Tag: construction

As weather patterns evolve and climate-related risks intensify, the construction sector must rethink how it assesses flood exposure. South Africa is on the cusp of yet another unprecedented weather cycle. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) predicts a moderate-to-strong El Niño event developing between now and August 2026.

At the beginning of the year, there was cautious optimism that the construction environment, while still constrained, might at least become more predictable. However, that optimism did not last. Within weeks, the Iran conflict and disruptions to global energy markets pushed fuel prices sharply higher. The knock-on effects spread across the entire construction delivery chain. They affected plant operations, transport, materials, labour allocation and project timelines.

South African homebuyers are losing hundreds of thousands of Rands to a little-known charge embedded in the Plot-and-Plan purchase process. One Western Cape developer has decided to tackle the issue instead. There is a cost built into almost every Plot-and-Plan home purchase in South Africa. Most buyers have never heard of it before signing. By the time they discover it, construction is already underway, and the bill becomes unavoidable. It is called interim interest.

We work closely with building product manufacturers and service providers across South Africa’s construction sector. A common question we hear is: “How do we get our products specified by architects?” This is a critical challenge that many face. Getting specified by architects early in the design process can secure a project, or result in missing out entirely.

Steel is one of the most commonly manufactured materials in the world, because it has such a wide variety of uses – steel is everywhere, from construction to vehicles, home goods to robotics. Steel production is also hugely carbon intensive, representing a significant proportion of global man-made carbon emissions. In the universal quest for Net Zero and carbon neutral, green steel production is critical.

In George, thirty-four people died when a partially completed five storey residential building collapsed. This event is tragic, and albeit the worst building disaster in South Africa, is by no means an isolated incident of professional incompetence.

A wave of technology and process innovation is sweeping the construction industry. The options and pace of change can be overwhelming, so it’s important to stay focused on the goal of all innovation – to improve efficiency, productivity and safety, for the industry and society at large.

The tragic collapse of an apartment building in George earlier this year, which resulted in the loss of 34 lives, serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of adhering to best practices in construction to manage risk and ensure compliance.

The growing importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria is having a significant impact on how building projects are planned, executed, and managed in South Africa. If anything, it is reshaping the construction landscape when it comes to promoting sustainable development and improving social outcomes.

Globally, the building and construction industry has been putting more emphasis on using energy-efficient technologies and equipment to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption in buildings. This has resulted in the integration of renewable energy sources in building designs with solar panels, wind turbines, and even geothermal systems becoming commonplace.