Wellington Didibhuku Thwala

Rapid, unplanned, and uncontrolled urbanisation has contributed to ecological damage worldwide, including elevated land surface temperatures (LST), intensified Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects, and the growing risks to environmental and human well-being. Although these challenges are increasingly evident in African cities, there is limited understanding of their spatial and temporal dynamics in rapidly urbanising contexts. This study demonstrates a geospatial framework for assessing the spatial and temporal characteristics of the UHI effect, using Lusaka City as a case study. The framework combines Landsat 5, 8, and MODIS imagery to analyse 25 years of LST dynamics across winter and summer conditions, and between daytime and night-time periods. Urban-rural temperature gradient analysis, UHI intensity estimation, and LST-land cover relationship analysis were used to examine characteristics, drivers, and temporal variability of the phenomenon. The results reveal that urban areas exhibit lower daytime LSTs than surrounding rural areas, whereas the opposite pattern is observed at night. Over time, winter LSTs decreased slightly (~Δ0.2°C), while summer LSTs increased substantially (~Δ6°C), indicating an intensifying warming trend, with faster increase in urban LSTs. Strong positive correlations were found between LST and bare land and impervious surfaces. The findings suggest that in the absence of effective mitigation, Lusaka’s summer LSTs are likely to continue rising with implications for thermal discomfort, environmental sustainability and urban resilience. The study provides a transferable geospatial framework for assessing UHI dynamics in data-scarce and rapidly changing urban environments, while offering evidence-based insights to support green infrastructure planning, land use management, and climate adaptation.

Digital transformation is reshaping how the built environment is planned, delivered and managed, creating an urgent need for leaders who can guide people and organisations through change. Developing Future-Ready Leaders for the Built Environment in the Digital Transformation Era examines the capabilities required to meet this challenge, bringing together leadership theory, construction industry insights and an integrated leadership development framework refined through expert consultation. With particular attention to South Africa and developing economies, the book explores how motivation, ethics, succession planning, digital competence, entrepreneurship, education and emotional intelligence contribute to leadership development. It connects the human dimensions of leadership with the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, offering direction for strengthening organisational capability and preparing future generations of built environment professionals. Written for researchers, educators, policymakers and practitioners, this volume provides a foundation for developing adaptable, responsible and effective leaders in an increasingly complex construction industry. Dr Muredeni Liphadzi is a researcher and a Senior lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. His research examines leadership development and innovation in the built environment, with particular emphasis on the capabilities construction professionals need to manage projects, strengthen organisational performance and respond to technological change. Professor Clinton Aigbavboa is a Professor at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and Director of the Sustainable Human Settlement and Construction Research Centre, cidb Centre of Excellence & the Gauteng Department of Human Settlement Research Chair. His research spans construction management, digital transformation and sustainable infrastructure, development with particular attention to the Global South. His scholarship advances understanding of how construction organisations can strengthen their capabilities and deliver more sustainable built environments. Professor Wellington Thwala is Professor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. His research encompasses construction and project management, leadership, sustainable construction and infrastructure delivery. He has extensive experience in postgraduate supervision, research capacity development and collaboration with industry to address built environment challenges.

Urban housing development is an outcome of several predictors ranging from finance, governance, land tenure security, and social and environmental factors, among others. However, despite scholars acknowledging their importance, social and environmental dimensions remain inadequately conceptualised within the housing development agenda from a developing country's perspective, as evidenced by socially and environmentally constrained human settlements. Using Zambia as a case study, this research models social and environmental determinants of urban housing development. Methodologically, a Delphi approach was employed, with data collected over two iterative rounds from a panel of ten experts drawn from the Ministry of Local Government, non-governmental organisations, financial institutions, property developers, housing institutions, and academia. Twelve environmental and thirteen social attributes were evaluated, achieving strong second-round consensus (interquartile deviation ≤ 1) on most items. Findings reveal that promoting culturally reflective designs, linking housing to broader urban fabrics, sustainable policies, and local building materials will yield viable housing solutions for communities. The study recommends mandatory, enforceable eco-friendly and socially adaptive housing regulations, guiding policymakers on prioritising environmental and social attributes to advance climate-responsive, socially cohesive, well-linked human settlements that promote economic inclusion.

This study applies GIS and multi-temporal satellite remote sensing to trace the environmental signature of the February 2025 Sino-Metals tailings dam failure along Zambia's Kafue River, and considers what the resulting evidence implies for the design of a low-cost, satellite-based early-warning monitoring policy. Landsat 8/9 and Sentinel-2 imagery across six temporal windows (three pre-incident, three post-incident) were used to compute the Normalised Difference Turbidity Index (NDTI) and Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), with the Normalised Difference Water Index (NDWI) applied as a binary water mask to separate the open-water pixels used for NDTI from the riparian land pixels used for NDVI. Mean NDTI rose sharply from a pre-incident rainy-season-onset value of −0.008 to +0.210 in March 2025, before returning to near-baseline levels (+0.018) within a month and to clear-water conditions (−0.009) by June 2025 a pattern consistent with the river's hydrological flushing capacity. Riparian NDVI, in contrast, declined from a rainy-season peak of 0.345 in December 2024 to 0.313 immediately after the spill and had not returned to that baseline five months later. Because no concurrent in-situ water-chemistry or soil heavy-metal sampling was available, and because only a single pre-incident rainy-season observation exists, these patterns are interpreted as consistent with, rather than statistically confirmatory of, pollution-driven vegetation stress. The differential recovery signatures of NDTI and NDVI are nonetheless proposed as a candidate design feature for a dual-index, satellite-based early-warning trigger for Zambia's Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) and Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA), and the data, validation, and institutional requirements for operationalising such a system are discussed.

Assessing vulnerability to extreme heat is paramount in the face of escalating climate change impacts. Recognizing the pressing need to understand the urban vulnerabilities of Lusaka City to rising temperatures, this study exclusively targets environmental exposure dynamics while omitting considerations of adaptive capacity and sensitivity. Leveraging Landsat 8 imagery, the study uses Heat Vulnerability Indices (HVI) to quantify the contributions of land surface temperatures, impervious surfaces, vegetation, and bare land to heat vulnerability. The findings reveal that over 60% of neighbourhoods are highly vulnerable, with maps highlighting significant spatial disparities in susceptibility to extreme heat, underscoring the need for localised assessments. Affluent, vegetated neighbourhoods like Kabulonga and Tukunka exhibit lower vulnerability due to sparse built-up areas and extensive greenery. In contrast, unplanned settlements such as Chibolya and Chainda, along with the CBD, show higher vulnerability due to dense built-up areas and minimal vegetation. This study provides critical insights for evidence-based policy formulation and resource allocation, advocating for interventions like green infrastructure and reduced density in built-up areas to foster more resilient and sustainable urban environments.

This study explores the feasibility of a rapid transit railway system to address Lusaka City's growing transportation challenges caused by rapid urbanization and population growth. The research proposes the Chongwe-Kafue line through Lusaka to enhance urban mobility. Using Google Earth and QGIS for station identification, mapping and distance analysis, the study delineates a 92.8 km main corridor with 13 branch-off lines spanning 51.6 km, including two direct airport connections, designed to enhance accessibility and efficiency. Travel time analysis, based on Delhi Metro’s operational model, estimates a 105.6-minute journey with an average speed of 60 km/h. Additionally, fare structures and construction costs were evaluated. The findings demonstrate the system's viability as an efficient alternative to minibus-dominated transport, offering reduced travel times and improved connectivity, stimulating economic growth and supporting sustainable urban development. This research provides a practical framework for policymakers and urban planners to implement a feasible transit solution in Lusaka.

The utilization of virtual reality (VR) in safety training in the construction industry is increasingly driven by the requirement to enhance both the level of safety and the effectiveness of safety training. The research takes a quantitative approach toward the determination and exploration of the determinants for VR uptake for safety training. Standardized questionnaires were distributed to sample a cross-section of Ghanaian construction professionals to find areas of commonality regarding the drivers of VR use in construction safety training. Technological advancement and boosting the culture of safety were found to be the highest drivers based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Technological advancement and boosting safety culture are the two highest drivers the research recommends. Technological advancements facilitate the creation of realistic simulation and training environments, significantly enhancing the learning process. The improvement in safety culture is facilitated by VR-based training, which renders safety proactive and enables a higher level of knowledge retention through frequent safety-free simulations. This study provides industry stakeholders with valuable insights into how the advantages of VR applications should be maximized to enhance the level of safety standards and train efficiency. The findings provide a foundation for formulating new ways to effectively utilize VR in safety training construction industries of developing nations.

The utilization of Virtual Reality (VR) in safety training in the construction industry is increasingly being necessitated by a requirement to enhance the level of safety and the effectiveness of safety training in the construction industry. The research takes a quantitative approach toward the determination and exploration of the determinants for VR uptake for safety training. Standardized questionnaires were distributed to sample a cross-section of Ghanaian construction professionals to find areas of commonality regarding drivers for the use of VR in the safety training of the construction. Technological advancement and boosting the culture of safety were found to be the highest drivers based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Technological advancement and boosting safety culture are the two highest drivers the research recommends. Technological advancements facilitate the creation of realistic simulation and training environments, significantly enhancing the learning process. The improvement in safety culture is facilitated by VR-based training, which renders safety proactive and enables a higher level of knowledge retentiveness through frequent safety-free simulations. This study provides industry stakeholders with valuable insights into how the advantages of VR applications should be maximized to enhance the level of safety standards and train efficiency. The findings are a foundation upon which new ways of utilizing VR effectively in the safety training course of developing nations' construction industry are to be formulated.

This study examines the role of South African educational institutions in driving economic growth and fostering leadership. Quality education, skills development, and leadership training are essential for empowering citizens, enhancing productivity, and promoting an inclusive society. A qualitative approach was adopted using a systematic review aligned with PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive search of databases—including Scopus, Google Scholar, and Elsevier (ScienceDirect)—yielded 35 peer-reviewed articles, which were analyzed to assess higher education’s contributions to economic growth and leadership. Keywords included “higher education,” “innovation,” “leadership,” “economic growth,” and “policies.” Two reviewers evaluated the eligibility of the article, resolving disagreements by consensus. The findings highlight that South African higher education institutions are crucial in workforce development, innovation, and entrepreneurship of the workforce. These institutions equip students with critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, preparing them for industry demands. Additionally, research initiatives, incubation centres, and technology transfer programs enhance economic expansion. This study contributes to scholarship by linking educational attainment with workforce productivity, innovation, and leadership development. It assesses existing policies, identifies key challenges, and recommends strategies for strengthening higher education’s role in economic growth. The research also explores the implications of positioning higher education as a driver of economic progress while addressing leadership challenges within academic institutions. South Africa can harness its human capital potential by fostering a robust education system, ensuring long-term economic sustainability and leadership excellence. Keywords: Economy, Education, Growth, Leadership, Institutions.