The energy situation in South Africa has changed radically in the last ten years. So what does this mean for the built environment? How do Architects need to respond to this? This topic was addressed in my presentation at the … Continue reading Alternative Energy Strategies
The water situation in South Africa is rapidly changing. So, what does this mean for the built environment? How does this change the way Architects need to design buildings? This is the topic I addressed at the Pretoria Institute for … Continue reading Alternative Water Strategies
The scale and complexity of climate change and sustainable development make it difficult to understand and address. In built environments, questions, such as the ones below need to be tackled: Models and tools can help. My presentation at the GBCSA … Continue reading Sustainable Building Models and Tools
Well-known definitions of circular economics refer to a decoupling of economic activity from the consumption of finite resources and designing waste out. Less well-known definitions emphasize developing regenerative systems that build natural, social, and human capital. This capital is required … Continue reading Seven Principles of Circular Built Environments in Africa
Recently I was asked to be part of a panel on regulation at the Human Settlements Indaba and Exhibition in Kwa-Natal. The Indaba aimed to provide policy direction and validate approaches being developed by the Department of Human Settlements. Our … Continue reading Regulations and support for more resilient human settlements
There has been a strong emphasis on addressing negative environmental impacts in Construction. However, sustainable development is not just about reducing negative environmental impacts. It is also about creating beneficial social and economic impacts. In countries with high levels of … Continue reading Social and Economic Sustainability Targets in Construction
Clients sometimes pressurise Architects to develop projects rapidly. This can lead to mistakes, poorly developed designs, construction delays, unnecessary waste and buildings that do not work as well as they should. A good way of avoiding this and ensuring that … Continue reading Why Architects need to do more feasibility studies
Sustainable development can be described in terms of approaches that reduce negative environmental impacts while creating beneficial social and economic impacts. While there has been extensive research on the negative environmental impacts of construction, less work has been done on … Continue reading Achieving Social and Economic Sustainability Impacts Through Construction
There are many competing demands that need to be balanced when you assess school infrastructure. Ignoring one or more areas inevitably leads to problems in future. So when developing a school infrastructure assessment brief it is important to understand the … Continue reading Assessing School Infrastructure
I enjoyed a very interactive session with Tshwane Building Control Officers and Inspectors on encouraging and regulating more sustainable buildings. We went through the new Tshwane Green Building Bylaw and Standards in some detail. The Bylaw supports the development of … Continue reading Green Building Bylaws and Standards
I enjoyed hosting a SASBE Seminar on Sufficiency, Circularity and Systems with David Ness, Usha Iyer-Raniga and Will Swan. The seminar covered very different approaches to transforming the built environment for sustainability. David’s presentation covered the very simple, but effective, … Continue reading Sufficiency, Circularity & Systems
Good to see my chapter on preparing for future change is out. The title is Anticipating and Preparing for Future Change and Uncertainty: Building Adaptive Pathways and here is brief summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how ill-prepared the building … Continue reading Anticipating and Preparing for Future Change and Uncertainty: Building Adaptive Pathways
The structure of existing infrastructure and systems perpetuate unsustainable working and living patterns and it is difficult for people to avoid environmental impacts such as carbon emissions, even if there is a will to do so. Methodologies are therefore needed … Continue reading Urban Sustainability Transformation Through Building Adaptive Pathways
Schools in drought-stricken areas are vulnerable to water shortages and may have to close because of health risks. Closing schools significantly affects the quality of education as teaching is disrupted and learning time is lost. The ‘Net-Positive Water Systems for … Continue reading Net-Positive Water Systems for Schools in Drought-Stricken Areas
Climate change means that temperatures are projected to increase across South Africa and there will be more very hot days (days above 35 degrees C). These changes need to be taken into account in building designs to ensure that occupant … Continue reading Understanding Occupant Comfort: Adapting for Climate Change
I enjoyed preparing and running through some rapid-fire slides on ‘Preparing for Change: Design Responses’ in a short CPD course for about 200 Architects. My presentation covered current climate change projections, learning COVID-19 and what COP26 means for South Africa. … Continue reading Preparing for Change: Design Responses
As part of the panel on the Business Case for Circular Built Environments at COP26 I was asked to provide input on circular built environments in developing countries. My input is outlined below. Developing countries have a multitude of pressing … Continue reading Circular Built Environments in Developing Countries
Progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and National Development Plan objectives in South Africa has been slow. Alternative approaches, therefore, need to be investigated that may help speed up change and integrate SDG and NDP objectives into current development … Continue reading The Value of the Local and the 15 Minute City
I am pleased to have completed an intense drafting process developing the Sustainable Building and Construction (SBC) Mainstreaming and Advocacy Toolkit. UN-Habitat, UNEP and UNOPS are collaborating to support countries in integrating resource efficiency into building’s life cycles. They are … Continue reading Sustainable Building and Construction (SBC) Mainstreaming and Advocacy Toolkit.
Was invited to present in a session on Construction Value Chains by the One Planet Network. The session contributes to UNEP’s initiative on strengthening policy through the value-chain analysis. The methodology is interesting and promotes an integrated approach to sustainability by … Continue reading Construction Value Chains
Jeremy Gibberd 