EDITOR ' S NOTE
It is all about
Rory Macnamara , Editor energy efficiency !
Just because it is ‘ affordable ’, it shouldn ’ t mean it is cheap and nasty . One is sometimes amazed when affordable is mentioned and a manufacturer states they do not get involved with affordable ! Worse when some developers simply think because it is affordable the compulsory standards do not apply !
Affordable Housing is the ability , through a variety of options , that enables one to acquire a home that is properly built , and kick starts an individual or family to own property for an investment and / or further growth .
It was rather sad to note that three major developments in Centurion completely ignored the Energy Efficiency in Buildings requirements which for one , states that “ a minimum of 50 % by volume of the average hot water heating requirements shall be provided by means other than electrical resistance heating , including , but not limited to , solar heating , heat pumps , heat recovery from other systems or processes .”
These developments just placed all electric geysers whilst the same suppliers of electric geysers supply alternative processes .
These complexes could easily have had PV solar for electricity as the sheer number of units would have reduced the cost of installation .
SANS 204:2011 covers all the aspects of the building from design to installation to ensure the energy efficiency is implemented and according to best practice . Just the Normative References in the standard indicates the broad scope of 204 .
One must ask where was Building Control when this was happening ?
Nonetheless , Affordable Housing is fast growing , supported fully with inner city developments , and it is critical that developers who choose to disregard the compulsory standards be penalised heavily as with the Building Control which in this instance ignored the compulsory standards and refer here only to hot water and electrical when it extends further into walls , fenestration , and floors – in fact the whole building envelope .
Above all people are paying good money for what must be done correctly according to standards . Of course , most developers do operate to the standards and funders do expect adherence to the standards .
“ Just the Normative References in the standard indicates the broad scope of 204 .”
Eskom , good or bad , will never supply all the energy needs this country requires and it is good that the Department has opened the private supply which will be the growth factor in future as affordable / social housing continues to be the fastest growing sector .
Energy efficiency must be a prime requisite at the planning stage through to completion and perhaps this is where funders can come into play by holding back funding if the compulsory standards are not met .
Rory
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2 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2021 SAAffordHousing saaffordablehousingmag SA Affordable Housing www . saaffordablehousing . co . za