Judith Phiri, Features Reporter
EVERY year, people eagerly wait for the rainy season and wish for adequate rains — after all, it brings a sigh of relief for everyone.
They say rains bring joy and happiness, and a rainy day for a farmer is a day to make merry. However, imagine things going south because of the same rain. Gusty winds accompanied by thunder and lightning followed by continuous heavy rainfall wreaking havoc.
Worse still, water accumulates on properties and seeps through building walls and floors, or backs up into buildings through sewer pipes, cellars, toilets, and sinks. Extreme climate events are becoming more frequent, but can the urban planning and construction industry withstand these changes?
By 2030, there could be four times the amount of heatwaves, twice the amount of droughts and extreme rainstorms could rise by 50 percent, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Furthermore, the severity of these events is also on the rise.
While extreme events have increased more than five times from 1970 to 2019, the cost of extreme global events has increased nearly eight times in that time, according to data from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
As construction projects become more audacious in scale and geography and the number of climate-related disasters increases, there is a demand for more intelligence around climate risk and how it can be managed. Unpredictable weather affects construction timelines and budgets. Research shows that each year, adverse weather events (such as flooding and snowfall) delay 45 percent of construction projects worldwide, costing billions of dollars in additional expense and lost revenue.
Zimbabwe’s construction industry has not been spared by the effects of climate change and what has worked in the past for construction will likely not continue to work if not adjusted. Experts have said buildings will need to be able to withstand much more than they have in the past centuries, in other words, climate change is increasing the need for stronger and more durable materials.
Three ways that climate change is affecting the construction industry and process is through materials, time and safety concerns. Recently in Bulawayo, the onset of the rainy season brought misery to some residents after property, including houses and vehicles, was damaged in the aftermath of the heavy downpours that pounded the city.
This comes as the Bulawayo Fire Brigade has mapped out 14 areas in 10 western and eastern suburbs that have been declared flood-prone places in the event of emergency interventions. Safety spots for the affected residents have also been identified with the Fire Brigade activating its emergency response mechanisms in preparation for what it called “worst case scenarios”.
A recent incident in Bulawayo that circulated on social media saw six houses in Mahatshula North suburb being submerged in water and their household property badly damaged. In such cases, the Fire Brigade simply surveys the houses to see, which direction the water is supposed to flow and opens weep holes.
A weep hole is a small opening in a building or perimeter wall that allows water to drain out.
In an interview on the sidelines of the Africa Infrastructure and Built Environment Confex (AfriConfex) 2024 Conference recently, Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association (ZBCA) president, Dr Tinashe Manzungu said there was a need to facilitate construction of sustainable and modern infrastructure.
“As you are aware, climate change is here to stay and some of its effects are now unavoidable. As building contractors, we are calling for construction of sustainable and modern infrastructure.
“We must build going up, the space we have is finite. We need to save it and accommodate more of us because by the year 2050, we are saying in Africa the population would have doubled to 2,5 billion from 1,4 billion that we currently have,” said Dr Manzungu.
He said the building and construction sector played a critical role in creating resilient and sustainable cities.
Dr Manzungu said sustainable infrastructure systems were those that are planned, designed, constructed, operated and decommissioned in a manner that ensures economic, financial, social, environmental (including climate resilience), and institutional sustainability over the entire infrastructure life cycle.
He added: “We should develop roads, buildings, energy and water infrastructures with deep consideration of economic, social and most importantly, environmental aspects. These should also include a wide range of initiatives that specifically focus on energy, water and land management; smart and green technology and using sustainable building materials.”
Dr Manzungu said sustainable infrastructure approaches were based on global and domestic sustainable development goals regarding social, financial, public health and well-being, and economic and environmental concerns.
Construction Industry Federation of Zimbabwe (Cifoz) regional brand ambassador, Mr Mkhululi Nyathi said infrastructure development is the barometer of economic growth of any economy.
He said infrastructure plays a key role in all three dimensions of sustainable development: the economy, the environment and society.
“Infrastructure transects almost all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Governments across the globe use infrastructure development as stimulus in the provision of socio-economic public goods responding to shelter, social amenities facilities and commercial buildings as enshrined in goals 3, 4 and 11.
“Infrastructure development should also respond to goals 1, 2, 6, 10 and 14 on water and sanitation systems for portable water, health and agriculture, while transport systems for connectivity and communication responds to all SDGs,” said Mr Nyathi.
He said power generation facilities for the provision of clean energy to homes and industry is in line with goals 7 and 13.
Mr Nyathi said in light of climate change, infrastructure delivery needs to be anchored on innovation and called on the construction industry to upscale traditional building methods.
He said the use of recycled plastic roof tile instead of the traditional concrete tile should be the new norm, as well as paving roads using recycled plastic pavers instead of traditional bitumen.
“There are new technologies that can be adopted like prefabricated building technology. This strategy uses components made off-site in a factory, which are then transported and put together on-site to create a structure.”
Mr Nyathi said funding innovation and rethinking traditional financing mechanisms in the construction industry is critical to ensure the sector adapts to the effects of climate change. On sustainable urban planning, he said there is a need for long term planning for key urban and country side infrastructure in line with goal number 11.
With water and sanitation systems, there is need to consider water grid at national level, clean energy, transportation and communication and health prerequisites in the delivery of decent human settlements. Mr Nyathi said: “The infrastructure industry is among the chief culprits on carbon emissions, infrastructure delivery needs to respond to climate action initiatives as enshrined in goal 13. Therefore, the industry needs to adopt construction products that reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment.”
He said there is a need for the use of recycled plastic roof tiles, pavers and fencing poles, protection of wet lands, construction of dams and clean energy projects.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities, Engineer Theodius Chinyanga called for human centred innovation in real estate development.
He said there is a need to modernise existing infrastructure, design new infrastructure and upgrade existing infrastructure. Upgrading transportation systems, optimising water and waste management as well as use of smart technologies, in the face of climate change is also key.
Eng Chinyanga said: “Well-developed infrastructure improves residents’ quality of life by providing access to essential services and contributing to public safety and security. As urban populations grow, strong infrastructure is vital. Adequate housing, transportation and public spaces are crucial for sustainable development.”
He said infrastructure is crucial for increasing cities’ and populations’ resilience to natural disasters and emergencies, minimising risks and aiding faster recovery. The Permanent Secretary said when upgrading infrastructure, there is a need to implement new technologies and systems to enhance efficiency, resulting in long-term cost savings.
“Updating old infrastructure with the latest technologies and safety standards can reduce safety risks caused by wear and tear, outdated design, or inadequate maintenance, helping protect people’s safety and well-being.
“While, modern infrastructure is designed to withstand natural disasters, cyber threats and climate change. Upgrading infrastructure helps communities recover quickly from disruptions,” he added.
On climate change resilience, Eng Chinyanga said, rising sea levels, extreme weather and higher temperatures challenge infrastructure and there is need for cities to invest in climate-resilient systems to ensure long-term sustainability.
He said cities, towns and rural district councils (RDCs) should prioritise sustainable infrastructure by using renewable energy, reducing emissions and promoting energy-efficient systems.
In terms of expanding the housing supply with strategic and well-planned densification, Eng Chinyanga said the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities has since put forth a plan to carry out urban regeneration and densification.
“This plan will involve the demolition of the current dilapidated houses that are housing three families and the subsequent construction of three blocks of new flats. These new residential buildings are expected to provide housing for approximately three hundred families, contributing to the revitalisation and densification of the urban area. The project will target civil servants.”
