National Building Regulation in South Africa

Country

South Africa

Name

National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act No. 103 of 1977, “Introduction of amendments to the National Building Regulations to introduce requirements for energy usage in buildings”

Goal

Make buildings more sustainable and decrease energy usage in South Africa

A minimum volume fraction of 50 % of the annual average heating demand for hot water shall be provided by means other than electric-resistance heating or fossil fuels. The obligation can be fulfilled by a number of technologies:

• Solar heating
• Heat pumps with appropriate storage capacity
• Geothermal heat
• Renewable combustible fuel, e.g., landfill gas
• Commercially grown types of wood
• Heat recovery from alternative systems and processes

Date when law
passed

September 2011

Date when law
came into effect

September 2014

Target group

The regulation applies to all new buildings which consume hot water, as well as refurbished ones if the measure requires planning approval from a local authority

Special
requirements

The complete hot water system (from meter to tap) must comply with SANS10252-1.

Hot water requirement should be calculated using Tables 2 and 5 of SANS10252-1.

Exceptions 

Historical buildings

Last review of
this tabloid

January 2015

More
information

SABS Standards Division

Tel: +27 12 428 7911

Fax: +27 12 344 1568

http://www.sabs.co.za

National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS)