Green retrofitting of existing buildings in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Yaphi, Mzukisi
- Date: 2025-04
- Subjects: Sustainable buildings , Green products -- Environmental aspects , Sustainable engineering -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/74292 , vital:79686
- Description: The operational lifespan of facilities or buildings has been significantly influenced by environmental or climate change and economic conditions. The professionals in the built environment have been seeking ways to lessen the environmental impact of buildings or facilities. Embracing green retrofitting yields financial advantages from lower water and energy usage, savings during the operational lifecycle, a decrease in scheduled maintenance and repair intervals to improved health and productivity, among other factors. Green retrofitting is a process of refurbishing existing buildings to advance their energy effectiveness, minimise their environmental influence and enhance indoor air quality and comfort. The study aims to investigate the effective strategies to overcome challenges and simultaneously identify driving factors for accelerating the implementation of green retrofitting of existing buildings in the Eastern Cape. The quantitative research approach was adopted in the study. The data collection method comprised primary and secondary data, where primary data was collected by administering questionnaires to randomly selected professionals and secondary data was obtained from research publications. The sampling strata of the study consisted of Construction Project Managers, Construction Managers, Quantity Surveyors, Architects, and Green Building consultants based in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Descriptive and inferential statistics were adopted for analysing the gathered data. The findings of the study revealed that the implementation of green retrofitting of existing buildings is still in the nascent stage. The findings revealed that, cultural change resistance, higher initiation costs, availability of green materials, and technical expertise and knowledge are the major challenges hindering implementation of green retrofitting. Furthermore, the Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that there is no significant difference regarding the challenges of green retrofitting of existing buildings across the different built environment professions. It is evident from the findings of the study that environmental, economic, and social drivers mainly influence the adoption of green retrofitting. Additionally, the inferential statistics revealed that there is no significant difference between the drivers and the profession or occupation of the respondents. The study divulged that the most effective strategies for promoting green retrofitting through mandatory government policies and regulations, and through awareness campaigns and educational trainings, workshops and seminars. The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that there is no significant difference between the various professionals and the promotional strategies. The findings of the study have assisted in identifying effective promotional strategies for augmenting the implementation of green retrofitting of existing buildings in the Eastern Cape. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, School of Built Environment and Civil Engineering, 2025
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- Date Issued: 2025-04
The design of an urban hydroponicum: an urban agriculture facility that remediates polluted storm water by utilizing biomimetic processes, that enables vast amounts of food to be grown
- Authors: Bagg, Timothy Kyle
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Architecture, Industrial -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Architecture -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- 21st century , Sustainable urban development , Sustainable buildings
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/38783 , vital:34965
- Description: This treatise is founded in a belief that urban ecosystems should not be separate from natural ones and seeks to find ways in which existing urban systems can be reintegrated. This reintegration will be two-fold, providing a remedy for ecologically destructive urban systems as well as providing an opportunity to develop a holistic and sustainable alternative to current practices that generate waste and pollution. The treatise will focus on the management of polluted storm water, specifically along the Walmer catchment area which flows east into Airport Valley and Shark River Valley, and ways in which horticulture building systems can be utilised to achieve remedial action naturally, producing vast amounts of nutritious food for the surrounding community in the process. Impetus for this topic grew out of a concern that the author has for the current state of sustainable practices within South Africa, specifically regarding the relationship between water and agriculture (food). 60 – 70% of South Africa’s water demand is agricultural, with poor water management infrastructure and the current drought severely affecting the agricultural output (food supply) of the country. The increased demand puts immense pressure on South African farmers who have dwindling arable land and less water with which to cultivate crops. South Africa’s population is two thirds urbanised, meaning that most of the population lives in urban centres around the country. This treatise proposes that water-wise urban agricultural systems could be utilised to further cement food and water security in an urban setting by supplementing the food supply chain with local, city-grown produce. The research conducted will generate an architectural and urban intervention that marries the natural with the built environment in a strategically and intentionally designed relationship that exploits synergies between these two environments.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Green building guidelines at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Authors: Smit, Gerrit
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Sustainable buildings , Sustainable architecture -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , College campuses
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9697 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010974 , Sustainable buildings , Sustainable architecture -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , College campuses
- Description: Although much research has been conducted on the greening of universities in the international context, not many studies focus on this topic in the South African context. A literature overview also identified that there are insufficient guidelines for green buildings at South African universities. Even though the Green Star rating tool is implemented in South Africa, no set of guidelines for green buildings exits at South African universities. The development of guidelines for green buildings at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan is a challenge which needs to be investigated. From the literature overview, it was possible to develop a framework containing seventeen green building aspects which could assist in developing green building guidelines. For this study, a two stage process was used to obtain information to evaluate green building guidelines critically at South African universities. Green building guidelines, as available at South African universities, were firstly explored by conducting a content analysis of all South African university websites. The information available on South African university websites regarding green buildings was scant and only two universities, namely the University of Cape Town and the University of Pretoria, reported that they had a green building. Stage two in the research process involved the empirical investigation of guidelines for green buildings at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. The results of the descriptive statistics showed that most building guidelines were perceived as important, but difficult to implement. The building guideline that was ranked the most important was the design of buildings that required low levels of maintenance or were maintenance free. The building guideline that was ranked the easiest to implement was to save energy in general. Considering the 17 suggested aspects and the five groups identified, a proposed set of green building guidelines was developed. The data gathered in this study is important as it could be utilised by the university to develop and implement the proposed green building guidelines.
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- Date Issued: 2013