The 2024 South African Housing Market Report reveals that the country's residential property market comprised 6.91 million properties, valued at R6.789 trillion, at the end of 2023.
As the country evolves in the face of global challenges and technological advancements, the residential property sector is experiencing significant transformations. From sustainability initiatives to smart home technologies, the engineering industry is crucial in helping homeowners navigate these changes, offering innovative solutions to meet modern demands while adhering to regulatory requirements and environmental considerations. Engineering sustainable solutions for new homeowner standards Recent events, such as the severe floods in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape in June 2024, have highlighted the urgent need for climate-resilient residential design.
For this reason, sustainability has moved from a luxury add-on to a fundamental requirement in residential developments. The South African National Standards (SANS) have propelled this change since 2021, introducing SANS regulations requiring homes to be designed with energy efficiency considerations, taking into account factors such as climate and location. One of the most significant changes is the requirement for residential properties to conform with the specified maximum annual energy consumption for this category of buildings.
This shift has driven a surge in more efficient design methodologies and a focus on energy-efficient services wit.
