Chrisna Du Plessis

A strategic framework for sustainable construction in developing countries

There is no doubt that large‐scale development in the built environment and its physical infrastructure is needed in the so‐called ‘developing countries’. However, these problems need to be addressed in a way that is socially and ecologically responsible. There is great urgency to make sustainable interventions now, while these built environments are being created, rather than try and change things after the fact. However, there are a number of challenges to the introduction of sustainable construction technologies and practices, and certain enablers need to be developed to help these countries adopt a more sustainable path. The Agenda 21 for Sustainable Construction in Developing Countries suggested a strategy for addressing some of these challenges by developing a Research and Development Agenda, based on a matrix of immediate, medium‐term and long‐term technological, institutional and value enablers. This Agenda is supported by a Stakeholder Plan for Action. The challenge now is to find the means to implement these suggestions at a local level by developing regional and national action plans.

Towards a regenerative paradigm for the built environment

The concept of regenerative design and development is situated within the broader theoretical context of sustainability. The emerging regenerative paradigm is contrasted with the two current sustainability paradigms – internationally negotiated ‘idealistic’ public policy and private sector ‘Ecological Modernization’ – that seek to maintain the status quo. Each of these sustainability paradigms is explained though a brief historical narrative to illustrate their response to broader social pressures, the main critiques of each and some commonalities. It is argued that the dominant sustainability paradigms are reaching the limitations of their usefulness due to their conceptual foundation in an inappropriate mechanistic worldview and their tacit support of a modernization project that prevents effective engagement with a complex, dynamic and living world. The regenerative paradigm provides an alternative that is explicitly designed to engage with a living world through its emphasis on a co-creative partnersh...

Action for sustainability: preparing an African plan for sustainable building and construction

Sustainable development, and by extension sustainable building, is an evolving concept that relies for its implementation on the development of regional and local approaches and solutions. There is, in particular, a split between the definitions, approaches and priorities in developed and developing countries. Subsequently, a process for creating an international agenda for sustainable building is needed to recognize these regional and local differences. Part of this process is the development of regional action plans for sustainable building and construction at a number of regional sustainable building conferences. The key elements of an action plan for Africa, based on a discussion session at the SB04 Africa Conference, are considered and placed within the African context and the larger international issues. The key issue is the establishment of a solid knowledge foundation for Africa that will equip the public, professionals, development agencies and governments with accurate and relevant knowledge generated within the framework of the continents social needs, its cultures and its biophysical environment to guide their decisions and actions towards establishing a sustainable built environment.Sustainable development, and by extension sustainable building, is an evolving concept that relies for its implementation on the development of regional and local approaches and solutions. There is, in particular, a split between the definitions, approaches and priorities in developed and developing countries. Subsequently, a process for creating an international agenda for sustainable building is needed to recognize these regional and local differences. Part of this process is the development of regional action plans for sustainable building and construction at a number of regional sustainable building conferences. The key elements of an action plan for Africa, based on a discussion session at the SB04 Africa Conference, are considered and placed within the African context and the larger international issues. The key issue is the establishment of a solid knowledge foundation for Africa that will equip the public, professionals, development agencies and governments with accurate and relevant knowledge gen...

Planning for dynamic cities: introducing a framework to understand urban change from a complex adaptive systems approach

ABSTRACT Planning for dynamic cities is a perennial problem that continues to grow in importance in a rapidly changing world. This paper presents a conceptual framework to understand urban change through a complex adaptive systems approach. This framework includes a process of (1) describing the system through setting boundaries and identifying the properties of the system, (2) identifying the patterns of change across scales and (3) mapping the change over time. The framework firstly, offers a tool to urban planners to approach some of the complexities of urban change and secondly, a foundation to engage with the challenge of developing alternative sustainable development models that are able to deal with the reality of complex, dynamic and interconnected urban systems and to cope with change and uncertainty in ways that build positive resilience and support regenerative design and development.