Media advisory

The look and feel of South Africa's future housing and neighbourhoods will form the heart of the Off-the-Wall Human Settlements Showcase, which will be held in Pretoria on 8 and 9 February 2019.

The event, a first for the country, is part of a process to develop and adopt the Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Human Settlement (STI 4 SHS) Roadmap that is due for completion in September this year.

The roadmap sets out a 10-year plan for a coordinated investment and collaboration between key stakeholders, recognising the demand for alternative and innovative technologies in the built environment to help achieve citizens' right to adequate housing and improved quality of life. The project will formally establish a strategic alliance through a national forum for STI 4 SHS to lead the way for its subsequent implementation.

Global risks such as climate change, environmental degradation and resource depletion require governments to rethink how resources are managed, and STI 4 SHS is aimed at using science, technology and innovation to respond to these risks.

The Off-the-Wall Human Settlements Showcase will be hosted by the Department of Science and Technology's entity, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and other partners such as the Department of Human Settlements, who are involved in the development of the roadmap.

The event will feature exhibitions and pitching sessions. Entrepreneurs, innovators and industry in the country will use the opportunity to showcase new ideas for future houses and neighbourhoods. Selected projects will be featured in a book, while all exhibited innovations will be documented in a register, which forms part of the broader road mapping initiative. 

CSIR project leader and senior researcher, Peta de Jager, says: "The event will feature a two-day open-air fair environment at which technologies can be demonstrated and discussed with human settlement stakeholders from both the public and the private sectors."

There will also be public lectures on innovative building technologies and the protection of intellectual property, among other topics.

"This will be of interest to implementers in the human settlements sector, innovators and built environment professionals. The event also aims to initiate discussions with potential investors and collaborators for the STI 4 SHS roadmap project," says Ms De Jager.

Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date: 8 - 9 February 2019
Time: 09:30 - 13:00
Venue: CSIR, Building 50, Knowledge Commons

NB: Please bring form of identification

RSVP and enquiries:

CSIR: David Mandaha
Email: dmandaha@csir.co.za
Tel: 012 841 3654 or 072 126 8910

DST: Veronica Mohapeloa
Email: Veronica.Mohapeloa@dst.gov.za
Tel: 083 400 5750

Registration is compulsory. Please join us in making a difference by completing our attendance registration form here: http://www.sti4shs.co.za/events/otw2019#no-back