Tsire's paper titled Assessing the Impact of Frugal Innovation in the Construction Industry explores the potential of frugal innovation to promote sustainable development in the construction industry by addressing social and environmental needs through cost-effectiveness and waste reduction. The study assesses how frugal innovation, successfully implemented in various industries, can benefit construction. A scoping review was conducted to systematically analyse the literature and group themes related to frugal innovation. The findings indicate that when applied to construction, frugal innovation can offer significant environmental, economic, and social benefits. Examples include using timber as a construction resource, designing for reuse, and employing prefabricated buildings. While these approaches have been tested in different industries, their true impact will only be confirmed through construction-specific applications. This paper highlights frugal innovation as a valuable starting point for advancing sustainability in construction. Including these innovative approaches can lead to resource savings and sustainability benefits, countering the waste and greenhouse gas emissions typical of traditional construction methods.

Tsire is busy with her Masters in Technology & Innovation Management within the UP Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology under the supervision of Dr Schalk Grobbelaar. She has received a bursary from the York Timbers Chair in Wood Structural Engineering, a collaboration between York Timbers, the University of Pretoria and FP&M SETA.

The 18th Built Environment Conference is endorsed by the CIB, International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction in partnership with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, South African Council for Project & Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP), Modena Design Centres, THE FEDERATED EMPLOYERS MUTUAL ASSURANCE COMPANY (RF), SAICE and ASAQS - The Association of South African Quantity Surveyors.