Assessing government plan and residents’ support for agropolitan housing development in the Greater Port Harcourt city, River State, Nigeria

This paper examined, why the Rivers State Government of Nigeria engaged in the Greater Port Harcourt city project as well as individual communities’ residents’ attitudes in support or against government demand of communities’ land for agropolitan residential housing development in the GPH city. Survey questionnaire retrieved from 258 heads of households in 8 selected communities of the Greater Port Harcourt city and key informants’ responses were the methods used. The result shows that Greater Port Harcourt City was born to contain and curtail the spill over population, provide good and quality infrastructure and services, upgrade informal settlements and create sustainable residential developments. Respondents’ attitude towards land acquisition for self-sustainable agropolitan residential housing development was positive and supportive with modal first to three mention of “More persons will own better homes (27.3%), it will enable me own my personal house (18.2%) and it will solve the housing problem in the area (16.3%) respectively’.

PARAMTR - Enhanced generative design tools for prefabricating large-scale residential developments

<p><b>Designers are encountering greater issues with residential projects, which are increasing in complexity, scale, and performance requirements. Despite significant advancements in technology and the AEC industry, large-scale residential developments are still designed and built at scale as if they were singular projects. Variable and increased construction time, cost, and material waste at scale are all issues with existing design and construction methodologies for construction at scale. Prefabrication and generative design tools have the potential to significantly reduce these issues.</b></p> <p>This paper investigates how collaborative, human-generative design tools can optimise building performance and make prefabricated housing at scale feasible, whilst still encouraging design variance. In this context, collaborative human-generative tools refer to a partially algorithmic design tool that facilitates an open-box approach to design. Using a mixture of research-based design and design-based research, a new tool (PARAMTR) was created to improve feasibility whilst reducing time, complexity, and cost of designing and building residential projects using prefabrication at scale. </p> <p>The research demonstrates eight unique designs produced using the new human-generative tool. Despite their individuality, these designs have 8-10 times fewer unique components when compared to existing residential projects. Designs produced using PARAMTR could reduce construction/design time by up to 50%, reduce construction costs by up to 26% and share no design commonality, enabling unique designs across an entire development. This research paper could therefore fundamentally change how the AEC industry builds at scale, using algorithms and human-generative design tools.</p>

PARAMTR - Enhanced generative design tools for prefabricating large-scale residential developments

<p><b>Designers are encountering greater issues with residential projects, which are increasing in complexity, scale, and performance requirements. Despite significant advancements in technology and the AEC industry, large-scale residential developments are still designed and built at scale as if they were singular projects. Variable and increased construction time, cost, and material waste at scale are all issues with existing design and construction methodologies for construction at scale. Prefabrication and generative design tools have the potential to significantly reduce these issues.</b></p> <p>This paper investigates how collaborative, human-generative design tools can optimise building performance and make prefabricated housing at scale feasible, whilst still encouraging design variance. In this context, collaborative human-generative tools refer to a partially algorithmic design tool that facilitates an open-box approach to design. Using a mixture of research-based design and design-based research, a new tool (PARAMTR) was created to improve feasibility whilst reducing time, complexity, and cost of designing and building residential projects using prefabrication at scale. </p> <p>The research demonstrates eight unique designs produced using the new human-generative tool. Despite their individuality, these designs have 8-10 times fewer unique components when compared to existing residential projects. Designs produced using PARAMTR could reduce construction/design time by up to 50%, reduce construction costs by up to 26% and share no design commonality, enabling unique designs across an entire development. This research paper could therefore fundamentally change how the AEC industry builds at scale, using algorithms and human-generative design tools.</p>

Analysis of Air Quality by Ventilation in House in the Framework of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Spain

After the arrival of a new airborne virus to the world, science is aiming to develop solutions to withstand the spread and contagion of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The most severe among the adopted measures is to remain in home isolation for a significant number of hours per day, in order to avoid the spreading of the infection in an uncontrolled way through public spaces. Recent literature showed that the major route of transmission is via aerosols produced especially in poorly ventilated inner spaces. With regard to contagion rates, accumulated incidence or number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19, Spain has reached very high levels, therefore this article develops a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the requirements established in Spain with respect to the European framework in reference to ventilation parameters indoors. For this, a case study has been analyzed, representing a common residence in current Spanish residential developments. Results show that the criteria established in the applicable regulations are not sufficient to ensure health as well as to avoid contagion by aerosols indoors.

An Economic Feasibility Analysis Of Inclusionary Zoning In Toronto, Ontario

The Government of Ontario has recently introduced legislation which would allow municipalities to implement inclusionary zoning, a policy tool which would require developers to include affordable housing units in new residential developments. This study examines the potential impacts that implementing an inclusionary zoning program would have on the decision making process of developers operating in the Toronto housing market. The author found that without sufficient incentives inclusionary zoning policies impact the financial returns new developments are able to generate. This paper concludes that in order for inclusionary zoning to be successfully implemented without causing financial hardship on developers, incentives such as density bonuses should be offered.

An Economic Feasibility Analysis Of Inclusionary Zoning In Toronto, Ontario

The Government of Ontario has recently introduced legislation which would allow municipalities to implement inclusionary zoning, a policy tool which would require developers to include affordable housing units in new residential developments. This study examines the potential impacts that implementing an inclusionary zoning program would have on the decision making process of developers operating in the Toronto housing market. The author found that without sufficient incentives inclusionary zoning policies impact the financial returns new developments are able to generate. This paper concludes that in order for inclusionary zoning to be successfully implemented without causing financial hardship on developers, incentives such as density bonuses should be offered.

Probing the Fiscal Implications of Multipurpose Development Districts: An Institutional Analysis of Florida Community Development Districts

Across the U.S., private land developers are forgoing traditional financing of new suburban infrastructure in favor of an institutional innovation in special government—multipurpose development districts. This article presents an exploratory analysis of the fiscal characteristics of this relatively novel financing and governing mechanism. Focusing on residential developments financed through the creation of Florida multipurpose development districts, or community development districts (CDDs), we ask: What is the general profile of CDD borrowing and spending? What functional trends are reflected in CDD borrowing and spending and how do they compare to those of their general-purpose counterparts? How does CDD borrowing and spending change over time as residents, not developers, take over responsibility for district administration? We consider two institutional design principles important for self-governance of such developments—accountability and representation. The discussion raises self-governance implications, particularly whether multipurpose development district financing creates incentives for developers to “oversupply” infrastructure to maximize profits.