AS 2021 Volume 28 Issue 2

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http://hdl.handle.net/11660/11971

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    Factors that determine construction health and safety agent collaboration on construction projects: a Delphi study
    (University of the Free State, 2021) Rantsatsi, Ndaleni; Musonda, Innocent
    The construction industry (CI) continues to be the cause of injuries and illnesses to many workers worldwide. Collaboration between the construction health and safety agent (CHSA) and other built environment professionals may improve the impact of the CHSA on health and safety (H&S) performance. However, no study has identified the factors that determine CHSA collaboration on construction sites. A three rounds Delphi study was conducted to identify the factors that determine CHSA collaboration. A panel of 14 experts serving the CI were selected from four continents and were asked to identify additional factors and validate the factors identified from literature. Microsoft Excel 2016 was used to analyse the data; group medians were calculated to reach consensus, and open question responses were summarised qualitatively. The experts confirmed the existence of the factors identified in the literature. The factors that determine CHSA collaboration on construction projects include mutuality, trust, enabling environment, personal characteristics, common purpose, institutional support, and project context. Drawing from the findings, the study suggests that these seven factors can influence CHSA collaboration. The study is limited to 14 experts and more experts could have provided more information. The factors that determine CHSA collaboration identified in this study may not be exhaustive and another study may provide different factors. Further research could adopt other research methods such as the quantitative method, in order to determine the impact of these factors on CHSA collaboration. Factors that determine CHSA collaboration on construction projects should be identified, implemented, and monitored, in order to increase the influence of CHSA on H&S performance.
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    Building performance evaluation of public housing in Harare, Zimbabwe
    (University of the Free State, 2021) Chombo, Ignatius Morgen; Youm, Sang Hoon
    This study sought to evaluate the performance of residential building spaces in public housing in Harare, Zimbabwe. It specifically measured building performance indicators determined by the building’s characteristics and the physical, locational and service attributes of buildings. A quantitative research design was adopted, in which questionnaires and observations were used in data collection. A two-stage sampling technique was used, because the population could be subdivided into clusters. From residents in three clusters, which include Highfield-Venice Flats, Avenues Flats and Mbare Flats, 263 respondents were conveniently chosen. Results from the independent t-test that was conducted showed that, at 95% confidence level, there exist significant differences in residential satisfaction among residents of Highfield-Venice Flats and those of Avenues Flats (t = 2.159, p-value= 0.035>0.05). Overall, residents are dissatisfied with the attributes of the buildings in which they live and the general residential situation. There is a general dissatisfaction with the buildings, suggesting that the building performance is not meeting their needs and expectations. Housing attribute preferences, privacy, dwelling proximity, and neighbourhood attachment showed a significant and positive impact on general residential satisfaction. Hence, there is a need to improve housing attribute preferences such as improving the quality of air and lighting as well as noise levels, since respondents expressed dissatisfaction with these attributes. Housing ceilings can be installed to reduce noise levels. More so, the quality of air and lighting can be improved by inserting more air ventilations and wider windowpanes. Privacy should be improved by ensuring that the residential structures have boundary walls that may be needed by the residents. More so, dwelling proximity ought to be improved. The Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities and other public housing institutions can consider developing structures such as shopping centres, public schools as well as roads and social amenities such as parks, pools and workout facilities before they build residential houses.
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    Factors influencing the quality of low-income housing in Polokwane Municipality South Africa
    (University of the Free State, 2021) Nyakala, Stephen; Ramoroka, Dolly; Ramdass, Kemlall
    Recent South African and international evidence highlights the broad and lasting impacts of households, particularly those on low income, when unable to afford higher income counterparts to live in apartments, maintained public housing, and other high-quality houses. A broad range of low-income houses recently built in South African local municipalities are reportedly defective, due to poor building and construction quality. This study aims to assess and determine the factors influencing high-quality housing positively impacting on the lives of a significant proportion of low-income housing projects. Reasons for and obstacles to quality design, construction quality and the development of low-income housing projects were identified. To assess the research questions, a quantitative survey (n=103) was carried out, simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to select contractors who were active in low-income housing projects within the Polokwane Municipality. The quantitative data gathered were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to determine a combination of descriptive and non-parametric statistics of the data computing the frequencies, mean scores and standard deviations. Selected results show that poor-quality and low-income housing projects are perceived to be related to the contractors, builders and construction practitioners not complying with the standards, variously because of insufficient training or accountability to public authorities and end users of low-income houses, i.e., the beneficiaries. The respondents were of the view that house builders and local government authorities could use five factors, namely quality standards, management, involvement of people, process design and process, planning and scheduling to assess non-conformance to quality requirements in low-income housing projects in South Africa. The finding of this study provides a platform for improving the quality of housing design, construction projects, sustainability and an opportunity for local and international design and construction professionals to rethink design in the context of low-income housing projects.
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    Drivers and effects of sustainable construction in the South African construction industry
    (University of the Free State, 2021) Dosumu, Oluwaseun; Aigbavboa, Clinton
    Sustainable construction is hardly practised in Africa, despite the consistent campaign for its adoption. This study investigates the drivers and effects of sustainable construction in South Africa. The quantitative survey research design was adopted for the study and the respondents were the construction organisations in Johannesburg, South Africa. The study identified 17 significant drivers of sustainable construction, with construction cost as the dominant variable. The important environmental (8), economic (12), and social benefits (7) of sustainable construction were also determined. The challenges (24) of sustainable construction were also identified. The study recommended that measures for low construction cost should be put in place, and awareness campaigns should be enhanced. Economic benefits are still behind environmental benefits, and this could affect some prospective adopters. Lack of knowledge and weak economies were prevalent challenges that underscore the need for Western support for African nations to comfortably adopt sustainable construction.
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    Examining the maturity of South Africa's government departments to implement the infrastructure delivery management system (IDMS)
    (University of the Free State, 2021) Chigangacha, Progress; Haupt, Theodore; Awuzie, Bankole
    The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the maturity of South Africa’s provincial government departments in engaging with the Infrastructure Delivery Management System (IDMS) towards facilitating effective infrastructure delivery. Furthermore, the study sought to formulate evidence-based interventions that could be utilised by these government departments to engender successful delivery of infrastructure assets and associated services to their beneficiaries. This research was descriptive and employed the quantitative research approach. Data was elicited from three provincial government departments in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Structured maturity modelling questionnaires were deployed for data collection from the respondents. The emergent data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 26. A One-Way ANOVA, aimed at enabling a comparative analysis of differences in the degree of maturity between the three provincial government departments that utilise the IDMS, was conducted. Results from the study indicate that the three departments (cases) had a maturity rating between 3 and 4, signifying well-defined and documented standard processes that can be improved over time. However, an IDMS-ready organisation would ideally have a maturity rating at level 5. In addition, the leadership dimension was found to be a driver of all other dimensions, where a high maturity level under this dimension directly correlates with improved maturity in the other dimensions. It is recommended that adequate management and leadership support is needed to improve organisational maturity in relation to IDMS implementation. The study was confined to KwaZulu-Natal, due to the short survey period for information gathering and data collection. The COVID-19 pandemic also had a great impact on the undertaking of some key research processes mostly affecting the research methodology, particularly during data collection. This study is the first of its kind in South Africa to assess the maturity of provincial government departments to implement the IDMS, which is indicative of an evaluation void gap.