Housing Reconstruction Research Articles

Tsunami Resettlement Program and Survivor Satisfaction Fifteen Years After the 2004 Tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia

Fifteen years after the Aceh tsunami, the housing for the tsunami survivors has undergone material changes and shifts in ownership. This study analyzed the survivors’ satisfaction with the housing aid and examined the decision-making mechanisms that occurred during the rehabilitation-reconstruction period for housing construction in the relocation and non-relocation areas. This study used qualitative-descriptive methods. Interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect the data and respondents were selected by purposive sampling. The findings indicated that the decision-making in the relocation and non-relocation areas for housing reconstruction was partially top-down. There were four aspects of this decision-making: (1) choice of location; (2) quality and materials of the house; (3) house construction; and (4) supervision of house construction. However, the survivors in both the relocation and non-relocation areas were only involved in the house construction and supervision of house construction elements. The survivors’ satisfaction criteria differed between those in the relocation vs. non-relocation areas. The satisfaction of survivors in the relocation areas was based on the distance and quality of the houses and access to public facilities. For the non-relocation area survivors, house quality was the only significant factor.
 Keywords: life satisfaction, survivors’ satisfaction, housing, relocation, decision-making

Determinant factors for the strategic management of the supply chain of the Angolan cement industry

Purpose: Cement is a priority consumer good in all modern societies. Considerable portions of the countries’ income are invested in construction and reconstruction of houses, shopping centers, schools, universities, research centers, pavements, bridges, dams, among other infrastructures. In view of its importance, it becomes relevant to understand the determinant factors for the strategic management of the cement supply chain (SC). The knowledge of these factors can support the development of management strategies that adequately orientate the operation of the cement industry and ensure an agile and/or efficient structure that facilitates the distribution of the products from this industrial sector.Methodology: This article presents the results of a qualitative research, based on semi-systematic literature review and interviews, which aimed to identify the determinant factors and barriers in the management of the SC of the Angolan cement industry (CI).Findings: This research made it possible to conclude that the determining factors are: cement production capacity and quality; supply levels and channels; infrastructure capacity and quality; capacity and quality of transport modes; existence of cement distribution strategies; collaboration, integration, agility, effectiveness and efficiency in the SC; availability of qualified labor; geographic location of markets; competitiveness factors (price, quality, response time, flexibility, agility, services, reliability, process variability and differentiation). Some barriers that undermine the supply of cement in the Angolan market have also been identified.Originality/value: Based on the literature review and the analysis of the interviews, we found that, in general, the strategic management of the SC of the CI depends on the level of development of the infrastructures, logistics, communication and the degree of collaboration and integration between the entities.

Cedars of the North Mountains: Historical forest culture and practices in modern day nature policies

The region north of Kyoto is referred to as Kitayama, which literally translates as North Mountains. The region is the location of Cryptomeria japonica, Japanese cedar or sugi, production in Japan. Cedar logs grown there are used as pillars in the construction of buildings in a typical Japanese minimalist style, but also traditional rooms included in modern houses. Cedar was planted widely in Japan following World War II not only to rebuild the economy but also to grow raw materials to contribute to post-war housing reconstruction. In Kitayama, cedar has been grown for over 600 years and using specific silvicultural techniques by a community that has a unique cultural legacy which developed around cedar cultivation. The Kitayama sugi economic-socio-cultural-ecological complex thrived following World War II but is currently under stress. Demand for its highly priced products is declining. It is recognized in Japan and by the city of Kyoto as a valuable cultural historical heritage and efforts are being made to preserve it as such. The success of these efforts has been mixed so far. This paper reviews the Kitayama sugi economic-socio-cultural-ecological complex in order to understand how historical indigenous forestry practices change over time and how they might be dealt with in advanced societies such as Japan.

People-centered disaster recovery: A comparison of long-term outcomes of housing reconstruction in Thailand, India, and Japan

Although scholars recognize the importance of long-term recovery outcomes for disaster risk reduction and community empowerment, even within the limited research on long-term housing recovery, cross-national and temporal comparisons of multiple reconstruction projects are rare. Drawing on a systematic literature review and case-study approach, this paper explores two case studies of post-disaster housing reconstruction projects, each from three countries in Asia-- India, Thailand, and Japan. The cases are post-disaster housing reconstruction after the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake and 2008 Kosi River floods in Bihar in India, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and 2014 Chiang Rai Earthquake in Thailand, and the 1995 Great Hanshin Awaji (Kobe) Earthquake and 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan. Comparisons across cases found consistency as well as change in each country. Analysis of reconstruction policies, programs, and governance systems led to several key findings, identifying housing reconstruction processes that led to beneficial longer-term outcomes in social, economic, technical and environmental aspects in the three countries. In contrast to government-driven housing recovery programs in Japan, housing recovery programs in both India and Thailand included crucial support from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) integrated with and complementing official support from the government. Able to translate government policies into practice in ways that community needs could be met in increasingly people-centered ways, CSOs played significant roles in the provision of needed housing units and beyond, in facilitating increased flexibility of housing recovery options, filling gaps as an intermediary between the government and the needs of the people.

Simulating post-disaster temporary housing needs for displaced households and out-of-town contractors

Residential damage from major disasters often displaces local residents out of their homes and into temporary housing. Out-of-town contractors assisting in post-disaster housing reconstruction also need housing, creating additional pressure on the local housing stock. Communities should thus prepare for a surge in temporary housing demand to minimize the impact on the local residents and to expedite housing recovery efforts. Computational models can support recovery planning. This article introduces an agent-based simulation framework to estimate the workforce demand and the joint temporary housing needs of contractors and displaced households. The main agents are households seeking to repair their homes, local contractors, and out-of-town contractors. Out-of-town contractor agents come into the community if the labor and housing markets are favorable. The framework can be used to evaluate the resulting challenges and benefits of interventions aimed at attracting out-of-town contractors to expedite housing recovery. We present a case study on the housing recovery of the city of San Francisco after hypothetical M 6.5, M 7.2, and M 7.9 earthquakes. A shortage of contractors is shown to bottleneck the reconstruction if no out-of-town contractors are recruited. Conversely, out-of-town contractors increase the likelihood of temporary housing shortages. These results highlight the need to plan for shortages of reconstruction labor and temporary housing during recovery.

Relationship between the organizational structure in implementing Post-Disaster Housing reconstruction and outcome characteristics: A study on urban dujiangyan after the Wenchuan Earthquake

Many works of literature have agreed that the centralized reconstruction mechanism of China could guarantee an efficient reconstructive enforcement. However, many have also speculated that it might disrupt the involvement of the local parties during its implementation, and have adverse effects on the affected area, especially in the field of housing. However, there is currently limited knowledge on the implementation process of housing reconstruction and its effect on the affected localities. This research conducted an empirical study on Dujiangyan City after the Wenchuan Earthquake. It identified the organizational structure of the involved stakeholders, evaluated the implementation outcomes of respective stakeholders, identified the characteristics of the housing outcomes, and indicated the preferences and limitations of the participating stakeholders. The results indicated that the Chinese top-down housing reconstruction was not inevitably carried out as speculated in the literature. The local government was still a leading force. Its mobilization of local and external stakeholders significantly contributed to providing diverse resettlement options for the affected population. However, the housing outcomes revealed an imbalanced spatial distribution and concentrated on the new urban area. Such characteristics could be attributed to the reconstruction plan that emphasized peri-urban development on a large scale and the organizational method that constrained the stakeholder's participation in all urban areas. Hence, implications are given for the betterment of housing reconstruction in China: a more compact reconstruction plan that adopts cautious renovation to the original urban structure, and sufficient coordination between all stakeholders in the full process of housing reconstruction.

Incremental Pathways of Post-Disaster Housing Self-Recovery in Villa Verde, Chile

Housing reconstruction is considered the backbone of disaster recovery. The increasing losses in housing due to disasters challenge conventional top-down schemes and call for people-centred approaches to acknowledge their agency and self-recovery resources. This paper examines the pathways for housing self-recovery through resident-controlled incremental housing development. This paper focuses on the Villa Verde settlement built in the Chilean city of Constitución, which was severely impacted by the 2010 Chile Earthquake. Villa Verde, designed by the Chilean architecture studio Elemental, is one of the most notable incremental housing projects worldwide that encourage residents to extend their houses within a provided structural framework. This research aims to provide clarity in the much-needed understanding of disaster-affected people’s agency to self-recover, noted by researchers as one of the crucial elements for improving the humanitarian response in the aftermath of disasters. Through capturing the evolution of incremental housing construction, this paper presents multiple complexities resulting from the variety of households’ characteristics and needs in their process of post-disaster housing self-recovery. The resident-controlled process studied evidence that the people’s capacities and dedication to self-recover challenged the established housing framework with extensions beyond the designers’ parameters requiring further evaluation of the long-term implications of self-help constructions.

Palu Housing Reconstruction Process: Reviewing and Learning after the 2018 Earthquake

The strong earthquake that hit the Province of Central Sulawesi on 28 September 2018 (M7.4), followed by tsunami and liquefaction has caused many casualties, injuries as well as damages in the housing sector. In the rehabilitation and reconstruction (R&R) program, the Government policy was to provide the affected community with aid to rebuild their houses (for houses outside the red zone), the Government also will build new settlements for relocation (for houses inside the red zone), which both are expected to be more earthquake-resistant. In order to understand what happens in the field related to various issues, an investigation to study the whole processes and to document the lessons learnt from the reconstruction process is conducted in Central Sulawesi Province. One of the highlights of this study is the impact of the three types of disasters that occurred in Palu Municipality (earthquake, tsunami, and liquefaction) on the housing reconstruction process after the disaster occurred. The primary field survey and Focus Group Discussion were conducted through interviews with various parties in the earthquake-affected areas to reveal the findings of problems and obstacles in the field during its two years of implementation, from 2018 to 2020. This study focuses on reviewing and learning from the post-disaster housing sector reconstruction process. The result of this study is expected to provide future lessons for the post-disaster housing reconstruction process in Indonesia and other countries.

Public Housing in Lands Affected by Natural Hazards

In 2016-2017, an earthquake hit central Italy, in particular the Marche region. In 2011, Japan was devastated by the Fukushima nuclear disaster and in 2005 Hurricane Katrina struck the southwest coast of the United States. This work, starting from the analysis of public housing reconstruction process in Italy, will afterwards analyse the legislation adopted by the Japanese and the American governments in the same field. The aim of the work will be, on the one hand, to highlight the best practices adopted by the three governments in public housing buildings reconstruction process and, on the other hand, to understand which policies, used in Japan and in the U.S.A., can be “imported” in the Marche region, as far as public housing reconstruction process is concerned.

Nayã Ghar (A new house): Examining post-earthquake housing reconstruction issues in Nepal

Housing reconstruction is a major and critical task to be carried out in the aftermath of a disaster in developing countries. The agencies responsible for managing and implementing these programmes tend to promote the success of these interventions. Following the Bourdieusian framework, and undertaking qualitative research in the four most-affected districts in Nepal, we go beyond the narratives of a successful reconstruction programme to show how reconstruction is a complex and contested socio-political field. Despite many concerns raised, most of the participants felt the post-earthquake housing to be rāmro (nice or beautiful); however, this paradox was not dealt with sufficiently in previous studies. To understand the contradictions, our paper engages with Bourdieu's theory of habitus and symbolic capital. Our findings show that the post-earthquake reconstruction produced houses unfit for purpose. They essentially replaced vernacular design and traditional construction technologies with concrete houses that are spatially insufficient, climatically unsuitable, and practically inconvenient for everyday rural life. Moreover, our paper shows that disaster-stricken locations are not only sites for rebuilding and reconstruction, but they are also social arenas for struggles, competition, and profit maximisation. Therefore, the article builds on debates on disaster profiteering through a Bourdieusian lens. Our paper ends by recognising the limitations of the current work and by discussing the scope for future research.

DELAY ANALYSIS USING IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW METHOD: CASE STUDY POST-DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION IN LOMBOK

<p>Earthquake disasters have a significant impact, especially on infrastructure, socio-economy, and housing. In August 2018, there were earthquakes in Lombok; the Government then issued a reconstruction policy, especially in the housing sector. In the worst affected areas in North Lombok, the reconstruction process is targeted to be completed in March 2019, but as of February 2020, at least 7,210 houses have not been constructed. Further discussion is needed to determine the delay factors in post-disaster housing reconstruction. A qualitative approach was chosen to emphasize the benefits and information gathering by exploring the phenomenon under study. Seven informants from representatives of the Government, facilitators, and the community were selected to be interviewed regarding the delays. The data analysis used in this study used a descriptive approach by categorizing the results of the interviews according to previous research and experts. Thus, data analysis was found five issues of delay that are closely related to communication and coordination, human resources, materials and supplies, workmanship and quality, and monitoring.</p>

Who Gets Emergency Housing Relief? An Analysis of FEMA Individual Assistance Data After Hurricane María

In the months after Hurricane María’s devastation of Puerto Rico, press outlets and advocacy groups documented how Puerto Rico’s experience with housing repair and reconstruction programs was rife with complaints and inconsistencies regarding approval of applications and denial of support, especially among vulnerable communities. These problems are not unique to Puerto Rico and have been frequently raised by numerous communities in the United States that have endured disasters. This article contributes to the critical task of revealing postdisaster damages and reconstruction trends through a detailed examination of housing and personal property damages and benefits received through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Individual Assistance (IA) Program after Hurricane María. It also shows which municipalities were most affected and have the greatest housing needs. We demonstrate that, in the aggregate, poor or geographically vulnerable households were not likely to be underserved. Nonetheless, poor households are left with a greater burden in the form of pending housing needs after aid relief has been allocated, rendering them more vulnerable to being displaced. Furthermore, households that lacked clear tenure status were unable to access IA aid because of administrative and procedural burdens.

Determining the cost of design work using aggregated indicators of the estimated cost of housing reconstruction

This article is devoted to determining the estimated cost of project work with the help of aggregated indicators of housing reconstruction, identification of priority areas and the ability to economically justify the reconstruction of damaged housing stock of Ukraine.
 Estimates of Ukraine state that the determination of the estimated cost of designing the construction of industrial and non-industrial facilities is the application of average percentages of the cost of design work to the calculation base.
 The use of the method of analogous object is not reliable because the qualification of the author of estimates is limited, as a rule, by a small number of projects of such analogous objects in a particular project enterprise. The authors propose to determine the value of similar objects using the appropriate methodology, using it also to restore the damaged housing stock at the following stages of design: sketch design, feasibility study, project.
 The method determines the limits of fluctuations of specific values of technical and economic indicators for homogeneous groups of housing reconstruction objects and regression equations which determine the standards of investor estimated value of objects.
 To verify these statements, an example of determining the estimated value of the specific values of the consolidated estimate (12 chapters, estimated profit, administrative costs, risks, inflation, taxes and refunds) depending on the specific values of technical and economic indicators of the new object based on homogeneous regression equations On the basis of the given equations on homogeneous groups the search of objects with sizes of specific technical and economic indicators similar to sizes of similar indicators of researched object is conducted.
 The appropriate method allows you to quantify the estimated value of the damaged housing stock and determine the effectiveness of the investment used.

Energy poverty alleviation – a step for sustainable energy transition

The paper investigates the issue of fuel poverty and its presence in the Bulgarian context. The focus of the analysis is on the potential for alleviation and – in the long term – elimination of energy poverty through the implementation of measures for energy-efficient retrofit of residential multi-story apartment housing. An effective strategy tackling this topic at the local scale is a key prerequisite for the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with particular relevance for SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities. Achieving the optimal ratio of saved energy versus financial resources is the key to renovating housing at scale sustainably and efficiently. Energy poverty as a phenomenon is linked to the combined effect of three main factors - low household income, high energy costs and low energy efficiency of housing. There is a broad scientific consensus that this phenomenon has a serious negative impact on the quality of life and citizens’ health and wellbeing. Furthermore, energy poverty contributes to a huge waste of energy and also affects the physical dimension of the sustainable development of the built environment. Therefore, energy poverty exacerbates deficits and discrepancies for territorial economies and communities. Eliminating the problem of “fuel poverty” is often considered to be impossible without the support of the affected households through subsidies. Subsidies invested in energy-efficient housing reconstruction result in immediate savings in housing heating costs, which in turn leads to a tangible reduction in the “fuel poverty” experienced by residents of reconstructed housing. Energy-efficient housing reconstruction (retrofit) is the fastest and most efficient (in terms of public resources) way to combat energy poverty. The financial resources required to enable these activities could also be obtained or complemented through financial engineering schemes with third-party involvement.

FEATURES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF HISTORICAL HOUSING

The article is devoted to current issues related to housing reconstruction in Ukraine, as well as ways to solve it. Domestic and foreign experience of re-planning of existing apartments, reconstruction of historical buildings with superstructure of attics, additional floors or without them is covered. In modern urban development today there is a significant fund of residential buildings from previous historical epochs and styles. The state of planning of the vast majority of buildings does not agree with the current sanitary, fire and functional requirements and does not meet modern design conditions. This condition requires professional work of specialists who are able to write out the specified problems.

Process of Changes with Renewal/Loss of Tenement Houses in densely built-up areas of wooden buildings

Urban regeneration is key to restoring areas damaged by natural disasters. The research of Professor Toshiya Yamamoto, Department of Architecture, Meiji University, Japan, encompasses the promotion of the renovation of rows of houses called Nagaya, urban planning and transformation, housing reconstruction and regional revitalisation. His research is conducted in the urban area of Kyojima, Sumida Ward, Tokyo, which is a traditional Japanese living environment. A key concern in the restoration of Nagaya is ensuring that the buildings are as safe as possible so that the impact of earthquakes can be minimised. Another important element of the work is to promote a symbiotic relationship between residents and the community, with strong links between art projects and restoration. Yamamoto and the team's work will include performing analyses of the reconstruction project underway in the area of the Great East Japan Earthquake, analysing map data and the creation and categorisation of an original database constructed from building information and registration data. This data will then be repeatedly analysed in different relevant contexts. The goal of the research is to improve the structural understanding of recent urban transformation and evaluate the urban policies and plans that have strongly influenced it. The team also developed a manual for producing so-called 'evacuation maps'.

Pomoc państwa w odbudowie powiatu pilzneńskiego ze zniszczeń wojennych w latach 1915–1916

State aid in rebuilding the Pilzno County destroyed in 1915–1916 during World War I State emergency aid provided to the Pilzno County inhabitants who had suffered material losses as a result of the warfare in May 1915 was a short-term solution. Initially, the reconstruction of houses was subsidised with the aim of allowing the citizens to survive the upcoming winter. The funds constituted only 16% of the approximate value of the destroyed buildings. Small amounts of money were also handed out to help citizens start or resume business activity. Although the financial support was not sufficient, it enabled the payees to deal with the dramatic consequences of the war.

METHODS AND PREREQUISITES FOR ARCHITECTURAL-PLANNING IMPROVEMENT OF OBSOLETE HOUSING FUND

The article analyzes the scientific-theoretical and practical basis of foreign experience of reconstruction in order to identify current trends and directions of improving the quality and improvement of the living environment of obsolete housing. Tasks, goals, and approaches to repair are outlined. Methods of architectural and planning improvement of the living environment of mass construction are determined and the ways of increase of productivity and life expectancy of the housing stock of Ukraine are formed. Describes the levels at which the process takes place, each corresponding to its own update object and representing an "ideal" update model. Lack of professional standards and conceptual ambiguity of the terms "repair" due to the uncertainty of their methodological principles. The preconditions of the process of renewal of Ukrainian cities and the factors influencing and determining the ways of the renewed component are revealed. Analytical methods of the practical and theoretical basis of a reconstruction of obsolete housing stock are used. Consecutive operations on updating the housing stock are given. Definitions have been formed that reveal the concept of housing reconstruction and its relevance for the living environment in Ukraine in the context of housing reform and the development of regulations in the process of decentralization. The term "gentrification" is considered a kind of renewal. The results obtained after the renewal of the territory, economic and social benefits are determined. There are the following indicators of the benefits of repair: separation or comparison, depending on the situation, more efficient use of territory and resources; increasing the investment and architectural attractiveness of the environment; extension of housing life; adaptation of the territory with obsolete buildings to the new functional requirements (partially or completely), as well as increasing the comfort of housing. Examples of a complex of repair works on the basis of European countries are given.

The influence of technical assistance and funding on perceptions of post-disaster housing safety after the 2015 Gorkha earthquakes in Nepal

Housing is vital in facilitating a return to normality following a disaster; however, it remains one of the most challenging and problematic areas of post-disaster assistance. There is a pressing need to unpack “Build Back Better” aspirations to understand the drivers of safe housing reconstruction. The objective of this research was to understand the influence of technical assistance and sources of funding on household perceptions of housing safety. Binomial logistic regression was used to analyse survey data collected from 711 households three and half years after the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal in two affected districts. We found that only 55% and 60% of households in the selected districts of Gorkha and Okhaldhunga, respectively, felt their home was safe in case of a large future earthquake. The use of demonstration houses in communities resulted in higher odds of safe perceptions, while door-to-door technical assistance was associated with lower perceptions of safety in Gorkha. In contrast, in Okhaldhunga, household reconstruction orientations and short training resulted in lower odds of safe perceptions. The funding source for housing reconstruction did not correlate with perceptions of safety in Gorkha, while government funding and household savings had positive correlations in Okhaldunga. Our findings suggest a possible link between reconstruction financing, technical assistance, and the perceptions household form out of recovery. Organisations seeking to support housing reconstruction can potentially leverage tailored technical assistance and funding sources as points of entry to influence household demand for safer construction.

Coastal housing recovery in a postdisaster environment: A supply chain perspective

In coastal cities, the damage stemming from hurricanes and severe tropical storms may reduce housing stock. Accelerating the reconstruction of housing stock becomes crucial in minimizing the time that residents are displaced. It is critical to understand how to better coordinate all available resources for an effective and balanced reconstruction where nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies, volunteers, and many other complex resources converge. This study combines Monte Carlo and beta models to assess supply, costs, and recovery times. The models capture the immediate and long-term costs of reconstruction activities under highly uncertain conditions using embedded stochastic components on projected materials, labor, and equipment flows. The model identifies possible hurdles in acquiring likely material and labor and prospective thresholds that might affect the housing recovery process. This research addresses gaps in strategic humanitarian recovery decision-making by modeling housing damage costs through granular-level housing reconstruction activities. In addition, these models provide constructive insight into how cost and completion time are dependent upon supply uncertainties.