Choosing an appropriate housing methodology for holistic societal needs

Abstract

When involved in the provision of infrastructure, engineers need to be cognisant of the needs of society. The paper considers the provision of affordable housing to the acceptance of the beneficiaries, whilst contributing to societal needs through creation of local employment opportunities. The associated lack of skills and a vast number of projects lead to challenges in management of construction quality.Construction quality is therefore considered as a driving factor in the choice of a construction methodology. Lessons from past studies are used to formulate a construction concept for low-cost housing. The lessons from this study can be extrapolated for the development of all civil and structural infrastructure. It demonstrates the need for holistic solutions to find a balance between societal needs and project requirements.