This dissertation examines the role of subsidised housing in reducing carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions in South Africa. Climate change is an occurring event
and is largely caused by human activities, such as the production of energy
from fossil fuels (NRC, 2010). Buildings are seen as one of the highest
consuming sectors of energy and therefore present many potential climate
change mitigation opportunities. The South African subsidised housing sector
is expanding significantly and estimations made in the current study show
that 2.8 million subsidised housing units can potentially reduce up to 3% of
the total current CO2 emissions from the residential sector. This demand for
subsidised housing units can also potentially reduce up to 0.06% of South
Africa's total annual CO2 emissions.