End of Term Report
Submitted to the 2024 CAA General Assembly taking place in Kigali, Rwanda, 22 August 2024
CSCI event at CHOGM 2022,
Kigali
Foreword
As the CAA approaches the 60th anniversary of its first conference, held in Malta in 1965, and prepares for its 24th General Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda, this document provides an opportunity not only to report on the accomplishments of the current term but also to reflect on the progress that has been made over recent decades as we continue to grapple with familiar challenges.
One of the memorable days during my term in office, and there have been many, was spent leafing through the CAA’s paper archive before it was digitised. Included in this treasure trove is the first survey of schools of architecture, undertaken with the support of the University of Sydney in 1979, together with proceedings from seminars and events such as the conference hosted by the Institute of Architects Bangladesh in 2006 on the theme of ‘Society, Architects and Emerging Issues’. The topics of these papers, on perennial subjects such as urbanisation, housing, sustainability and education etc; provide an opportunity for us to calibrate our progress.
Set in this context, one wonders at times whether the profession has made any progress at all! Yet, as I hope this document shows, the CAA and its member organisations remain active and engaged and we continue to work with an increasingly diverse group of partners to tackle shared challenges; challenges that have become ever more urgent of course in view of the climate and biodiversity emergency.
A question I am sometimes asked is whether we are making a difference? I think we are but, as a colleague recently remarked, cities are complex and slow, and we need to look beyond a single term to see the distance we have travelled and the impact we have made. What matters is we try. This document provides a snapshot of our attempts to make a difference over the course of the past two years and it will be for others to determine how we fared.
For now, on behalf of myself and my fellow Council Members, I would like to take this opportunity of expressing our sincere thanks to all those with who have worked with us over the past two years. Special thanks are also due to the Rwanda Institute of Architects and the University of Rwanda for hosting our Assembly. We look forward to seeing you in Kigali.
Peter Oborn, President Commonwealth Association of Architects
This
document comprises a report to the 2024 General Assembly of the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA) on its activities and accomplishments throughout the period 2022-2024.
Executive Summary
This document comprises a report to the 2024 General Assembly of the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA) on its activities and accomplishments throughout the period 2022-2024. The following provides a summary of activity over the period.
• Membership
Membership has grown over the course of the current term with Fiji and Sierra Leone joining as new members and Sri Lanka and Zambia rejoining after a period of absence. Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea have indicated their intention to join. Subscriptions remain outstanding for several member organisations which places a strain on the CAAs finances.
• Initiatives
CAA Council has developed several initiatives during the current term including a new Knowledge Sharing Partnership, involving 16 Member Organisations, the preliminary output from which has identified a number of important barriers to the delivery of a sustainable built environment.
It has developed a comprehensive database of 684 architectural faculties across the Commonwealth and has undertaken a pilot consultation which has revealed a significant appetite for engagement. Council has also delivered Season 3 of its ever popular CPD programme with events focused on Mutual Recognition Agreements, National Building Code and Natural Building Materials attracting over 650 participants.
The association has been pleased to witness the impact of its Lusaka Mapping Pilot in Zambia which has served as a catalyst for further initiatives, and it continues to pursue development of the Rapidly Growing Cities Challenge prize with its partner Challenge Works. The CAA has also undertaken a comprehensive review of its Awards Programme, together with a rebranding exercise to modernise its visual identity and the development of a strategy for the period 2024-2030 to help achieve greater focus, coherence and continuity until the end of the decade.
• Partnerships
The CAA continues its work as one of the founding members of the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Initiative (CSCI) which recently welcomed the Commonwealth Engineers Council as its newest member. We have signed several important new collaborations during the current term including two MOU’s with UN-Habitat, the first with its Capacity Development and Training Unit and the second with its Legislation and Governance Section with whom we are developinga Legal Checklist for Cities.
The CAA has also signed a collaboration agreement with the International Finance Corporation and is helping to promote the IFC’s ‘Designing for Greater Efficiency’ (DfGE) course among teaching faculty, students and built environment professionals throughout sub-Saharan Africa. In June 2024, the CAA was also pleased to relaunch the Built Environment Professionals in the Commonwealth (BEPIC).
• Activities and Events
The CAA has contributed to a range of member focused activites over the course of the current term including visits to Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Pakistan and Zimbabwe and has contributed to a number of online events in Antigua and Barbuda, Kenya, the United Kingdom and Uganda. It has engaged member organisations in a range of associated activity as shown in Appendices B, C, D and F.
The CAA has also participated in a number of significant external facing events including, COP27 where we supported the Government of Rwanda, COP28 where we were joined at a roundtable by the Policy Advisor to the President of Zambia, the Second UN-Habitat Assembly where we hosted an official side event in which several government representatives participated. We attended the first Buildings and Climate Global Forum hosted jointly by the French Government and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction where we had an opportunity to meet with Ministers from Kenya, Samoa and Uganda. We were also invited to participate in a private sector roundtable hosted at UNON during a State visit by His Majesty King Charles III.
• Governance and Administration
Throughout the course of the current term, the CAA has taken a variety of measures to increase its operating efficiency while also driving down costs to help increase its overall effectiveness. These included, the appointment of a new Executive Director, a refresh of its Board of Trustees, the development of a cloud-based collaboration platform, digitising our paper archive, and the brand refresh referred to above. We have also developed revised terms of reference for Committee Chairs to better align with the CAA’s Strategy and Draft Strategic Business Plan, recognising the need for greater collaboration and integration between Council Members and Committee Chairs.
• Future Challenges and Opportunities
In recognising its accomplishments, CAA Council is aware that it is also necessary to critically assess our impact and acknowledge the challenges which remain.
In particular, CAA Council is conscious of the need to diversity its sources of revenue in order to grow its level of activity in a sustainable manner. We recognise the need to continually improve our communication with member organisations while simultaneously building on the engagement which has developed as a result of the Knowledge Sharing Partnership. We also recognise the importance of focusing more effort on the development of core competencies around climate literacy, while continuing to develop our CPD programme to help promote knowledge sharing.
While we have lacked the capacity to undertake a review of the CAA Green Book, this has been identified as part of the work to be undertaken in the next term. Similarly, incoming Council will also need to consider how it wishes to respond to the findings that were identified in the recent pilot consultation among Schools of Architecture.
The insights gained from initiatives such as the CAA Knowledge Partnership allow us to greatly increase the power of our advocacy while also attracting partners and collaborators with whom we can further increase the impact of our efforts.
While much of our work over the current term has focused on attempting to address the capacity gaps that have been identified, one of the most important lessons learnt has been that these capacity gaps are compounded by lack of demand for the services of an architect in many countries and the CAA has identified the need for us to work together to make the case for the value of design and design thinking among policymakers and the public.
While this report provides an overview of activity over the course of the current term, it is important for this to be seen as part of a continuum, building on work of previous administrations while simultaneously laying the foundations for the next.
Building a directory of architectural faculties across the Commonwealth
Initiatives
The following are among a range of initiatives for which CAA Council has been responsible over the course of the current term.
Membership
The CAA is pleased to report that membership has grown over the course of the current term and that the Fiji Association of Architects (FAA) and the Sierra Leone Institute of Architects (SLIA) have joined as new members. We are also delighted that the Sri Lankan Institute of Architects (SLIA) and the Zambian Institute of Architects (ZIA) have chosen to rejoin after a period of absence.
The CAA is also pleased to report that the National Order of Cameroonian Architects (NOAC) and the Papua New Guinea Institute of Architects (PNGIA) have indicated their wish to become members of the association, but both have experienced difficulties with the payment of their subscriptions due to local foreign exchange control regulations. We are working with both institutes to find a workaround and look forward to welcoming them as members in due course.
We are also pleased to report that the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe (IAZ) has indicated its wish to become a member subject to our being able to accommodate member organisations from ‘current and former’ Commonwealth countries. We have sought guidance on this matter from the Commonwealth Secretariat and are awaiting their response.
We are also delighted to report that colleagues in Samoa have recently notified us that they have established the Samoa Architects Association. We extend our congratulations and have extended an offer of membership should this be of interest.
Regrettably, there remain a handful of member organisations whose 2024 subscriptions remain outstanding. It will be appreciated that this places a strain on the CAA, which currently relies entirely on membership subscriptions to fund its work.
Region Country Organisation
Africa Botswana
Cameroon
Ghana
Kenya
Nigeria
Rwanda
Sierra Leone
South Africa
Uganda
Zambia
Architects Association of Botswana
National Order of Cameroonian Architects
Ghana Institute of Architects
Architectural Association of Kenya
Nigerian Institute of Architects
Rwanda Institute of Architects
Sierra Leone Institute of Architects
South African Institute of Architects
Uganda Society of Architects
Zambia Institute of Architects
Asia Bangladesh Institute of Architects Bangladesh
Hong Kong SAR
Maldives
Pakistan
Caribbean and Americas
Antigua and Barbuda
Hong Kong Institute of Architects
Architects Association Maldives
Institute of Architects Pakistan
Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Architects
Bahamas, The Institute of Bahamian Architects
Barbados
Canada
Jamaica
Trinidad & Tobago
Europe Cyprus
Malta
United Kingdom
Pacific Australia
Fiji
Barbados Institute of Architects
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada
Jamaican Institute of Architects
Trinidad and Tobago Institute of Architects
Cyprus Architects Association
Kamra Tal-Periti, Malta
Royal Institute of British Architects
Australian Institute of Architects
Fiji Association of Architects
It should be noted that the current membership represents approximately one and a quarter billion Commonwealth citizens, equivalent to roughly half of the total population of the Commonwealth, thereby illustrating the potential for achieving impact at scale. Efforts to grow the membership further will continue in the next term.
But membership alone, of course, is no real measure of success and what has been particularly gratifying to witness over the current term has been the increased level of engagement that has been evident in a number of areas including with the CAA Continuing Professional Development programme, the CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership and the CAA Awards Programme, each of which is outlined in the following section.
Table 1, List of CAA Member Organisations
CAA Strategy, 2024-2030
Together with the rebranding exercise, CAA Council undertook the development of the CAA Strategy for the period 2024-2030, its aim being to provide strategic direction for successive Council’s as we collectively work to engage with Global Challenges and help to deliver the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development.
FOCUS AREAS
Advocacy
Supporting leaders to make better evidence-based decisions on built environment issues
Academia
Heads of School, Teaching Faculty and Students
AUDIENCES
Practitioners
Member organisations and Practitioners
Capacity Building
Addressing the capacity gaps in rapidly urbanising, low-income countries that are vulnerable to climate impacts
Climate Action
Accelerating the transition towards a more sustainable and equitable world
Policymakers
Central and Local Government
Helping to strengthen links between academia, practitioners and policymakers for greater impact
Promoting core competencies as a pathway to validation and as a means of increasing mobility
Building a mutually supportive coalition of architectural faculties across the Commonwealth
Helping to stimulate demand by showcasing best practice
Building a knowledge sharing partnership among member organisations
Building an evidence base to help identify barriers and enablers to sustainable urbanisation
Helping to identify bankable projects which will have impact at scale
Collaborating with partners across sectors and disciplines to develop transformational scalable and replicable approaches to help address the capacity gaps, especially in secondary cities and in the public sector
Helping to increase climate literacy among academia, practitioners and policymakers
The strategy is framed around the CAA’s principal mission to ‘maximise the contribution by architects to the well-being of society’ by working to help make the built environment ‘inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’. It recognises three key focus areas, namely advocacy, capacity building and climate action, together with three key audiences, namely academia, practitioners and policymakers.
The strategy recognises the interconnectedness between its various workstreams (e.g. education and practice) and this has subsequently been used to help inform development of the Terms of Reference for the CAA’s Working Bodies for the period 2024-2030, together with its Draft Strategic Business Plan for 2024-2026.
Figure 2, CAA Strategy 2024-2030
CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership
Towards the end of 2023, the CAA launched an initiative among its member organisations to create a Knowledge Sharing Partnership (KSP) whereby the signatories would undertake to work together in a coordinated and mutually beneficial manner with the aim of sharing knowledge among urban stakeholders in Commonwealth countries, particularly those that are facing the most urgent challenges, including:
1. Leveraging the power of the Commonwealth and its networks to confront challenges and advance opportunities in the face of climate change and rapid urbanisation.
2. Helping to build capacity and knowledge sharing at scale, especially in the areas of policy and legislation, learning and development, urban planning and design, to enable effective climate action.
3. Working in a collaborative, interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral manner at all levels and between all CAA countries to share knowledge and best practise more effectively.
4. Increasing the pipeline of risk-managed bankable projects with improved financing prospects for local communities.
To date, the CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership has attracted a total of 16 signatories from all five regions of the Commonwealth and currently includes:
3, Signatories to the CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership
CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership remains open to
Figure
The signatories have each agreed to collaborate in the following areas:
1. Advocacy
Advocating for the importance of supporting and working with Commonwealth countries that are in receipt of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and which are dealing with climate change and rapid urbanisation, especially among national governments and donors.
2. Capacity Development
Facilitating knowledge sharing, information exchange and partnerships between policy, education and practice.
3. Climate Action
Helping to build core competencies and climate literacy in all matters relating to sustainable urbanisation and climate action.
Upon signing the Memorandum of Understanding, each signatory was invited to nominate a Focal Point who would be responsible for acting as the main point of contact for the initiative and a list of Focal Points is contained in Appendix C.
One of the first tasks to be undertaken by the group was a Fact-Finding Survey. The purpose of the survey was to help build an understanding of the ecosystem in each country together with the barriers and enablers to sustainable urbanisation facing each member organisation. The results of the Fact-Finding Survey were published in July 2024 and the following are among its key findings:
• The Profession
One of the main issues facing the profession is a failure to enforce existing legislation, while one of the principal issues facing the education of architects is closing the gap between academia and practice.
• Professional Capacity and Market Maturity
Many of the countries undergoing rapid urbanisation have a critical lack of professional and educational capacity, together with a lack of market maturity, and they are often those most vulnerable to climate impacts.
• Policy, Regulatory and Standards Environment
A broad range of policy areas are ineffective because of weak public policy, outdated legislation, and a lack of enforcement.
• Policy Coordination, Implementation and Delivery
One of the main reasons for poor policy implementation and delivery appears to be lack of alignment between different tiers of government.
• Quality of the Built Environment
The provision of adequate, sustainable, and affordable housing is a universal concern. The provision of basic services, including public transport and walkability, is a particular concern to respondents in ODA countries.
• Engagement with the New Urban Agenda
The New Urban Agenda has not gained traction with the profession; most members do not find it relevant in their work.
• Capacity development and Knowledge Sharing
ODA countries seek support in advocacy, capacity development, and climate action. This includes promoting the profession’s value to policymakers and the public, offering Continuing Professional Development (CPD) content, and sharing international best practice.
Non-Overseas Development Assistance (ODA)
The results of the survey have been used to identify issues of common concern together with the following priority areas in terms of next steps:
1. A comparative study of national building codes
2. Promoting the role of the profession and the value of design thinking to policymakers and the public
3. Helping to bridge the gap between academia and practice by providing guidance on core competencies in the areas of climate literacy and sustainable development
Work on the comparative study on national building codes is well advanced and it is expected that preliminary findings will be presented at the General Assembly. It is hoped that the output from these studies will enable member organisations to benchmark performance in their countries and support their advocacy with policymakers.
The output from this work is also helping to populate the CAA Ecosystem and Stakeholder Map (see Appendix D) which is intended as a tool to illustrate where the barriers and enablers to sustainable urbanisation are to be found The outputs from the studies will also enable the members of the Knowledge Sharing partnership to progressively focus their efforts on those areas which will have the greatest impact for those with the greatest need.
Figure 4, The Fact-Finding Survey has highlighted ineffective building code in ODA countries
Building a Coalition of Schools of Architecture
In 2020 the CAA published a Survey of the Built Environment Professions in the Commonwealth which found there to be a critical lack of capacity among each of the principal built environment professions in many of the Commonwealth countries which are urbanising most rapidly and are among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts.
The survey also revealed a corresponding lack of educational and institutional capacity together with an urgent need to update curricula while also maintaining competency among teaching faculty, students and practitioners through Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Figure 5 draws on data from the CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership and illustrates the capacity challenge in terms of university provision per head of population.
In order to engage with these issues, in early 2023, the CAA embarked on a mission to help build a coalition of Schools of Architecture across the Commonwealth. It began by building a database of architectural faculties (a similar exercise is now also being undertaken by the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP)).
The database currently includes 684 verified Schools of Architecture, 628 of which appear to have been accredited by the national regulator. It should be noted that 405 (65%) of the accredited schools are situated in India. According to information published by the Indian Council of Architecture (COA), 187 (46%) of the faculties in India have been established for less than 10 years, and 23 Commonwealth countries (mostly in the Caribbean and the Pacific) appear to have no architecture school whatsoever.
Figure 5, Population per accredited School (from CAA KSP)
The following are among the countries to have been included in the pilot survey
• Caribbean & Americas: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago
• Europe: Cyprus, Malta and the United Kingdom
• Africa: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda
• Asia: Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Pakistan
• Pacific: Australia
Key findings from the questionnaire have evidenced the fact that:
1. 85% of respondents are interested in helping to build a mutually supportive online community among teaching faculty.
2. 93% of respondents are interested in collaborating with another Commonwealth School of Architecture.
3. 65% of respondents are interested in learning more about validation.
4. 78% of respondents are interested in promoting engagement with the Commonweath Youth Network.
5. 87% of respondents (82 no) identified other aspects of their school/faculty that would benefit from some form of capacity development, knowledge sharing.
6. 72% of respondents undertook a curriculum review 1-3 years, ago, 21% 4-7 years ago and 6% over 8 years ago.
7. 65% of respondents consider their curriculum ‘somewhat’ prepares their students to engage with the needs of their local market and with international policy objectives such as the SDGs. 27% stated ‘very much’ while 9% (8 no) stated not at all.
8. 91% of respondents are interested in engaging in a discussion around the development of core competencies.
9. Most of the respondents consider that the 6 elements contained within the Climate Framework form part of their curriculum to a greater or less extent, the weakest element being ‘circular’ economy’.
10. A substantial number of respondents believe their faculty would benefit from training in all of the six elements of the Climate Framework, notably ‘Energy & Carbon’.
11. 89% of respondents stated that their school/faculty undertakes research.
12. Respondents appear to be undertaking research across a broad range of topics with ‘Environment’ scoring most responses and ‘Building Technology’ scoring least.
13. A significant number of respondents expressed an interest in supporting the CAA in its research/policy activities, especially, ‘Capacity building & CPD’ (75 no), ‘Evidence based design & policy making’ (70 no) and ‘Energy, Carbon & Building Performance’ (68 no).
The findings from the database and the pilot survey have provided valuable input during the CAA’s discussions with UN-Habitat and will feature as part of its contribution to the Academia Roundtable taking place at the World Urban Forum (WUF12) to be held in Cairo in November 2024. The CAA has also been able to use the findings of the survey to inform its collaboration with the International Finance Corporation and its roll-out of the IFC Edge ‘Designing for Greater Efficiency’ programme among teaching faculty across the African Subcontinent, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and South Africa.
We have also been working closely with the Government Architect in Fiji to help encourage the development of a collaboration between the Fiji National University and an Australian university to establish an architecture programme on the island.
The CAA will continue to build upon this work as it further develops and refines its education strategy.
CAA CPD Programme, Season 3
Building on the success of its previous two seasons, Season 3 comprised three Continuing Professional Development Events on the theme of ‘Making xxxxx Work’. The objective of each event was to identify and engage with the underlying barriers to and enablers of progress.
Making Mutual Recognition Agreements Work, November 2023
The aim of this event was to learn about the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) that had been concluded between the United Kingdon, Australia and New Zealand, to hear the perspectives from other Commonwealth regions and to consider the role of MRA’s as a contributor to Sustainable Development.
The following are among some of the key lessons learnt:
• Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) facilitate professional mobility and ease of doing business.
• They’re predicated on the principal of equivalency which derives from a shared understanding of the competencies required (ie knowledge, skills and values) and includes procedures for adjusting to local context in terms of custom and practice.
• Data collected by the CAA has highlighted that there is a great deal of inconsistency in the way in which criteria and competencies are defined from one country to another.
• The development of MRA’s can be used as a vehicle to help drive the development of criteria and raise competencies.
Making National Building Codes Work, March 2024
The development, implementation and enforcement of effective building code is fundamental to the delivery of a built environment which is inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The aim of this knowledge sharing event was to learn about the work that has been undertaken to strengthen National Building Codes among Pacific Island nations and throughout the Caribbean. It also sought to identify key barriers and enablers to the successful design and implementation of National Building Code, particularly among Small Island States which are in the forefront of climate change.
The following are among some of the key lessons learnt:
• Building codes are intended to set minimum standards for the design and construction of buildings, to protect people’s health, safety and welfare
• But evidence shows that they are failing to deliver their intended purpose in a number of Commonwealth countries, and are failing the most vulnerable members of society, especially the urban poor, whose need is greatest
• Today, building codes have a critically important role to play in the context of climate change mitigation and adaptation, yet many codes are failing to address these issues adequately.
• Central Government needs the political will to deliver successful building code while local government require both the resources and the skills to do so.
Making Natural Building Materials Work, June 2024
With the buildings and construction sector accounting for over 34% of global energy demand and around 37% of energy and process-related CO2 emissions in 2021, decarbonising the buildings sector by 2050 is critical to delivering our climate objectives yet with 70% of the building stock in Africa by 2040 alone yet to be built, how can we achieve a sustainable built environment? The intelligent and creative use of natural building materials provides a critically important solution to so many of the challenges we face, and, in this event, we considered some of the many benefits they provide together with obstacles to be overcome.
The following are among some of the key lessons learnt:
• We must quickly reduce our reliance on concrete and steel if we are to meet our climate objectives, while making the most of the existing building stock through adaptation and re-use.
• The appropriate use of natural building materials when combined with effective planning and passive design principles can reduce both embodied carbon and operational energy use
• We need to accelerate the adoption of natural building materials through advocacy, training and skills development.
• The successful use of natural building materials relies upon a better understanding of building physics and requires a more integrated approach among members of the design team.
• Built environment professionals need to be educated to better understand the impact of their work in the context of climate change and planetary boundaries.
• Public sector and clients should be encouraged to show leadership by leveraging public procurement to promote circularity and the adoption of natural building materials, capitalising on the opportunity for public buildings to showcase the way in which such materials can be used.
Each of these events brought together a diverse group of subject matter experts from around the Commonwealth to discuss the issues and share lessons learnt. Figure 6 illustrates the level of attendance at each of our recent events while the list of contributors can be found in Appendix F.
Figure 6, Attendance at recent CAA CPD Events
Feedback from these events confirms their popularity with participants regularly joining from all five regions of the Commonwealth and with 100% of the respondents to our feedback surveys confirming they found the events of interest and would like the CAA to continue to offer events of this kind.
Lusaka Mapping Pilot
As part of its efforts to illustrate the sorts of transformative change required to address the capacity gaps identified in the Survey of Built Environment Professionals in the Commonwealth and evidence the potential for scaling and replication among Commonwealth countries, the CAA undertook a series of pilot projects in the run-up to the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
One of these projects involved the development of a collaboration between the CAA, the International Growth Centre, the Zambian Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the UK’s national mapping agency, Ordnance Survey.
Agreement was reached for Ordnance Survey to produce a map of the capital city, Lusaka, 65% of whose 3.5m citizens live in informal settlements. Utilising its state of the art mapping capabilities, drawing on artificial intelligence and machine learning, Ordnance Survey were able to produce a digital base-map of the city in less than 3 weeks, a tenth of the time it would have taken to do so by traditional means. The map extends to over 400 sqkm and includes over 300,000 built structures. (See here for further information).
The project has won a number of geospatial awards for Ordnance Survey and has since been used as input for a property valuation model to help drive an increase in own-sourced revenue for the City of Luska as part of the government’s decentralisation strategy.
Such has been the success of the project that this has also caught the attention of the President, HE Hakainde Hichilema, who has gone on to champion the cause of data and evidence, and recently secured funding to establish a national data hub with the aim of delivering more effective evidence informed policy making and planning. Development of the Evidence Lab (as it is to be called) is ongoing, and it is hoped that this in turn will also provide a model that can be replicated in other Commonwealth countries.
Figure 7, Extract from the Lusaka Mapping Pilot
Rapidly Growing Cities Challenge Prize
Building on the success of the Lusaka Mapping Pilot, the CAA has been working with Challenge Works, a branch of Nesta, the UK’s national innovation agency, to develop the ‘Rapidly Growing Cities Challenge Prize’, the aim of which is to help drive transformative change as we work to address the capacity gaps identified in the Survey of the Built Environment Professions in the Commonwealth.
Working with Challenge Works and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, the group has developed the brief for a Challenge Prize the aim of which is to combine technical innovation such as new mapping tools with institutional innovation such as new financing mechanisms or decision making processes to deliver impactful climate resilient land use planning. The Challenge Prize is focused on intermediate cities in Africa which are among the fastest growing urban spaces on the continent.
The ‘Challenge Prize’ is a competition that offers a reward to whoever can solve a problem first or most effectively.
Underpinning the Rapidly Growing Cities Challenge Prize is the recognition that, with two-thirds of African cities yet to be built, there is a small window of opportunity to make the necessary investments to support future growth patterns based on sustainable and equitable development principles. The prize also recognises that the cost of retrofitting infrastructure in informal settlements is three times more expensive than getting it right first time, that there are economic and equity benefits to acting now to manage growth patterns, that climate vulnerability risks are highest in rapidly growing cities and that climate change will disproportionately impact people in rapidly urbanising countries, particularly groups that are already vulnerable. Following six months of research to help scope the prize, the team are now mobilising to secure funding to be able to launch a call to innovators and run the challenge in partnership with cities.
Figure 8, Theory of Change underpinning the Rapidly Growing Cities Challenge Prize
2024 CAA Awards Programme
During the course of the current term the CAA has undertaken a comprehensive review of its Awards Programme to better align it with its mission to ‘maximise the contribution by architects to the well-being of society’ and recognise the work of architects and students that engages with contemporary challenges such as climate change and rapid urbanisation together with associated increases in vulnerability, inequality, and biodiversity loss.
The 2024 awards programme comprises the following distinct award categories:
• Education
CAA Student Award
The CAA Student Award will recognise the work of students in Years 1-3 which creatively addresses issues associated with social, economic, and environmental well-being in the context of the current biodiversity crisis and climate emergency.
CAA Student Award
The CAA President’s Award will recognise the work of students in Years 4, 5 & 6 that critically and creatively addresses the issues associated with social, economic, and environmental well-being in the context of the current biodiversity crisis and climate emergency.
• Professional Practice
CAA Social Impact Award
The CAA Social Impact Award recognises work in any sector which can demonstrate having achieved significant positive social impact in areas such as affordability, community development, health & well-being, and social value.
CAA Environmental Impact Award
The CAA Environmental Impact Award recognises work in any sector which can demonstrate having achieved a significant positive environmental impact in areas such as circular economy, energy & carbon, water, ecology & biodiversity and/or connectivity & transport.
CAA Lifetime Achievement Award
Also known as the CAA Robert Matthew Lifetime Achievement Award, the CAA Lifetime Achievement Award recognises a Commonwealth architect, or architectural practice, whose body of work is considered to have made a significant impact to the advancement of architecture in the Commonwealth over a number of years. See here for a list of past recipients.
The 2024 CAA awards programme has attracted a record number of high-quality entries drawn from across all five regions of the Commonwealth. A number of entries were also received from non-Commonwealth countries or Commonwealth countries that are not currently members of the CAA, and these were subsequently deemed ineligible.
2024 CAA Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr Yasmeen Lari, Pakistan
The CAA extends its thanks to all entrants and jury members for contributing to the success of this year’s awards programme and looks forward to the award ceremony which will be taking place in Kigali, Rwanda on the evening of Thursday 22 August. Full details of the 2024 CAA Awards Programme can be found here, while a full list of Jurors can be found in Appendix E.
The CAA would also like to acknowledge the online awards platform, provided by Award Force, which allowed us to efficiently manage the awards process, and will be used to display the winning entries following the award ceremony.
Figure 9, Analysis of entries for the 2024 CAA Awards
CAA Rebranding Exercise
Building on the success of the Call to Action on Sustainable urbanisation across the Commonwealth and the Declaration on Sustainable Urbanisation adopted by Heads of Government at CHOGM 2024, CAA Council resolved to commission a rebranding exercise to modernise the Association’s visual identity and tone of voice, to better equip it with the framework and tools necessary to express its sense of purpose, re-establish its relevance and communicate with greater clarity. The rebranding exercise was undertaken by Praline Design and reflects the following key values:
Integrity
Inclusive & Collaborative
Curious and Innovative
Agile & Transformative
Conveying the CAA’s professionalism, in turn, establishing its authority
Conveying the CAA’s accessibility and diversity
Conveying the CAA’s forward thinking and progressive attitude
Conveying the CAA’s commitment to creating a better world for tomorrow
The rebranding exercise also reflects the fact that the modern Commonwealth, based on the shared values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter, is very different to what it may once have been. While keen to modernise its identity, CAA Council were also at pains to ensure that its heritage was not lost in the process and illustrator Margot Reverdy was commissioned to refresh the CAA’s insignia, the use of which has now been elevated for use on special materials such as certificates and awards.
Figure 11, Reworking of the CAA insignia logo by Margot Reverdy
Figure 10, Values underpinning the CAA’s rebranding exercise
Partnerships
The following among a number of formal partnerships with which the CAA is involved.
Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Network
First established as an informal collaboration following the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which took place in London in 2018, between the CAA, the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF), the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Network (CSCI) exists to advocate for sustainable urbanisation across the Commonwealth.
Working with the support of the Government of Rwanda and The King’s Foundation, its principal achievement to date, has been to promote a Call to Action on Sustainable Urbanisation across the Commonwealth, and its efforts were recognised in 2022 when Heads of Government adopted a Declaration on Sustainable Urbanisation at the Commonwealth Heads of Government which took place in Kigali, Rwanda.
Since then, the partners have formalised their collaboration by means of a memorandum of understanding and have been joined recently by the Commonwealth Engineers Council. The members of the CSCI are now focused on the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which is due to take place in Samoa in October 2024 and are currently awaiting the outcome of an application for an official high-level side event to be focused on the issue of skills development, capacity building and knowledge sharing. The application has been submitted by the CSCI in collaboration with the Government of Rwanda (as outgoing Chair of the Commonwealth), the Government of Samoa (as incoming Chair of the Commonwealth) and The King’s Foundation. The objective of the side event will be to bring together a coalition of the willing to develop a programme of practical action by way of response to the Declaration.
UN-Habitat, Capacity Development and Training Unit
The CAA is one of only two architectural organisations to be in Consultative Status with United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), enabling the association to participate in the work of the United Nations. As a result of its ECOSOC status, the CAA has built a robust relationship with UN-Habitat, guardian of SDG 11 and the UN agency responsible for cities and human settlements. UN-Habitat has been directly involved with the CAA for a number of years and was among the supporters of the Call to Action on Sustainable Urbanisation.
In June 2024, the CAA came together with the other members of the CSCI to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with UN-Habitat Capacity Development and Training Unit as a framework for cooperation in the area of capacity building, the aim of which is to leverage the Commonwealth network to develop approaches that can be replicated to have impact at scale.
At the time of writing, the members of the CSCI are awaiting the outcome of a joint bid with UN-Habitat and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for a project to accelerate capacity building, digital innovation to reduce climate change vulnerability of the urban poor in the Caribbean, East, and Southern Africa.
UN Habitat, Legislation and Governance Section
The CAA, working together with CAP and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) has signed a letter of intent with the UN-Habitat Legislation and Governance Section to ‘collaborate towards a joint research agenda, advocacy, capacity building and outreach events for cities, encompassing urban law, human rights and climate justice’.
The first item of work with which we have been involved is to undertake a review of a Legal Checklist for Cities which is due to be launched at the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum (WUF12), in Cairo in November.
International Finance Corporation, IFC Edge
At the UN Habitat Assembly in June 2023, IFC Edge and the CAA agreed to collaborate to promote the IFC’s ‘Designing for Greater Efficiency’ (DfGE) course among the CAA’s extensive network of teaching faculty, students and built environment professionals.
The DfGE course has been developed, curated, and offered by IFC to advance the cause of sustainability in the built environment. The course is offered both online and in-person and encourages the development of skills, knowledge, and attitudes to support the built environment’s transition to a low-carbon path. The DfGE Course is aimed at teaching faculty and students together with senior architecture, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and building design students as well as professionals and building design practitioners who wish to improve their climate literacy while learning how to design resource-efficient buildings.
Following announcement of the collaboration, the CAA has worked with IFC Edge to promote the programme among member institutes and schools of architecture in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia and South Africa.
Built Environment Professionals in the Commonwealth
In June 2024 the CAA came together with the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP), the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy (CASLE) and the Commonwealth Engineers Council (CEC) to relaunch the Built Environment Professionals in the Commonwealth (BEPIC), the aim of which is to advance advocacy, capacity building and climate action in response to the global challenges posed by climate change and rapid urbanisation.
BEPIC’s objectives are to encourage a positive environment within which the partners can foster a collaborative environment to work effectively together, establish a foundation for collective action in key areas such as advocacy, capacity building, and climate action, encourage the joint promotion of diversity within the built environment professions across the Commonwealth and provide a mechanism at a senior level for continuing dialogue between the partners.
CSCI Capacity Building Agreement with UN Habitat
Activities and Events
Throughout the course of the current term, the CAA has been invited to contribute to a number of member focused events and significant external facing events, each of which has provided an opportunity to both convene and represent our members, build our networks, develop new partnership and deepen existing relationships while also providing a platform for advocacy and knowledge sharing.
Significant External Facing Events
• COP27, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt November 2022
The CAA was pleased to have been invited to contribute a video presentation in support of the Government of Rwanda’s participation at COP27, on the theme of ‘Pathways to Decarbonizing the Built Environment’. Its contribution focused on the need for capacity building, collaboration and leadership to help advance climate literacy in both policymaking and practice
• 2022 World Space Forum, Online Event, December 2022
The CAA contributed to the 2022 World Space Forum hosted by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). The CAA’s contribution focused on the need for greater engagement with the space community in terms of remote sensing and earth observation to help drive the transformation required if we are to achieve sustainable urbanisation, particularly among those countries which are rapidly urbanising and lack access to professional built environment expertise.
• Commonwealth Reception, London, UK March 2024
Following the Commonwealth Service in March 2024, the CAA was delighted to have been invited to attend a reception hosted at Buckingham Palace by His Majesty The King. The reception provided a unique opportunity to network with a number of important dignitaries including the UK Foreign Secretary and a number of High Commissioners. The CAA (in its capacity as a member of the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Initiative) was particularly pleased to have been one of only two groups to have been invited to mount a small exhibition during the reception.
• Second UN-Habitat Assembly, Nairobi, Kenya, June 2023
The CAA attended the Second UN-Habitat Assembly during which it hosted an official side event on the theme of ‘Advancing the Commonwealth Declaration on Sustainable Urbanisation’. Contributors to the event included the Zambian Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, the Hon Mr Gary Nkombo, the Director General for Human Settlements & Housing Development at the Rwandan Ministry of Infrastructure, the Chief Executive Officer, Green City Kigali Company, Rwanda and the Senior Operations Officer at the International Finance Corporation, among others.
• SMI Roundtable, Nairobi, November 2024
The CAA was invited to participate in a roundtable hosted by the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) during the course of a State Visit by His Majesty The King to the UN-Habitat headquarters at UNON in Nairobi. The SMI is an initiative that was launched by His Majesty to encourage the private sector to accelerate achievement of the Global Goals. The roundtable provided the CAA with a unique opportunity to engage with a range of important private sector partners in commerce, banking and insurance.
• CWEIC Roundtable, London, UK, November 2024
The CAA was invited to contribute to a roundtable hosted by the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) on the theme of ‘Financing Sustainable Infrastructure’. The roundtable provided an opportunity for the CAA to highlight the consequences of the capacity gap, especially in the public sector and its impact on proper policy formulation, programme development, brief writing and business case preparation, all of which ultimately has consequences on outcomes and impact, profitability and risk.
• Roundtable at Dumfries House, Scotland, UK, January 2024
The CAA was invited to contribute to a roundtable hosted by The King’s Foundation at their headquarters in Dumfries, Ayrshire. The roundtable was attended by high level representatives from Australia, Guyana, Kenya and Rwanda, and focused on the ways in which we might work together to drive forward the Declaration on Sustainable Urbanisation adopted by Heads of Government at CHOGM 2022.
• GlobalABC, Buildings and Climate Global Forum, Paris, France, March 2024
The CAA was invited to attend the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction’s, first ‘Buildings and Climate Global Forum’, co-hosted by the Government of France and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The Buildings and Climate Global Forum brought together high-level representatives to help accelerate decarbonisation of the buildings sector. The forum provided an opportunity to engage with a number of Ministers, including Kenya, Samoa and Uganda, and witnessed the launch of the Declaration de Chaillot, which recognises the urgent need to implement regulatory frameworks to accelerate the transition to carbon-neutral buildings. The Declaration was signed by 16 Commonwealth countries.
• UN-Habitat, Urban Law Day, Online July 2024
The CAA was invited to contribute to the UN-Habitat Urban Law Day and used it as an opportunity to highlight the findings from its recent Fact-Finding Survey which identified outdated legislation and failure to implement and/or enforce existing legislation as two of the most serious obstacles to sustainable urban development.
Significant Membership Focused Activity and Events
The following are among a number of events, hosted by Member Organisations, to which the CAA has contributed during the current term:
• AAK Urban Thinkers Campus, Online, October 2022
Contributed to an online event hosted by the Architectural Association of Kenya on the theme of ‘Essentials of City Building, managing Urban Development’.
• RIBA Reception, London UK, November 2022
The RIBA kindly hosted a reception for the CAA President, which was attended by a range of partners, including representatives from government, other built environment institutes and members of the Commonwealth sustainable Cities Initiative.
• IAPEX, Lahore, Pakistan, November 2022
The CAA President attended the annual IAPEX event in Lahore, Pakistan as a guest of the Institute of Architects Pakistan. The event provided an opportunity to meet with officers and members of the institute, students and teaching faculty. Visits were also made to local chapters in Islamabad and Peshawar. The visits provided an invaluable opportunity to better understand conditions of practice in Pakistan and the ways in which the CAA might usefully contribute.
• ‘Unstoppable’, Online event, March 2024
Contributed to an online event in celebration of the CAA Women’s Group which showcased women leaders from around the Commonwealth.
• Rwanda Visit, June 2024
The CAA President took advantage of a personal visit to Rwanda to meet the staff and students at the University of INES in Ruhengeri, Rwanda’s second largest city. Also met the Chief Executive of the Green City Kigali project and toured the ongoing work by Skat Consulting at Mpazi settlement upgrading programme.
• UIA Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark July 2024
Attended the UIA Congress in Copenhagen and networked with a number of member organisations. Attended a reception at the Pakistan High Commission for RIBA Gold Medallist, Dr Yasmeen Lari.
• Uganda Society of Architects, Online event, July 2024
Contributed to an online event on the theme of ‘Climate Change Adaptation, Green Spaces and Urban Ecosystems’
• Nigerian Institute of Architects, Abuja, Nigeria, November 2024
Attended the 63rd Annual General Assembly of the Nigerian Institute of Architects. Met with members of Council and Heads of School together with the recently appointed Minister for Housing, Mr Ahmed Musa Dangiwa. Celebrated the handover to NIA President Ms Mobolaji Adeniyi.
• SCOSA Presentation, London, UK, April 2024
Invited to present to the Standing Conference on Schools of Architecture (SCOSA), representing all 61 Schools of Architecture in the UK. Used the occasion to stimulate interest in collaboration among Schools of Architecture in the Commonwealth.
• Caribbean Urban Forum, Online event, May 2024
Contributed to an online event hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Architects (ABIA) on the theme of ‘Resilient Design Synergies: Harmonizing Climate, Culture, and Innovation in Caribbean Architecture’, forming part of the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4).
• Zimbabwe Visit, May 2024
The CAA President took the opportunity of a personal visit to meet with the President of the Institute of Architects Zimbabwe (IAZ), Mr Brighton Madondo, to discuss the issue facing the profession, and established their appetite for greater engagement with the CAA.
The above is in addition to a range of ad-hoc activity associated with supporting individual members, member organisations and member states.
CAA attends NIA AGM, Abuja, Nigeria
Governance and Administration
Throughout the course of the current term, the CAA has taken a variety of measures to increase its operating efficiency while also driving down costs to help increase its overall effectiveness. In addition to the rebranding exercise referred to earlier in this paper, the following are among a range of measures to have been taken:
• Appointment of new Executive Director
Following the resignation of its Validation Administrator, CAA Council undertook a review of the role of the Executive Director and resolved to market test the new role description as a consequence of which Mr Jacob Mwangi was appointed to the position at the start of 2024. Jacob brings with him a wealth of experience gained as Chief Executive of the Architectural Association of Kenya and we welcome him to the role.
The CAA would like to express its deep gratitude to outgoing Executive Director, Ms Maira Khan, who has served the Association for a number of years.
• Building a diverse Board of Trustees
Following the adoption of its new Strategy, CAA Council undertook a review of the composition of its Trustee Board and recognised the opportunity to refresh the blend of skills available. As a result of this it has recently placed an advertisement for the recruitment of three new Trustees with skills in international development, fundraising and grant applications and UK charity law and governance.
As a consequence of this decision the CAA will not be renewing the appointment of three of its longstanding Trustees: Mr John Geeson (UK), Ms Annette Fisher (UK) and Mr Llewellyn van Wyk (ZA). The CAA would like to express its deep gratitude to each of these individuals who have served the CAA for a number of years.
Mr Vincent Cassar (MT) and Ms Sumita Singha OBE (UK) will continue to serve as Trustees for the next term.
• Developing a cloud-based collaboration platform
The CAA has been fortunate to secure a not-for-profit grant from Microsoft enabling it to utilise the Microsoft 365 suite of products, while creating a robust and secure cloud- based collaboration platform. Over the course of the past few months, we have been progressively transferring files to the system, allowing us to centralise all filing for the first time.
• Digitising our paper archive
The CAA has recently completed the digitisation of its extensive paper archive and all material has since been uploaded to SharePoint. We will shortly be making selected extracts from the archive available online and our longer-term ambition is to make this valuable resource fully accessible via a searchable interface.
• Driving down costs while increasing impact
Wherever possible, the CAA has sought opportunities to drive down costs and has done so by seeking not-for-profit discounts where available. We are also using new software packages, such as MailChimp, to enable us to communicate more effectively with our ever-expanding database of collaborators and contacts.
UN-Habitat Assembly, Nairobi
Future Challenges and Opportunities
While this report provides an overview of activity over the course of the current term, it is important for this to be seen as part of a continuum, building on work of previous administrations while simultaneously laying the foundations for the next. In recognising our accomplishments, it is also necessary to consider our impact and acknowledge the work that remains to be completed together with the potential as yet unrealised.
The following are considered to be among the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead:
• Finance and Resourcing
The CAA currently operates on a budget of less that £50,000 per annum and is supported by a part-time administration amounting to less than one fifty percent full-time equivalent (FTE), the remainder of its resource being provided by Council and Committee members on a pro-bono basis. Our income is almost wholly dependent on subscriptions from member organisations many of which are themselves under considerable financial strain.
If the CAA wishes to maintain its current level of activity and increase its impact, then clearly it will be necessary to identify additional funding sources to employ additional resources, and this is one of the reasons why we are hoping to recruit a new Trustee with experience in this area. The current project opportunity with UN-Habitat outlined here, illustrates the potential for us to leverage funding for greater impact, though such funding cannot be relied upon to cover core costs. The work to identify new funding sources forms part of the draft 2024-2026 Strategic Business Plan.
• Member Communication and Engagement
The recent rebranding exercise, together with the development of editorial guidelines and the adoption of a professional email marketing platform (Mailchimp) provide us with all the tools necessary to achieve effective member communications. Council has also recently approved changes to its committee structure whereby responsibility for managing communications has become the responsibility of the Executive Director under the supervision of an editorial board (a further paper from the current Chair of Communications, Mr Andrew Amara, can be found here). It is hoped that these new tools and this new structure will deliver more consistent and more regular communications with our member organisations.
But communication is nothing without engagement and here the CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership has begun to demonstrate the way in which the CAA and its member organisations can work together to deliver valuable and important new insights that can be used to advance both policy and practice. Feedback from the pilot consultation undertaken among schools of architecture also illustrates the potential for the CAA to play an important role as convenor and matchmaker among academia and not only among member organisations.
• Core Competencies and Continuing Professional Development
The importance of developing core competencies, delivering continuing professional development and reducing the gap between academia and practice, especially in the areas of sustainable development and climate literacy has become ever more apparent throughout the current term.
While we have lacked the capacity to undertake a review of the CAA Green Book, this has been identified as part of the work to be undertaken in the next term. Changes to the Committee structure have also been made which recognise the need for Education and Practice to work much more closely with one another going forwards. The incoming Council will also need to consider how it wishes to respond to the considerable interest in Validation together with the other findings that were identified in the recent pilot consultation among Schools of Architecture.
Recent validation visits have included the Namibia University of Science and Technology and the Caribbean School of Architecture in Jamaica. A visit to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana is scheduled to take place in March 2025.
• Advocacy and Partnerships
The evidence provided by the findings of the Survey of the Built Environment Professions in the Commonwealth has proved to be particularly effective in our dealings with policymakers as witnessed by the fact that Heads of Government recognised the efforts of the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Initiative when they adopted the Declaration on Sustainable Urbanisation in 2022.
Bearing in mind that Commonwealth countries are forecast to account for nearly 50% of the growth in cities to 2050, such evidence, when combined with our extensive networks and proximity to government, makes us a uniquely valuable partner for multilateral organisations who are attracted by the possibility of gaining access to a large audience and delivering solutions that are scalable and replicable. This, together with the success of the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Initiative, coupled with the support we have enjoyed from partners such as the Government of Rwanda, the Commonwealth Secretariat, UN-Habitat and The King’s Foundation, places us in a unique position to achieve greater impact.
• Stimulating supply and demand
While much of the work undertaken by the CAA in recent years has focused on exposing and attempting to address the capacity gaps which we know to exist, perhaps the more insidious recent discovery has been that this is compounded by a lack of demand for the services of an architect in many countries. This situation is aggravated by the fact that architects and built environment professionals are frequently under-represented in central and local government, resulting in poor policy making or programme delivery while much work is being undertaken in the marketplace by untrained practitioners who frequently provide an inferior service at lower cost.
One of the key findings from the CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership, therefore, has been the need to for us to work together to make the case for the value of design and design thinking among policymakers and the public. The need for this work has been recognised and will be taken forwards as part of the CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership.
Meeting with Heads of School, London, UK
Appendix A, CAA Council, Executive & Trustees, 2022-2024
The CAA recognises the following Council Members who served during the term 2022-2024:
Name Role Country
Mr Peter Oborn
Mr Kalim Siddiqui
Mr Vincent Cassar
Mr Steven Oundo
Mr Wilson Mugambi
Mr Ian Marfleet
Prof John Brown
Mr Umar Saeed
Mr Christos Panayiotides
Mr Justin Hill
Mr Andrew Amara
Mr Alex Ndibwami
Ms Mina Hasman
Ms Brenda Nyawara
President
United Kingdom
Immediate Past President Pakistan
Treasurer & Honorary Secretary Malta
Senior Vice President Kenya
Vice President, Africa Kenya
Vice President, Americas (Part) Trinidad & Tobago
Vice President, Americas (Alternate) Canada
Vice President, Asia Pakistan
Vice President, Europe
Cyprus
Vice President, Pacific Australia
Chair of Communications Uganda
Chair of Education & Validation Rwanda
Chair of Practice
United Kingdom
Youth Representative Kenya
The CAA recognises and extends its thanks for the service received from the following members of its Executive and Trustees throughout the term 2022-2024:
Name Role
Ms Maira Khan
Mr Jacob Mwangi
Country
Executive Director (Outgoing) Pakistan
Executive Director (Incoming)
Kenya
Mr Asim Jalal IT Manager Pakistan
Mr Daanyaal Loofer
Mr Tiriveedhi Dileep Kumar
Validation Administrator (Part) South Africa
GIS Administrator India
Mr Vincent Cassar Trustee Malta
Ms Annette Fisher Trustee United Kingdom
Mr John Geeson Trustee United Kingdom
Ms Sumita Singha Trustee
Mr Llewellyn Van Wyk Trustee
United Kingdom
South Africa
Appendix B: CAA Committee Members for the Term 2022-2024
The CAA recognises and extends its thanks to the following Committee Members for their contributions throughout the term 2022-2024:
Name
Role
Country
Dr Philippa Tumubweinee Chair of Validation (Part) South Africa
Mr Alex Ndibwami Chair of Education & Validation Rwanda
Mr Wycliffe Waburiri Member, Education Kenya
Ms Jacquiann Lawton Member, Education Jamaica
Dr Evelyn Allu-Kangkum Member, Education Nigeria
Dr Warebi Brisibe Member, Education Nigeria
Dr Emmanuel Ssinabulya Member, Education (Part) Uganda
Ms Mina Hasman Chair of Practice (Part) United Kingdom
Ms Camille Douglas-Stephenson Chair, Professional Practice (Alt) Jamaica
Ms Curisa Smith Member, Professional Practice Antigua and Barbuda
Ms Florence Noyle Member, Professional Practice Kenya
Mr Ninah Briggs Member, Professional Practice Nigeria
Mr John Peterson Member, Professional Practice Canada
Mr Michael Abu Member, Professional Practice Nigeria
Appendix C, CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership, Focal Points
The CAA recognises and extends it thanks to the following Focal Points for their contributions to the CAA Knowledge Sharing Partnership throughout the term 2022-2024:
Name
Ms Curisa Smith
Mr George Arabbu Ndege
Mr Justin Hill
Mr Andrew McFadden
Ms Neomie Tavernier
Ms Maira Khan
Ms Sabrina Aftab
Ms Maira Khan
Ms Camille Douglas-Stephenson
Perit Joeaby Vassallo
Dr Mokolade Johnson
Mr Mike Brennan
Mr Adrian Malleson
Mr Emmanuel Nyirinkindi
Dr Gillian Addendorf
Mr Ricardo Newallo
Ms Jacqueline Namayanja
Mr Fidelis Kabwiri
Role
Country
Focal Point, ABIA Antigua and Barbuda
Focal Point, AAK Kenya
Focal Point, RAIA Australia
Focal Point, RAIA Australia
Focal Point, BIA Barbados
Focal Point, IAP Pakistan
Focal Point, IAB Bangladesh
Focal Point, IAP Pakistan
Focal Point, JIA Jamaica
Focal Point, KTP Malta
Focal Point, NIA Nigeria
Focal Point, RAIC Canada
Focal Point, RIBA United Kingdom
Focal Point, RIA Rwanda
Focal Point, SAIA South Africa
Focal Point, TTIA Trinidad and Tobago
Focal Point, USA Uganda
Focal Point, ZIA Zambia
Appendix D, CAA Ecosystem & Stakeholder Map
The CAA Ecosystem and Stakeholder Map is intended as a tool to illustrate where the barriers and enablers to sustainable urbanisation are to be found, enabling the CAA to progressively focus its efforts on those areas which will have the greatest impact for those with the greatest need.
Inter-Governmental Organisations
National Government
Lack of policy alignment
tional Determined Contributions Voluntary
tional Review
tion Authority
Accreditation
Criteria lack detail esp. in terms of climate literacy
Regulation
Ministry of Housing
Ministry of Transport
Ministry of Infrastructure
National Standards Agency
Lack of capacity and of facilities
Lack of experienced teaching faculty
Outdated curriculum
Critical lack of professional capacity
Local Communities Public Consultation Process
Planning Policy
Public Procurement Policy
Building Code
Outdated building code
Lack of evidence-based policy making
Local Government
Poor business case preparation
Voluntary Local Review
Local Planning Department
Local Building Control Implementation and Enforcement Mechanisms
Critical failure of implementation and enforcement mechanisms
Funders
Developers
Built Environment Professionals
Contractors
Suppliers
Lack of bankable projects that deliver real impact
Students
Continuing Professional Development
Built Environment Professions
Gap between academia and practice
Engineering
Town Planning Architecture
Surveying
Landscape Architecture
Lack of capacity coupled with a lack of demand
Appendix E, 2024 CAA Awards Programme, Jury
Members
The CAA recognises and extends it thanks to the following Jury Members for their contribution to the 2024 CAA Awards Programme:
Name
Role
Country
Mr Alex Ndibwami Jury Chair, Education Rwanda
Dr Hermie Delport Jury Member, Education South Africa
Prof Sajida Haider Vandal Jury Member, Education Pakistan
Dr Byron Ioannou Jury Member, Education Cyprus
Ms Nooshin Esmaeili Jury Member, Education Canada
Dr Rachel Hurst Jury Member, Education Australia
Ms Mina Hasman Jury Chair, Professional Practice United Kingdom
Mr Christian Benimana Jury Member, Professional Practice Rwanda
Mr Rafiq Azam Jury Member, Professional Practice Bangladesh
Mr Bryan Bullen Jury Member, Professional Practice Grenada
Ms Nana Biamah-Ofusu Jury Member, Professional Practice United Kingdom
Ms Caroline Pidcock Jury Member, Professional Practice Australia
Appendix F, Contributors to Season 3 of the CAA CPD Programme
The CAA recognises and extends it thanks to the following contributors to Season 3 of the CAA CPD Programme:
Making MRA’s Work
Ms Kathlyn Loseby, (Australia)
Chief Executive Officer, Architects Accreditation Council of Australia
Ms Emma Matthews, (UK) Director of Governance and International, UK Architects Registration Board
Ms Marylyn Musyimi, (Kenya) Board Member, Kenyan Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors
Mr Andrew Pene, (Fiji) Chairman & Registrar, Fiji Architects Registration Board. Also, Director Buildings & Government Architect, Fiji, Ministry for Public Works, Meteorological Services & Transport
Mr Gary Turton (Trinidad & Tobago)
Chair of Caribbean Architects Mutual Recognition Agreement Committee (CAMRAC)
Making National Building Code Work
Mr Timothy Stats, (Australia)
Ms Anne Milbank, (Samoa)
Mr Andrew Pene, (Fiji)
Ms Maria Mousmouti, (UK)
Mr Robert Lewis-Lettington, (Kenya)
Mr Jonathan Duwyn (France)
Mr George Arabbu Ndege, (Kenya)
Making Natural Building Materials Work
Ms Isabella Stevens, (UK)
Prof Neil Thomas MBE RDI (UK)
Prof Rowland Keeble, (UK)
Mr Alan Chandler, (UK)
Mr Christian Benimana (Rwanda)
Technical Assistance Officer, Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF)
Coordinator of the Samoan National Building Code while Assistant CEO of the Buildings Division, Ministry of Works, Transport & Infrastructure
Director Buildings & Government Architect, Fiji, Ministry for Public Works, Meteorological Services & Transport
Associate Research Fellow, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London
Chief of the Land, Housing and Shelter section and previously Chief of Urban Legislation, UN Habitat
Programme Manager, Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (hosting the ‘Buildings & Climate Global Forum in Paris in March)
Vice President, Architectural Association of Kenya
Policy Officer, Climate & Sustainability, Royal Academy of Engineering
Director and Founder, Atelier One
Director, Rammed Earth Consulting
Dean of Research, University of East London
Principal & Managing Director, Mass Design Group