As part of a project investigating more circular human settlements, I enjoyed hosting a focus group with participants from ACEN, University of Witwatersrand, CSIR, Agrement and the Social Housing Regulatory Authority. We addressed the following questions:

• What do more circular human settlements look like?
• What are the characteristics and systems of these settlements?
• Do some of these characteristics and systems exist already in South African human settlements? Where? How do they work?
• What are the benefits and potential impacts of more circular approaches for human settlements?
• How can more circular human settlements be developed? What is required?

The discussions were lively and far ranging and included the following interesting and useful ideas:

• Scaffolding: Human settlements can be seen as the scaffolding for circular systems. Circular water, energy, food, waste and materials systems need to be accommodated and supported in the way we plan, construct and manage human settlements.
• Niches: Circularity can be designed into human settlements by creating ‘niches’. These enable circular systems to be established. Examples include providing space and facilities in neighbourhoods for waste recycling, composting, urban agriculture and local produce markets. Niches can be occupied by entrepreneurs and cooperatives who provide circular services and products and reduce waste, while creating local jobs and reducing the pressure on municipalities.
• Circlets: Circular systems can reinforce each other. Examples include how compost from recycling organic matter can be used in urban agriculture and how fresh produce from urban agriculture can be used in local food markets and manufacturing. ‘Circlets’ of reinforcing circular systems increase success rates and resilience of systems.
• Transformation: Circular economy approaches offer opportunities to address inequality. Many of the technologies used in circular systems do not require large capital outlays so are well suited to small-scale local entrepreneurs. In creating circular systems there must be a focus on creating small-scale local enterprises and jobs.
• Affordability: Energy, water, sanitation and waste management costs are becoming increasingly unaffordable for many households. Can circular systems with more efficient technologies, local management, and different business models provide more affordable services?
• Social change: Circular approaches rely heavily on social capital and trust. This is lacking in many South African human settlements and will need to be fostered. There will also be a need to change behaviors to ensure that circular systems work and are used. How can this transformation and change happen? One way may be through starting small-scale local circular systems where benefits can be demonstrated and shared. Successes can then be built on over time. Photograph: Ian Turnell