Concomitant Impediments to the Social Acceptance of Sandbag Technology for Sustainable and Affordable Housing Delivery: The Case of South Africa

Abstract

There is a high level of homelessness in South Africa. Sandbag building technologies (SBTs) have been offered as economical and sustainable alternative building materials capable of speeding housing provision in South Africa. However, their degree of adoption in South Africa remains relatively low. Furthermore, limited research has examined the low adoption and social acceptance of SBTs, requiring thorough research. Therefore, this research investigates the key social barriers to accepting SBTs in housing provision. The study adopted a mixed method research approach that employs a comprehensive literature review in identifying 18 social barriers to using SBTs and a questionnaire survey of 228 building experts based in South Africa to obtain empirical data. The study findings indicated that the significant impediments were related to the lack of understanding of the benefits of sandbags, a lack of sandbag courses and training, and a lack of professional knowledge and skills, among others. A comparative analysis of the perceptions of the diverse categories of survey participants was conducted and discussed. This study’s evaluation of significant barriers offers government agencies and construction partners a framework to make realistic and well-informed decisions toward more sustainable and affordable housing delivery.