Environmental and Social Issues in Jordanian Low-Income Housing Design

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 111-120
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abu Al Haija

The relationship between people, environmental circumstances and the cost of projects in Jordan are focal points of this study, where the problem of low-income housing needs is still increasing, having tripled in the last two decades. The shortage of public housing production and the cost of lands and building materials, mainly controlled by private sector investors, are substantial reasons for the housing crisis in a country of poor economic recourses and high percentage of poverty. The Jordanian government decided to aid the poorest class of the population, offering free of charge shelters organized in small residential quarters, which became a prototype diffused throughout all the Jordanian regions. This paper analyzes one of these typical quarters, collecting data through face-to-face interviews with the households using a structured questionnaire. The study focuses on the physical components of the quarter, looking at open spaces, paths, streets, volumes, materials, colors in relation with the environmental context. It also investigates the households' requirements, relationships and preferences. The study discusses also the housing problems at the macro scale level in order to concretely evaluate the shelters' cost, setting some guidelines with respect to the cultural and environmental local conditions.

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-74
Author(s):  
Maren Mallo Daniel ◽  
Sanda Nehemiah Yakubu ◽  
Celina Onugba Omogor ◽  
Adesina Akande

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4757
Author(s):  
Pollyanna Fernandes Bianchi ◽  
Víctor Yepes ◽  
Paulo Cezar Vitorio ◽  
Moacir Kripka

Despite insufficient housing facilities, particularly in developing countries, construction systems are generally selected intuitively or based on conventional solutions sanctioned by practice. The present study aims to evaluate different options for the design of low-income housing in Brazil by integrating the life cycle assessment (LCA) into the decision-making process. To achieve this objective, three single-family projects with different construction systems were selected and analyzed. The most sustainable design was selected through the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The considered parameters, which were obtained through a survey with professionals and customers, included cost, environmental impact, thermal comfort, construction time, and cultural acceptance. LCA and life cycle cost assessment (LCCA) were performed with the frontier’s system considering the cradle-to-gate cycle, which included the extraction of raw materials, manufacture of building materials, and housing construction. The projects were modelled using Autodesk Revit software with the Tally application for LCA evaluation. The results indicated that light steel frame houses present a better behavior than other conventional alternatives, and the integration of building information modelling with LCA and LCCA in the design phase can lead to the development of more sustainable houses.


2017 ◽  
Vol 109 ◽  
pp. 114-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin E. Dodson ◽  
Julia O. Udesky ◽  
Meryl D. Colton ◽  
Martha McCauley ◽  
David E. Camann ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 680-699
Author(s):  
Cecilia Gravina da Rocha ◽  
Hana B.C. El Ghoz ◽  
Sidnei Jr Guadanhim

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the fundamental underpinnings of product modularity and how these can be adapted to construction and its specificities (e.g. one-off products delivered by temporary supply chains) to create a model to design modular buildings. Design/methodology/approach This research adopts a design science research approach. Explanation I (substantive theory devising based on the analysis of an artefact ‒ a low-income housing project) is used, followed by Solution Incubation (a model to implement product modularity in buildings design). Findings The model allows product modularity to be implemented at distinct levels (i.e. building, systems and components) at a single stage (building design), different from manufacturing where each level is considered at a distinct stage. This is in line with the project investigated: modularity was considered for house layouts, roof types and gable formats. Practical implications The model provides a hands-on tool for practitioners to design modular buildings. The low-income project is also extensively detailed: three-dimensional models, floor plans and conceptual diagrams (outlining how fundamental underpinnings were applied at each level) are presented. There is a lack of comprehensive accounts such as the one presented here to demonstrate the application of product modularity in real-world projects. Originality/value This paper identifies and adapts the fundamental underpinnings of product modularity to construction, and it details how these were applied to a low-income housing design at distinct levels. Based on these two endeavours, a model to implement product modularity in buildings design is proposed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 775-799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne R. Williamson

Although the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) is the primary vehicle through which subsidized rental housing is developed in the United States, we know little about whether residents in LIHTC units can actually afford their rent. This article examines affordability as defined by the cost burden measure for nearly 38,000 Florida LIHTC households. Results indicate that the majority of LIHTC residents are cost burdened, and a smaller proportion are severely cost burdened. Results are presented based on race, ethnicity, and income, with separate analyses for LIHTC tenants who do not participate in the Housing Choice Voucher program and those who do. Findings indicate that Whites typically do not fare better than minorities in terms of cost burden in LIHTC developments. Further, participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program does not necessarily prevent cost burden. LIHTC residents with household incomes between 50% and 60% of area median fare best in avoiding cost burden.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Samuel Peter Brown

<p>The low-income housing situation in Bangkok, Thailand, is similar to that faced in many developing cities throughout the world. The housing opportunities afforded to residents classed as low-income dwellers, are minimal, unsuitable and inconsiderate of their complex social, cultural and spiritual requirements, often leading to the formation of slums, and squatter settlements. The close proximity of living experienced in informal settlements results in a community-focused style of living, where neighbours rely on each other to survive. This is translated not only into the social fabric of the informal settlement, but also into the architectural style of these vernacular communities. The process of helping construct your neighbour's home, builds social and cultural ties; these traits are often lost when outside parties attempt to ‘improve’ the low-income living situation. The idea of housing design as a process not just a product, also referred to as ‘cooked’ architecture, is widely promoted through the writings, research and design methodologies focused towards low-income housing endeavors (Rapoport, 1988; Sinha, 2012; Yap, 1990). Despite this, effective involvement of residents in developing and building their own homes is something rarely practiced or achieved within architecture, yet the benefits of including residents, who are the focus of a complex social and architectural situation, in the design process seems clear. There is little question that communities that work through this process become stronger, both socially and economically, however, the quality of housing and architectural output is still at a very low level, despite obvious improvements from the previous low-cost conditions. To address this, an architectural outcome has been developed utilizing a critical design approach. The implementation of ethnographic and participatory design research, as well as multiple design iterations, based on current and traditional modes, has resulted in an architecture that is culturally responsive, impacts the existing context lightly, and primarily provides a positive social scenario to encourage community betterment through collective construction and living.</p>


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