Hello.

What we can see is that usually affordable housing has a lack of architectural quality in the projects. In developing countries, most people associate architecture with beauty only. But its a way to save costs and use better the resources to built and to keep a safe and health environment in the building.

Affordable housing should be not only the one that cost less for build but has the best cost x benefit along the life building.

So to answer your questions should be better know about the place where the project is located.

Generally I should say that:

- collect rainfall for use (or contribute to natural runoff)

- minimize the use of water and promote reuse

- improve and use natural circulation of air (improving also heating control)

- maximize the use of natural light

- use technics to reduce noise

- keep place for alternative use of organic waste in the building or near.

We must to learn how to use the benefits of a good architecture for everyone.

just to begin: I suggest to learn from Martin Heidegger "Bauen Wohnen Denken -Building, Dwelling, Thinking" of 1951.

The dwelling is not satisfied by the construction of low cost houses.

Integrated urban planning needs to be done in a knowledge and awareness of ecology, of our relationship with the environment, with our working life, with transportation, with free time.

We need a social life, with school, library, hospital, green space, we need social activities.

So we need a plan (or better governance and planning processes) to take care of the Earth and of lands, and therefore that the houses are integrated with the working spaces, with agriculture and other activities.

We need a systemic vision of the sustanability and resilience in planning, because they do not exist except through visions systemic, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary.

And then i can offer you another suggestion, that can come from Alexander The Nature of Order, with his view of the life of centers.

Can it help you?

ops ... I suggest also to visit url of European Green Capitals.

Sustainability in my view is a relative term that can only have a true meaning from the context of what is being discussed. This therefore implies that in the context of affordable housing, it will depend on whether one is looking at sustainable housing within rural or urban contexts, but active participation of the consumers of the project is primary key in determining sustainability. An all inclusive process in formulation of the idea of housing, planning and design, allocation and distribution as well as the management of the project is vital.

From my point of view (transportation issues), sustainability in this particular case is closely related to accessibility and provision of modal choice in everyday commuter travels.To my understanding, affordable housing projects aim is to bring people closer to the place of work and eductation. This should be done having in mind that at some particular income level transportation cost may take important share in family income. Providing effective public transport and influencing travel behavior towards it may be considered as a mean of creating sustainable society. This may also decrease future investments needs, affected by an uncontrolled rise of private car ridership. Two issues I've adressed reflect both internal sustainability of particular inhabitant or family (accessbility without comprising other needs) and general sustaibilty of such projects, reducing capital costs for municipality trying to provide better standard of living.

I couldn't agree more about the above points. The key is finding those intellectual points that translate to the physical realm. Shigeru Ban's cardboard designs for the UN is one such example. A highly philosophical designer who saw a deficit in quality, scalable, and durable refugee shelters above the status quo blue tarp dwelling. Scalability is a factor in developing countries- where infrastructure and population growth do not always go hand in hand. A great resource I recommend is the Affordable Housing Institute,, who focuses on this exact issue: http://www.affordablehousinginstitute.org/

Sustainability: Complex issue. It is about: Social, economic and environmental agenda

Sustainable strategies (Bruntland Commission, 1997). In terms of of affordable housing, one has to carefully define what affordability means, to whom etc. Is affordability of housing determined by housing type? e.g. 1 & 2 bedroom is more affordable than 3 & 4 bedrooms? Very much depends on context, the former can actually be larger than the latter, a problem faced by US in attempting to provide affordable housing.

Expandability, looking at design and construction that allows for expandability and adaptability over time (good example work by Elemental: http://www.elementalchile.cl/ ).

Housing that supports existing or improves the existing socio-cultural structure. Example apartment building maybe affordable (cheaper) compared to townhouse, Maisonette development, but disrupts social structure. The arrangement should allow for economic activities (room rental, small store/ kiosk, cottage industry etc) which needs to be addressed at policy level as codes may not allow this. Single use zoning typically are anti-affordable housing in many aspects.

Environmental: should rely on nature as much as possible to provide comfort, support. I would consider five strategies:-

Let nature do the work for you

Consider nature as both model and context

Aggregate rather than isolate

Match technology with need (high tech, in low tech country? will not be sustainable, simple solutions are better, no need for automatic active control systems)

Seek COMMON solutions to disparate problems,(don't rely on single plug-in as solution, technolgy will not solve all)

Shape the FORM to GUIDE the flow (eg. to allow natural ventilation, and thermal flow, cooling or heating)

Shape the FORM to manifest the process

Use information to replace power

Provide MULTIPLE pathways

Manage STORAGE as key to sustainability (water, solar energy, ground sources [heating and cooling], materials of construction-[thermal mass works best in most cases because of high therm inertia]...etc. list goes on)

Look at some of the articles uploaded here that demonstrate how little things can be added to affordable housing.

Dear Francis,

Sustainability as from the word sustainable and when linked with the sustainable development concept of the United Nations has to do with four cardinal poles of sustainable development. these are Economic, Ecological, Political and Social. While some Scholar merged Socio-Political as one, Others merged ecological to Environmental sustainability. In relation to your question of affordable housing, all the four sustainability factors could be considered.

Economic concept talks about the cost effectiveness in building at least to make it affordable, this is by no means says the quality and functionality should be sacrificed tor low cost. In the developing countries, the houses that should come at cheap rates without compromising standard do not come cheap due to non-transparency. This has to be incorporate in the research. An Architect may give you good design that suit the low cost with quality and functionality but due to the transparency question, the get to market beyond the reach of the target group-low income earners.

In the concept of social sustainability is the question of the participation of the people. Does your plan houses and design come in line with the social setting and culture of the people. If not, it is not sustainable and it will not be appreciated, so the investment become a lost. In the developing countries especially the poor nations of Africa, most so call low cost houses as designed are imported without adaptation to the culture and social system. Therefore the question of integration of culture and social believe into housing programme is important.

For Environmental consideration, we need not for example deplete the ozone layer further because we want cheap or affordable housing. There is great need to conserve the nature, open places, recreation facilities, green area with tree planting and forest reservation all contribute to the well being of humanity. This consciousness must always be there and need not to be sacrificed for housing affordability. This also have to do with the balance of the ecosystem. the natural habitats of lesser animals has to be respected to make a healthy environment for good living.

Political will and interest of leaders of the developing country is greatly needed to provide affordable housing for the citizenry. When we talk about leadership, it has to do with government, are they fear or wicked?, do they love citizen or just be tyrant? A country that is rated high in Mineral resources like Oil and still import refined petroleum products has bad leadership, such country will hardly have good housing policy for its citizen under such a leadership.

Now having said all this, let me conclude that every factor that you identify under this four branches of sustainability should be built into the research or model for affordable housing. there are countries that has got off the mass housing stage. Remember that affordable is relative and I wish to state that affordable does not really mean low price. In some countries, houses are not cheap but affordable for people because they spent far less in other sector. where a government provided multi-modal transport system, easy accessibility to infrastructures, food availability, good health insurance scheme etc, The less people spent on other things, the more they have to pay for housing of good quality.

I hope this will help your study.

Hi.

May I add some aspects?

Issues;

-the quality of the land where the houses are build up, ( we need food)

- the risks (floods, rock falls etc...)

- and impact. in nature,

and an opportunity;

, to be self sufficient on electric power

, save and recycle water.

general recycling including compost or gas production.

and the beauty, if you don't mind, as we may love nature, and man made forms as well. If we add a bit of beauty in this world it will be great. As we say "Beleza e' fundamental" ,Beauty is essential"

A master of bridges engineering, Edgar Cardoso, said that a good engineering work always results beautiful. I think he was right, at least I don't remember nothing to oppose.

Any type of housing must consider where and how cooking will occur. Will the cooking area be attached or separate? What are the fuel sources and the impact of emissions on the internal air quality?

Well, it seems to me that contributions offer a very broad spectrum of work.

From my point of view I would add the need to start thinking in quantitative terms for the different aspects of sustainability and resilience of the city and the neighborhood, to try to define environmental standards and then prepare planning and design to the feasibility of certifications.

Not only are the ISO 14000 and 15000, but also EMAS III.

The last one, like in other international guidelines (see UN-Habitat), emphasize the need for participatory planning (as Ben Koissaba wrote). An heritage from the '60s (advocacy planning), too often disregarded.

What do you think?

"Do you see any work-around to bring affordable housing to the masses?" -

Develop a sense of ownership by encouraging the masses to participate in developing & constructing their “housing community.” Several scenarios come to mind, for example, people that invest labor into building their community homes can retain ownership of the structure they help build without owning the land rights with the local government allowing the land to be used for this housing development. Or it can be like “cooperative” housing where they own a percentage of the entire community (structures) in exchange for their labor investment within said cooperative, etc. Some benefits off the top of my head include:

Economic Development

•A learned skill set that can be passed on to others

•A learned skill set that can be used for gainful employment or to start a business

•A learned skill set that can be used to maintain your housing community

Affordability

•‘Sweat Equity’ controls labor costs

•Fundraising capacity is excellent as it supports and frames the ask in a ‘help someone to learn how they can help themselves’ perspective

•Construction materials can be donated in exchange for tax credits dependant on the country’s’ tax system.

•Construction materials can be donated in exchange for global product recognition (marketing opportunity)

Community Capacity Building

•Encouraging and supporting participatory actions by the community, for the community can result in a ripple effect of benefits for an entire community

•Create an opportunity for people to realize the strength and potential that lies in community building

I argue that participatory actions by the people will not only create a sense of home ownership, but it will also create & develop sustainable communities, as well as, increase housing affordability.

Briefly, the indirect intervention of the government by providing the infrastructures and providing an investment's environment for the people and private companies, leads to increase the living quality of the population and creates a competition between the companies to provide good houses with low price. All these procedures should be a part of a clear master plan and incorporate all the society in decision making. So the steps to apply any plan must be from down to up......

really? Look at US? Affordable housing private sector hands through government investment? Hope VI?

I am most grateful to everybody who contributed or even read the question.Your contributions has been very helpful but one mind burgling question that I still need members to help me out is:can Innovative financing mechanisms offer the solution for sustainable housing delivery in the context of developing Africa?

In the Chilean experience, the government housing policies establishes in 2011 (DS-49) a change of the quality and size of the houses in the government housing programs.

In the 1990 decade we experimented a massive housing program (return to democracy process). Some issues appear, like urban segregation, environmental impacts of the projects and transport system irregularities. Now the urban policies establish that new massive housing programs must develop the following standards:

1.- Environmental impact studies

2.- Materials quality standards

3.- Increase in the house surface (square meters)

-Apartments: No less than 50 square meters

- Houses: No less than 45 square meters

4.- Social housing "megaprojects", no more than 300 houses

5.- Minimum urban equipment:

-30 to 70 houses: 50% of the park areas must have a minimum of 7 meters wide in a continuous section and must have a complementary recreational plaza.

-70 and more: park area with a 50% no less than 10 meters wide in a continuous section with a complementary recreational plaza. Other things include a exclusive plaza with urbanization, luminary, and pedestrians pavement. The project must include a Multiuse house, with a surface of 0,6 square meters for every house of the housing project, with bathrooms, universal access to the people (with mobility problems).

This modifications appear to be a big step in the develop of the chilean housing programs. We must see the progress of the policy if it changes (in a positive way) the families and society.

The issue of affordable housing is one of the most important problems to popular development. A family needs a home. There is a saying: "Who wants to marriage also wants a home." In other words, a house, yet simple, but clean, is an aspect that helps to establish the self-esteem of a family. Numerous authors from various currents indicate the family as the foundation of society, and an element that must be constantly strengthened by it. Thus, one can consider that a program linked to the affordable housing need not necessarily be sustainable under the economic aspect. Is that the absence of decent homes for families is a source of numerous problems - crime, drugs, promiscuity, etc.. Therefore, public investment in housing has, in my view, return more than fair.

Robert, I share your argument. Since the family is the foundation of the society as widely believed, there is no amount spent by public authorities in providing adequate and sustainable housing for the family that is not justified even economically. Apart from social benefit, the subsidy to housing can be recovered in other areas e.g. property tax, income tax etc. Really economic sustainability in term of affordable housing will be overshadowed by the social, political and environmental sustainability.

Therefore, the key factor for consideration will be safeguarding the environment for healthy living for generations.

Alert

I work more in theory than in practice and professional activities. And so I can have approaches more utopian than operational.

This is just to keep your attention on my words

Some ideas

From the point of view of funding, I think you have to follow innovative ways, starting with an analysis of the development of degraded areas, the building of slums or squatter movement. With attention to their motivations (not only few money, but also an interest in collective actions).

The literature reveals two aspects in these movement. the strong social cohesion and the higher costs of Public Administration on providing services or technology infrastructures after built and not before building.

I suggest two books, that you surely knows:

Un-Habitat, The Challenge of Slums: Global Report on Human Settlements 2003, Un-Habitat / Earthscan Publications, UK-USA, 2003.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme, Financing Urban Shelter: Global Report on Human Settlements, 2005 (London; Sterling, VA: Earthscan, 2005).

I guess we need to rethink Public Administration role. We need to find new ways to expand a city, integrating low-income inhabitants, without large blocks and high density of apartments for rent.

People's participation in planning and designing cities is necessary, but not only to gain their consensus. We must find methods to assure people's proactive role.

Urbanization must involve areas not marginal or marginalized; Public Administration must predispose appropriate zoning and sufficient resources for infrastructure and basic services. These are areas dedicated to education, health and collective activities (sports, athletics, cultural activities, libraries, classrooms and computer labs, religious meeting, and so on ). These choices have to be collective. We must educate citizens to sustainable cities.

Sharing the project through funding signify for me to have people directly involved (with micro loans to people) in order to establish mixed cooperative societies (business, government, citizens) aimed at the construction and operation of the neighborhood. The modern urban way of life must be mutual and harmonious life also in economics.

Sustainability in terms of cost as well as better occupation rates can be achieved through the component-sharing theory. This is a participatory process in which the government partners with the local community in all the phases of the project including decision making, governance, project phasing, financing and even deciding the specifications of the infrastructure and building tenements. A very good example pf this was the Orangi Pilot Project carried out in Karachi, Pakistan in the 1980's. Detailed information about the mechanism of this project can be found at http://www.oppinstitutions.org/

I couldn't help but think of that movie, It's a Wonderful Life. The little Bailey family bank and loan institute allowed struggling families to buy decent houses with a little down, and pay it back over time. They had a good, basic, clean home in a decent neighborhood, because it was affordable, only by the kindness and support of the Bailey bank and loan.

When George is not there, and there is no Bailey home and loan, we see that that same decent neighborhood does not exist. All those people are living in slums because the Potter family only cares about charging high interest and ripping people off.

What a stark difference low-cost financing will make in a town, is my takeaway from that movie. Bottom line globally, to start with, is that sustainable, decent, basic housing needs to be affordable, however that is achieved.

Please check this website: http://www.salford.ac.uk/energy/research/retrofit-conference/retrofit-2012-papers-day-1

for a paper presented at the Retrofit conference last year titled: Redefining affordable housing through sustainable practices by Gbenga Nubi and Yetunde Afe. I could be of help

Dear Afe

That was a brilliant piece from Nigeria.very helpful to me .Keep it up

Sustainability is Complex issue. It is about: Social, economic and environmental agenda Sustainable strategies (Bruntland Commission, 1997). i think you must incorporate the concept of green infrastructure.

Materials selection, technology and CC aspect