A People’s process: Post-tsunami self-build housing in Tamilnadu (2005-08)

This essay elucidates some of the lessons learnt from the community participatory process adopted by Artes, in the Post- Tsunami housing reconstruction project at Nagapatinam, Tamilnadu (2005-08). The program was a self-build process, respectful of gender. A pragmatic assessment of regional technologies, materials and skills was undertaken. The technological assessment was conducted by the community, in collaboration with structural engineers. Projects under consideration are in Sirkazhi Taluk and Akkaraipettai, Nagapatinam region in Tamilnadu, which had been adversely affected. The projects were nominated as best practices by the UNDP, India (2008) for community participatory processes. It inspired a new sense of belonging and confidence in the community. Besides indigenous construction practices, the community was provided an opportunity to learn new construction skills that they desired, which were beneficial in the longer term. The new construction skill sets ensured the community was independent to build their own dwellings incrementally in later years. The community was no more at the mercy of external contractors. The design of the dwellings also enabled future incremental growth. This research highlights some of the lessons in capacity building of communities; using construction skills to enable them to rebuild their own homes, as well as be self-reliant in future extensions and additions

Challenges Hindering the Resourcing for Post-Disaster Housing Reconstruction in Gaza

Resourcing post-disaster housing reconstruction (PDHR) entails many drawbacks creating bottlenecks to reconstruction projects. Understanding these vulnerable issues is of utmost to identify the appropriate interventions to mitigate their effects. The devastating aggression in 2014 in Gaza Strip served as a typical example of resources hampers. Based on the quantitative approach, the research employed a self-administrated questionnaire survey to identify the most significant challenges hindering the resourcing for post-2014 aggression housing reconstruction. The questionnaire targeted 55 of the key people in the implementing agencies of post-2014 aggression housing reconstruction. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics, through frequency distribution and effect index (EI); and using inferential statistics through one sample Wilcoxon signed rank test. Findings indicated that the challenges related to political issues have the most significant effect on resourcing the PDHR. The main key challenges are: (1) Difficulties to obtain permits from the Israeli side to flow the reconstruction materials into the Gaza Strip, (2) Insufficient funds for reconstruction efforts and (3) Refusal of the international community to contact the local de facto government. This research fills the knowledge gap relating to Gaza and provides the basis for more research on resourcing problems. This research has also extended, updated and confirmed the current knowledge regarding challenges hindering the resourcing for PDHR. The results draw attention of the implementing agencies in Gaza to the factors that creating bottlenecks to resource the reconstruction projects in order to overcome them and to mitigate their negative effects.

Rural Housing Reconstruction and Sustainable Development Post Wenchuan Earthquake: A Land Unification Perspective Using Dujiangyan City as an Example

This study is a retrospective evaluation of the long-term benefits of rural housing reconstruction in Dujiangyan city (DJY) after the Wenchuan earthquake from a land unification perspective based on statistical data, field investigation, literature review, and a case study. Research shows after the Wenchuan earthquake, during rural housing reconstruction, DJY optimized land development strategies through planning guidance, promoted marketized transfers of land resources, clarified the attribution of land rights through policy support to protect the interests of disaster victims, established equilibrium in the interests of the government, market, and masses, and coordinated the functions of life, production, and ecology through categorized reconstruction. Practice proves that implementation of post-earthquake housing reconstruction, guided by land unification and land-use transformation, reshapes rural form and the rural-urban relationship, thereby facilitating rural revitalization and integrated rural-urban development.

Evolution and Recovery: Adaptable Housing Reconstruction in Post Disaster Scenarios

<p>Every year disasters affect hundreds of millions of people, causing damage that can take months or years to recover from. The reality of carrying out the processes of reconstruction and recreating functionality is a complex and difficult task; too often it is measured in a time period of several years. The issue to be addressed through this research is the response of the built (or rebuilt) environment to the requirements of people who have been displaced following a major disaster. This thesis develops a building typology and process that can adapt to the changing requirements of the stages of the redevelopment process in a post‐disaster scenario. The research focuses on natural disasters, more vulnerable populations and regions and specifically on housing reconstruction. It explores the idea of a solution that can be applied widely, to many different climates and contexts; the research question then amounts to ‘can a solution be created that can ‘evolve’ to meet the needs at each stage of a post disaster reconstruction scenario?’ The thesis explores existing post‐disaster response and reconstruction models and discusses the focuses and priorities of each. The requirements of displaced people are studied, in terms of response by the built environment, and the benefits of staged development versus end product discussed. The roles that major groups, such as local authorities and NGOs, play in orchestrating the reconstruction process are discussed as well as the important, and sometimes overlooked, role that those affected by the disaster may have. The discussion and research then informs the design proposal. Four sites are selected and used as parameters for developing the built response to the first stage of reconstruction. The selected sites are then used to show how a generic shelter may first be adapted to be suitable for a specific climate and context and then how they may be added to and grown to become permanent and suitable housing for the displaced people. The staged redevelopment process from a partially generic emergency deployment presented in this thesis can provide a solution, or framework for a solution, to many of the problems raised by the research and here, but it cannot be a solution by itself; architecture or design in post‐disaster scenarios must be supported and driven heavily by planning and management from local, national and international sources to be successful and fully realised.</p>

Evolution and Recovery: Adaptable Housing Reconstruction in Post Disaster Scenarios

<p>Every year disasters affect hundreds of millions of people, causing damage that can take months or years to recover from. The reality of carrying out the processes of reconstruction and recreating functionality is a complex and difficult task; too often it is measured in a time period of several years. The issue to be addressed through this research is the response of the built (or rebuilt) environment to the requirements of people who have been displaced following a major disaster. This thesis develops a building typology and process that can adapt to the changing requirements of the stages of the redevelopment process in a post‐disaster scenario. The research focuses on natural disasters, more vulnerable populations and regions and specifically on housing reconstruction. It explores the idea of a solution that can be applied widely, to many different climates and contexts; the research question then amounts to ‘can a solution be created that can ‘evolve’ to meet the needs at each stage of a post disaster reconstruction scenario?’ The thesis explores existing post‐disaster response and reconstruction models and discusses the focuses and priorities of each. The requirements of displaced people are studied, in terms of response by the built environment, and the benefits of staged development versus end product discussed. The roles that major groups, such as local authorities and NGOs, play in orchestrating the reconstruction process are discussed as well as the important, and sometimes overlooked, role that those affected by the disaster may have. The discussion and research then informs the design proposal. Four sites are selected and used as parameters for developing the built response to the first stage of reconstruction. The selected sites are then used to show how a generic shelter may first be adapted to be suitable for a specific climate and context and then how they may be added to and grown to become permanent and suitable housing for the displaced people. The staged redevelopment process from a partially generic emergency deployment presented in this thesis can provide a solution, or framework for a solution, to many of the problems raised by the research and here, but it cannot be a solution by itself; architecture or design in post‐disaster scenarios must be supported and driven heavily by planning and management from local, national and international sources to be successful and fully realised.</p>

Challenges of BFIs in Cash Transfer Program to Earthquake Affected Victims: Lessons from Nepal’s Earthquake 2015

The government of Nepal successfully managed the post-earthquake housing reconstruction and rehabilitation endeavours in the aftermath of Nepal’s earthquake 2015, where more than 800,000 Earthquake affected households were identified as beneficiaries and provided financial assistance to build their house. The purpose of this research is to explore the challenges faced by the Banks and Financial Institutions (BFIs) during the cash grant distribution procedures for the earthquake beneficiaries. This paper is prepared to explore the Government of Nepal’s private housing reconstruction initiatives as an effort to cope with the post-earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation works and the role of BFIs in disbursing of the government’s conditional cash transfer program to the identified earthquake beneficiaries. The study had collected data from 16 BFIs where 53 respondents participated in the study. It is based on the qualitative design because structured interview was conducted to collect the data. The findings show that private housing reconstruction endeavours focusing on the cash transfer programs of the GoN were more effective, where 99% of the beneficiaries received the 1st Tranche as of June 2021. Though, there were several challenges shared by the respondents during the grant transfer mechanism such as human resource management, lack of financial literacy and understanding of bank-related services, lack of adequate coordination among the concerned stakeholders, merger and acquisition of BFIs, beneficiaries’ ownership/nominee transfer, cash management, mismatch of the beneficiaries name, and reconciliation and data verification.The study would be crucial to learn important lessons from Nepal’s post-earthquake reconstruction for future disaster resilience activities

Evaluation index system for public participation in post-disaster housing reconstruction in Dujiangyan

PurposeBy using an integrated theoretical analysis model and a practice analysis model, this study constructed an evaluation indicator system for public participation in post-disaster housing reconstruction.Design/methodology/approachThis study investigated and summarised the public participation of earthquake victims in house building in Dujiangyan. A total of 16 analysis elements were proposed, including the subject and object for evaluation. A mixed qualitative and quantitative evaluation model was established.FindingsThe implementation results indicated that this evaluation index system was objective oriented and had public policy attributes. The index can effectively reflect the diverse needs of disaster victims, address multiple social aspects and evaluate and rate public participation.Originality/valueThis paper proposed a mixed research method that integrates analysis processes, such as theories and practical investigation, which are the pillars of public participation evaluation. The evaluation indicators had quantitative characteristics.

Real options analysis of revenue risk sharing in post-disaster housing reconstruction

Purpose Post-disaster housing reconstruction (PDHR) demands a considerable percentage of global property investment, yet the post-disaster environment presents intricate challenges to reconstruction financing for governments and at the same time, revenue uncertainty for private investors. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology for tackling land shortage and the financial challenges of PDHR in the aftermath of a disaster. Design/methodology/approach This study developed a methodology based on a combined minimum revenue guarantee and maximum revenue cap model using a well-established real options analysis (ROA) for revenue risk sharing in PDHR projects and land readjustment (LR) for finance. The applicability of the purported model is demonstrated through an illustrative example. Findings The results show that flexibility in the options could increase the PDHR contractor’s risk profile by increasing the expected value of the contractor investment and reducing the probability of investment loss. On the other side, a cap on the contractor revenue stream would allow the government to benefit from any excess in revenue and would counterbalance the value of the option. Practical implications The framework proposed in this study could serve as a practical risk-revenue sharing in PDHR projects. Governments and policymakers could use the findings to enable the successful delivery of PDHR projects and consequently bring the quality of life of affected people to pre-disaster conditions. Originality/value This study can be considered as a first attempt toward the use of the Australian barrier style options structure, and the trinomial lattice valuation model in PDHR projects, which incorporates LR, public-private partnerships, governmental guarantees and PDHR concepts in one ROA-based framework.