THIS TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION RESOURCE IS PRODUCED BY CSIR BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
THIS TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION RESOURCE IS PRODUCED BY CSIR BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY |
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Integrated Development Planning local pathway to sustainable development in South Africa The Global Alliance for Building Sustainability (GABS) Supporting the development of more sustainable buildings Water use in commercial buildings under scrutiny Integrated Waste Management: An Audit Manual for Commercial Buildings Social responsibility in the construction sector Report on sustainability analysis of human settlements in South Africa Sustainability and social infrastructure delivery in South Africa E N Q U I R I E S |
The Agenda 21 for Sustainable Construction in Developing Countries was commissioned as part of the action plan for the implementation of the Agenda 21 on Sustainable Construction, published by the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB), and to further the CIB's proactive approach on sustainable construction. This project has been undertaken in partnership with UNEP-IETC, CSIR Building and Construction Technology and the Construction Industry Development Board of South Africa. As the Agenda is continually evolving, your further contributions to the discussion are welcomed. Why a separate Agenda for developing countries? While there are many similarities between developed and developing countries, the differences are even larger, the scope of the problems more extreme, and the resources to deal with them considerably fewer. Furthermore, the level of underdevelopment in developing countries may be cause for despair, but it also provides an opportunity for development to avoid the problems experienced in developed countries, by following a more sustainable development path. There is therefore a sense of urgency about introducing sustainable construction practices into the developing world. Firstly, the developing world is still largely under construction and every minute means the construction of a building, road or dam that will in all likelihood not support the principles of sustainable development. Secondly, the pressures on resources in these countries mean that they cannot afford to make mistakes and have to make sure that what is being constructed now will be sustainable. Formulating the Agenda The Agenda 21 for Sustainable Construction in Developing Countries is the culmination of a long process aimed at an improved understanding of the challenges of sustainable construction in developing countries, and the formulation of a research and development agenda and strategy for action to ensure that the contribution of the construction sector to the physical development of developing countries supports the principles of sustainability. From the challenges identified in the Agenda document, is clear that, to improve the quality of life for people in developing countries, a number of critical issues such as access to adequate housing and infrastructure, rapid urbanisation, informal settlement and institutional incapacity have to be addressed. However, in following an issue-driven approach in formulating this research agenda, it would have been easy to get trapped in the enormity of the developmental challenge and end up with an unfocused wish list that lost sight of the original purpose: making sure that the necessary development, and development already taking place, will be according to sustainability principles. Therefore, a different approach was followed that, firstly, steered clear of old sectoral divisions (e.g. energy, water, waste, etc.) and attempted to introduce a more holistic approach, and secondly focused not on the development that is needed, but on what would be necessary to make sure that when development happens, it would be sustainable. The international community has largely reached agreement on the descriptors of sustainable development - that is, the requirements that a sustainable development path is going to place on our relationship with the biophysical environment and with each other, and on the economic models we choose to facilitate these interactions. The challenge now lies in meeting these requirements. For this, a number of enablers are required and the focus was on identifying these enablers and the actions that would be necessary to ensure their use. The enablers are interdependent and multi-dimensional, following a systemic approach, as opposed to the usual sectoral approach. They are also bound to the actions identified in the strategy for action, both driving certain actions and requiring specific actions for their development and implementation. Thus the enablers and the actions together provide a comprehensive, long-term framework for the furtherance of sustainable construction.
The title of this document suggests that there is a difference in sustainable construction between developed and developing countries. However, if one looks at the headings in the R & D agenda and strategy for action, these can in most cases apply equally well to developed countries. The question can therefore be asked: How is Agenda 21 for Sustainable Construction in Developing Countries different from an agenda that would have been formulated from a developed-world perspective? The differences lie in the scope of the Agenda and the context within which its recommendations have to be applied. The developed world, which owes its wealth and high standard of living to its commitment to technological development, would naturally emphasise technology in an R & D agenda that concerns itself with sustainable construction. Thus for many years there has been a tendency for sustainability studies in construction to give greater emphasis to the dimensions or aspects denominated as technical, i.e. ecological and geographical/spatial sustainability. As a result, this approach has often ended up neglecting the social contradictions, making the field mainly - and in some cases exclusively - a technical one. The developing world, however, comes from a people-centred view of development, which recognises that ultimately it will be the behaviour and choices of people that determine the success or failure of sustainable development and construction, not only the availability of sustainable technologies. While technology is important, we also need to provide an institutional environment that encourages and enables people to change their behaviour, as well as giving them reasons for changing their behaviour. The R & D agenda outlined therefore not only looks at the technological enablers that will be necessary, but also at what would be required to provide an enabling environment for the implementation of sustainable construction practices in developing countries. This entails the development of a variety of institutional enablers, as well as the formulation of a value system for the construction sector that supports sustainability and the tools that would be needed to facilitate the adoption of this value system. A strategy for action Sustainable development and construction is not only the responsibility of researchers. It requires concerted action by all stakeholders involved in the creation and use of the built environment. Clients need to demand a more sustainable built environment, professionals need to adopt and promote sustainable construction practices through their work, the construction industry needs to commit to sustainable construction processes, and regulatory bodies need to encourage, enable and enforce sustainable construction. For all these stakeholders to fulfil their roles, the educational sector has to provide them with the necessary training and with educators who themselves are committed to sustainability. These educators will need the knowledge that is being developed by the researchers as part of the proposed R & D Agenda. For the researchers to develop this new knowledge, they will need the participation and support of clients, contractors, professionals, governments and regulators. Sustainable construction can therefore take place only if all the necessary elements - both technological and contextual enablers, as well as stakeholders - are developed and work together at local, national, regional and international scale. A strategy for action to support the R & D agenda is therefore suggested. This strategy describes the actions expected from research and education institutions, the private sector, clients, government, and the professional and industry regulatory bodies in support of sustainable construction and the implementation of the R & D agenda. Most important of all, we have to acknowledge that in its deeper meaning, sustainability has ethical and moral connotations that imply attitudinal changes and value reorientation. The success of the sustainability drive will ultimately depend on each individual's conscious choice to adopt or reject the principles of sustainable development. Sustainable construction in developing countries will therefore only become feasible if it meets the needs and requirements of the people in these countries and does not conflict with their culture and values. Acting local, thinking global There are as many contextual differences between developing countries as there are between developing and developed countries, and many of the similarities are superficial at best. Thus, while it is agreed that we share a common goal - achieving a state of sustainability - the developing world, with its great diversity of cultures, realises that there are different ways of defining and meeting this goal, and that these ways can best be determined at local level. The R & D agenda therefore merely provides a loose framework of areas in which research is needed, and places the emphasis on developing enablers that are situated within the local context, whether these are technologies that respond to local climates and skills levels, or the use of value systems derived from the local cultural heritage. Similarly, the suggested actions have to grow from local initiatives, making use of local strengths and addressing local barriers. The value of the strategy for action lies in providing a global strategy that can be used by local champions to encourage action within their own communities. The ideal is that the R & D agenda will provide a structured opportunity for South-South partnerships and technology transfer, as well as for renegotiation of existing North-South partnerships to empower researchers in developing countries and expand research capacity in these countries. It may be that, through their cultural heritage, innovative home-grown solutions and adaptability, the developing countries are holding one part of the key to sustainability. Unlocking this tremendous potential is the ultimate objective of the Agenda 21 for Sustainable Construction in Developing Countries. For further background to the project, please visit www.sustainablesettlement.co.za Download the following documents in pdf format:
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A shift in emphasis - the developing world contribution
