Sustainable Urban Housing Research Articles

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Airbnb Listings in New York City: Challenges and Opportunities for Urban Housing Sustainability

Short-term rental (STR) platforms like Airbnb have significantly impacted urban housing sustainability, particularly in cities like New York City. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the STR market, raising questions about its resilience and effects on sustainable urban housing. This study addresses the following research questions: (1) How did unit and neighborhood characteristics influence the survival of Airbnb listings during the pandemic? (2) What changes occurred in the factors determining the emergence of new listings during the pandemic? Using data from Inside Airbnb, we applied Cox proportional hazard models and negative binomial regression to analyze changes before and after the pandemic. We found that during the pandemic, price discounts became crucial for listing survival, while traditional quality indicators like superhost status and high ratings lost significance. The importance of subway accessibility decreased, reflecting shifts in traveler preferences. Additionally, new listings were less likely to emerge in high-density Airbnb areas and more likely in neighborhoods with higher crime rates. These findings highlight the need for sustainable regulatory approaches that balance the benefits of STR platforms with protecting housing affordability and community well-being. Our study provides insights for policymakers aiming to promote sustainable urban housing during global crises.

Sustainable Urban Housing Development in Pakistan Through Planning Mechanism: Challenges and Opportunities

Sustainable Urban Housing Development in Pakistan Through Planning Mechanism: Challenges and Opportunities

Factors Affecting Urban Housing Development in Lusaka, Zambia

This study investigates the factors affecting urban housing development in Lusaka, Zambia, a city facing significant challenges due to rapid urbanization and a high prevalence of inadequate housing. Utilizing the Delphi method, data was collected through two iterative rounds from a panel of 10 experts to identify and evaluate 15 factors contributing to poor housing outcomes. The findings reveal that political influence, poor linkage between infrastructure investment and service delivery, lack of access to affordable housing finance, weak urban governance, and high mortgage interest rates are the key factors impeding urban housing development in Lusaka. The study recommends developing an integrated housing planning framework, tailored housing finance products for low-income earners, and promoting governance principles to enhance transparency and accountability in housing development. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders in Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting socio-economic areas requiring intervention to achieve sustainable urban housing development.

Measuring and Analyzing the Indicators of Sustainable Urban Housing for Achieving Sustainable Housing Environment (Al-Hindiya Neighbourhood in the Najaf City as Case Study)

Measuring and Analyzing the Indicators of Sustainable Urban Housing for Achieving Sustainable Housing Environment (Al-Hindiya Neighbourhood in the Najaf City as Case Study)

Resilient and regenerative sustainable urban housing solutions for Nigeria

This paper looks into the analysis and presentation of case studies and best practices of successful resilient and regenerative housing projects in developed nations. The primary objective is to identify key factors behind their success and explore their potential for scalability and replicability across diverse urban contexts in Nigeria. The study examines various case studies, focusing on understanding the design, implementation, and outcomes of these sustainable housing projects. Through a comprehensive analysis of the selected case studies, the paper identifies the crucial success factors and lessons learned, emphasizing their contributions to sustainability, climate responsiveness, and community well-being. Moreover, it assesses the applicability of these practices in the Nigerian context, considering the country's unique climate zones and urban challenges. The study also explores potential barriers and opportunities for scaling up and replicating these housing solutions in different urban settings within Nigeria. It proposes tailored strategies for adapting and implementing resilient and regenerative housing practices, with a particular emphasis on integrating climate-responsive design, net-zero energy goals, and community engagement. To further enhance the sustainability of Nigerian housing developments, the paper advocates for the incorporation of green infrastructure, circular economy principles, and innovative water management solutions. Additionally, it highlights the importance of data-driven approaches and smart technologies in architecture and urban planning to support evidence-based decision-making and optimize the design and implementation of sustainable housing projects. Through this comprehensive analysis, the paper provides tailored strategies and recommendations for policy-makers, architects, urban planners, and stakeholders involved in sustainable housing development in Nigeria. By leveraging the valuable insights derived from successful practices in developed nations, Nigeria can pave the way for resilient and regenerative housing projects, contributing to a sustainable, prosperous future for its diverse and rapidly growing urban population.

The Impact of the Two Pandemics on Sustainable Urban Housing Development

People had to stay in their homes for long time during the pandemic like SARS or COVID-19. Under this experience, people put forward many opinions and suggestions on the current situation of urban residential architecture design and community planning. The existing deficiencies can be learned form people’s perceptions and the findings is helpful to the sustainable development of cities. Based on the literature survey, the main issues of public dissatisfaction after SARS are summarized and analyzed. An online survey-based households was conducted to explore the updated housing, environmental, and psychological focal points caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. The main concerns of urban residents on house and community design and planning after the two pandemics are described and reviewed. It is found that there are additional focus on residential buildings and the community environment after the two pandemics. People are still very concerned about elements such as sunlight, natural ventilation, and sewage treatment to prevent the virus transmission. Some deficiency in housing and communities still leave urban residents dissatisfied, and existing urban housing and community designs may still not be ready for the next pandemic. The pandemic has not only renewed awareness of some important basic elements of urban living that cannot be ignored, but has also brought about changes in people’s lives.

Floating hutongs life to diminishing Confucian courtyard narratives in Jinan, China

ABSTRACT Confucianism has shaped traditional Chinese urban patterns and sustainable housing development, resulting in a fusion of architectural styles across China and neighbouring regions. As previous research has focused on the physical and environmental aspects of sustainable urban environments and housing, the evolution of spatial narratives has been overlooked. This study explores the significance and influence of Confucian narratives in urban streets and juxtaposed courtyard houses, specifically in the Mingfucheng area of Jinan, Shandong Province. By employing a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews with residents, the study explores architecture and hutong spaces. The findings highlight the positive impact of Confucian concepts on residents’ lives, spatial behaviour, and spirituality. It also addresses the challenges and opportunities in the process of urbanisation and rural revitalisation. This research provides a narratological perspective on the sustainability of culturally influenced traditional architecture, contributes to the knowledge on courtyards and hutongs, and suggests sustainable strategies for architectural culture and heritage conservation.

Impact of Insecure Land Tenure on Sustainable Housing Development: A Case Study of Urban Housing Lands in the Republic of Benin, West Africa

This study focuses on land tenure in an urban environment. Specifically, it intends to elucidate the influence of land tenure security on access to housing in urban communities. The conurbation of Grand Nokoué, which is an agglomeration of five cities in the Republic of Benin, West Africa, captures attention due to its particular features as a developing city. Based on the literature, this study outlined three major factors of insecure land tenure, namely, lack of recognition by authorities, lack of protection from eviction or expulsion, and informal community-based rights. In addition, we examined four characteristics of relevant housing issues, namely, the development of shantytowns, the multiplicity of precarious housing, the loss of housing for the development of public projects, and exposure to house demolition under judicial decision, to formulate our hypotheses. The results of field observation and semi-structured interviews supported the hypotheses and demonstrated that legal access to land, the protection of the population from anarchic eviction, and informal community-based rights may positively influence the development of sustainable urban housing.

Sustainable Urban Housing: A Systematic Review of Low-Carbon Design Practices

Sustainable Urban Housing: A Systematic Review of Low-Carbon Design Practices

EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL OF VERTICAL LIVING FOR SUSTAINABLE URBANIZATION IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN

This study aimed to examine the potential of vertical living for sustainable urbanization in Lahore, Pakistan. Through a cross-sectional survey of 400 residents using a structured questionnaire with Likert scale items and demographic questions, valuable insights are gathered from the city's diverse population, particularly those in congested areas experiencing urbanization implications. The demographic data reveals a balanced representation of gender, age, marital status, and education among the respondents. The findings highlight the positive perception of vertical living in addressing the increasing demand for housing in Lahore, with 60% of respondents agreeing it can meet this need. Additionally, 70% of respondents believe vertical living can promote efficient land use and reduce urban sprawl, while 83% see it as a means to conserve green spaces and protect natural habitats. Furthermore, 76% agree that vertical living can contribute to a more sustainable and balanced urban development in Lahore. Moreover, 64% of respondents find vertical living as a solution for affordable housing options and 69% believe it can improve transportation efficiency by reducing the need for long commutes. The study concludes that a significant portion of respondents have a positive view of vertical living's potential benefits in Lahore. However, it also reveals concerns and neutral views, indicating the necessity for further research and increased awareness to better understand the concept of vertical living and its relevance in the context of Lahore's urban development. This research can assist in making informed decisions about sustainable urban planning and housing initiatives in Lahore and potentially in other similar urban settings. Keywords: Natural Environment, Recreation, Public Park, Social Cohesion, Resilience, Hyderabad.

Sustainability of 3D Printing in Infrastructure Development

The construction industry has an interest in moving away from the traditional ways of constructing infrastructure to 3D printing. The assumption is that 3D printing could accelerate the build time and lead to savings in the cost of labour and materials. This will also bring manufacturing approaches and systems to the construction of homes. Worldwide, there is an ever-growing backlog of cost-effective and durable homes. A few case studies of 3D-printed infrastructure have been developed and implemented around the world. The technology benefits of adopting 3D printing for infrastructure are linked to design freedom, the rapid rate of building construction, economic impact and assumed environmental benefits. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) urges the construction industry to build sustainable infrastructure and services to address difficulties such as high energy consumption, solid waste creation, water resource depletion, and greenhouse gas emissions. On a world scale, there is an urgent need for more sustainable urban housing. The environmental performance of affordable housing has not been established or optimised. This study evaluated the case studies of 3D-printed houses worldwide, comparing designs, build times, cost, materials and reported environmental benefits. Although many claim that structures are sustainable, there is limited assessment of the life cycle environmental impact of 3D-printed buildings. Few papers have explored the life cycle impacts. The limited work suggests that traditional buildings have a significantly higher cradle-to-grave environmental burden compared to 3D-printed homes when considering human health, environmental quality and global warming. The benefits are driven by significantly reduced material requirements enabled by alternative designs. More comprehensive studies are required to assess and maximize the life cycle benefits of 3D-printed homes for affordable housing.

Single-number values versus subjective judgment of airborne sound insulation in dwellings

There is a long history of adapting airborne sound insulation in buildings to the actual needs. A first pan-European work was published with COST Action TU0901: Integrating and Harmonizing Sound Insulation Aspects in Sustainable Urban Housing Constructions in which the differences between the sound insulation measure and the standard sound level difference were documented. Furthermore, ISO 16283-1: Field measurement of sound insulation in buildings and of building elements—Part 1: Airborne sound insulation states: Compared to DnT, R’ has a weaker connection to the subjective impression of airborne sound insulation. To investigate this relationship a simplified listening test and a computer-simulated variation studies of a synthesized airborne sound insulation were carried out. A test sound was generated from a speech, a music, and a noise signal, each of which was filtered by six frequency responses of solid structures. In a paired comparison task, 16 participants judged the loudness of the resulting 18 sounds. The results of the listening test show that perceived loudness is significantly correlated to the single number quantity DnT,w but less to the single number quantity R’w. This finding was confirmed across all signal types. Thus, the results confirm the statement in ISO 16283-1, that the single number quantity DnT,w has a stronger connection to the subjective impression of airborne sound insulation as the quantity R’w.

Energy efficiency, carbon emissions, and thermal comfort comparisons between conventional and proposed clustered open courtyard housing using CEB blocks

This research aims to assess a compact economic housing model design proposal using walls constructed of compressed earth blocks as a nucleus for sustainable urban housing in Egypt. This research also aims to evaluate the effect of the direction of the proposed compact building on the building’s internal thermal comfort, energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions. According to previous studies, residential buildings represent about 50% of land uses in Egyptian cities, consume about 19% of the energy produced, and are responsible for 10% of carbon dioxide emissions. All previous environmental studies commended the thermal performance of courtyard buildings in the hot-arid climate of which Egypt is a part. As a result, the authors directed many previous studies towards new housing patterns in Egyptian cities using court-yarded clustered housing to improve thermal performance, decrease energy consumption, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This research compares two residential buildings using design-builder simulation. The two buildings have the same housing unit area of 90 m2 to represent the social housing unit area in Egyptian cities. The first comparative building is a conventional residential building surrounded by solar radiation from all sides and uses walls constructed of solid cement bricks (SCB). The second comparative building is a cluster open court-yarded building using walls built of Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB). Results show that both the clustered open courtyard housing model whose main axis is in the (N-S) direction and the use of CEB has improved all of the examined measures.

Sustainable urban housing policies in the era of post-covid climate change mitigation

ABSTRACT This paper briefly reviews recent and current approaches to the formulation and implementation of urban housing policies in towns and cities in the global South, with emphasis on local government-community participation and partnerships. It looks ahead into the implications of the lasting impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and tenets of climate change that will constitute the ‘New Normal’.

Tingkat Partisipasi Masyarakat dalam Pemeliharaan Prasarana Dasar Permukiman di Kelurahan Samata

Housing facilities and basic infrastructures supply for community in Gowa Regency filled by various programs, such as Kota Tanpa Kumuh (Kotaku). This program aims to increasing basic infrastructure access and service in urban slum housing to support the implementation of livable, sustainable and productive urban housing, particularly in Kelurahan Samata. This research aims to identify the types of public participation, analyze the level of community participation and analyze the factors that affect the level of participation in maintenance base settlement in Kelurahan Samata by comparing two residential areas covered by the infrastructure improvement programs and residential areas that underserved environmental improvement program. This research was conducted on March to September 2020 in Kelurahan Samata. This research uses descriptive statistical analysis and simple linear regression analysis with SPSS 25. The result show that: 1) The form of public participation in two residential areas does not have a significant difference, is dominated by participation in the form of energy, each 51.92% and 50%; 2) Level of community participation in maintaining basic housing infrastructure in programmed areas is at level of citizen control participation, while in suburban areas with programs that are not implemented is at level of delegated power; and 3) Factor that affects level of participation in community by maintaining basic infrastructures on two residential areas using stepwise method on SPSS 25 affected by three variables, job, frequency, and motivation.

Built Environment Ecosystems Framework towards Sustainable Urban Housing Infrastructure

As the rates of urbanization increase to unprecedented levels, the urgent need for sustainable housing and infrastructure has become a widespread global challenge with social, economic and ecological implications. The housing sector directly impacts the majority of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs). However, striving to achieve these goals in a compartmentalized or siloed manner has impeded the implementation of transformational solutions that increase the security and wellbeing of urban populations. Here, we introduce the Built Environment Ecosystems (BEE) framework, alongside a case study from the Ecological Living Module (ELM) UNEP Program, through an integrated systems approach with synergistic impact. We demonstrate how the multifunctional interlinking of building systems that harness local bioclimatic resources (ie. solar, wind, water, food, agricultural waste, biomaterials) can more viably address a broad spectrum of sustainable development challenges, while increasing local stakeholder agency. We outline how the BEE framework enables the association of SDGs as an integrated package, with an ELM performing as a scalable but Self-reliant Ecosystem of Systems, that could enable systemic change, suggesting the need for further research towards a scale up in the density of such housing systems across multiple climatic and cultural contexts towards ubiquitous sustainable urban housing.

Совершенствование жилища компаундного типа как фактор устойчивого развития в условиях Африки

The national urban housing design practices in Africa show both ecological (energy inefficient buildings) and economic (inefficient use of urban space) imbalances. As a rule, traditional African housing development uses various architectural and structural solutions, local materials, as well as natural means of improving the microclimate (orientation to the cardinal directions, wind direction) to create comfortable living conditions. This article examines the conditions for the development of characteristic types of urban dwellings in Africa. The author provides an evaluation analysis of the socio-economic efficiency of housing types and offers recommendations for the development of sustainable urban housing.

Study on Urban Sustainable Restructuring of Leinefelde, Germany and Revealing the Important Strategies for Environmental Well-Being for Shrinking Cities

Why habitat Mars when you can make earth livable. Demographic change led to the shrinking of the city and also aging native population were big problems in leinefelde. Sustainable urban structures, housing affordability and availability was a big criteria. The political and economic change in the eastern Germany after reunification in 1989, anticipated and intensified the problems. By 1993 municipality realized that it should develop strategies and policies to stop the breakdown of economic and political breakdown of the city. As a result of the actions taken, leinefelde has become successful transformation of shrinking cities in the world. This research paper finds the problems led to shrinking of the city and then focuses on the different parameters and strategies like project context, social aspects, environmental aspects, economic aspects, organizational aspects, sustainable aspects that were carried out in order to have a successful transformation of leinefelde. And finally list down the key indicator for project being successful as a conclusion.

Internal and external factors of competitiveness shaping the future of wooden multistory construction in Finland and Sweden

In transitioning to a renewable material-based bio economy, growing public and industry interest is apparent for using wooden multistory construction (WMC) as a sustainable urban housing solution in Europe, but its business implications are not well understood. In our study, we evaluate, which internal and external factors of competitiveness are shaping the future of WMC, especially in the context of Finland and Sweden. Based on a multi-level perspective of socio-technical transitions, we conducted a three-stage dissensus-based Delphi study. The identified internal and external factors affecting the future competitiveness of the WMC business emphasize the importance of skilled architects and builders and the role of standardized building systems. Based on our results, the key aspects influencing the future competitiveness of WMC in the region are related to the development of technical infrastructure and project-based business networks, while additional changes in regulatory framework are perceived as less important. We conclude that towards 2030, the strong cognitive rules founded in the concrete-based building culture in these countries is likely to inhibit the dynamics of the socio-technical regime level. A change is also needed in the WMC business culture towards more open cross-sectoral collaboration and new business networks between different-sized players.

Whispers of Ethno-Religious Violence on Housing Delivery in Nigeria

Nigeria is an agglomeration of different ethnic nationalities with multiplicity of religious inclination of which Christianity and Islam are the dominant. The high level of intra and inter-ethnic rivalry between ethnic nationalities and extreme religious intolerance has resulted in many catastrophic clashes. These clashes have unquantifiable debilitating effects on the equilibrium of housing supply and delivery. The paper through deductive approach from secondary data in literature review, and descriptive analysis, examined the various ethno-religious violence from post-independence Nigeria and their causes in other to establish the impact on the housing sector. Findings revealed that the importance of houses in the African set up is beyond mere shelter, but are sacred and generational assets worth bequeathing. This underscores the reason it becomes target for attacks during ethno-religious violence. Deductive inferences made indicated that the more the loss of lives, the more number of internally is placed persons, the more the severity of the violence on housing and number of displaced persons. The study concluded that conflict resolution strategies are most required for a sustainable urban housing growth