Creating a sustainable future through the development of a behaviour change framework

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Rapid urbanization is taking place in South Africa and so is the need for affordable, healthy, sustainable housing and infrastructure. There is currently a great shortage of housing in South Africa, and a need exists to build new houses. However, the buildings and infrastructure assets the industry constructs account for a considerable portion of global greenhouse gas emissions, which is one of the biggest causes of climate change. Additionally, residents also have a large impact on the environment. When considering the rising population increase and the need for urban housing developments, it is evident that innovative measures need to be put in place to contain and curb global warming as well as other sustainability problems. It is known that the cause of environmental challenges, such as climate change, can be pinned down to unsustainable patterns of human activity. Thus, the primary objective of this study is the development of a Sustainable Living Behaviour Change Framework (SLBCF) that can be used to optimize sustainable living within the context of institutionally owned rental estates. n support of the primary objective a number of secondary objectives are also pursued. Firstly, the research aims to give definition to the South African urban housing landscape and the urban housing requirements for 2030. The focus secondly shifts to an in-depth analysis of the environmental impact of housing developments, and which are the main contributing factors. In the pursuit of this secondary objective, the residential building life cycle needs to be evaluated. The third secondary objective is to present the most prevalent and applicable findings of contemporary debates and emerging themes regarding behaviour change. The fourth secondary objective is to present the SLBCF. The final secondary objective of this study is to validate the framework. The conclusion reached at the end of the study is that the SLBCF when used as recommended, will indeed optimize sustainable living within the context of institutionally owned rental estates.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Snelle verstedeliking in Suid-Afrika gee aanleiding tot ’n dringende behoefte aan bekostigbare, geskikte en volhoubare behuising, asook behoorlike infrastruktuur. Die groot behuisingstekort in Suid-Afrika genoodsaak gevolglik behoorlike behuising. Uitbreiding van die konstruksiebedryf, maak egter ’n aansienlike deel van die wêreldwye kweekhuisgasvrystelling uit, wat een van die belangrikste oorsake van klimaatsverandering is. ’n Ander bydraende faktor wat ook ’n nadelige uitwerking op die omgewing het, is die inwoners self. Word die groter toename in bevolkingsaanwas asook die behoefte aan die ontwikkeling van stedelike behuising in ag geneem, dan is dit duidelik dat innoverende maatreëls ingestel moet word om aardverwarming sowel as ander volhoubaarheidsprobleme, te bekamp. Dit is algemeen bekend dat menslike aktiwiteite en optrede as oorsake vir omgewingsuitdagings soos klimaatsverandering, aangevoer kan word. Die primêre doel van hierdie studie is dus die ontwikkeling van ’n Volhoubare Gedragsveranderingsraamwerk wat beskikbaarstelling van verhuringskomplekse deur ontwikkelaars sal verseker wat dan optimaal benut moet word. Ter ondersteuning van die primêre doelstelling word ’n aantal sekondêre doelstellings ook nagestreef. Eerstens het die navorsing ten doel om definisie te gee aan die Suid-Afrikaanse stedelike behuisingslandskap asook vereistes vir stedelike behuising vir 2030. Daarna verskuif die fokus na ’n indiepte-ontleding van die omgewingsimpak as gevolg van behuisingsontwikkeling en wat die belangrikste bydraende faktore is. In die strewe na hierdie sekondêre doelwit, moet die lewensduur van residensiële geboue ge-evalueer word. Die derde sekondêre doel is om die mees algemene en toepaslike bevindings van hedendaagse debatte en toekomstige temas rakende gedragsverandering, aan te bied. Die vierde sekondêre doel is om die Volhoubare Gedragsveranderingsraamwerk aan te bied. Die finale doel van hierdie studie is die uitvoering daarvan. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die Volhoubare Gedragsveranderingsraamwerk, soos aanbeveel, gevolg sal word om volhoubaarheid van verhuringskomplekse van institusionele eienaars te optimaliseer.Master