Social housing as a catalyst towards net-zero carbon building in the mitigation of climate change in South Africa

Since low-income and social housing are among the most vulnerable built environments to climate change, this article evaluates energy performance of in context enabling net-zero carbon South Africa (SA). It seeks investigate how improved conscious energy-efficient design contributes toward a change mitigation response SA. The analyses use indoor comfort, based on ASHRAE 55-2004 Standard, two case studies review potential sector contribute national mitigating agenda. findings highlight that provision itself is not an adequate response, but bio-climatic solutions with appropriate spatial material choices, along efficient envelope articulation, play critical role lowering improving user comfort. There is, however, need challenge growing advent (energy-) inefficient carbon-intensive SA simultaneously address parallel crisis homelessness, enable sustainable future for environment.