Is the answer to SA's housing crisis growing right under our nose?
Does the answer to South Africa's housing crisis lie in wood-based homes?
According to a new study, South Africa has the potential to build up to 95 000 wood homes a year, thereby following the house-building trends of places like the US and Canda
Currently, wood-based homes make up 1% of new builds in South Africa, that's compared to over 90% in Australia, Canada, and the USA.
Stellenbosch University's Philip Crafford explains why South Africa's numbers are so low.
Historically we didn't have this excellent resource. Our forest industry started about 80-100 years ago.
Philip Crafford, PhD candidate - Department of Forest and Wood Science at Stellenbosch University
It's a commodity that we have, it covers only 1% surface area in the country, but it's a very efficient commodity.
Philip Crafford, PhD candidate - Department of Forest and Wood Science at Stellenbosch University
Crafford says pine and eucalyptus are the most popular woods used for home building.
You get timber frame construction, you get post and beam frame construction.
Philip Crafford, PhD candidate - Department of Forest and Wood Science at Stellenbosch University
Listen to the full conversation below:

Source : https://www.123rf.com/photo_34191609_trunks-of-trees-cut-and-stacked-in-the-foreground-green-forest-in-the-background-with-sun-rays.html
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