ResearchSpace :: Browsing by Author "Gibberd, Jeremy T"

Browsing by Author "Gibberd, Jeremy T"

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A government sustainable building rating tool?
(2024-07) Gibberd, Jeremy T
Some countries have significant public building backlogs. Schools, colleges, clinics, and hospitals still need to be built and existing infrastructure needs to be updated and refurbished. In addressing backlogs, there is the prospect of developing more sustainable buildings and infrastructure. However, often this opportunity is not taken, and the design and construction of public buildings continue to follow conventional unsustainable approaches. Reasons for this include the lack of a suitable sustainable building rating tool that aligns with government priorities. To address this gap, this study explores development a Government Sustainable Building Rating Tool (GSBRT). It investigates this for South Africa, a country with large public building backlogs. Government policy is analysed to establish the key development priorities and translate these into building performance criteria. These criteria are compared with criteria from an existing green building rating tool, to determine alignment. The study finds that while there is some overlap, there are also significant differences and that the conventional green building rating tool does not cater for some government sustainable development priorities. Recommendations are made for further research and development of a GSBRT as a means of addressing sustainability in government buildings.
An alternative rainwater harvesting system design methodology
(Alive2green, 2020-12) Gibberd, Jeremy T; De Jager, Peta
Climate change and rapid urbanisation have meant there is increasing pressure on water supplies in human settlements in South Africa. This has led to unreliable water supplies and outages. It is therefore important to understand whether there are alternative sources of water which can be used to improve the resilience of supply. One solution is to develop onsite rainwater harvesting systems. These capture rainwater from roofs and other surfaces and store this. Stored water can then be used instead of municipal water supplies for drinking, cleaning, irrigation and flushing toilets. While these systems can be highly effective and significantly reduce mains water consumption, they are not widely used in South Africa. This situation has been compounded by a lack of guidance on the calculation and sizing of rainwater harvesting systems. To address this gap this study presents, and critically evaluates, an alternative rainwater harvesting design methodology based on the Rainwater Use Model (RUM). The RUM methodology is compared to conventional methodologies by applying this to a case study building to carry out rainwater harvesting calculations for a range of scenarios. These results suggest that the RUM methodology may be more accurate than conventional methods. By enabling different aspects of the systems to be tested rapidly, the RUM methodology also provides useful guidance on where investment should be focused in the design of a rainwater harvesting system. The study will be of interest to Architects, Engineers and Planners who need to develop more resilient and sustainable water resources in human settlements in dry areas.
Applying the Deconstruction and Reuse Evaluation (DERUE) Tool to Evaluate the End-Of-Life Circularity Potential of Building
(2025-04) Gibberd, Jeremy T
Construction and demolition generate large amounts of waste that is directed to landfills. This means the valuable resources and productive land are lost. As a result, there is an increasing interest in recovering materials and components from buildings that have reached the end of their useful life and reusing these in other buildings. There is, however, limited research and guidance in this area. This study aims to contribute to addressing this gap by developing and testing a methodology for the deconstruction of buildings and the reuse of components and materials. The study shows how a tool, referred to as the Deconstruction and Reuse (DERUE), is developed. The DERUE is presented and tested by applying this to a case study building. Results from the application of the DERUE are used to critically evaluate the tool and its value as means for supporting deconstruction and reuse. The results indicate that the DERUE is a useful tool for deconstruction planning, by providing reports that categorise and quantify materials and components in a building by type, condition, extractability, and reusability. DERUE reports enable the value of deconstruction to be more readily understood and can be used to encourage building owners, contractors, and municipalities to deconstruct buildings and reuse components instead of demolishing buildings and directing materials to landfills. The study recommends that the tool is developed and refined by applying it to a wide range of buildings.
Appropriate architecture for sustainable development: The creation of ecological footprint and human development index capability
(ACADEMIA, 2012-11) Gibberd, Jeremy T
Carbon emission scenarios are used as key inputs in the sustainability and built environment strategies and policies. Decisions and direction in these are based on carbon emission models which show the optimum mix of interventions required to achieve carbon emission reductions or stabilization. Reducing carbon emissions however does not lead sustainability. Sustainability is more complex and requires the achievement of minimum quality of life standards as well as a balance between environmental and human systems. The danger with a focus on carbon emissions is that limited resources and timeframes may be exhausted trying to achieve reductions and valuable opportunities to build long term sustainable solutions will be being lost. This paper argues that increasingly scarce resources, the timeframes for addressing climate change and the lifespan of infrastructure and buildings (50+ years) mean that we cannot address carbon emission reductions first, and then address sustainability later; we need to address both at once. We need to develop appropriate architecture for sustainable development and not just carbon emission reduction.
Are environmental conditions in South African classrooms conducive for learning?
(ACADEMIA, 2013-10) Gibberd, Jeremy T; Motsatsi, L
Environmental factors have been shown to have a significant impact on quality of education. This exploratory study investigates environmental conditions in a case study classroom at a South African secondary school. It undertakes field measurements within a classroom over a typical school day in summer. Measurement data from the study is analysed and interpreted in relation to indoor environmental condition standards developed by American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). The study indicates that environmental conditions in the case study classroom do not achieve the environmental standards defined by ASHRAE and SABS. This suggests that the classroom does not provide an environment that promotes productivity and comfort for particular summer conditions, and therefore is unlikely to be conducive for learning. The paper draws a number of conclusions from the study and makes recommendations for further research.
Assessing sustainability of building materials in developing countries: the sustainable building materials index (SBMI)
(2014-10) Gibberd, Jeremy T
Measuring sustainability of building materials is complex. Despite this a wide range of different methodologies and systems have been developed. Most of these focus on environmental issues and are based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), or similar methodologies. While increasingly sophisticated systems are being developed to capture and represent environmental impacts, limited progress has been made on measuring a broader set of impacts related to sustainability. In developing countries there is a strong interest in sustainable development impacts that can be generated through construction and investments in the built environment. In particular, there is an aspiration that construction processes and built environment investments contribute to small business development, job creation, better health and improved education levels. In developing countries there is therefore a need to establish a methodology for assessing the social and economic impacts of building materials and products related to sustainability performance. This paper reviews a selection of sustainability assessment and reporting methodologies in order understand the applicability of existing systems as a means of measuring sustainability of building materials in developing countries. The review finds that current assessment systems do not adequately measure social and economic sustainability impacts of building materials. They also tend not to support comparisons between materials and products. An alternative methodology, termed the Sustainable Building Material Index (SBMI), is therefore proposed. This is reviewed and recommendations for further research made.
Assessing the built environment’s contribution to sustainable development: the sustainable building assessment tool
(2011-10) Gibberd, Jeremy T
This paper discusses how the built environment can support sustainable development. It identifies the key characteristics of built environment that can be used to support sustainable development and shows how this can be developed into a set of built environment objectives. These in turn are translated into a set of more specific criteria which can be used to assess the extent to which buildings support sustainable development. This approach was used to develop the Sustainable Building Assessment Tool or SBAT, which will also be described. The paper reviews the SBAT in relation to the sustainability context of Africa and South Africa. It finds that biocapacity is not well addressed by the SBAT and draws on the Convention on Biodiversity to develop proposed additional assessment criteria. It also suggests that the linked indicators used in the Convention may be useful in sustainability assessment tools for buildings by providing measures that not only chart reduced environmental impacts but also assess social and economic benefits as well determining the contribution of buildings to a broader shift towards sustainability.
Assessing the sustainability performance of the 2010 FIFA World Cup stadia using the sustainable building assessment tool (SBAT) for stadia
(2008-03) Sebake, Thandi N; Gibberd, Jeremy T
In 2010, South Africa will host Africa’s first Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. This will require the refurbishment and development of new stadia and an objective in this development is to continue with the Green Goal initiative developed for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This is being addressed this by the Review of the Greening Status of the Stadia for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa project commissioned the Republic of South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). This project is being undertaken by Green by Design (GbD), Paul Carew Consulting (PjC) and the South African Council for Industrial and Scientific Research (CSIR) and aims to review the sustainability initiatives that have been included in the 2010 FIFA World Cup stadia. It also aims to identify gaps in sustainability performance and provide recommendations on how these may be addressed
Building envelope
(Green Building, 2009-01) Gibberd, Jeremy T
This chapter describes the way building envelopes can contribute to developing green buildings and sets out some objectives that could be aimed for. It also proposes a number of approaches that can be used to help design green building envelopes. Finally, aspects of green building envelopes are described so that designers can select and work with the most appropriate of these to develop high performance green building envelopes
Climate Change: Implications for South African Building Systems and Components
(Alive2green, 2017-12) Gibberd, Jeremy T
Despite increasing awareness of climate change, there is little evidence of this being addressed in built environments in South Africa. Events such as flooding in Houston, USA, landslides in Free Town, Sierra Leone, and water shortages in La Paz, Bolivia and Cape Town in South Africa in 2017 demonstrate that it is increasingly urgent that built environments that are resilient to climate change impacts must be developed. This chapter introduces climate change projections for South Africa and begins to determine the implications of these changes for buildings. Proposals are made on how buildings may be adapted to climate change and recommendations on further research and development are outlined.
Creating more resilient, liveable human settlements through a circular economy
(Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), 2025) Gibberd, Jeremy T; Karsten, Carike; Beetge, Carla; Burger, Paul A; Mans, Gerbrand G; Cooper, Antony K; Napier, Mark; Godfrey, Linda K
This study explores the potential of the circular economy for human settlements in South Africa. It reviews current human settlement development pathways and draws on emerging concepts from the circular economy to identify and evaluate more sustainable alternatives. Seventeen (17) circular economy interventions (CEIs) were assessed to determine their appropriateness for South Africa, the sector's readiness to implement them, and the current level of implementation in South African human settlements. Engagement with private and public sector stakeholders showed a high level of familiarity with the 17 identified CEIs. The three most familiar interventions were virtualisation, roof gardens and composting. The three least familiar CEIs were found to be loose-fit, long-life design; equipment libraries; and design for disassembly. There was consensus amongst stakeholders that the adoption of circular practices would be beneficial for South African human settlements. The three most beneficial and appropriate circular interventions to South African human settlements included: greywater reuse; localising supply chains; and urban agriculture. The three least beneficial circular interventions were seen to be biobased construction materials, composting, and reuse of materials and products.
Designing school rainwater harvesting systems in water-scarce developing countries
(Routledge, 2024) Gibberd, Jeremy T; Adler, I; Adeyeye, K; Bello-Dambatta, A; Takacs, B
Many schools in water-scarce developing countries have insufficient and unreliable water supplies. This is being exacerbated by climate change and ageing and poorly maintained water infrastructure. A lack of clean water increases the risks of diarrhoeal disease and concerns about health can result in school closures, affecting education outcomes as valuable teaching and learning time is lost. In these situations, rainwater harvesting systems can provide an alternative, clean water supply that enables schools to continue to operate safely. However, there is limited research and guidance on school rainwater harvesting systems. In addition, there are also misconceptions about rainwater harvesting. These include that rainwater harvesting systems cannot provide sufficient water to meet needs, the water produced is dirty and the systems are unaffordable. This chapter addresses this context by showing how rainwater harvesting can provide sufficient and affordable water supplies to schools in water-scarce areas. It may be of interest to school governing bodies, teachers, design professionals and government officials who want to develop rainwater harvesting systems in schools.
Developing a school infrastructure Performance Indicator System (SIPIS)
(2007-06) Sebake, Thandi N; Mphutlane, L; Gibberd, Jeremy T
The Thuba Makote (TM) Programme, initiated in 2002 by the Department of Education and managed by the CSIR, was developed to introduce and pilot innovative approaches to school building design, construction and operation in order to address the need for both high quality education and community development support in rural areas of South Africa. It consisted of the construction and / or renovation of nine schools, one school in each province.
Does the Built Environment Sustainability Tool (BEST) address resilience sufficiently?
(Nelson Mandela University, 2019-05) Gibberd, Jeremy T
Climate change is already having significant impacts globally. These impacts are experienced most acutely in developing countries where infrastructure and population are often more vulnerable and resources and capacity for mitigation are limited. It is therefore particularly important to understand vulnerabilities to climate change in developing countries and address these in the most effective and efficient ways possible. The Built Environment Sustainability Tool (BEST) was created to guide the development of more sustainable neighbourhoods in developing countries. Through analysis of current climatic change projections for South Africa, key implications for neighbourhoods are ascertained. These are reviewed against criteria in the BEST to investigate whether the tool adequately addresses projected climate changes and promotes associated resilience measures. Findings from the study indicate that while the BEST provides a useful guide for addressing sustainability in neighbourhoods it could be enhanced by addressing resilience more comprehensively. Recommendations are therefore made for the further development of the BEST.
Does the sustainable building assessment tool address resilience sufficiently?
(Nelson Mandela University, 2019-05) Gibberd, Jeremy T
Climate change is already having significant impacts globally. These impacts are experienced most acutely in developing countries where infrastructure and population are often more vulnerable and resources and capacity for adaptation are limited. It is therefore particularly important to understand vulnerabilities to climate change in developing countries and address these in the most effective and efficient ways possible. The Sustainable Building Assessment Tool (SBAT) was developed to support the integration of sustainability in buildings in developing countries. Through analysis of current climatic change projections for South Africa, key implications for built environments are ascertained. These will reviewed against the SBAT to investigate whether existing criteria adequately address projected climate changes. Findings from the study indicate that while the SBAT provides a robust framework for addressing sustainability, it does not address climate change resilience comprehensively. Recommendations are therefore made for how the SBAT, and other similar tools, could be improved to support climate change better.
Household expenditure affordability thresholds for housing, water, energy and transport in South African human settlements
(2019-05) Motsatsi, Lorato L; Gibberd, Jeremy T
Human settlements and housing are a part of people’s material living conditions and contribute directly to their life choices. Human settlements that are poorly located, constructed and serviced force households to spend a larger proportion of their income on transport, energy and water. This leaves less for food, education and health, seeking employment, starting a business or saving for a pension or a house. In poor families, this reduces access to education opportunities, increases susceptibility to ill health and disease and makes it more difficult to escape the cycle of poverty. Therefore a sustainability indicator of human settlements and housing is the amount or proportion of household expenditure on transport, water and energy. The paper carries out a literature review to understand patterns of household income and expenditure. Household expenditure indicators and benchmarks are reviewed to propose benchmarks for sustainable housing and settlements. These are critically reviewed in relation to South African human settlement data to establish their relevance and applicability. Results are discussed to ascertain implications for human settlement and housing policy and recommendations for further research developed.
Infrastructure in human settlements in South Africa
(2024-07) Gibberd, Jeremy T
The purpose of this paper is to present research that develops and tests human settlement infrastructure policy statements as input for a new White Paper on Human Settlements in South Africa. The study develops infrastructure policy statements for human settlements. These are tested through an online survey of human settlement stakeholders. Data gathered through the survey are analysed to provide findings for the study and recommendations for human settlement policy development. The findings indicate that addressing infrastructure in human settlements in South Africa is a high priority. It shows that there is strong support for alternative delivery and operational models, increased involvement of the private sector and communities, innovative financing and the use of sustainable technologies and systems, in the development and operation of infrastructure in human settlements. The study is original as it explores new approaches to addressing infrastructure backlogs in human settlements in South Africa. It contributes new thinking on how the private sector and communities can be involved, alternative delivery models developed, and how sustainable technologies may be applied in addressing these backlogs.
Local Content
(Alive2green, 2016-10) Gibberd, Jeremy T
Local content refers to materials and products made in a country as opposed those that are imported. There is an increasing interest in the concept of local content as a means of supporting local economies and providing jobs (Belderbos & Sleuwaegen, 1997; Qiu & Tao, 2001; Corkin, 2012; Warner, 2011; Stephenson, 2013). Local content is also seen a way of improving national sustainability performance and developing greener buildings (Olivier et al, 2016; van Reneen, 2014; Gibberd, 2002). As a result, an increasing number of developed and developing countries are developed procurement policies that promote local content and it is estimated that about 11% of world trade has been affected (Stephenson, 2013). This chapter defines local content and provides examples of this in buildings and construction. It shows how local content targets or local content requirements (LCRs) are being formalised in government policy and pursued in procurement regimes. The relationship between local content and sustainability is also delineated in order to demonstrate the implications of local content on building design, construction and operation. The advantages and disadvantages of local content approaches are discussed and illustrated through examples. Finally, broad recommendations are provided to enable the concept of local content to be more effectively integrated in to buildings and construction.
Neighbourhood facilities for sustainability
(WIT Press, 2013) Gibberd, Jeremy T
It is increasingly acknowledged that current plans to implement sustainability are not achieving the scale and speed of change required. National built environment strategies to address sustainability tend to focus on large-scale programmes in areas such as renewable energy and energy efficiency. While this approach can improve national environmental indicators such as carbon emissions profiles; it appears unlikely to achieve sustainability. This paper argues that more comprehensive, and more local, approaches are required. Interventions at a neighbourhood level should be developed that enable day-to-day living patterns to become more sustainable over time. A key element of this are built environment characteristics and facilities which support sustainability. In this paper these are referred to as ‘Neighbourhood Facilities for Sustainability’. Neighbourhood Facilities for Sustainability (NFS) are initiatives undertaken by individuals and communities to build local sustainable systems which not only improve their quality of life but also reduce environmental impacts. The paper argues that this approach is a valuable way of ensuring that sustainability is addressed rapidly and effectively in urban settings. It also argues that the NFS approach may be more efficient and effective than national programmes as it responds to the local context and develops local ownership and capacity to which ensures systems are well managed and maintained. The approach will be illustrated through NFS proposals developed for an informal settlement neighbourhood in South Africa. These proposals will be critically reviewed and recommendations for further study, made.
Net-positive water systems for schools in drought-stricken areas
(2021-12) Gibberd, Jeremy T
In many areas of the world, climate change is leading to higher temperatures and water scarcity. At the same time, rapid urbanisation is increasing the demand for existing water resources. As a result in many drought-stricken areas, water costs have rapidly increased and supplies are becoming more unreliable. Schools in drought-stricken areas are particularly vulnerable. Limited resources mean that schools struggle to pay additional costs for water. Health risks also mean that schools have to close when there is no water. Closing schools significantly affects the quality of education as teaching is disrupted and learning time is lost. It is, therefore, important to find alternative affordable and reliable water solutions for schools in drought-stricken areas. Rainwater harvesting offers a potential solution but there is limited research and guidance on how these systems work at schools. This paper addresses this gap by investigating whether a rainwater harvesting system can be developed that would enable schools to become more resilient to water scarcity and outages. Modelling carried out indicates that a rainwater harvesting system has the potential of generating sufficient water to exceed the water needs of the school and therefore enables it to be water net-positive. The study shows that the business case for rainwater harvesting appears weak where there is a reliable local municipalwater supply. However, this changes when schools are faced with punitive drought tariffs and increasing water outages which force closures.

Browsing by Author "Gibberd, Jeremy T"

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