Bio
Prof Claudia Loggia is Associate Professor in Housing and Academic Leader for Housing and Planning at the School of Built Environment & Development Studies (SoBEDS), University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban. She holds a PhD in Building Engineering and a MEng from Cagliari University (Italy). She has extensive experience in trans-disciplinary research projects and consultancy work in the areas of: energy efficient building design and retrofit, green infrastructure, sustainable urban regeneration, informal settlements upgrading. Since 2016, Claudia is a Royal Society Newton Advanced Fellow (2016-2022), for a project in partnership with the University of Westminster (London), titled: “Building Urban Resilience for Self-Reliance in African Cities”. She was also Principal Investigator for the South African team of the ISULABANTU project (www.isulabantu.org ) focused on Community-led Upgrading for self-reliance in informal settlements in South Africa. This project is a 3-year ESRC/NRF Urban Transformation in SA Grant in partnership with the University of Westminster, University College London, the eThekwini Municipality and a local NGO called uTshani Fund. Both of these collaborative projects are providing opportunities for community engagement (fieldwork, community events), training (in-field community training) and capacity building (in the areas of project management, construction management, and environmental management). She is also collaborating on valuable research projects in South Africa with local governmental institutions, NGOs and local communities, such as the uMngeni Resilience Project aimed at increasing resilience of vulnerable communities in a rural area in KwaZulu-Natal and the informal settlement upgrading of Khan Rd settlement in Pietermaritzburg. Since 2012, she is a Green Star South Africa Accredited Professional with the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) and more recently, in 2022, she became an NRF C-rated researcher.
Degrees Held
- Building Engineering, Cagliari University (Italy) 2003
- PhD Building Engineering, Cagliari University (Italy), 2007
Research Interests
- Low-income & informal settlement upgrading programmes
- Green building design and renovation;
- Sustainable human settlements
- Green infrastructure, smart cities & renewable energy sources integration
Teaching Interests
- Housing Technology
- Human Habitat/Sustainable Human Settlements
- Construction Technology & drawing
- Research methodology
- Participatory research
Selected Publications
- Govender V., Loggia C. (2021) Adaptive Reuse Strategies in Durban Inner City Using Hybrid Mapping Tools. In: Magidimisha-Chipungu H.H., Chipungu L. (eds) Urban Inclusivity in Southern Africa. The Urban Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81511-0_12.
- C. Georgiadou, C. Loggia (2021). Beyond self-help: Learning from communities in informal settlements in Durban, South Africa. in: African cities and collaborative futures. Urban platforms and metropolitan logistics Editors: Professor Michael Keith and Dr Andreza Aruska de Souza Santos. Publisher: Manchester University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526155351.00010
- Argiolas, C. Loggia, V. Tramontin, C. Trois (2012) “A web application to support decision making process based on a bottom-up approach in public buildings’ green retrofit”- Chapter 8 in Handbook “Emerging Software for Interactive Interfaces, Database, Computer Graphics and Animation: Pixels and the New Excellence in Communicability, Cloud Computing and Augmented Reality”, pp. 83 – 93, Blue herons Editions ISBN: 978-88-96471-19-7, DOI: 10.978.8896471/197, Series Volume: I, Published in December 2012.
- Argiolas, C. Loggia (2012) “Solar Community Model: a smart strategy for historic centres sustainable renovation”. Chapter published on “Sustainability in Energy and Buildings”, Volume 12 of the series Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, pp 257-264.Editors: M’Sirdi, N.; Namaane, A.; Howlett, R.J.; Jain, L.C., Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27509-8_21
- Basciu, C. Loggia, V. Tramontin, C. Pusceddu (2012) “A sustainable housing unit for emergency areas”. Chapter published on “Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, Volume 12 of the series Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, pp 75-84. Editors: M’Sirdi, N.; Namaane, A.; Howlett, R.J.; Jain, L.C. ., Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27509-8_6
- Loggia (2005), “Modelli energetici e linee guida per la progettazione sostenibile”(= Energy Models and guidelines for sustainable design), in the book edited by V. De Montis. texts of V. De Montis, M. Basciu, C. Loggia, “Architettura sostenibile e recupero” (Quaderni di architettura (=Architecture Books series), ISBN 8884673178), Cagliari (Italy), CUEC editions
- Govender V., Loggia, C. (2021) Capturing lost and abandoned spaces. Architecture South Africa. Journal of the South African Institute of Architects. Issue:100 June July August Many Voices ISSN: 1682-9387
- Georgiadou, M.C., Loggia, C., Bisaga, I., Parikh, P. (2021) “Towards Sustainable Informal Settlements: A Toolkit for Community-Led Upgrading in Durban, South Africa” Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Engineering Sustainability, Volume 174 Issue 2, April 2021, pp. 83-93 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/jensu.20.00040
- Parikh, P., Bisaga, I., Loggia, C. Georgiadou, M.C., Ojo-Aromokudu, J. (2020) “Barriers and opportunities for participatory environmental upgrading: Case study of Havelock informal settlement, Durban”. City and Environment Interactions, Volume 5, March 2020, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cacint.2020.100041
- Loggia, V. Govender (2020). A Hybrid Methodology to Map Informal Settlements in Durban, South Africa. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Engineering Sustainability, 173:5, 257-268. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/jensu.19.00005
- Bisaga, P. Parikh, C. Loggia (2019). Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Urban Farming in South African Low-Income Settlements: A Case Study in Durban. Sustainability, 11, 5660; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11205660
- T. Ojo-Aromokudu, C. Loggia, C. Ndinda (2018) “The naming of informal dwellings by residents. My dwelling is a mirror of the nation – “Isibuko Sezwe”, BNG Human Settlements Sector Journal (July-November 2018) ISSN 2520-9442. Available at: http://www.dhs.gov.za/content/publications
- T. Ojo-Aromokudu, C. Loggia (2017) “SELF-HELP CONSOLIDATION CHALLENGES IN LOW-INCOME HOUSING IN SOUTH AFRICA”. Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation (JCPMI), Volume 7, Special Issue 1, University of Johannesburg, ISSN: 2223-7852
- T. Ojo-Aromokudu, C. Loggia (2016) “Normal” Informality in Low-Income Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. LOYOLA JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Vol. XXX, No.2, Jul-Dec 2016, pp 191-212, ISSN 0971-4960
- Hayman, C. Loggia, C. Trois (2015) “SUSTAINABLE GRID INFRASTRUCTURE: THE CO-EVOLUTION OF SOCIO- ECONOMIC AND SOCIO-TECHNICAL SYSTEMS THROUGH MICROGRID ADOPTION”. Journal of Construction, Volume 8 Issue n. 3, ASOCSA (Association of School of Construction of Southern Africa), Cape Town
- Loggia, D. Hayman, V. Tramontin (2015) “THE USE OF BEHAVIOURAL MODELLING TO DEVELOP SMART BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA”. Journal of Construction, Volume 8 Issue n. 4, ASOCSA (Association of School of Construction of Southern Africa), Cape Town.
- Loggia, V. Tramontin, C. Trois (2015) “Sustainable housing in developing countries. Meeting Social and environmental targets by “greening” low-income settlements in South Africa”. International Journal of Sustainability Policy and Practice, Vol.9, issue 4, ISSN: 2325-1166, Common Ground Publishing LLC
- Tramontin V., Tembe S., Loggia C., Trois C. (2014), “Challenges of the implementation of rainwater harvesting systems in low-cost housing projects. An investigation including a case study in KwaZulu-Natal”, Journal of Construction [ISSN 1994 – 7402, Volume 7 Issue n. 1, pp 25-32], ASOCSA (Association of School of Construction of Southern Africa), Cape Town.
- Tramontin V., Naicker T., Loggia C., Trois C.(2014), “A methodological framework related to international best practices towards greening affordable housing in South Africa”, Journal of Construction [ISSN 1994 – 7402, Volume 7 Issue n. 1, pp 17-24], ASOCSA (Association of School of Construction of Southern Africa), Cape Town.
- Loggia, D. Hayman, V.Tramontin, C. Trois (2014) “EVALUATING BUILDING THERMAL PERFORMANCE AS AN APPROACH FOR A SMART ENERGY MANAGEMENT: THE RETROFIT OF AN OFFICE BUILDING IN DURBAN”. Journal of Construction [ISSN 1994 – 7402, Volume 7 Issue n. 1, pp 11-16], ASOCSA (Association of School of Construction of Southern Africa), Cape Town
- Tramontin, C. Loggia, C. Trois (2012) “Strategies for sustainable building design and retrofit in developing countries. New goals for green buildings in South Africa”, Journal of Construction, Volume 5, n.1, ISSN 1994 -7402 pp. 12-17.
- C. Georgiadou, C.Loggia (2018) “PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND SKILLS ENHANCEMENT IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENT UPGRADING IN DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA”. AMPS Conference, Derby (June 2017). AMPS PROCEEDINGS SERIES. ISSN 2398-9467
- , Govender, C. Loggia (2017) “Spatial Mapping Analysis of Lost and Insurgent Spaces within the City of Durban”. Proceedings of the International Conference for Sustainable Design of the Built Environment (SDBE 2017, London). ISBN: 978-1-9997971-0
- Loggia, M.C. Georgiadou (2016) “COMMUNITY-LED UPGRADING FOR SELF-RELIANCE IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA: A REVIEW”. RICS COBRA 2016. The Construction, Building and Real Estate Research Conference of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Held in Toronto, Canada in association with George Brown College 20 – 22 September 2016 © RICS 2016. Published in Proceedings ISBN: 978-1-78321-160-9. ISSN: 2398-8614
- Ojo-Aromokudu, J.T., Loggia, C. and Georgiadou, M.C (2016) “Normal” Informal Living Spaces in Low-Income Human Settlements in South Africa”. Proceedings of the 52nd ISOCARP Congress, Durban, South Africa, 12-16 September 2016. Cities We Have vs. Cities We Need. Editor: Guy Perry & Slawomir Ledwon. ©ISOCARP 2016. Produced and published by ISOCARP. ISBN: 978-94-90354-47-3
- Georgiadou, M.C., Loggia, C., Nunez Ferrera, I., Fagan-Watson, B (2016) “An overview of top-down vs. bottom-up models for informal settlement upgrading in South Africa”. Proceedings of the 52nd ISOCARP Congress, Durban, South Africa, 12-16 September 2016. Cities We Have vs. Cities We Need. Editor: Guy Perry & Slawomir Ledwon. ©ISOCARP 2016. Produced and published by ISOCARP. ISBN: 978-94-90354-47-3
- Trois, C. Loggia, V. Tramontin (2013) “Decentralised waste-to-energy as key strategy for systems integration approach towards energy self-reliant built environment in South Africa”. Proceedings of the international conference “Sardinia_2013: 14th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium” ISBN: 9788862650281 and ISSN: 2282-0027.
Community Involvement
- (2016-2020), ISULABANTU project, Community-led upgrading for self-reliance in South Africa seeks to support communities by strengthening their capacity to guide urban development themselves. This project was a 3-year ESRC/NRF Urban Transformation in SA Grant in partnership with the University of Westminster, University College London, the eThekwini Municipality and a local NGO called uTshani Fund. This collaborative project undertook data collection, capacity building and community mapping, in collaboration with residents, to feed into the creation of an integrated toolkit. http://www.isulabantu.org/
- (2016-2022), Royal Society Newton Advanced Fellowship, Building Urban Resilience in African cities. This project, in partnership with Westminster University (London) is providing opportunities for community engagement (fieldwork, community events), training (in-field community training) and capacity building (in the areas of project management, construction management, and environmental management).
- (2020-2022), uMngeni Resilience Project, as part of the Resilience Design Task team, we provided co-design of climate strengthened dwellings and interventions for rural houses in Nhlazuka area in KwaZulu-Natal. https://www.sanbi.org/biodiversity/science-into-policy-action/nie-adaptation-fund/umngeni-resilience-project/#:~:text=The%20project%20%E2%80%9CBuilding%20resilience%20in,agriculture%20and%20climate%20proofing%20settlements.
- (2021-2023) Khan Rd settlement in Pietermaritzburg, informal settlement upgrading, participatory process to co-design sustainable dwellings and develop a community based disaster strategy to respond to hazards (floods, fire).
Teaching Expertise
- Housing Technology (HOUS201, HOUS202)
- Human Habitat (HOUS205)
- Sustainable Human Settlements (HOUS306)
- Construction Technology & construction drawing for Property Development program.
- Research methodology (For Master in Housing)
- Renovation and Conservation of Buildings (for Architecture and Building Engineering)
Student Supervision
I have successfully supervised (and co-supervised) a total of 43 postgraduate students (including 2 PhD) in the disciplines of Building Engineering, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Housing, Development Studies.