Evaluation of design criteria for economically viable sustainable housing in Gauteng, South Africa¹

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Date
2006
Authors
Minnaar, E.
Cloete, C.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: As a result of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Develop ment (UNCED) Earth Summit Conference in Rio de Janeiro, 180 nations adopted a program called Agenda 21: an international attempt to create a normative blueprint for sustainable development worldwide. It is, however, not really pos sible to define a normative blueprint for the whole spectrum of human settle ments worldwide, as economical, ecological, geographical, topographical and social contexts differ. In informal settlements, especially, design criteria for sus tainable development are of paramount importance. While this paper exam ines these problems from an international point of view, it does so in a South African context. Problems in five subsystems (political, economical, sociocul tural, environmental and technological) are examined. Recommended solu tions are summarised in tables of design applications concerning the site selection; passive solar design; watersaving measures; sanitation options and applicable energy conservation measures. To dispel possible doubts concern ing the use of traditional materials and practice, a further summary has been compiled to show the benefits gained by using these alternative construction methods, expounding vernacular building methods that have traditionally been used in South Africa and in similar climatic conditions elsewhere.
Afrikaans: Development (UNCED) Earth SummitKonferensie te Rio de Janeiro het 180 lande ’n program genaamd Agenda 21aanvaar, as ’n internasionale poging om ’n normatiewe bloudruk daar te stel vir volhoubare ontwikkeling wêreldwyd. Dit is egter beswaarlik moontlik om ’n normatiewe bloudruk vir die hele spektrum van menslike nedersettings wêreldwyd te defineer, aangesien ekonomiese, ekologiese, geografiese, topografiese en sosiale kontekste verskil. Ontwerp kriteria vir volhoubare ontwikkeling van veral informele nedersettings is van die uiterste belang. Hierdie probleme word aangespreek uit ’n internasionale oog punt, maar in ’n SuidAfrikaanse konteks. Probleme in vyf substelsels is onder soek, te wete die politiese, ekonomiese, sosiokulturele, omgewings en tegno logiese substelsels. Voorgestelde oplossings word opgesom in tabelle van ont werpstoepassings aangaande die keuse van perseel, passiewe sonenergie ontwerp, waterbesparingsmaatreëls, sanitasieopsies en toepaslike energie besparingsmaatreëls. Om moontlike bedenkings aangaande die gebruik van tradisionele materiale en boumetodes te weerlê, is ’n verdere opsomming saamgestel om die voordele van hierdie alternatiewe boumetodes aan te dui. In hierdie opsomming word inheemse boumetodes wat tradisioneel in Suid Afrika en in soortgelyke klimaatstoestande elders gebruik is, uiteengesit.
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Keywords
Agenda 21, Sustainable development, South Africa
Citation
Minnaar, E., & Cloete, C. (2006). Evaluation of design criteria for economically viable sustainable housing in Gauteng, South Africa¹. Acta Structilia: Journal for the Physical and Development Sciences, 13(1), 65-81.