Temperature Stability of Traditional and Low-cost Modern Housing in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

The aim of this study is to compare the thermal comfort of traditional (Xhosa) huts and low-cost modern houses built under the reconstruction development program (RDP) and the influence of fly ash on brick properties and the indoor environment. A mixing proportion of 50% fly ash produces a brick with lower thermal conductivity and water absorption but with a higher compressive strength, while the clay plasticity decreases with the increase in fly ash. The results indicate that traditional huts offer better thermal comfort than low-cost modern houses, while the fly ash brick house (FABH) has a better thermal performance than the RDP house.