scholarly journals Optimizing prefabricated construction techniques in UAE as a solution to shortage of middle-income housing

2018 ◽  
Vol 221 ◽  
pp. 01006
Author(s):  
Mohamed Elkaftangui ◽  
Mohamed Basem
Keyword(s):  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Land Values ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Construction Costs ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Capital Costs ◽  
Construction Techniques ◽  
Low Income Families

Housing is a major subject in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, JLL, the world’s leading real estate investment and advisory firm, highlights the social and economic impact of a marked shortfall in the required supply of middle-income housing, suggesting that significant efforts are needed to address the current imbalance. For an equal standard and life style in UAE and KSA, the gap of sale and rent prices raises many questions. The middle-income sector of the market represent almost 40 percent of all households in the UAE. Several factors that have contributed to the current shortage of affordable housing, high land values, High capital costs for associated infrastructure development, low adoption of prefabricated construction techniques have contributed to higher construction costs, lower financial returns, making such developments less attractive for developers, limited access to suitable finance for low income families, due to generally immature mortgage markets. Resolving the shortage of middle-income housing requires a concentrated effort involving government agencies, private developers and other stakeholders. This Study will investigate the UAE Housing market to propose solutions for a better progress of the precast sector and focusing on the promotion of sustainable and industrial approaches to construction.

DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR THE INTEGRATION OF BAMBOO IN CONTEMPORARY VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 223-241
Author(s):  
Shahryar Habibi
Keyword(s):  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Home Ownership ◽  
Vernacular Architecture ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Construction Costs ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
Housing Systems ◽  
Low Income Families

This paper discusses the development of design concepts for a row of typical bamboo houses, including the layout configuration and the function/aesthetics properties that are important from an architectural perspective. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of bamboo in investigations of structural and sustainability benefits and to highlight key research ideas that are important for industrialized production and cultural systems. The development of bamboo housing systems can advance efforts directed at securing home ownership for low-income families through lowering the construction costs to levels that are within their budgets. This paper aims to demonstrate approaches for using bamboo as a structural material for low-income and affordable housing. Bamboo housing can improve the financial stability and economic sustainability of low-income families. This paper presents a review of examples of vernacular architecture and building elements and then highlights the design of two bamboo-structure residential houses based on bio-climatic design strategies.

scholarly journals Impact of Medical Debt on the Financial Welfare of Middle- and Low-Income Families across China

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 4597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiajing Li ◽  
Chen Jiao ◽  
Stephen Nicholas ◽  
Jian Wang ◽  
Gong Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Concentration Index ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Medical Insurance ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Medical Debt ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background: Medical debt is a persistent global issue and a crucial and effective indicator of long-term family medical financial burden. This paper fills a research gap on the incidence and causes of medical debt in Chinese low- and middle-income households. Method: Data were obtained from the 2015 China Household Finance Survey, with medical debt measured as borrowings from families, friends and third parties. Tobit regression models were used to analyze the data. The concentration index was employed to measure the extent of socioeconomic inequality in medical debt incidence. Results: We found that 2.42% of middle-income families had medical debt, averaging US$6278.25, or 0.56 times average household yearly income and 3.92% of low-income families had medical debts averaging US$5419.88, which was equivalent to 2.49 times average household yearly income. The concentration index for low and middle-income families’ medical debt was significantly pro-poor. Medical debt impoverished about 10% of all non-poverty households and pushed poverty households deeper into poverty. While catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) was the single most important factor in medical debt, age, education, and health status of householder, hospitalization and types of medical insurance were also significant factors determining medical debt. Conclusions: Using a narrow definition of medical debt, the incidence of medical debt in Chinese low- and middle-income households was relatively low. But, once medical debt happened, it imposed a long-term financial burden on medical indebted families, tipping many low and middle-income households into poverty and imposing on households several years of debt repayments. Further studies need to use broader definitions of medical debt to better assess the long-term financial impact of medical debt on Chinese families. Policy makers need to modify China’s basic medical insurance schemes to manage out-of-pocket, medical debt and CHE and to take account of pre-existing medical debt.

scholarly journals Do Rising Top Income Shares Affect the Incomes or Earnings of Low and Middle-Income Families?

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey P. Thompson ◽  
Elias Leight
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Income Distribution ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Standard Of Living ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract This paper uses US state panel data to explore the relationship between the share of income received by affluent households and the level of income and earnings received by low and middle-income families. A rising top share of income can potentially lead to increases in the incomes of low and middle-income families if economic growth is sufficiently responsive to increases in inequality. A substantial literature on the impacts of inequality on economic growth exists, but has failed to achieve consensus, with various studies finding positive impacts, negative impacts, and no impacts on growth from increased levels of income inequality. This paper departs from that literature by exploring the effect of inequality on the standard of living of middle-income and low-income families. In the context of rising inequality, increased overall growth is not necessarily a suitable proxy for overall standard of living, since growth patterns are not uniform for the entire income distribution. The results of this study indicate that increases in the top share of income (particularly the top one percent) are associated with declines in the actual incomes (and earnings) of middle income families, but have no clear impact on families at the bottom of the income distribution.

scholarly journals A Risk Assessment of Aflatoxin M1 Exposure in Low and Mid-Income Dairy Consumers in Kenya

Toxins ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Ahlberg ◽  
Delia Grace ◽  
Gideon Kiarie ◽  
Yumi Kirino ◽  
Johanna Lindahl
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Risk ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Aflatoxin M1 ◽  
Informal Markets ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Risk Of Cancer

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a human carcinogen, is found in milk products and may have potentially severe health impacts on milk consumers. We assessed the risk of cancer and stunting as a result of AFM1 consumption in Nairobi, Kenya, using worst case assumptions of toxicity and data from previous studies. Almost all (99.5%) milk was contaminated with AFM1. Cancer risk caused by AFM1 was lower among consumers purchasing from formal markets (0.003 cases per 100,000) than for low-income consumers (0.006 cases per 100,000) purchasing from informal markets. Overall cancer risk (0.004 cases per 100,000) from AFM1 alone was low. Stunting is multifactorial, but assuming only AFM1 consumption was the determinant, consumption of milk contaminated with AFM1 levels found in this study could contribute to 2.1% of children below three years in middle-income families, and 2.4% in low-income families, being stunted. Overall, 2.7% of children could hypothetically be stunted due to AFM1 exposure from milk. Based on our results AFM1 levels found in milk could contribute to an average of −0.340 height for age z-score reduction in growth. The exposure to AFM1 from milk is 46 ng/day on average, but children bear higher exposure of 3.5 ng/kg bodyweight (bw)/day compared to adults, at 0.8 ng/kg bw/day. Our paper shows that concern over aflatoxins in milk in Nairobi is disproportionate if only risk of cancer is considered, but that the effect on stunting children might be much more significant from a public health perspective; however, there is still insufficient data on the health effects of AFM1.

scholarly journals Climate shocks and human capital: The impact of the natural disasters of 2010 in Colombia on student achievement

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (79) ◽  
pp. 303-328
Author(s):  
Mauricio Giovanni Valencia Amaya
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
Standardized Test ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Capital Costs ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Climate Shocks ◽  
The Impact

This paper investigates the impact of the unprecedented climate shocks of the 2010 in Colombia on the results of the Saber 11 standardized test for the 2010- 2012 period. By using two unique datasets, this paper contributes to the literature by providing a better estimate of the human capital costs of climate shocks. The findings indicate that the climate shocks occurred on 2010 decreased Saber 11 test scores. The impact was stronger for female students, students from rural areas and students from low-income families. A possible channel of transmission is identified: the destruction of schools.

scholarly journals Green Affordable Housing: Implications of Costs and Benefits for Municipal Incentives

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armin Jeddi Yeganeh ◽  
Andrew Patton McCoy ◽  
Steve Hankey
Keyword(s):  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Spillover Effects ◽  
Listing Service ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Construction Costs ◽  
Market Rate ◽  
Housing Units

In the year 2017, about 89 percent of the total energy consumed in the US was produced using non-renewable energy sources, and about 43 percent of tenant households were cost-burdened. Local governments are in a unique position to facilitate green affordable housing that could reduce cost burdens, environmental degradation, and environmental injustice. Nonetheless, limited studies have made progress on costs and benefits of green affordable housing to guide decision-making, particularly in small communities. This study investigates density bonus options for green affordable housing by analyzing construction costs, sale prices, and spillover effects for green certifications and affordable housing units. The authors employ construction costs and sale data from 422 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects and 11,418 Multiple Listing Service (MLS) transactions in Virginia. Using hedonic regression analyses controlling for mediating factors, we find that the new construction of market-rate green certified houses is associated with small upfront costs but large and statistically significant price premiums. The construction of market-rate green certified houses has large and statistically significant spillover effects on existing non-certified houses. Existing non-certified affordable housing units show small and statistically insignificant negative price impacts on transactions of surrounding properties. The magnitude of social benefits associated with green building justifies the local provision of voluntary programs for green affordable housing where housing is expensive relative to its basic costs of production to promote sustainable development.

scholarly journals Utilizing Technology during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 94-98
Author(s):  
Daryn Joy Go ◽  
Natalee Hung ◽  
Hannah Ferrolino ◽  
Kendall Wilson ◽  
Mia Choi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Field Report ◽  
Development Ngos

National lockdowns and social distancing measures enforced in response to COVID-19 have forced many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) serving in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to suspend their operations. While low-income families continue to suffer from hunger and poverty, community quarantine restrictions additionally isolated them from town centers where healthcare, education, food, supplies, and livelihood opportunities are usually accessed. International Care Ministries (ICM) is a Philippine-based NGO that runs a poverty-alleviation program targeted towards extreme low-income households. As we re-evaluated how we may continue to effectively minister and serve our communities despite lockdown measures, we identified two priorities: (1) to serve people’s physical needs by providing food and access to healthcare, and (2) to serve people’s spiritual needs through spiritual feeding and community. In this field report, we describe how ICM was able to identify and use social network platforms as an alternative to continue both service delivery and spiritual feeding remotely. We hope this example may encourage other development NGOs to persevere as we all continue to seek ways to adapt to these extraordinary and seemingly ever-changing circumstances.

STUDIES IN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-247
Author(s):  
Kannarkat P. Verghese ◽  
Roland B. Scott ◽  
Gertrude Teixeira ◽  
Angella D. Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Low Income ◽  
North American ◽  
Head Circumference ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Stem Length ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Physical Measurements ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
The City

Physical measurements were obtained from 2,632 healthy North American Negro children of low income families. Their ages ranged from 3 months to 17 years. Comparison with similar studies revealed the height and weight of the Negro children to be similar to those of North American Caucasian children. However, the head circumference and stem length were found to be consistently smaller than Caucasian children. At 1 year of age the weight, head, and chest circumferences of Negro infants of this study were significantly smaller than the same measurements previously reported for infants of the same race from middle income families in the city. Comparison is also made with studies on Negro children in West Africa and Jamaica.

Revisiting Low Income Residential Construction Options in Spokane

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
McKenna S. Milacek ◽  
Joshua Schultz ◽  
Mark Muszynski
Keyword(s):  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Equal Opportunity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Structural Insulated Panels ◽  
Construction Techniques ◽  
Wood Frame ◽  
Eastern Washington ◽  
Frame Construction ◽  
Straw Bale

<p>Affordable housing plays an important role in providing equal opportunity for individuals within most communities in the United States. In the area of eastern Washington State, in particular, there is currently a dearth of affordable housing options; especially for larger families. This lack of three- and four- bedroom residences presents a challenge for the City of Spokane, and the low-income residents seeking housing. This paper provides a preliminary look at certain alternate construction approaches for stand-alone houses with the end goal of optimizing taxpayer funding available, and to reduce living expenses for occupants. Two possible alternative approaches [structural insulated panels (SIPs) and straw bale wall construction] are compared to traditional wood frame construction; all in terms of cost and structural performance. Alternate foundation options are also currently under consideration. It appears that certain alternate construction techniques are worthy of a fresh look; particularly straw bale construction.</p>

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