She said currently, the Act prescribes that all homes must be enrolled with the NHBRC at least 15 days before construction.

“This requirement enables the NHBRC to manage its risk by ensuring that houses are inspected at all the key stages of construction. However, should the construction of the home commence without the prerequisite enrolment, this is referred to as late enrolment.

"The challenge with late enrolment/s is the associated high risk thereof. The current practice by the NHBRC to inhibit late enrolments is to request the home builder to provide a financial guarantee.”

The NHBRC said the home-building industry, like many sectors, is impacted by the economic realities of the country. However, it said there are signs of resilience boosted by the innovation and technology within the sector.

“For instance, most housing consumers are opting for smaller and sustainable housing as a replacement for bigger living spaces. Cluster housing is on the rise with smart technologies implemented in the housing industry, hence the growth of smart cities.”

The regulator said the standards are constantly revised to meet global challenges and introduce new Building Technology in the housing sector. The NHBRC is actively promoting ABT and IBT and the applicable training with the relevant stakeholder groups.

Sebulela said the homebuilding sector requires ongoing collaborative efforts from the government, financiers and business to support innovation, uphold compliance and maintain quality standards to improve the livelihood of people by implementing sustainable Human Settlement programmes.

The SHRA said to improve the sector’s outlook, a more coordinated effort is required between government departments, municipalities, and private sector investors to ensure timely land release, efficient funding mechanisms, and supportive infrastructure development.

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Homebuilders urged to embrace alternative and innovative building technologies