| The problem |
| South Africa has built about 2.4 million low-income homes in the past 15 years. The target for the next 15 years is a further 3 million housing units. With the focus on overcoming our acute housing shortage, these RDP or BNG homes are built to very basic specifications with little or no consideration being given to thermal comfort or efficiency. The result is very poor living conditions for the occupants and disproportionately high levels of energy consumption. |
| The impact |
| The impact of this scenario is to exacerbate the cycle of poverty, not only in terms of basic monthly expenditure but also on the 'burden of life'. Typically the occupants of these homes, suffer a disproportionate health burden, including the often over-looked area of mental health, with the resultant high levels of apathy, inertia and vulnerability. |
| Can we do it? (thermal and energy efficiency in RDP housing) |
| The Kuyasa CDM project not only sets out to illustrate the dramatic socio-economic impact of the selected energy efficiency adaptations, but also to develop a sustainable model for ongoing maintenance of these interventions. The modelling includes local job-creation, skills development and promotes local industrial development by generating an ongoing demand for locally produced product in a completely new market segment. |
| Can we afford to do it? |
| The key determinant in addressing the quality of low-income housing is finance. The financial modelling for large scale roll out combines DSM subsidies, a 'pay for service' model, and Carbon Finance. |
| Can we afford not to? |
| At a more macro level, the project seeks to address the need for increased electricity generation capacity - it is estimated that by targeting energy efficiency for the proposed BNG housing, South Africa will benefit from the avoided costs of a new power station (upwards of R95 billion). The Kuyasa project is at the forefront of addressing two of the most pressing social and political imperatives facing us - creating sustainable human settlements and addressing climate change. |
