Considering of alternative construction methods for subsidy houses in the city of Cape Town and Cape Winelands districts

Date
2022-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Various challenges exist in the subsidy housing sector in South Africa, such as a housing backlog, unemployment and poor housing quality. However, several of these challenges can be addressed by choosing an appropriate construction method. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate prefabricated concrete as an alternative to brick and mortar for the construction of subsidy houses in the City of Cape Town and the Cape Winelands District. A technical and non-technical comparison is performed between these two construction methods. To contextualise the research problem, challenges that are faced by the subsidy housing sector in South Africa, are first identified. This is followed by identifying the benefits of living in a house. To perform an accurate comparison between the construction methods, the scope of each method is defined. Lastly, housing standards that govern the construction of subsidy housing are identified. A multimethod qualitative research strategy is used in this study. The methods of data collection include observations, a desktop study and semi-structured interviews. Interviews are performed with three participant groups: architects and urban planners, government officials involved in housing developments and housing activists. The interview data is analysed using content analysis. Due to physical restrictions by the Coronavirus Disease of 2019, beneficiaries of subsidy houses could not form part of the participants. The goal of the observations is to obtain information regarding challenges within low-income communities. Furthermore, the goal of the desktop study is to obtain technical and non- technical criteria for the comparison of the construction methods. Lastly, the goal of the semi- structured interviews is to identify and/or validate the criteria from the literature sources. The technical comparison is performed on the consolidated criteria from the desktop study and the interviews. For the non-technical comparison challenges are identified that can be addressed by the construction method only. The effects of these challenges on their contribution towards a progressive community, is determined. For the technical and non-technical comparison, brick-and-mortar construction was found to be the better option. Therefore, it was concluded that brick-and-mortar construction is the more appropriate construction method for the construction of subsidy houses. This decision was based on its lower cost, resource availability, ease of alteration and extending of the house and for addressing more of the identified challenges.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie uitdagings bestaan in die subsidie-behuisingsektor in Suid-Afrika, onder andere ‘n behuisingstekort, werkloosheid en behuising van swak gehalte. Sommige van hierdie uitdagings kan egter aangespreek word deur 'n gepaste konstruksiemetode te kies. Daarom is die doel van hierdie studie om voorafvervaardigde beton as 'n alternatiewe konstruksiemetode vir die bou van subsidiehuise, in Kaapstad en die Kaapse Wynlanddistrik, te ondersoek. Dus word voorafvervaardigde beton en beton-steenwerk ondersoek as konstruksiemetodes. 'n Tegniese en nie-tegniese vergelyking word tussen hierdie twee konstruksiemetodes uitgevoer. Om die navorsingsprobleem te kontekstualiseer, word uitdagings wat deur die subsidie- behuisingsektor in Suid-Afrika in die gesig gestaar word, eers geïdentifiseer. Dit word gevolg deur die voordele van 'n huis te identifiseer. Om 'n akkurate vergelyking tussen die konstruksiemetodes uit te voer, word die omvang van elke metode gedefinieer. Laastens word behuisingstandaarde wat die bou van subsidiebehuising beheer, geïdentifiseer. 'n Multimetode kwalitatiewe navorsingstrategie word in hierdie studie gebruik. Die metodes van data-insameling sluit waarnemings, 'n literatuurstudie en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude in. Onderhoude word met drie deelnemergroepe gevoer: argitekte en stedelike beplanners, staatsamptenare betrokke by behuisingsontwikkelings en behuisingsaktiviste. Die onderhouddata word met behulp van inhoudsanalise ontleed. Weens die fisiese beperkinge wat met die Koronavirus van 2019 gepaard gegaan het, kon die eindverbruikers van subsidiehuise nie deel vorm van die deelnemergroepe nie. Die doel van die waarnemings is om inligting rakende uitdagings binne lae-inkomste gemeenskappe te bekom. Verder is die doel van die literatuurstudie om tegniese en nie-tegniese kriteria vir die vergelyking van die konstruksiemetodes te verkry. Laastens is die doel van die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude om die kriteria uit die literatuurbronne te identifiseer en/of te valideer. Die tegniese vergelyking word uitgevoer op die gekonsolideerde kriteria van die literatuurstudie en die onderhoude. Vir die nie-tegniese vergelyking word uitdagings geïdentifiseer wat slegs deur die konstruksiemetode aangespreek kan word. Die uitwerking van hierdie uitdagings op hul bydrae tot 'n progressiewe gemeenskap, word bepaal. Van die tegniese en nie-tegniese vergelyking is gevind dat steenwerkkonstruksie die beter opsie is. vir die bou van subsidiehuise. Hierdie besluit is gegrond op die laer koste, beskikbaarheid van hulpbronne, die gemak van verandering en uitbreiding van die huis en op vermoë om meer van die geïdentifiseerde uitdagings aan te spreek.
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Technical criteria, UCTD, Housing subsidies, Prefabricated concrete construction, Non-technical criteria, Building materials
Citation