As build countries are still building up their basic infrastructure for public services, hospitals and transport, they have an opportunity to apply circular strategies such as modular, passive and flexible design and avoid, by design, the operational inefficiencies which characterise infrastructure in Shift countries.

Build countries have a low material footprint per capita. As a result, the impact of their economic activities often falls within the regenerative capacity of the planet. On the downside, however, they are struggling to meet all basic needs, not least in relation to HDI indicators such as education and healthcare. Natural capital, rather than human capital, is their dominant source of wealth, which means that the focus is on extraction and sale of raw materials, while investment in education and skills is insufficient.

Local, renewable and recycled construction materials were prioritised during the construction of the Habitat Research and Development Center in Katutura, Namibia. The use of these materials makes the building fit within cultural preferences and retain a distinguished Namibian signature. The thick walls of the building are made of compressed earth and brick, which are also the materials used in traditional houses. Low-grade sheep’s wool is used to insulate the ceilings. The building is cooled and ventilated by means of passive design principles, such as its orientation on the dominant wind direction, shade from the large roof overhangs and by spraying harvested rainwater to freshen the air; while lavender is used to keep insects away.

In Zimbabwe, the Eastgate Centre has been applying passive heating and cooling principles in Harare since 1996, employing biomimicry solutions inspired by airflows in termite mounds. Deep eaves keep direct sunlight out in summer and are a modern application of a building principle common in Zimbabwe.

Another example is the Tebogo Home in Orange Farm, South Africa, where similar passive design principles keep indoor temperatures within the 18 to 26 °C range, whereas, in conventional buildings, they can span from 2 to 45 °C.

Passive design maximises the use of 'natural' sources of heating, cooling and ventilation to create comfortable conditions inside buildings. It harness environmental conditions such as solar radiation, cool night air and airpressure differences to drive the internal environment. Passive measures do not involve mechanical or electrical systems.

Photo by Tim Johnson on Unsplash