Façades as climate adaptation technologies for urban areas in hot and temperate regions of South Africa

Abstract

Climate change is not a novel occurring phenomenon created by mankind. Climate fluctuations (climate change) have occurred both locally and internationally since the planet originated some 4.5 billion years ago (IPCC, 2007). However, extreme weather events have become more frequent since the 1950s, causing significant damage to the built environment (Kristl, Senior & Salaj, 2020). With projections indicating a significant rise in global temperatures by the end of this century, there is an urgent need for new building requirements and usage patterns (O'Brien, 2018; IPCC, 2018).Policymakers increasingly recognize that both mitigation and adaptation measures are essential responses to climate change (UNFCCC, 2006), with a focus on building resilience at all levels to respond to disruptive events (O’Brien & O’Keefe 2013). Therefore, the focus of the report is to identify and analyse effective and appropriate strategies to enhance a buildings thermal responsive and adaptive capacity in the face of climate change. This study explores how building technology, specifically facade technologies, employed as climate adaptation strategies can enhance the thermal amelioration potential of buildings, specifically in the City of Tshwane (South Africa). The study provides targeted recommendations for enhancing the thermal efficiency and resilience of buildings, advocating for retrofitting existing buildings to cope with evolving climate variations (Vermeulen, 2024). The research findings report that case studies that employed adaptative facades yield the most promising results. Additionally, it was observed that within the framework of the research sample, methods for measuring the thermal performance of the façade technology were only executed on adaptative facades, underscoring its value in temperate climates. The aim of the study is to contribute to the climate change adaptation discourse, emphasizing the role of facade systems in enhancing a buildings thermal amelioration potential.