Implementation of sustainable construction in the South African construction industry
- Authors: Thobakgale, Machela Esther
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sustainable construction - South Africa , Construction industry - Economic aspects - South Africa , Sustainable construction - Standards - South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/269589 , uj:28640
- Description: M.Tech. (Construction Management) , Abstract: In most developed countries, the construction industry accounts for over 50% of the fixed capital generation each year. Therefore, the construction industry is very important to the development of any country, as it is in South Africa. However, the industry has not escaped the challenges of implementing sustainable construction as the creation and responsible maintenance of a healthy built environment, based on ecological principles and by means of an efficient use of resources in South Africa. This study assesses the effects of and barriers to non-compliance within the construction industry, hence encouraging the construction industry to move towards achieving sustainable construction in South Africa. The data used in this study was derived from both primary and secondary sources. The secondary data was collected via detailed review of related literature. The primary data was collected through a questionnaire which was distributed to construction professionals. Out of the 150 questionnaires sent out, 111 were received, representing a 74% response rate. Findings revealed that better quality of working conditions, education and training on sustainable practices, were the major social dimensions that influence the promotion of sustainable construction. Furthermore, the study also showed that the major economic dimensions that influence the promotion of sustainable construction thinking in Gauteng Province included: increasing client awareness and enhanced efficiency policies in design and construction. Additionally, it was observed that major design dimensions that influence the promotion of sustainable construction thinking were flexible and adaptable designs. The study also revealed that the major environmental dimensions that influence the promotion of sustainable construction thinking were the education of potential pollution and efficient use of water during construction. Furthermore, the study revealed that clients’ approval, more financial incentives towards sustainable construction, and water use reduction were the major driver for the implementation of sustainable construction practices. Additionally, it was observed that the major current construction industry practices that adversely affected the sustainability idea were designing to obtain minimum waste, specifying materials with low environmental impact and sourcing of building materials locally to reduce truck deliveries. The study also revealed the that the major critical barriers to the implementation of sustainable construction were the lack of technical understanding on the part of project team members, the high cost of construction and the...
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- Authors: Thobakgale, Machela Esther
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sustainable construction - South Africa , Construction industry - Economic aspects - South Africa , Sustainable construction - Standards - South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/269589 , uj:28640
- Description: M.Tech. (Construction Management) , Abstract: In most developed countries, the construction industry accounts for over 50% of the fixed capital generation each year. Therefore, the construction industry is very important to the development of any country, as it is in South Africa. However, the industry has not escaped the challenges of implementing sustainable construction as the creation and responsible maintenance of a healthy built environment, based on ecological principles and by means of an efficient use of resources in South Africa. This study assesses the effects of and barriers to non-compliance within the construction industry, hence encouraging the construction industry to move towards achieving sustainable construction in South Africa. The data used in this study was derived from both primary and secondary sources. The secondary data was collected via detailed review of related literature. The primary data was collected through a questionnaire which was distributed to construction professionals. Out of the 150 questionnaires sent out, 111 were received, representing a 74% response rate. Findings revealed that better quality of working conditions, education and training on sustainable practices, were the major social dimensions that influence the promotion of sustainable construction. Furthermore, the study also showed that the major economic dimensions that influence the promotion of sustainable construction thinking in Gauteng Province included: increasing client awareness and enhanced efficiency policies in design and construction. Additionally, it was observed that major design dimensions that influence the promotion of sustainable construction thinking were flexible and adaptable designs. The study also revealed that the major environmental dimensions that influence the promotion of sustainable construction thinking were the education of potential pollution and efficient use of water during construction. Furthermore, the study revealed that clients’ approval, more financial incentives towards sustainable construction, and water use reduction were the major driver for the implementation of sustainable construction practices. Additionally, it was observed that the major current construction industry practices that adversely affected the sustainability idea were designing to obtain minimum waste, specifying materials with low environmental impact and sourcing of building materials locally to reduce truck deliveries. The study also revealed the that the major critical barriers to the implementation of sustainable construction were the lack of technical understanding on the part of project team members, the high cost of construction and the...
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The impact of cement sustainability initiative on the South African cement industry’s performance
- Authors: Labana, Beltran
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Construction industry - South Africa , Concrete construction - South Africa , Sustainable construction - South Africa , Cement industries - South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/393663 , uj:32579
- Description: Abstract : Since the 19th century, Ordinary Portland Cement has contributed significantly to improve human living conditions especially in the urbanisation of society. In this context of urbanisation, millions of tonnes of cement are used yearly for the construction of concrete structures such as bridges, hospitals, residential structures and industrial buildings. The production of Ordinary Portland Cement does not only contribute positively to improve lives, but also negatively affects them by emitting between 0.9 to 1 tonne of dioxide of carbon (CO2) per tonne of cement produced. This volume of CO2 accounts for 5 to 7 percent of the total volume emitted in the world, identifying the cement industry as the second largest polluter in the world. Much research has been conducted for the past two decades to contribute to the understanding of the sources of CO2 emission and to propose solutions to the problem. At the same time several organisations and government entities around the world initiated different programmes such as the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) and the Carbon Tax Bill for the protection of the environment and to pave the way for sustainability of the cement industry. The Cement Sustainability Initiative recommends, amongst other options, the use of best practice such as alternative kinds of fuel to produce cement. In this research study, waste oil and used tyres were used as alternative fuel and an objective function was used to determine the quantity of fuel material for minimising the CO2 emission. By solving the mathematical model with the Lingo software programme, used tyres were shown to have the highest efficient energy of 20 percent compared to waste oil. This excludes the higher CO2 emission value of 80.34 percent between the two alternative fuel materials. Finally, the results indicate that combined usage of coal with alternative fuel material may be categorised as best practice for a positive contribution to the reduction of CO2 emission in the order of 16.76 percent. This is with considering the local cement industry where the latter has an advanced positive performance in terms of maintaining a long sustainable industry as promoted by the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI). , M.Phil. (Engineering Management)
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- Authors: Labana, Beltran
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Construction industry - South Africa , Concrete construction - South Africa , Sustainable construction - South Africa , Cement industries - South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/393663 , uj:32579
- Description: Abstract : Since the 19th century, Ordinary Portland Cement has contributed significantly to improve human living conditions especially in the urbanisation of society. In this context of urbanisation, millions of tonnes of cement are used yearly for the construction of concrete structures such as bridges, hospitals, residential structures and industrial buildings. The production of Ordinary Portland Cement does not only contribute positively to improve lives, but also negatively affects them by emitting between 0.9 to 1 tonne of dioxide of carbon (CO2) per tonne of cement produced. This volume of CO2 accounts for 5 to 7 percent of the total volume emitted in the world, identifying the cement industry as the second largest polluter in the world. Much research has been conducted for the past two decades to contribute to the understanding of the sources of CO2 emission and to propose solutions to the problem. At the same time several organisations and government entities around the world initiated different programmes such as the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) and the Carbon Tax Bill for the protection of the environment and to pave the way for sustainability of the cement industry. The Cement Sustainability Initiative recommends, amongst other options, the use of best practice such as alternative kinds of fuel to produce cement. In this research study, waste oil and used tyres were used as alternative fuel and an objective function was used to determine the quantity of fuel material for minimising the CO2 emission. By solving the mathematical model with the Lingo software programme, used tyres were shown to have the highest efficient energy of 20 percent compared to waste oil. This excludes the higher CO2 emission value of 80.34 percent between the two alternative fuel materials. Finally, the results indicate that combined usage of coal with alternative fuel material may be categorised as best practice for a positive contribution to the reduction of CO2 emission in the order of 16.76 percent. This is with considering the local cement industry where the latter has an advanced positive performance in terms of maintaining a long sustainable industry as promoted by the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI). , M.Phil. (Engineering Management)
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