Abstract: Climate change and its impact on the environment have caused many countries to rethink the way buildings are constructed, as cities have been experiencing extreme weather patterns like flooding. Building Regulations (BRs) can help to make buildings adaptable to climate change. Developed countries have come up with new energy codes while in developing countries little revision has been made to the current BRs. This study compared ten (10) countries in Africa (Zambia, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, Botswana and Seychelles) to see how their BRs have been adapted to climate change. Using a comparative qualitative analysis of buildings’ structural integrity, lighting and ventilation, energy and sites, the results showed that few strategies to mitigate flooding, and high temperatures in buildings were considered. The countries where reviews were undertaken in the last 10 years (Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Seychelles) had more consideration for sustainable strategies like solar photovoltaic panels, rainwater harvesting and use of landscape to control site temperatures. The use of compact designs, Energy efficient methods of lighting, ventilation and flood mitigation were missing in the BRs except for Seychelles. There is a gap in literature because most countries have not published their recent revisions. The current BRs address the structural soundness of buildings with no specific strategies for flood waters and excessive heat. This study is unique in that it identified shortfalls in the current BRs to mitigate climate change and specific strategies were identified that can be used to update the BRs.
Abstract: Climate change and its impact on the environment have caused many countries to rethink the way buildings are constructed, as cities have been experiencing extreme weather patterns like flooding. Building Regulations (BRs) can help to make buildings adaptable to climate change. Developed countries have come up with new energy codes while in developi...Show More