Cato Manor -Green Street

South Africa’s first ‘Green Street’ upgrade in a low-income area was completed ahead of the COP17 international climate change talks in late 2011.

Thirty low-cost houses in a small cul-de-sac road in the historic township of Cato Manor in Durban benefited from a green upgrade, called a retrofit. This project was led by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), in association with the World Green Building Council, and was primarily funded by the British High Commission.

The aims of the project were to demonstrate the range of socio-economic, health and environmental benefits which are possible from the implementation of resource-efficient interventions in low-income houses. Furthermore, to show that people’s quality of life can be improved, while keeping the country’s development on a low carbon and more ‘Earth-friendly’ path.