Conference Publications

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CSIR’s advocacy and support of infrastructure asset management
(CSIR, 2008-11) Wall, K; Nordengen, Paul A; Abbott, G; Paige-Green, P; Roux, Michael P
That increasing attention is being paid to infrastructure asset management (IAM) is timely, and owes something to the work of the CSIR in discovering and documenting the state of infrastructure, and in leading specific aspects of the process of improvement of IAM policy and practice in the public sector. The CSIR has long been involved in IAM, initially in respect only roads infrastructure, then also in the area of immovable asset management focussing on public sector buildings, and more recently in respect of water services infrastructure
Development of a building performance laboratory for South Africa
(2009-05) Parsons, S; Conradie, Dirk CU; Abbott, G; De Jager, Peta; Bole, Sheldon; Motsatsi, L
The CSIR Building Science and Technology Competence area is currently in the process of establishing a Building Performance Laboratory (BPL). The BPL is aimed at becoming a centre at which the knowledge generation and technology development activities in respect of South African building infrastructure can be developed and undertaken. The BPL, assessment, benchmarking, modelling and rating systems are used to determine the following aspects mentioned in the poster.
From is to ought - formalising public sector briefing for hospital buildings
(Mindsystems, 2009-04) De Jager, Peta; Abbott, G; Parsons, S
Transforming bits of a strategic plan into physical infrastructure requires the preparation of briefing documents for the professional team. This task is both complex and specialised, particularly in the case of health-care infrastructure. Furthermore preparation of a brief lies beyond the scope of work of standard services provided by architects and other built environment professionals. For structural configuration reasons, there are strong variations in the methods to preparing these documents, and strong variations in the resulting building infrastructure. Some formalisation of the briefing system, which may involve a combination of interventions such as installation of national norms, standards, and guidelines, compulsory peer review mechanisms, and human capital development (there are few specialised courses in South Africa to address health-care building design or briefing) may well yield improved hospital buildings. This paper explores the ways in which briefing documents are prepared for public sector hospitals both in South Africa and abroad. Notwithstanding the particular opportunities and challenges of the context, to what extent should South Africa formalise briefing procedures in order to improve hospital buildings?
From is to ought - formalising public sector briefing for hospital buildings - Presented at the South African Federation of Hospital Engineering & The Clinical Engineering Association of South Africa
(2009-05) De Jager, Peta; Abbott, G; Parsons, S
Transforming strategic plans into physical infrastructure requires the preparation of briefing documents for the professional team. This task is both complex and specialised, particularly in the case of health-care infrastructure. This paper explores ways in which briefing documents are prepared for public sector hospitals both in South Africa and abroad. Notwithstanding the particular opportunities and constraints of South African context, to what extent should South Africa formalise briefing procedures in order to improve hospital buildings? In order to address this question, the following method, discussed more fully in the paper, was adopted. First researchers attempt to define more carefully what a briefing document is, and to describe the South African context. This is followed by a literature review which was undertaken to explore some international brief writing practices. A rapid survey was undertaken in an attempt to understand the South African situation both in terms of how it currently functions (what is), and how contemporary South African public health-care infrastructure brief writers perceive that the process should be conducted (what ought). In the section “thoughts about ought”, best practice and the South African context are discussed.
From reactive to proactive management of the South African healthcare estate
(2013-09) De Jager, Peta; Abbott, G
Healthcare spending in South Africa is inequitably distributed across the private and public sectors. Treasury reports that 49 % of expenditure is attributable to the private sector in the service of 16% of the population. This expenditure pattern has undermined aspirations of equity, access to care and social justice. Furthermore it has been widely acknowledged that much of the public health architecture represents a legacy estate, with poor replacement rates and a generally weak culture of facility maintenance. In light of this, there has been a commitment to transform the healthcare sector through the introduction of the national health insurance system, which is to be phased in over a 14 year period. This, coupled with a renewed focus on infrastructure investment by government, will surely lead "over time" to a substantially transformed healthcare estate. Historical implementation partners "the departments of public works" are increasingly being displaced by the introduction of cadres of built environment specialists in the employment of the respective provincial health departments wishing to meet their own specialised needs more directly. As the core mandate and skill is not built-environment-related this transition is posing interesting challenges.
Infrastructure: Healthy buildings for the NHI
(2012-10) De Jager, Peta; Abbott, G; Hlatswayo, N
In this presentation the author briefly discusses implications for hospitals and clinics infrastructure with the introduction of the NHI.
An investigation into turbine ventilators as a potential environmental control measure to minimise the risk of transmission of TB
(2012-10) Salie, F; Poluta, M; De Jager, Peta; Abbott, G; Baloyi, N; Van Reenen, Tobias H
The subject of this research project is to review and study the effectiveness of natural ventilation design assisted by a turbine ventilator, introduced to minimise the risk of transmission of airborne pathogens like TB.
Next generation healthcare buildings in South Africa: complexities and opportunities for sustainability
(2016-05) De Jager, Peta; Knoetze, Theunis P; Abbott, G
Hospitals are widely recognised to have complex design and engineering requirements. It might be argued that the unique functional constraints and operational demand placed upon the hospital building may counter sustainability imperatives. Yet it stands to reason that, even with this complex building type, there must be opportunity to reduce embodied energy, operational energy consumption, to manage water and waste, and to promote social cohesion without compromising the desired safe, effective, efficient healing environment. In South Africa there has been a commitment to transform the healthcare sector through the introduction of National Health Insurance which is to unfold over a 14 year period from 2011. While this is primarily a funding mechanism, it seems inevitable that over time the principles of universal coverage, eradication of inequity, and accessibility will be reflected in the architecture provided to support service delivery. In preparation for the National Health Insurance the South African government has increased spending on healthcare infrastructure and initiated several support projects to strengthen quality and accelerate delivery of capital projects. This includes the development of a comprehensive set of new national norms, standards and benchmarks for healthcare building. South Africa has adopted a contextual approach to determining its new guidelines, norms and standards. Key concepts which have a bearing on sustainability are discussed in relation to constraints and opportunities. The next generation of healthcare buildings in South Africa has created an opportunity to embed principles of environmental consciousness and sustainability into the policies and practices of built environment professionals in the healthcare sector.
Researched solutions for long-term accommodation units for drug-resistant tuberculosis patients in South Africa
(CSIR, 2010-09-01) Parsons, S; Abbott, G; De Jager, Peta; Conradie, Dirk CU; Bole, Sheldon
South Africa has been ranked as one of the 22 high-burden TB countries in the world by the WHO, and is also burdened with a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. TB, both in its drug-susceptible and drug-resistant form, is the most common opportunistic infection for HIV patients and actively accelerates the progression of HIV into AIDS. Active treatment and reduction of opportunities for cross-infection are therefore high priorities in South Africa. TB is transmitted through the airborne route: poorly designed or overcrowded buildings and other closed congregate areas such as public transport form important transmission nodes. The CSIR was approached by the National Department of Health (NDoH) to research and facilitate the design and construction of new long-term accommodation units for some 400 patients in 9 centres across the country in a project funded by The Global Fund. The project required the Architectural Sciences group of CSIR Built Environment to act both as technical advisor to NDoH and provincial recipients for the planning, design and construction of the units as well as to manage project implementation. The project has provided a unique opportunity to review current policy, to develop guidelines for long-term accommodation of patients with drug-resistant TB and to research, test and validate the performance of accommodation units provided through the project. The project has also provided valuable insight into facility risk assessment and design guidelines for other types of public buildings. The planning and design of such facilities must recognise not only health care needs, but also the social and personal needs and safety of patients and staff. Full use was made, wherever possible, of natural ventilation and environmentally sustainable design solutions. The design solutions are being tested for efficacy using CSIR’s newly developed Building Performance Laboratory primarily through the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling. Once completed and occupied, projects will be tested and validated against predicted and desired performance standards. The first unit was occupied in October 2009; it is expected that the last will be occupied early in 2011
Towards an affordable public health estate: a review of the 2008 health infrastructure barometer
(2009-05) Abbott, G; De Jager, Peta; Gaza, N
The aim of this presentation is to provide a review of the 2008 health infrastructure barometer. Also to ensure that South African healthcare services are sustainable and cost effective in future. The presentation is divided into four sections namely, context and need for health care infrastructure; budget allocations to health infrastructure; health infrastructure delivery, constraints and enabling mechanisms; and lastly, consolidation and recommendations of the future.

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