From Policy to Practice: Industry Voices Groundbreak Climate‑Ready Construction Standards

By Staff Reporter·12 months ago

At the 2025 CIC Stakeholder Forum, held on June 19th and streamed live from Esibayeni Lodge, industry leaders emphasized a new urgency: turning policy into practice for climate‑resilient construction across Eswatini. The forum’s central theme, “Adapting to Climate‑Resilient Construction Practices in the Built Environment,” took on renewed relevance as speakers called for immediate steps toward [ ]

At the 2025 CIC Stakeholder Forum, held on June 19th and streamed live from Esibayeni Lodge, industry leaders emphasized a new urgency: turning policy into practice for climate‑resilient construction across Eswatini.

The forum’s central theme, “Adapting to Climate‑Resilient Construction Practices in the Built Environment,” took on renewed relevance as speakers called for immediate steps toward enforcement and implementation. The dinner session that followed the main forum reinforced this direction.

“This 2025 CIC Stakeholder Forum has reminded us that disaster prevention is not a cost. It is an investment,”
— remarked Minister Hon. Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, Minister of Public Works and Transport.

A key development discussed was the forthcoming policy mandating all public buildings to meet climate resilience standards. This legislative shift will necessitate:

Upskilling of contractors and local construction teams.
Integration of green building materials and climate-smart designs.
Use of predictive data for long-term performance assessments.

UNDP’s Deputy Representative Nessie Golakai-Gould laid it out plainly:

“The policy mandate is clear — update and enforce building standards.”

Yet, challenges remain. CIC Board Chairperson Sandile Makhubu noted the strain of declining infrastructure budgets and the limited participation of local firms in large-scale projects, particularly those financed through international loans. These gaps risk stalling progress unless inclusivity becomes a core metric of project design.

To ensure implementation is evidence-driven, Dr. Msizi Myeza, CEO of South Africa’s Council for the Built Environment, stressed:

“It is essential that the built environment have standardised data and standardised methodology for performance prediction.”

The stakeholder forum, combined with the high-level dinner dialogue, moved beyond platitudes—clearly articulating what’s required to move Eswatini’s built environment into a climate-resilient future.