Building and urban planning in Zimbabwe with special reference to Harare: Putting needs, costs and sustainability in focus

Abstract

This article examines construction and its relationship with urban planning in Zimbabwe. Urban planning has been blamed for making the building process cumbersome, thereby raising transaction costs. Such transaction costs include planning and associated bureaucratic processes, which are often underestimated by construction investors. Although planning is critical for the sustainability of buildings in Zimbabwe, it still relies heavily on outdated building standards set by the British. The social, economic, and physical environment in which construction takes place has greatly changed. Issues concerning costs, investments, building materials, planning laws, and climate change play a key role in shaping urban environments. They are thus examined in the context of sustainable construction, a field of science that addresses relevant societal needs and issues of technology. This article is a theoretical and empirical review of the present needs and costs characterizing the construction industry. It examines both micro and macro-scale building processes and issues raised by different players in the industry. Can sustainability be achieved with the current mantra of building operations, guided by the present planning diktats and procedures?