Personality Profile Sponsored by :
AN INTRIGUING SECTOR THAT
CONTINUES DEVELOPING SKILLS
Even from her varsity years , Vuyisanani Majija found excitement in the different elements the HVACR sector .
Majija was born in Mthatha , Eastern Cape where she spent some of her childhood whereafter she moved to a hostel in Grahamstown . Her years up to her tertiary studies were split between these two cities .
She currently works as a junior engineer at Energy Partners Refrigeration , and when asked how she got into the industry , she laughs and says it ’ s rather a matter of the industry ‘ got her ’. “ I was job hunting for a while after I finished my BTech in mechanical engineering and when this opportunity presented itself , I embraced it . I am very happy I ended up in this sector because , even during my studies , I enjoyed thermodynamics , fluid mechanics and mathematics . It ’ s a best-case scenario for me in all honesty . The one thing , however , that got me into mechanical engineering in the first place , was having the ability to apply my mind on paper and then get things physically moving . It ’ s the best feeling ever .”
Majija ’ s hobbies and interests outside of work involve various adrenaline-inducing activities that she says she enjoys very much – things like bungee-jumping , amusement park rides and so on make the cut on her list . She also enjoys the simple things in life , for example , games nights with family and friends .
When considering what she thinks her most significant achievement is to-date , she believes holding her space in this sector is notable . “ It ’ s been two years since I started working in industrial refrigeration and I ’ ve come to realise that it is a very interesting field . It is vast and every project is different , thus every project opens an opportunity to improve your skills . Having the ability to learn , stand my ground and bring something to the table in such a mind-stimulating area of work is an amazing achievement for me .”
Choosing a particular thing to better the industry , Majija says that capital costs shouldn ’ t be the determining factor of the solutions provided to the end user . It is important to have a holistic view of the total project costs which are heavily influenced by life cycle costs . Life cycle costs include energy ( electricity ) and maintenance . “ Energy saving reduces life cycle costs substantially therefore it is also important that we look at solutions from an energy saving point of view . In my opinion , it ’ s imperative that one considers the ‘ return on investment ’ phenomenon .”
Majija points to Cooling as a Service ( CaaS ) emerging as a major theme in future , and one that will continue to gain popularity . CaaS involves building or business owners paying for their required cooling through a servitisation-model instead of investing in the infrastructure themselves . The technology provider owns the cooling system , maintains it , and covers all operational costs including electricity . The periodic payments made by the customer are fixed-cost-per-unit and based on metered usage , whereby the client does not bear any risk related to the performance of the cooling equipment , and the technology provider has the incentive to install the equipment offering the lowest life cycle cost to make the service most cost-effective .
The clients benefit through high-quality services and don ’ t need to allocate any budget to acquire or build a system . Technology providers then benefit from a continuous income stream and can establish long-term relationships with clients . “ This is a genius idea because all parties benefit equally and are able to focus on what they do best . The further advantage of course comes in the form of addressing the needs around being energy conscious ,” she concludes . RACA
Supplied | V . Majija
Vuyisanani Majija believes that all role players must look at solutions from an energy saving point of view over lifespan , and not just a capital expenditure burden .
www . hvacronline . co . za RACA Journal I September 2021 41