Masters Degrees (Social Work)
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Browsing Masters Degrees (Social Work) by browse.metadata.advisor "Human, Piet"
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- ItemPerceiving sustainability and practicing community based rehabilitation : a critical examination of the Western Cape Rehabilitation Centre (WCRC) as a case study(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-03) Mukanya, Ronald; Human, Piet; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Problem Statement: From a sustainability point of view, hospitals offer their services without taking into consideration their impact on the environment, the interplay between various sectors, key elements of sustainable development and interconnectedness. This study represents an attempt to design a “virtual” green hospital facility that does more with fewer resources. Aims and Objectives: Contribute towards achieving sustainable and better quality healthcare services. To generate evidence and increase our understanding of the sustainability of hospital resource flows. Design a “virtual” green hospital. Research Method: The research approach consists of a comprehensive literature review, mixed with substantiated field research and interviews. The literature review provided an understanding, recommendations and interventions for the virtual project. These can be used to promote greater sustainability through WCRC’s healthcare system, energy efficiency and green hospital buildings. Interviews and questionnaires were used to collect the qualitative data. The interpretive technique was used to analyse the collected data. Consumption statistics of electricity, water and waste were used to collect the quantitative data. It was analysed using the green building rating tool. The rating tool awards points according to incorporated measures, and arrives at a total score after appropriate weighting. The green building rating tool was used to establish the rating of WCRC as it stands and what it could ideally be as a retrofit? The data was presented as demographic information in tables, charts and graphs, drawn from the collected data. Findings: The findings that emerged suggest that: a) green hospital buildings promote greater sustainability than the current modern healthcare hospital buildings at WCRC and retrofitting would promote greater sustainability; b) the majority of WCRC’s current healthcare provision is done in the conventional ‘business as usual approach’; c) the greatest weaknesses of the hospital is its heavy dependence (95% average) on nonrenewable energy sources of fuel, electricity and water; d) procurement isn’t focused in the bio-region; e) sustainability isn’t viewed as the cornerstone to influence policy; and f) the flow of resources gets conducted through socio-economic systems. Conclusion: The current design of the hospital needs to be retrofitted into a green building, which will promote greater sustainability. A higher rated green star building for WCRC would promote greater sustainability. Healthcare provision is done in the conventional ‘business as usual approach’. Therefore the healthcare system faces threats in the immediate future, which include the impact of climate change, over dependency on fossil fuels and increasing urban sprawl. A virtual green hospital is designed to reduce the overall impact of its built environment on human health and the natural environment by: • Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources; • Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity; • Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation. Recommendations: In this sustainability criterion, a paradigm shift is required for WCRC hospital to go green and become sustainable. At a local scale WCRC needs to green the current hospital building by retrofitting. WCRC needs to energy switch from nonrenewables to sustainable renewable resources. Bioregional consumption and procurement needs to be practiced whilst establishing a local health movement to engage suppliers and focus on sustainability.