Although the effects of climate change are experienced on a global scale, the vulnerability of a system is determined by scale and context. At the political level, it was discovered that climate change issues have not yet been integrated into housing policy.
Background
Introduction to research study
Therefore, understanding a place's climate is crucial when trying to achieve sustainable housing development (Conradie, 2012). The climate at the site will include: solar orientation, wind speed and direction, temperatures, slope and rainfall patterns (Conradie, 2012).
Definition of the Problem
The South African government's inability to deliver environmentally sustainable RDP housing indicates that the housing is vulnerable to environmental stressors such as climate change. Greyling (2009) states that the quality of the RDP housing was compromised because environmental factors such as the orientation of the building were not taken into account, and further recommends that requirements for the orientation of the building should be taken into account to ensure future To guarantee high quality POP developments.
Motivation/Justification of the study
The inability to consider ecosystem services in environmental assessments increases the vulnerability of homes to the impacts of climate change (Landsberg et al, 2011). There are mainly two mechanisms for responding to climate change: mitigation and adaptation (Adger and Kelly 2000).
Research Aim
Objectives
Research questions
Sub Questions
What are the existing building standards in response to the impacts of climate change in RDP settlements?
Working Hypothesis
Proposition Statement
Setting of the Scope
Data Analysis
Definition of Terms
Vulnerability: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines vulnerability as "the degree to which a system is susceptible to and unable to cope with the adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes". Housing consolidation: BESG (2000) refers to housing consolidation as “the improvement of a household's living conditions and circumstances over time”.
Dissertation Structure
The urban environment: the urban environment is inextricably linked to the location of the home. This chapter examines precedent studies and discusses how countries such as Hong Kong and Brazil have been able to build climate-resilient public housing.
Research methodology
- Introduction
- Research design
- Study area
- Study population
- Sources of Data
- Research Methodology/Strategies of enquiry
- Data collection
- Chapter summary
Johnson and Onwuegbuzie (2004:17) define mixed methods research as “a class of research where the researcher mixes or combines quantitative and qualitative research techniques, methods, approaches, concepts or language into a single study”. Observations and interviews will be carried out to determine the sensitivity of the system in this case 'PRP housing' and further households.
Introduction
Climate change
Defining climate change
This unprecedented change in climate has been associated with human activities that have contributed to increased concentrations of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in the atmosphere, thus trapping more heat and making the earth warmer (Hounsome et al, 2006). In the absence of greenhouse gases, the average earth temperature would be -18 degrees Celsius making the earth unfit for human habitation (Yohe et al, 2007).
Vulnerability to climate Change
Fussel (2005) is of the opinion that the existing confusion when attempting to conceptualize vulnerability within climate change studies is a result of the failure to distinguish between two largely independent dimensions of vulnerability factors; scale and disciplinary domain. From these two influencing disciplines, a dichotomy emerged within which the study of climate change vulnerability is examined.
Conceptual frameworks of vulnerability assessments
Fussel (2005) identifies the risk framework as one of the classic approaches present in the vulnerability research literature. The hazard risk framework defines vulnerability as “the degree to which a system, subsystem, or system component is likely to suffer damage due to exposure to a hazard, either a disturbance or stress/stress” (Fussel and Klien. Risk of risk The approach sees "risk" and "vulnerability" as two fundamental and independent determinants of "risk" (Fussel, 2005).
Ideal dwelling structure
- Introduction to Sustainable housing
- The building
- Building elements
- Walls
- Foundation and floor
- The roof
- Environmentally sustainable dwellings
- Building Orientation
- Energy Efficient buildings
- Passive buildings
Charlett says that "the main function of all floors in a building is to provide support to the occupants of the building, together with furniture and equipment". Ching states that "the placement, orientation and structural assemblies of the building should minimize heat loss to the outside in cold weather and minimize heat gain in hot weather". Kelvin and Meyer (n.d: 1) state that "the thermal performance of a building is mainly influenced by the meteorological factors surrounding the building".
Chapter Summary
Introduction
Definitions of terms
Sensitivity is a measure of how a system is likely to respond when exposed to a climate-induced stress. The Climate Change North, 2004 cited in Hounsome et al (2006:6) defines climate change as “changes in the average climate of the earth as a whole, including temperature increases (global warming) or decreases, and shifts in wind patterns and precipitation. . Hounsome (2006); Magadza (2000); Smit and Pilifosova (2007) all agree that observed changes brought about by climate change include: changes in temperature, precipitation, changes in snow and land, changes in sea level, changes in atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns and changes in climate variability and extreme weather happenings.
Impacts of Climate Change
Adaptive capacity is a measure of the potential, ability, or opportunity available to reduce a system's exposure or sensitivity to climate-induced stress (i.e., adaptation). Housing in South Africa's Housing White Paper is defined as "a variety of processes through which livable, durable and sustainable living environments are created for sustainable families and communities". The Housing White Paper (1994) and Golubchikov Badyina (2012) agree that the main function of a house should be to protect families and the contents of the house from external factors, including the climate.
Settlements’ vulnerability to impacts of climate change
Amisi (2013) and Tissington (2010) argue that RDP settlements were located in the urban periphery far from socio-economic opportunities such as employment. While Premius cited in Winston (2009) defines sustainable housing based on current and future functional needs. Prochorskaite and Maliene (2013) reiterate the fact that sustainable housing is now used to refer to environmentally sustainable housing and further argue that greater consideration of household health and well-being within the concept of 'sustainable housing' can help shift the focus from environmental protection to the other pillars of sustainable development.
Housing policy responses
The White Paper identifies human settlements as one of the key sectors vulnerable to the effects of climate change. For the successful implementation of climate change policies, the municipality first developed municipal structures; Environmental Management Department (EMD) which was later transformed into the EThekwini Climate Change Protection Department (ECCPD). The municipality addressed the vulnerability of climate change to the impacts of climate change in the broader term.
Chapter Summary
Introduction
Background
South Africa
Impacts of climate change on settlements in South Africa
The second photo shows high-income settlements of Ballito, Durban affected by the 2007 coastal erosion.
Response mechanisms to addresses climate change vulnerability
In 2011, prior to the COP 17 conference, a study was conducted by the Green Building Council of South Africa entitled (GBCSA) “Improving life by greening low-cost housing”. The image below shows constructors adding the building materials to improve the sustainability of the RDP homes at Cator Manor. The Municipality of EThekwini has implemented this program with the aim of mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gases contributed by households (Municipality of EThekwini.
Hong Kong
Impacts of climate change on settlements in Hong Kong
The framework consists of four main stages: exposure and sensitivity analysis, identification of potential consequences, climate change impacts and vulnerability assessment and the selection of 'key' vulnerabilities (Environmental Protection Department, 2010). The built environment and infrastructure has been identified as one of the sectors vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (Oxfam Report, 2010). The HKO has identified the following as projected impacts of climate change on the built environment and infrastructure: developments located on low-lying areas that are reclaimed land are highly sensitive to climate change; heavy rain, thunderstorms and extreme weather leading to damage to buildings' foundations, increasing the risk of rain ingress into building materials and damage to utilities, cables and pipes; and potential asset damage due to flooding, landslides, wing damage, storm surge and lightning strike (Oxfam Report, 2010).
Response mechanisms to climate change vulnerability
Hong Kong has implemented high-level technological innovation in addressing the vulnerability of settlements to the impacts of climate change. Hong Kong has succeeded in providing environmentally sustainable public housing and this has reduced the vulnerability of households to the impacts of climate change. South Africa can also learn a lot from Hong Kong regarding the adaptation of RDP housing to climate change.
Brazil
Impacts of climate change on settlements in Brazil
In 2006, Brazil experienced heat waves that perpetuated the drought that had already affected the country (Ministry of Energy and Climate Change, 2011). These are said to be among the highest temperatures in the last 40 years (Department of Energy and Climate Change, 2011). Extreme rainfall events include a drought in 2010 and floods in 2009 (Department of Energy and Climate Change, 2011).
Response mechanisms to climate change vulnerability
Brazil has green building certification programs, these include: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), AQUA and Selo Casa Azul (Urban, Water and Disaster Risk Management Unit, 2011). The following sustainable housing forms are recommended: water saving and water efficient technologies, energy efficiency (passive buildings), improved indoor air quality (ventilation) and improved layout design (Urban, Water and Disaster Risk Management Unit, 2011). The Urban, Water and Disaster Risk Management Unit Report (2011) identifies the use of financial and regulatory incentives as a way to promote green housing.
Chapter summary
The Brazilian housing sector identifies opportunities for achieving sustainable housing within the effort to develop hazard-resistant and climate-adaptable housing.
Introduction
Overview of data collection process
Research Findings
Climate change impact
Households, however, reduced their sensitivity by using a cooling mechanism; the poor orientation of the building undermines their efforts. The negative effects of this condition, as expressed by households, included the following: the house ends up smelling because of the dampness; moisture damages furniture and clothing; increases the number of mosquitoes in the house; households often suffer from sinus and asthma; and an increase in the number of household members with a skin rash. This will lead to increased sensitivity and reduced adaptive capacity, leading to increased vulnerability to climate change.
Climate change vulnerability
More than 50% of households have lived in their home for more than six years, but less than fifteen years. The lifespan of the building also indicates that the home and households have probably been affected by climate change. Consolidating the home would reduce the sensitivity of the home due to an increase in adaptability and thus reduce the vulnerability of homes to the effects of climate change.
Adaptation intervention measures
The adaptive capacity may improve, as climate change is a cross-cutting issue, so the consolidation of the house indirectly affects the adaptive capacity. The official indicated that more is needed to mainstream issues of climate change in housing policy and thereby increase the adaptive capacity of households. The official views climate change as a policy issue that needs to be addressed by another department.
Data Analysis
The eThekwini Municipality's Human Settlements Unit may include climate change issues in such educational workshops. Participating in subsistence agriculture is also a livelihood strategy of adaptation to the impact of climate change. Community Adaptation Programs will help raise awareness of climate change in communities and channel consolidation methods towards climate change adaptation.
Chapter summary
Introduction
Impact of Climate change
Vulnerability of RDP settlements
Interventions
Recommendations
Cambridge: Contribution of Working Group 1 to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Municipal responses to climate change in South Africa: the case of EThekwini, City of Cape Town and City of Johannesburg2. Climate change and sustainable cities: the main challenges facing cities and urban settlements in the coming decades.
Household Survey
C10 If you answered Yes to question C9, what cooling mechanism do you use to maintain conducive indoor temperatures. C12 If you answered Yes to question C11, How do you think high indoor temperatures affect household members. E3 Do you want to improve your house to better handle the impacts of climate change.
Observations
Recordings of indoor temperature and building orientation
Municipal Unit Boundary Map
A significant part of the population is unemployed and 10 percent of the population has no household income. 10 percent of the total population of the households will be selected to participate from the selected geographical area within Umlazi Y division.
Aerial view of Study Area
This perspective is relatively new compared to the other views on climate change vulnerability. These factors have contributed to the settlements' increased vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
