CLIMATE-RESILIENT CONSTRUCTION IN SOUTH AFRICA: ADAPTATION STRATEGIES FOR BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS

Abstract South Africa is increasingly exposed to climate-related hazards, including intense rainfall and flooding, prolonged drought, heatwaves, severe wind events, wildfires and coastal storm surges. These hazards interact with ageing infrastructure, rapid urbanisation, unequal settlement conditions, maintenance backlogs and constrained municipal capacity, increasing risks to buildings, transport systems, water and sanitation networks, energy infrastructure and construction supply chains. This article examines climate-resilient construction as an adaptation imperative for the South African built environment. Using a narrative review of policy directions and built-environment adaptation literature, the article identifies practical strategies at building, infrastructure and governance levels. Key measures include climate-risk-informed site selection and land-use planning; flood-resilient building design; passive thermal design; water-sensitive urban design; durable and locally appropriate materials; nature-based solutions; asset maintenance; climate-informed design standards; and lifecycle-based procurement. The paper argues that resilience should not be treated as an add-on technical feature, but as a core performance requirement embedded across planning, design, construction, operation and renewal. It further proposes an integrated climate-resilient construction framework for South Africa that links hazard assessment, vulnerability reduction, adaptive design, implementation capacity and post-event learning. The paper concludes that coordinated action by government, built-environment professionals, contractors, financiers and communities is essential to ensure that infrastructure investments remain safe, functional, inclusive and economically viable under changing climatic conditions.