The acceptability of earth constructed houses in central areas of South Africa

[摘要] English: The traditional earth building techniques of South Africans are well documented, butlittle research reflects the current perceptions of these building materials andtechniques. The thesis explores the factors (independent variables) that can beaddressed in order to make earth constructed houses in general more acceptable incentral areas of South Africa. The thesis draws on data obtained from the SANPADproject (South Africa-Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives inDevelopment) with a household survey (n=1790) from respondents regarding theirperceptions and attitudes towards earth construction. Multiple qualitative andquantitative responses were recorded both for and against the use of sun dried earthblocks (adobe). Correlation and regression analyses were used to test for thecharacteristics (significant variables) that influence the acceptability of earthconstructed houses.The findings show that respondents regard traditional earth building materials asinferior. Negative attitudes were found to be linked to the structural performance ofunbaked earth materials regarding stability in wet conditions and maintenance.Limited other studies confirmed the low acceptability of traditional earth constructedwalls.Regression analysis could not confirm that personal and household characteristicsare associated with the housing, context and acceptability characteristics.Correlation analyses confirmed that certain housing characteristics (basic services such as water born toilets connected to sewerage systems, running water andelectricity) influence the acceptability of traditional earth constructed houses.Correlation analyses confirmed that context characteristics (location and area types)influence the acceptability of traditional earth constructed houses. Furthermore, thedata and literature confirm that the building culture (available material and buildingsskills) and upward social mobility together with Reconstruction and DevelopmentProgramme (RDP) houses (with basic services) influence the acceptability oftraditional earth constructed housing.The findings concluded that attitudes toward traditional earth construction are morepositive in 1) informal urban areas where informal houses do not have access tobasic services and 2) rural households where the building culture dictates the normeven without basic services. The effects of conformity, imitation and upward socialmobility were confirmed, as stated by the literature and the data. Together withupgraded earth construction techniques (such as cement stabilised compressedearth blocks or bricks) wall components for earth buildings in parts of central SouthAfrica may be more acceptable.The hypothesis is that if the influencing factors on the acceptability oftraditional earth constructed housing are known, it can be used in thepromotion of contemporary earth construction.The thesis aims to promote contemporary earth construction techniques. This thesisstates that the public should be equipped and educated about the importance ofpreserving existing forms and methods of earth construction, in order to supportuseful applications within contemporary architecture.

[发布机构] University of the Free State