Architectural Studies Publications

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Adopting Green Building Technologies for Sustainable Development: Insights from Harare, Zimbabwe
(International Journal of Real Estate Studies, 2020-12-09) Chigwenya, A.; Zhakata, T. I.
Green building is a fast growing concept that acts as a cardinal instrument of sustainable development, being proven as crucial in the achievement of sustainable development goals. The construction industry is seen as a critical player in the achievement of sustainable development because it makes huge contribution to the environmental degradation. However, in Zimbabwe, the adoption of green building technologies has been very slow, which means that the contribution of the built environment to sustainable development is apparently very minimal. The present study attempts to situate the Zimbabwean construction industry in the sustainable development framework. Technology is the cutting edge of development in the contemporary cities and the adoption of technologies in the construction industry will go a long way in attaining sustainable development. The study also examined the barriers to sustainable construction in the country using Harare as the case study. The study used qualitative methods to collect data. In-depth interviews and observations were employed. The research observed that there is very minimal adoption of green building technologies in Harare with only three buildings that have incorporated these technologies the rest are conventional buildings. Technology in the construction industry is therefore minimally used in the city of Harare and this has severe consequences on sustainability. The major reason for poor adoption of green technologies include lack of government policy, general lack of information and understanding on the need for green buildings, and the hostile economic environment in the country. The study therefore recommends that government should intervene with policies and regulations that promote green technologies.
The Challenges of Managing an Archaeological Heritage Site in a Declining Economy: The Case of Khami World Heritage Site in Zimbabwe
(W. S. Maney and Son Ltd, 2013) Makuvaza, Simon; Makuvaza, Violah
This paper explores the case of the Khami archaeological site, whose degradation by the local communities in recent years was as a result of socioeconomic problems caused by the collapse of the Zimbabwean economy combined with the inability of the Zimbabwean government to support the site. We argue that the negative attitude by the local communities towards the management of cultural heritage sites is embedded in the colonial history of the country, and has been driven by the socio-economic difficulties emanating from the collapse of the Zimbabwean economy in recent years. We begin by explaining the history of Khami, its architecture, and the local communities residing around it. We then show and assert that the subsequent degradation of Khami and the landscape around it by the local communities is linked to the socio-economic problems of the country and poverty, which emanated from the collapse of the Zimbabwean economy. In the end, we contend that the economic constraints are part of the reasons why the local communities have from time to time failed to respect the importance of protecting cultural heritage sites in the country.
The Contribution of Women to Food Security and Livelihoods through Urban Agriculture in the City of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
(National University of Science and Technology, 2012) Mudzengerere, Fungai H.
This research explores the contribution, which is made by women to food security and livelihoods of families in the city of Bulawayo through urban agriculture. Women constitute the marginalised group in human society and their contribution to the society and well-being is slowly being realised as evidenced by campaigns to put them in positions of power. Rapid urbanization in Zimbabwe coupled with the economic crisis, which rocked the country between 2000 and 2012 had resulted in unemployment, which in turn created poverty and food shortages. In this research, primary data was collected through observations and interviews from people who practice urban agriculture in the city of Bulawayo. Interviews of key informants were carried out with the Bulawayo City Council staff members, government officials and other stakeholders who are concerned with the practice of urban agriculture in the city. Random and purposive sampling procedures were chosen to select residents who practice urban farming and stakeholders for interviews. Secondary data sources were used to review literature on the practice of agriculture in African cities of Accra in Uganda and Nairobi in Kenya. Responses were coded and analysed quantitatively, using statistical package SPSS. The research showed that women practice urban agriculture more than their male counterparts as they play a crucial role of ensuring food security at the household level. The research also found out that it is the women who make decisions on the types of crops to be grown, time of harvesting the crops and the market to which they can sell their surplus produce. In efforts to contribute to the food security, women usually face challenges of land ownership, money to finance their agricultural pursuits and to secure markets to sell their produce. These challenges tend to negatively affect their agricultural activities. It is recommended in this paper that if women are supported by providing them with land and money, they can actually positively contribute to the livelihoods of urban families through practicing urban farming. However, while this research has focused on the contribution of women to the livelihoods of families through urban farming, further research can look into the capitalisation of sewage to promote urban agriculture in the city of Bulawayo.
An Efficient Method for Rural Electronification Grid Design.
(European Scientific Institute, 2014-09) Mhlanga, Samson; Nyakudya, R.
This paper investigates the optimization of the electricity grid network in rural community of Chegutu district, in Zimbabwe. The Kruskal’s algorithm is used for the minimum spanning tree to carry out the optimization process.The project seeks to find how a network with a number of possible connections can have the least possible distance. The main objective of the optimization procedure is to minimize the total distance of the network connections, so as to minimize resources that are used when carrying out projects. Rural Electrification Agency has been failing to meet their targets for extension of the electricity grid network because of shortage of resources and input capital, thus the researcher adopts the idea of network optimization as a way of saving resources so that they can be used for other projects. The researcher used the algorithm to carry out the manual computation of the optimization process and also used C sharp programming language to create a code that is able to minimize the total distance of the network. In this dissertation the Kruskal’s algorithm has been translated into a simple model that can be easily used to map distances between nodes and vertices. The model presented in this dissertation help network service providers such as electricity, telephone and information technology to optimize their network resources so as to save money and resources for other uses in the future. The optimisation process shows that a total of 74km of 11kV power line could be saved from the network.
Informality and the fight for rights to the city in Masvingo city, Zimbabwe.
(Springer, 2021-02-21) Chigwenya, A.
The urbanisation of poverty has seen ballooning livelihoods of the poor in contemporary cities as shown by proliferation of urban informality. These livelihoods are mushrooming against a background of repressive city regulatory frameworks that are aimed to stunt the development of urban informality. These repressive regulations have been denying the urban informality their right to the city. However, urban informality in the city of Masvingo has been growing despite these restrictive regulatory frameworks. The study examined how urban informality in the city of Masvingo has been asserting their right to the city in a city that has very hostile regulatory framework. The study utilised a qualitative approach to the inquiry, where in-depth interviews and field observations were employed. The study found out that the city of Masvingo has several instruments that are disenfranchising urban informality of their right to the city. These have been employed to remove informal traders from the city centre. However informal traders are also fighting from various fronts to assert their right to the city. They make use of political influence, employ militant ways, organise themselves into groups for taking over underutilized spaces in the city. The research therefore recommends that the city of Masvingo should employ pro-poor and inclusive urban development policies that should see the integration of urban informality in their mainstream economy. This should result in participation of informal traders in the development of the city and allow them to enjoy right to the city. This study will contribute to the growing scholarly work on the informal urbanism, especially the various ways they are using to assert their right to the city. Urban informality is known in many cities of the global South, for their exclusion in development cities, but this study is showing how informal traders are asserting their right to the city.
Public-Private Partnerships Development Finance Model in Zimbabwe Infrastructure Projects
(Open Access Library Journal, 2021-04-25) Maposa, L.; Munanga, Y.
The economic meltdown and infrastructure decay in Zimbabwe over the past two decades has been strongly attributed to the absence of public-private sector partnerships amid political decay. The rapid intervention by government in the last two years to undertake PPPs has been more pronounced in road network re-construction although not so many projects have been done to date. The financing model of these PPPs has taken centre stage hence the main objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the PPP development finance model on infrastructure projects in Zimbabwe. PPPs are an alternative source of funding on infrastructure projects and have proved to ease pressure on governments as far as funds for capital intensive projects are concerned. The paper recommends the adoption of different PPP models for each sector given the differential requirements in each sector. It was found that a blanket model for all sectors does not work properly as different sectors have their unique characteristics. In addition, the paper recommends a speedy finalisation of the already initiated policy and institutional framework process to govern PPPs, which would also include putting measures in place centred on risk analysis and management during the process, issues on financing and issues on the mobilisation and incentivising of the private sector to participate in the process.
Tourism development activities in Chisuma communal area in Hwange Rural District, Zimbabwe
(Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, 2015) Ndhlovu, Pardon; Chigwenya, Average; Makuvaza, Simon; Mudzengerere, Fungai H.
In Victoria Falls, development of tourism dates back to around 1900 after the arrival of the railway line from Cape Town, completion of the Victoria Falls hotel and the bridge. In recent years, tourism activities have been spreading to the peri-urban area of Chisuma Communal Area (CCA) along the Batoka Gorges, downstream of the Victoria Falls. Tourism development in the study area was accelerated by the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament hosted by South Africa and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia. This has resulted in construction of lodges along the gorges displacing the local communities from their original villages. This paper examines the expansion and development of tourism in the CCA. Tourism development activities were found to be negatively impacting on the local area through deforestation, land degradation, displacement and social cultural erosion. To some extent, it was also found to be bringing in new livelihood strategies such as employment and development of infrastructure that are crucial for the development of the local communities.
Urban Regeneration and the Perceptions of Commercial Real Estate Market Participants: The Case of the Johannesburg Inner City
(Journal of African Real Estate Research, 2021) Simbanegavi, P.; Chigwenya, A.; Kodinye, M.; Msimanga, T.; Mbhele, T.
Many factors contribute to urban decay in inner city locations as real estate investments fall and industries disappear or move to more attractive locations. In South Africa, the attainment of democracy and the resultant ‘white flight’in favour of decentralised locations precipitated urban decay. Commercial real estate has spill-over effects on foot-count and absorption rates on inner city real estate. It helps stimulate redevelopment of other property types such as apartments, which contribute to the overall economic revitalisation of the decayed inner city. This paper examines the challenges faced by real estate investors in regeneration projects in Johannesburg Inner City (JIC). The paper uses an exploratory qualitative research design, where interviews were conducted with commercial real estate participants in JIC. The paper identified five challenges faced by commercial real estate market participants regarding investments and operations: building acquisition, physical public infrastructure, homelessness, lack of financing, and crime. An understanding of these challenges faced by commercial real estate market participants is valuable for policy-makers trying to attract commercial real estate investments to the inner city. Successful regeneration projects will promote urban renewal and revitalise economic activities in the decaying regions. The identified challenges will illuminate municipal programs and policies needed for the development of inner cities.

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