Unification of standards for construction, house sizes, electrification and energy efficient

standards

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Presentation to Presentation to the Select Committee on Public the Select Committee on Public ServicesServices

PurposePurpose

• To present the current status regarding technical norms and standards for the housing subsidy market;

• To present the details of the revision to the standards that was undertaken to date;

• To reflect on the SCCCA standards; and• To confirm the current status of the revision

project

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Presentation outlinePresentation outline

1. The legislative environment and provisions;2. The current norms and standards;3. The Variation Manual;4. The SCCCA details;5. The revision project details and cost;6. The current status of the revised standards;

and7. Unification of norms and standards

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1. Legislative Provisions1. Legislative Provisions• Section 3(2) of the Housing Act, 1997:• The Minister must (a) determine national

policy, including national norms and standards in respect of housing development;

• Such norms and standards were instituted by the Minister of Housing in December 1998;

• All houses constructed after December 1998 must comply with these standards, whether rural, urban or peri-urban.

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1. Legislative Provisions1. Legislative Provisions

• In addition to the Ministerial Norms and Standards, all houses must be enrolled with the NHBRC;

• All houses must comply with the building standards imposed by the NHBRC;

• All construction is furthermore subject to building plan approval by municipalities and building standards imposed by municipal by-laws.

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• The current norms and standards were revised in 2007 and these currently apply: Services-

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2.2. The current Norms and standardsThe current Norms and standards

Type of Service Minimum Level

Water Single standpipe per stand (metered)

Sanitation VIP or alternative system agreed to between the community, the municipality and the MEC

Roads Graded or gravel paved road access to each stand. This does not necessarily require a vehicle access to each property

Stormwater Lined open channels

Street lighting Highmast security lighting for residential purposes where this is feasible and practicable, on condition that such street lighting is not funded from the MIG initiative or from other resources.

2.2. Standard for servicesStandard for services• The water and sanitation services differ in

rural areas where normal township development is not an option.

• Services in such areas are referred to as being off-grid services, thus onsite sustainable solutions approved by the MEC and beneficiaries.

• Services in urban areas are mostly linked to reticulation services of the municipality.

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• The minimum size of the house is 40 square metres of gross floor area.

• Each house as a minimum must consist of:– Two bedrooms;– A separate internal bathroom with a toilet, a shower

and hand basin; – A combined living area and kitchen with wash basin;

and– A ready board electrical installation where electricity

supply in the township is available.

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2.2. Standards for the housesStandards for the houses

2. Norms and Standards2. Norms and Standards• The aforementioned present minimum

standards;• The standards at project level may exceed these

but may never be less;• Any deviations to lesser norms and standards

represent inconsistency with the legislative prescripts and ultimately unauthorised expenditure; and

• The subsidy costing is based on the minimum standards.

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3.3. What variations applyWhat variations apply

• To cater for extraordinary development conditions, a subsidy variation mechanism was introduced- The Variation Manual;

• This Manual provides for a comprehensive tool to adjust the subsidy amount to cater for precautionary measures to ensure quality products in all areas;

• It is supported by an automatic cost calculator; and• All precautionary measures must be certified by a

suitably qualified professional.

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What variations apply?What variations apply?• The following variations may be applied for:

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Geotechnical classification Geotechnical classification

Seepage/groundwater Compressible soils

Erodible of soil Mining subsidence

Hard excavations Seismic activity;

Dolomite Topographical conditions

Expansive clay Location variation

Collapsing sands Disabled variation

Collapsing sands SCCCA

3.3. VariationsVariations

• The most prominent and controversial variation pertains to the Southern Cape Coastal Condensation Area variation (SCCCA)

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4.4. What is the SCCCAWhat is the SCCCA• It is a demarcated area with a high winter rainfall

combined with low temperatures;• Within this area the internal temperature of a dwelling

could drop to below the external temperature;• In such circumstances condensation will accumulate on

the internal walls of the dwelling, rendering the walls wet;

• These conditions are ideal for Mildew growth which could harbor life threatening bacteria;

• Mildew is a white powdery appearance on a wall.

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4.4. The affected areaThe affected area• The SCCCA commences just above Cape Town and is

located south on the West Coast of the Western Cape, all along the Southern Cape coastal belt up into the Eastern Cape coastal region to just North of Bathurst

• The area was first define and later adjusted based on scientific surveys and temperature measurement.

• The CSIR was requested to assist with the demarcation of the area; and

• The adjusted area is mainly bordered by the mountain ranges in the affected area.

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4.4. The AreaThe Area

• The Housing Code contains a list of all the towns on the line of the demarcated area and the towns within the demarcated area;

• To ensure that the subsidy financed houses constructed within the SCCCA are projected from mildew growth, The CSIR designed special precautionary measures for the dwellings;

• These measures are:17

4.4. The Precautionary MeasuresThe Precautionary Measures• The installation of a ceiling;• The installation of above ceiling glass fiber

insulation with a required air gap; and• The plastering of the external walls of the

dwelling.• To finance these additional items, the

Variation Manual was adjusted to define the measures and the additional cost which may be added to each subsidy to cover the cost.

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4.4. The CostThe Cost

• The cost of the precautionary measures is as follows:– The ceiling installation: R 5 336,97– The glass fiber insulation: R 1 595,23– The plastering of the external walls: R 4 811,14– Total amount R11 743,34– Plus professional fees R 1 174,33– Total amount available R12 917,68

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4.4. The CostThe Cost

• The subsidy amount in respect of each house is therefore increased by R12 917,68 to fund the precautionary measures;

• The SCCCA variation does not affect the funding available for the other standard precautionary measures such as geotechnical conditions, dolomite, sand and/or collapsing soil.

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5.5. The new norms and standardsThe new norms and standards• The Department has finalised new norms and

standards for energy efficient dwellings;• The new NBR- SANS 10400 XA prescribe

basically the same measures as applicable to the SCCCA for the whole country.

• External plastering and painting for the SCCCA houses will remain.

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5.5. The new norms and standardsThe new norms and standards

• The Cost is estimated at R16 636,00 and entails the following:– Ceiling installation;– Insulation above the ceiling (130mm glass fiber);– Plastering of internal walls and rendering on

external walls; and– Window sizes and special glazing.

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The new norms and standardsThe new norms and standards• The Department also determined the cost of a

full electrical installation for each house as opposed to the current ready-board provision;

• The cost amounts to R7 943,00;• If the subsidy houses are to comply with the

NBR and we upgrade the electrical installation the total projected cost of the new product is R110 947,00 as apposed to the current subsidy of R64 666,00

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Cost elementsCost of current subsidy house

Extra for energy efficiency

Extra for full electricity Total house cost

Primary elements R 62,719.00 R 12,538.00 R 6,086.00 R 81,343.00External works and services R 2,670.00     R 2,670.00

Preliminaries R 5,944.00 R 1,140.00 R 553.00 R 7,637.00

Total A R 71,333.00 R 13,678.00 R 6,639.00 R 91,650.00

Escalation R 8,798.00 R 1,687.00 R 819.00 R 11,304.00

Total B R 80,131.00 R 15,365.00 R 7,458.00 R 102,954.00Project management R 2,805.00 R 538.00 R 261.00 R 3,604.00

Clerk of works R 2,404.00 R 461.00 R 224.00 R 3,089.00

Total C R 85,340.00 R 16,364.00 R 7,943.00 R 109,647.00

Transfer cost R 1,000.00     R 1,000.00beneficiary administration R 300.00     R 300.00

Total cost R 86,640.00 R 16,364.00 R 7,943.00 R 110,947.00

5. The new Norms and standards5. The new Norms and standards

• Scenario development on the cost aspects were done and the following was found.

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Cost elementsCost of current subsidy house

Extra for energy efficiency

Extra for full electricity Total house cost

Primary elements R 62,719.00 R 12,538.00 R 6,086.00 R 81,343.00External works and services R 2,670.00     R 2,670.00

Preliminaries R 5,944.00 R 1,140.00 R 553.00 R 7,637.00

Total A R 71,333.00 R 13,678.00 R 6,639.00 R 91,650.00

Escalation R 8,798.00 R 1,687.00 R 819.00 R 11,304.00

Total B R 80,131.00 R 15,365.00 R 7,458.00 R 102,954.00Project management R 2,805.00 R 538.00 R 261.00 R 3,604.00

Clerk of works R 2,404.00 R 461.00 R 224.00 R 3,089.00

Total C R 85,340.00 R 16,364.00 R 7,943.00 R 109,647.00

Transfer cost R 1,000.00     R 1,000.00beneficiary administration R 300.00     R 300.00

Total cost R 86,640.00 R 16,364.00 R 7,943.00 R 110,947.00

5.5. The New Norms and Standards The New Norms and Standards

Description Cost Houses lost

Non compliance – no escalation R77 842 22 241

Compliance but no escalation R99 643 46 124

Compliance, no escalation, no elect. upgrade R93 794 40 807

Compliance, no escalation, no elect upgrade and

limited project management fees

R89 885 36 867

Compliance, with elect. upgrade, no escalation and

limited project management fees

R94 250 41,244

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6. The current status of the revised 6. The current status of the revised standardsstandards

• These options were presented to MINMEC;• MINMEC decided not to approve the revised

norms and standards;• Some municipalities have already refused to

approve new housing subsidy house building plans; and

• The NHBRC will not enroll houses which are inconsistent with the NBR.

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7.7. Unification of norms and standardsUnification of norms and standards

• It is important that the norms for infrastructure is standardised;

• This also applies to the USDG application;• MIG funding for bulk and connector services has its own set of

criteria which may differ from the criteria applicable to the subsidy scheme;

• The Subsidy Scheme standards are however consistent with other sector Departments standards, eg. for water and sanitation;

• Flexibility is important to ensure local circumstances are accommodated.

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• Rural areas may differ in that the services in many instances are “off grid” and on site solutions;

• In urban areas where dense development are applied VIPs are not feasible and thus not provided; and

• The house standards remains equally applicable.

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7.7. Unification of norms and standardsUnification of norms and standards

Thank you for your attention.

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