Towards Smart Cities: Digital Content and Urban Governance in the City of Masvingo, Zimbabwe

The urban society of today has grown to be a more sophisticated society because of the various sub-systems that exist in the city. This has made the management of urban areas that uses traditional ways to become more daunting. It has been further complicated by the rapid urbanization that has also been experienced in many of the cities today. These problems can be tackled effectively by adopting the smart city concept of urban management where technology is integrated into the way cities do their businesses. The research aimed to examine how technology has been adopted in urban planning and management in the City of Masvingo and how these technologies, or lack of them, have been affecting the governance of the city. The research used a mixed-methods approach to inquiry, where both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather data. A questionnaire survey was used as the quantitative tool of data collection and in-depth interviews and field observations were the qualitative methods used to collect qualitative data. The questionnaire was administered to collect information on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the city and how it was aiding the governance of the city. In-depth interviews were done with the leaders of planning organizations in the city and they provided information on the use of ICTs, and how they are helping in the planning and governance of the city. The research found out that, the city has not yet made any significant progress in the adoption of ICTs in urban planning. It is therefore, recommended that planners should be trained to use ICTs and the private sector should be involved in financing the development of infrastructure and networks for digital and e-planning in the city. On top of that, the government needs to play a leading role in promoting the digitization of the planning process

Towards Smart Cities: Digital Content and Urban Governance in the City of Masvingo, Zimbabwe

The urban society of today has grown to be a more sophisticated society because of the various sub-systems that exist in the city. This has made the management of urban areas that uses traditional ways to become more daunting. It has been further complicated by the rapid urbanization that has also been experienced in many of the cities today. These problems can be tackled effectively by adopting the smart city concept of urban management where technology is integrated into the way cities do their businesses. The research aimed to examine how technology has been adopted in urban planning and management in the City of Masvingo and how these technologies, or lack of them, have been affecting the governance of the city. The research used a mixed-methods approach to inquiry, where both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather data. A questionnaire survey was used as the quantitative tool of data collection and in-depth interviews and field observations were the qualitative methods used to collect qualitative data. The questionnaire was administered to collect information on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the city and how it was aiding the governance of the city. In-depth interviews were done with the leaders of planning organizations in the city and they provided information on the use of ICTs, and how they are helping in the planning and governance of the city. The research found out that, the city has not yet made any significant progress in the adoption of ICTs in urban planning. It is therefore, recommended that planners should be trained to use ICTs and the private sector should be involved in financing the development of infrastructure and networks for digital and e-planning in the city. On top of that, the government needs to play a leading role in promoting the digitization of the planning process

Adopting Green Building Technologies for Sustainable Development: Insights from Harare, Zimbabwe

Green building is a fast growing concept that acts as a cardinal instrument of sustainable development, being proven as crucial in the achievement of sustainable development goals. The construction industry is seen as a critical player in the achievement of sustainable development because it makes huge contribution to the environmental degradation. However, in Zimbabwe, the adoption of green building technologies has been very slow, which means that the contribution of the built environment to sustainable development is apparently very minimal. The present study attempts to situate the Zimbabwean construction industry in the sustainable development framework. Technology is the cutting edge of development in the contemporary cities and the adoption of technologies in the construction industry will go a long way in attaining sustainable development. The study also examined the barriers to sustainable construction in the country using Harare as the case study. The study used qualitative methods to collect data. In-depth interviews and observations were employed. The research observed that there is very minimal adoption of green building technologies in Harare with only three buildings that have incorporated these technologies the rest are conventional buildings. Technology in the construction industry is therefore minimally used in the city of Harare and this has severe consequences on sustainability. The major reason for poor adoption of green technologies include lack of government policy, general lack of information and understanding on the need for green buildings, and the hostile economic environment in the country. The study therefore recommends that government should intervene with policies and regulations that promote green technologies

Adopting Green Building Technologies for Sustainable Development: Insights from Harare, Zimbabwe

Green building is a fast growing concept that acts as a cardinal instrument of sustainable development, being proven as crucial in the achievement of sustainable development goals. The construction industry is seen as a critical player in the achievement of sustainable development because it makes huge contribution to the environmental degradation. However, in Zimbabwe, the adoption of green building technologies has been very slow, which means that the contribution of the built environment to sustainable development is apparently very minimal. The present study attempts to situate the Zimbabwean construction industry in the sustainable development framework. Technology is the cutting edge of development in the contemporary cities and the adoption of technologies in the construction industry will go a long way in attaining sustainable development. The study also examined the barriers to sustainable construction in the country using Harare as the case study. The study used qualitative methods to collect data. In-depth interviews and observations were employed. The research observed that there is very minimal adoption of green building technologies in Harare with only three buildings that have incorporated these technologies the rest are conventional buildings. Technology in the construction industry is therefore minimally used in the city of Harare and this has severe consequences on sustainability. The major reason for poor adoption of green technologies include lack of government policy, general lack of information and understanding on the need for green buildings, and the hostile economic environment in the country. The study therefore recommends that government should intervene with policies and regulations that promote green technologies

Urban Informality and COVID-19 Responses in Masvingo City, Zimbabwe: Questioning City Inclusivity

In many cities, urban informality is sidelined in the provision of services and development of the city. The outbreak of COVID-19 has called for myriad interventions to stop the spread in many cities. The big question in the city of Masvingo is how urban informality has been included in these interventions. COVID-19 has been on the increase since it was ever recorded in the city of Masvingo. As at end of August 2020, over 200 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded and pointers also show that cases are on the increase. Many people have been deprived of their livelihoods in the city due to the outbreak of COVID-19, thereby exposing people to vulnerability due to lack of livelihoods. The outbreak of COVID-19 has also resulted in closure of countless economic activities in the city, thereby depriving people from their sources of livelihoods. The most affected by the closure of economic activities are the informal traders. The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has called for copious interventions to try and stop the spread of the disease. The study examined the inclusivity of COVID-19 interventions in the city of Masvingo to see how they include other disadvantaged groups such as the urban informality. The informal sector in the city of Masvingo is not included in the city’s COVID-19 response strategies. The city is mainly focusing on the formal sector in their response strategies, thereby leaving the informal sector out and exposing them to elevated risk of contracting the COVID-19 disease. This research examined the inclusivity of the COVID-19 interventions in the city of Masvingo, with special reference to the people in the informal sector. The informal sector, even though they live in cities, they are usually regarded as people living in the urban periphery because they are not included in the city’s development agenda and service delivery system. The research applied a qualitative methodology where in-depth interviews and field observations were used to collect data. Interviews were done with city authorities and people in the informal sector. The research showed that the interventions taken to fight the outbreak of the COVID-19 have not benefited the people in the informal sector but only the formal sector. The informal sector has been sidelined, showing a clear exclusionary urban policy. Their livelihoods were destroyed in the guise of preventing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, such destructions were not done in the formal sector which again apparently shows exclusive urban policy. The research therefore calls for a more holistic approach in the fight against COVID-19 disease for the inclusive of the city and the betterment of life for all people in the city

Urban Informality and COVID-19 Responses in Masvingo City, Zimbabwe: Questioning City Inclusivity

In many cities, urban informality is sidelined in the provision of services and development of the city. The outbreak of COVID-19 has called for myriad interventions to stop the spread in many cities. The big question in the city of Masvingo is how urban informality has been included in these interventions. COVID-19 has been on the increase since it was ever recorded in the city of Masvingo. As at end of August 2020, over 200 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded and pointers also show that cases are on the increase. Many people have been deprived of their livelihoods in the city due to the outbreak of COVID-19, thereby exposing people to vulnerability due to lack of livelihoods. The outbreak of COVID-19 has also resulted in closure of countless economic activities in the city, thereby depriving people from their sources of livelihoods. The most affected by the closure of economic activities are the informal traders. The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has called for copious interventions to try and stop the spread of the disease. The study examined the inclusivity of COVID-19 interventions in the city of Masvingo to see how they include other disadvantaged groups such as the urban informality. The informal sector in the city of Masvingo is not included in the city’s COVID-19 response strategies. The city is mainly focusing on the formal sector in their response strategies, thereby leaving the informal sector out and exposing them to elevated risk of contracting the COVID-19 disease. This research examined the inclusivity of the COVID-19 interventions in the city of Masvingo, with special reference to the people in the informal sector. The informal sector, even though they live in cities, they are usually regarded as people living in the urban periphery because they are not included in the city’s development agenda and service delivery system. The research applied a qualitative methodology where in-depth interviews and field observations were used to collect data. Interviews were done with city authorities and people in the informal sector. The research showed that the interventions taken to fight the outbreak of the COVID-19 have not benefited the people in the informal sector but only the formal sector. The informal sector has been sidelined, showing a clear exclusionary urban policy. Their livelihoods were destroyed in the guise of preventing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, such destructions were not done in the formal sector which again apparently shows exclusive urban policy. The research therefore calls for a more holistic approach in the fight against COVID-19 disease for the inclusive of the city and the betterment of life for all people in the city

Informality and right to the city: Contestations for safe and liveable spaces in Masvingo City, Zimbabwe

Philosophiae Doctor - PhDInformal sector operators in many cities of the global South face extensive harassment, criminalization and restricted access to public spaces despite the important role the sector is playing in urban development. Using Lefebvre’s theory of right to the city the study aimed to investigate how the city of Masvingo has embraced urban informality. The study also examined how informal sector operators in the city of Masvingo have been accessing –urban space and creating opportunities for the informal sector to access such space. The study also examined how the provision of essential services in the city has been extended to the people in the informal sector as a way of granting them their right to urban social and infrastructural services. The research took a survey design where a cross section of Masvingo city, including the city centre, residential areas and industrial areas, was sampled for the study. Methodologically the research used a mixed method approach to data collection and analysis, where both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. A questionnaire survey constituted the quantitative component of the study and it was administered to the informal sector operators, In-depth interviews and field observations were at the core of the qualitative methods that were used in the research. In-depth interviews were done with key informants in the city and these included officials in the city council, government ministries, and leaders of informal sector associations and civic groups in the city. Field observations were done in areas where the informal activities were carried out to assess the provision of services and the environment in which informal activities were operating. Data collected through interviews and field observations was analysed qualitatively and the SPSS was used for quantitative data analysis. The research found that informal operators in the city of Masvingo are being disenfranchised of their right to the city in various ways. They are not afforded the right to express their lives in the city centre as the city authorities are determined to flush out all informal structures and activities from the city centre in line with their modern city goals. The planning system in the city does not recognise informal activities as approved land user in the city centre and they do not plan for them in new spatial development projects. However, informal activities continue to occupy contested spaces, where they are in direct contravention of existing regulatory framework and this has been used to marginalise them and deny them of their right to the city. Right to the city calls for all urban residents to have access to the city centre and that access to city space should be based on use values rather than exchange values (Lefebvre 1996). Also, informal sector operators based at various sites in the city are generally denied access to essential services such as waste collection, provision of water and sewer services

Towards Sustainable Housing: Waste Management in Informal Settlements in Masvingo City, Zimbabwe

Urban informality is fast becoming a permanent feature in cities not only in the global South but also in the global North, hence the need to include it in the delivery systems of the city for sustainable urbanity. However informal settlements are left out in the service delivery systems of cities and this has created spatial deprivation in the city. The exclusion of urban informality is not only a denial of their right to the city but also a denial of environmental justice to these people, which also constitute unsustainable housing. Including informal settlements in the urban fabric will result in sustainable housing because the housing delivery is very important in attaining sustainable development goals. All cities therefore need to provide its services to all the city inhabitants for inclusive and sustainable city. Informal settlements demands safe and liveable spaces for their well being and the sustainability of the city. Effective waste management in informal settlements does not only reflect the inclusivity of the city but is also an important pillar for sustainable city. The research used a mixed methods approach to data collection, where both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data. The research find out that informal settlements in Masvingo city are excluded from the waste collection services and this is imposing an impending danger to their lives because of life threatening environments that surround informal settlements

A novel spatiotemporal home heating controller design: system emulation and field testing

We have developed a spatiotemporal heating control algorithm for use in homes. This system utilises a combination of relatively low-tech hardware interfaced with electric heating systems and a smartphone interface to this hardware, and a central server that progressively learns users’ room-specific presence profiles and thermal preferences. This paper describes the associated spatiotemporal heating control algorithm, its evaluation utilising the dynamic building performance simulation software EnergyPlus, and a longitudinal deployment of the algorithm controlling a quasi-autonomous spatiotemporal home heating system in three domestic homes. In this we focus on the prediction of occupants’ presence and preferred set-point temperature as well as on the calculation of optimum start time and the utilisation of user-scheduled absences; this for two comfort strategies: to maximise comfort and to minimise discomfort. The former aims to deliver conditions equating to a ‘neutral’ thermal sensation, whereas the latter targets a ‘slightly cool’ sensation with corresponding heating energy savings. Simulation results confirmed that the algorithm functions as intended and that it is capable of reducing energy demand by a factor of seven compared with EnergyStar recommended settings for programmable thermostats. Field study results align with these findings and highlight the possibility to reduce energy under the minimise discomfort strategy without compromising on occupants’ thermal comfort

The limitations of employment as a tool for social inclusion

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>One important component of social inclusion is the improvement of well-being through encouraging participation in employment and work life. However, the ways that employment contributes to wellbeing are complex. This study investigates how poor health status might act as a barrier to gaining good quality work, and how good quality work is an important pre-requisite for positive health outcomes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study uses data from the PATH Through Life Project, analysing baseline and follow-up data on employment status, psychosocial job quality, and mental and physical health status from 4261 people in the Canberra and Queanbeyan region of south-eastern Australia. Longitudinal analyses conducted across the two time points investigated patterns of change in employment circumstances and associated changes in physical and mental health status.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Those who were unemployed and those in poor quality jobs (characterised by insecurity, low marketability and job strain) were more likely to remain in these circumstances than to move to better working conditions. Poor quality jobs were associated with poorer physical and mental health status than better quality work, with the health of those in the poorest quality jobs comparable to that of the unemployed. For those who were unemployed at baseline, pre-existing health status predicted employment transition. Those respondents who moved from unemployment into poor quality work experienced an increase in depressive symptoms compared to those who moved into good quality work.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This evidence underlines the difficulty of moving from unemployment into good quality work and highlights the need for social inclusion policies to consider people's pre-existing health conditions and promote job quality.</p