By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The first Presidential Innovative Building Technologies (IBT) Summit at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg concluded on Wednesday, Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane described the gathering as a turning point in the country’s approach to human settlements delivery.
In the South African context, IBTs refer to building systems developed outside conventional brick-and-mortar methods and certified through Agrément South Africa in terms of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act.
These include, among others, panelised and modular systems, lightweight steel framing, alternative foundation technologies, and prefabricated or off-site manufactured components.
Simelane stressed these technologies are not experimental curiosities but proven viable construction solutions capable of delivering faster build times, predictable quality, reduced material waste, and improved energy performance, often at lower lifecycle costs.
She said while government had made significant strides since 1994, delivering more than five million housing opportunities in the form of sites and houses, the country continued to face a stubborn housing backlog of about 2.5 million households.
Simelane highlighted rapid urbanisation and population growth, pressure on land and infrastructure, constrained public finances and the escalating climate crisis as structural challenges that demand new solutions.
“Section 26 of our Constitution affirms that everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing. The way we have been building is no longer sufficient for the scale, speed, and complexity of South Africa’s housing challenges,” the Minister said.
She noted that urbanisation is reshaping the global landscape of human life and South Africa is urbanising rapidly, with projections indicating that nearly 70% of the population will live in urban areas by 2050.
The Minister said the mainstreaming of IBTs is firmly grounded in government policy. The 2024 White Paper on Human Settlements, approved by Cabinet, commits the state to invest in innovative and flexible building typologies; promote sustainable and resilient materials; strengthen partnerships with the private sector, academia and civil society; and enable rapid responses through alternative building technologies.
In support of this policy direction, Simelane announced that the department will finalise Performance-Based National Norms and Standards for IBTs, guided by outcomes of the summit.
These standards will allow IBTs to be integrated into subsidised housing programmes, provide regulatory certainty to industry and financiers; protect consumers through minimum performance requirements; and ensure safety, durability, energy efficiency and accessibility.
Over the past two days, we engaged robustly across government, industry, academia, civil society, and the financial sector, said Simelane.”
“We have engaged in candid, comprehensive and substantive dialogue, anchored in evidence, enriched by diverse perspectives, and focused on identifying practical solutions that can reshape the trajectory of human settlements delivery in South Africa.”
Through inputs from research institutions, regulators, certifiers and the construction sector, the Summit has confirmed the need to streamline our regulatory environment, enhance quality assurance frameworks, and accelerate approval processes. We leave here with a unified resolve to strengthen coordination across all spheres of government so that IBTs can move from pilot initiatives to mainstream implementation, added Simelane.
She further explained that the rolling out of the IBTs will be underpinned by our policies on transformation so we don’t leave anyone behind and promote inclusivity.
As we bring this Summit to a close, let me express my sincere appreciation to all participants, speakers, exhibitors, partners and the IBT task team who have contributed to its resounding success, concluded Simelane.