The effects of climatic conditions on attitudinal changes towards earth construction in South Africa

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Date
2014
Authors
Bosman, Gerhard
Van der Westhuizen, Diaan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Earth construction is an appropriate method for building houses in arid and semi-arid areas in South Africa due to its low environmental impact and responsible use of on-site resources. A South African Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development (SANPAD) project conducted by the University of the Free State’s Earth Unit focused on attitudes and perceptions towards building materials used to construct houses in poor communities. For this article, quantitative attitudinal responses from the SANPAD survey and objective rainfall and temperature measurements were analysed for the 2004 dry season before rainstorms (n=784) and for the 2006 wetter season during/ after rainstorms (n=609). Using a quasi-experimental research design, the study investigates changes in attitudes after rainstorms in relation to respondents’ preferred building materials, preferred qualities of materials, and reasons for disliking earth materials. This article reports on the results of an investigation into the effects of local climatic conditions on changes in the acceptability of building materials with a focus on earth construction. Results indicate that rainfall reinforces and intensifies people’s disapproval of earth as a building material and shift perceptions from aesthetic considerations to strength/safety/ durability. Severity of rainstorms and extreme temperatures also seem to shape people’s perceptions of materials. Perceptions of earth bricks were more negative after the storms and people became more concerned about rain. Findings suggest a link between climatic conditions and perceptions of earth constructed buildings. An understanding of the present attitudes towards earth construction is necessary in order to support traditional earth construction as an acceptable way forward in contemporary architecture.
Afrikaans: Grondkonstruksie is ‘n gepaste metode vir die bou van huise in dorre en semi-dorre gebiede in Suid-Afrika as gevolg van die lae omgewingsimpak en verantwoordelike gebruik van plaaslike hulpbronne. ‘n SANPAD-projek uitgevoer deur die Universiteit van die Vrystaat se Grondeenheid fokus op mense se gesindhede en persepsies van boumateriale wat gebruik word in die konstruksie van huise in lae inkomste gebiede. Hierdie navorsing analiseer kwantitatiewe gesindhede uit die SANPAD-vraelys en objektiewe reënvalen temperatuursyfers tydens die 2004 droë seisoen voor reënstorms (n=784) en tydens die 2006 nat seisoen tydens/na reënstorms (n=609). Die studie ondersoek veranderinge in respondente se gesindhede na reënstorms in terme van hul voorkeure vir boumateriale en vir die kwaliteite van boumateriale, en die redes vir afkeure van boumateriale. Die artikel lewer verslag oor die resultate van ‘n ondersoek oor die invloed van plaaslike klimatologiese gebeurtenisse op die aanvaarding van boumateriale deur gebruik te maak van ‘n semi-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp, met spesifieke verwysing na grondkonstruksie. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat reënval mense se afkeure rondom grondkonstruksie as ‘n boumateriaal versterk, en dat hul persepsies verander van estetiese oorwegings na sterkte/veiligheid/duursaamheid. Dit wil voorkom of die intensiteit van reënstorms en ekstreme temperatuurverskille ook mense se persepsies van materiale beïnvloed. Respondente se persepsies van songedroogde stene was meer negatief na die reënstorms en hulle was meer bekommerd oor reën. Hierdie bevindinge stel voor dat klimatologiese gebeurtenisse mense se persepsies van grondkonstruksie kan beïnvloed. ‘n Meer indiepte begrip van gesindhede teenoor grondkonstruksie is nodig om die ontwikkeling van tradisionele boumetodes as ‘n aanvaarbare opsie in kontemporêre argitektuur te ondersteun.
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Keywords
Acceptability, Attitudes, Building materials, Earth construction, Climatic conditions, Rainfall, Quasi-experimental research
Citation
Bosman, G., & Van der Westhuizen, D. (2014). The effects of climatic conditions on attitudinal changes towards earth construction in South Africa. Acta Structilia, 21(1), 117-141.