicio said they would come close to their goal of zero waste to landfill.

“We also had the advantage of starting from scratch. When you build new you can plan much more than if you retrofit an existing building, so… we can call ourselves ‘Africa’s greenest hotel’.”

Solar panels are positioned to provide shade and power.

Double-glazed windows are fitted with a special glass filter so less heat enters the building, reducing the need for air conditioning.

A grey-water recycling plant would contribute to a 37 percent reduction of potable water use.

Lifts run on a regenerative drive, through which about 30 percent of the energy input will be recaptured.