Is the answer to SA's housing crisis growing right under our nose?

According to a report, South Africa has the capability to produce around 95 000 wood-based homes each year...

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:

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