A Place Called Home: Environmental issues and low-cost housing

THIS IS A basic primer on sustainable approaches to low-cost housing provision and settlement upgrading. It is geared towards use by NGOs, CBOs and development workers in this area, as well as officials and authorities involved in different aspects of housing delivery and the improvement of living conditions. It does not include a consideration of administrative and financial procedures or of broader policy issues.

The book is written for South African conditions – the detailed resource section , for instance, is all South African. However the context-specific advice throughout the book is always put into a larger framework of general environmental principles, which can guide the process of planning, design and implementation in any setting. The South African focus becomes a useful means of grounding these principles in reality, and demonstrating how they can be adapted in specific situations.

Each section of the book considers how environmental principles can be integrated into the various phases of the housing delivery process. Chapter 2, on land identification, covers biological and physical factors such as slope, ground surface, soil type, micro-climate and exposure to hazards, as well as a range of socioeconomic and cultural factors, including access to various necessities, and the potential impact of environmental realities for community cohesion and service delivery. Chapter 3, on site development, discusses sound practices that will allow for an effective balance between human and environmental needs.

Chapter 4 discusses the provision of basic services, and the importance, wherever possible, of reducing both inputs and outputs. It includes a consideration of the implications of various solutions, as well as discussing government responsibilities and the role of local communities. Chapter 5, on housing design, focuses on the efficiency, comfort and stability of the housing unit, and suggests solutions to problems commonly experienced in low-cost housing. Chapter 6 looks at methods for upgrading the environmental quality of low-income settlements through attention to soil erosion, water conservation, waste management and community planting schemes. Throughout the text, simple line drawings provide a visual explanation of a number of concepts and solutions, and the margin notes offer clear definitions of terms.