Durban University of Technology

Coordinated Management of Residential Batteries and Vehicle-to-Grid Resources Under Dynamic Electricity Pricing in a Smart Community Microgrid

The increasing integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems, battery energy storage systems (BESSs), and electric vehicles (EVs) is transforming residential electricity networks into flexible community microgrids. However, intermittent renewable generation and mismatches between gene...

Endogenous Battery Degradation Optimization in PV-ESS Systems: Identifying the Lifecycle-Cost Sweet Spot Using NSGA-II

In grid-connected PV-ESS plants, battery degradation is often treated as an external correction rather than a quantity coupled directly to sizing and dispatch decisions. This study develops a constraint-aware NSGA-II framework in which cycle- and calendar-induced capacity fade ar...

A decision-oriented framework for managing barriers to human–robot collaboration in construction: an ISM–fuzzy MICMAC approach

The implementation of human–robot collaboration (HRC) in the construction industry has gained increasing attention due to its potential to enhance productivity, safety and efficiency. However, its adoption remains constrained by multiple interrelated barriers. This study systemat...

Building a Healthy Mind: Factors Impacting Mental Health of Construction Workers

Mental health disorders are increasingly prevalent among construction workers, a group significantly affected by the physically demanding and hazardous nature of their work. While existing studies have examined mental health challenges in construction globally, empirical studies...

‘ We girls like pleasing boys’ : love, risk and gender power in rural girls’ (hetero)sexual relationships

This article examines how teenage girls in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, navigate heterosexual relationships shaped by emotional dependency, patriarchal moralities, and intersecting structural inequalities. Drawing on focus groups and interviews with 48 school-going girls, a...

Longitudinal Randomised Field Trial of Emergency Care Systems: Methodological Evaluation and Clinical Outcomes in South Africa

Emergency care systems in sub-Saharan Africa face significant operational and methodological challenges. Robust evidence on system-level interventions is scarce, with few studies employing rigorous longitudinal designs to evaluate clinical impact. This study aimed to methodologic...

Longitudinal Randomised Field Trial of Emergency Care Systems: Methodological Evaluation and Clinical Outcomes in South Africa

Emergency care systems in sub-Saharan Africa face significant operational and methodological challenges. Robust evidence on system-level interventions is scarce, with few studies employing rigorous longitudinal designs to evaluate clinical impact. This study aimed to methodologic...

Institutional spatial and mobility constraints limiting bus rapid transit progression in Harare Zimbabwe

Abstract Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has been widely promoted as an instrument of urban transport modernisation, yet the translation of internationally circulating BRT models into local transport systems remains uneven. This paper examines why the proposed BRT initiative in Harare, Z...

Experimental study of thermal performance of a solar water heating system using Al2O3/water nanofluid

Abstract This study presents a systematic experimental investigation of the thermal performance of a flat-plate solar water heating (SWH) system employing Al₂O₃/water nanofluid as the working fluid across three nanoparticle mass concentrations (1, 2, and 3 wt%) and four mass flow...

Push and pull factors influencing entrepreneurial entry and persistence in Ghana’s construction market: a qualitative study

Purpose This study examines the push and pull factors influencing entrepreneurial entry and persistence in Ghana’s construction industry. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative design was employed, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 20 entrepreneurs across the categori...

Social media utilization in SMEs: a configurational analysis based on institutional theory and UTAUT

Purpose Despite extensive research on social media marketing, limited attention has been paid to how institutional pressures and technological factors jointly shape small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SME) social media marketing use, particularly in developing economies, where t...

Teaching beyond technology: student ratings of TPACK-informed teaching in a Sino-British transnational entrepreneurship programme

Purpose Technology plays an increasingly important role in entrepreneurship education, particularly within transnational higher education where culturally diverse classrooms require effective alignment of disciplinary content, pedagogy, and digital technologies. Despite the growi...

Algal bioactive compounds for next-generation biopesticides: a multi-target resource for sustainable pest management

Abstract The rapid growth in global population and the incessant demand for food warrant greater attention to sustainable agricultural practices. To ensure adequate food security, protection of crops from exposure to biotic agents (e.g., pathogens and insects) is imperative. Over...

FACTS and Synchronous Condensers in High-PV Power Systems: A Comparative Technical Review

High penetration of photovoltaic (PV) generation reduces system strength and introduces voltage control, power quality, and transfer capacity constraints across transmission and distribution networks. This review comparatively examines the operating principles, control mechanisms...

Co-development of a Mental Health Data Discovery Platform and Harmonisation of Mental Health Measures for Young People in South Africa (PAMHoYA) - A research protocol

Africa’s mental health information landscape is widely recognised as fragmented, limiting planning, budgeting, and service delivery. In South Africa, this fragmentation is reflected in the collection of depression and anxiety data across multiple institutions and studies, using d...

Reciprocal Genome Projection Reveals Reference-Conditioned Functional Variation in Clinical Aspergillus Section Nigri Isolates

Closely related Aspergillus section Nigri species are difficult to resolve taxonomically, while short-read comparisons may be influenced by reference-genome choice. We applied reciprocal genome projection to 31 whole-genome sequencing libraries representing South African clinical...

Artificial Intelligence Integration in Teacher Education: Institutional Readiness and Curriculum Pathways in a Fourth Industrial Revolution Context

Despite growing global interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, limited empirical research has examined how teacher education institutions in developing-country and resource-constrained contexts can sustainably integrate AI into their curricula. This gap is particul...

CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA: A THEORETICAL REVIEW

Abstract Municipal infrastructure provides the foundation for essential service delivery, economic activity and social development in South Africa. However, the increasing age and deterioration of municipal infrastructure have created significant challenges for municipalities res...

INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICE INTERVENTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICAN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW OF CHALLENGES, APPROACHES, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Abstract Informal settlements in South Africa continue to experience major inequalities in access to reliable, safe, affordable, and sustainable infrastructure services. Despite national policy commitments to informal-settlement upgrading and the progressive realisation of socio-...

CLIMATE-RESILIENT CONSTRUCTION IN SOUTH AFRICA: ADAPTATION STRATEGIES FOR BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS

Abstract South Africa is increasingly exposed to climate-related hazards, including intense rainfall and flooding, prolonged drought, heatwaves, severe wind events, wildfires and coastal storm surges. These hazards interact with ageing infrastructure, rapid urbanisation, unequal...