Urban Housing Stock Research Articles

Towards circular renovation: a comparative review of circular economy integration in sustainable building rating systems

ABSTRACT Building renovation is widely considered an effective strategy for reducing the environmental impact of urban housing stock. In recent years, interest in ‘circular renovation’ – the application of Circular Economy approaches to building renovation – has grown but implementation pathways for circular renovations are still lacking. This study investigates Sustainable Building Rating Systems (SBRS) as an effective method to implement circular renovation by conducting a rigorous comparative analysis of residential SBRS against the established ReSOLVE framework's circularity principles (Regenerate, Share, Optimize, Loop, Virtualize, Exchange). The study focuses on apartment buildings dgiven their importance to urban housing stock and employs a qualitative content analysis on three SBRS (Living Building Challenge, Green Star Buildings, Building Sustainability Index) applicable to renovation. The research revealed that SBRS are progressing towards circularity but to varying extents and with different approaches. While Regenerate, Optimize, and Exchange principles are prominent, Share, Virtualize, and Loop need further integration in SBRS to facilitate circular renovation. The research also highlighted the potential social gaps of ReSOLVE. Although limited to three SBRS, the findings provide valid insights into Circular Economy integration in SBRS, thus synthesizing SBRS and Circular Economy knowledge and its implementation in apartment building renovation and beyond

Dynamics of development of urban housing stock and urban population

The development of urban housing policies needs to be correlated with the demographic development of the city. Demographic dynamics in the world, including Kyrgyzstan, is developing towards the urbanization of the population and the increase in agglomerations. Therefore, in this article, we study the degree of interdependence of urban population growth factors with the dynamics of the housing stock and the volume of commissioning of a new urban dwelling. In particular, the two largest cities of the Kyrgyz Republic were studied – the capital Bishkek and the southern city of Osh, in which more than 60% of the urban population concentrated. On the basis of the analysis, the aim is to establish a unified public housing and demographic policy for cities based on the mutual development of the urban population and urban housing stock. We have considered the historical development of these factors as well with subsequent justification of their prospective or prognostic development in the light of one housing and demographic policy for the strategic urban development plan. On the demographic side, we took indicators of the total permanent urban population and the dynamics of population growth in Bishkek and Osh; on the housing side, we took indicators of commissioning new urban housing, urban housing stock and the availability of housing per person in the city.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ СТРУКТУРЫ ЖИЛИЩНОГО ФОНДА В 15 РЕСПУБЛИКАХ СССР ПО ОСНОВНЫМ ФОРМАМ СОБСТВЕННОСТИ

The article considers the structure and dynamics of the housing stock in the 15 Republics of the USSR, subdivided by geographical location into five macroregions, based on a dataset compiled by the author from more than 120 statistical yearbooks of the USSR and the Union Republics. Employing such indicators as housing stock total floor space in urban settlements from 1960 to 1990, in rural areas and in the Republics overall from 1980 to 1990, we analysed the evolution of the ratio of the socialised housing stock, which included the state and public housing stock as well as the housing cooperatives’ stock, and the individually-owned housing stock that until recently has been often overlooked in the contemporary Russian-language literature devoted to the housing sector of the USSR. The article reveals that in nine out of 15 Union Republics the individually-owned housing stock prevailed by total floor space during the 1980s. And taking into account the housing stock of housing construction cooperatives, construction of 30 per cent of the housing stock of the RSFSR to 74 per cent of the housing stock in the Georgian SSR by the year of 1990 was financed by the population. The ratio of the socialised housing stock and the individually-owned one was affected by the proportion between the urban and rural housing stock, which, in turn, was determined by the level of urbanisation in the Union Republics.

Legal heritage and urban slums

AbstractThis paper studies the effect of legal origins (common law vs. civil law) on contemporary slum formation in developing countries. First, we provide a cross‐country correlation analysis. Second, we provide a regression discontinuity analysis using household data from Cameroon. The results suggest that a common law heritage is associated with a lower probability of slum conditions. The legal philosophies transplanted through colonization appear to be associated with the pattern of contemporary urban housing stocks in developing countries.

THE MAIN STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION FACILITY LIQUIDATION

The purpose of the study is to develop effective mechanisms for the implementation of technical solutions for the renovation of urban areas and the restoration of urban housing stock. As part of the study, the technological and organizational aspects of the territories renovation process were studied. As a result of the study, a scheme for organizing the renovation process and construction work was developed.

FEATURES OF EMERGENCY HOUSING STOCK MANAGEMENT IN THE ALTAI TERRITORY AS A FACTOR OF URBAN IMPROVEMENT AND COMFORT OF LIVING OF THE POPULATION

The article is devoted to the issues of resettlement of emergency housing stock on the territory of the Altai Territory. The authors conducted a review of the existing state of the housing stock, a comparative analysis of data, research materials on this issue.
 As a result, the problems of the implementation of housing stock settlement in the city of Barnaul were formulated proposals formulated its mechanism. The proposals indicated in the article can be implemented not only on the territory of the city of Barnaul, but also in all cities of both the Altai Territory and the Russian Federation.
 The problems of the urban emergency housing stock identified in the article and the outlined proposals for the implementation mechanism: preparation of programs, redistribution of funding, creation of a regulatory framework, etc. will increase the comfort of residents and increase the comprehensive improvement of cities. Authorities at all levels will have the opportunity to provide targeted assistance to residents in the first place, when there is an urgent need.

Assessment of radon levels in multistory buildings on example of eight Russian cities

In this work, the results of radon concentration measurements in samples of multi-storey apartment buildings in eight large cities of Russia are analyzed. Two samples, depending on the year of construction of the building – before and after 2000, were formed in each city on the basis of a quasi-random approach. Radon concentration measurements were performed using radon radiometers equipped with the CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detector. In the flats of multi-storey buildings, two radiometers were installed and flat’s average radon concentration was calculated. The exposure period for the radon radiometers was three months. To estimate the average annual radon concentration, seasonal coefficients calculated for the primary radon entry from building materials were used. In total, radon concentration measurements were carried out in 1032 flats. It was assumed that the combined sample for the cities of Ekaterinburg, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Tyumen, and Chelyabinsk is representative for the multi-storey buildings in non-capital cities of Russia. The following arithmetic mean annual radon concentrations were obtained in samples of houses built up before and after 2000, respectively: Moscow – 17 and 21 Bq/m3; St. Petersburg – 15 and 25 Bq/ m3, the group of non-capital cities – 25 and 31 Bq/m3. Taking into account the contribution of each group of buildings to the general urban housing stock, the parameters characterizing the radon concentration in multi-storey multi-apartment urban buildings in Russia were calculated as follows: arithmetic mean 25 Bq/ m3; geometric mean 21 Bq/m3; the geometric standard deviation is 1.81. In general, exposure to indoor radon in multi-storey urban buildings in Russia is low both in terms of average value and range of concentrations. There is a tendency towards an increase in indoor radon exposure of the population in new buildings, which is associated with the introduction of construction technologies that increase the energy efficiency of buildings.

АКТУАЛЬНІ ТЕНДЕНЦІЇ РОЗВИТКУ ЖИТЛОВОГО ФОНДУ В УКРАЇНІ

The study emphasizes certain prerequisites that create significant obstacles in the development of the housing stock in Ukraine. The analysis of the latest researches and publications proved the high interest of scientists in the study of trends and problematic aspects of the establishment and development of state housing policy. An analysis of the state and trends of the housing stock, its provision with the necessary equipment was carried out, and it was concluded that despite the fairly significant volumes of housing construction in Ukraine, which were characteristic especially for 2010-2012, the country’s total housing stock over the past 20 years (2000-2020) has practically not changed. In the structure of the domestic housing stock, the urban housing stock dominates – 61.6% in 2020. However, its share decreased slightly during the analysed period. In general, the predominance of urban housing stock is a natural characteristic. Indicators of the provision of the population of the regions of Ukraine with the housing fund have been calculated. It is positive that the growth of both the total area of residential premises and the directly residential area of residential premises in 2019-2021 is typical for the vast majority of regions of Ukraine. It was emphasized that the amount of dilapidated housing stock in both Ukraine and its regions remains large (in terms of physical indicators). As of 2020, this figure was 3.3 million m2 in the country as a whole, and in some regions it was from 100 to 300 thousand m2. The situation in such regions of our country as Kharkiv (712.8 thousand m2), Odesa (329.2 thousand m2), Vinnytsia (221.4 thousand m2), Donetsk (236.4 thousand m2) and Poltava region (201.5 thousand m2) should be considered especially critical. It is suggested that the main vectors of the state housing policy include increasing the level of housing affordability for the population, development of the housing market, formation and development of housing policy infrastructure

Diversification versus concentration trends in the housing construction and stock across Siberian regions

Relevance. The processes of regionalization and localization are currently intensifying in the Siberian macro-region, where local markets act as drivers of socio-economic development. We associate their development with the diversification of the sectoral structure. Nevertheless, the demographic conditions contribute to the growth of spatial concentration, which affects the sustainability of the housing construction structure and negatively affects the housing market. Research objective. This study aims to analyze the economic consequences of the diversification-related processes and the degree of the spatial concentration of these effects in Siberian regions. Data and methods. The study relies on official databases for the calculation of the Herfindahl-Hirschmann and Gini-Struck coefficients. Econometric analysis was conducted with the help of E-Views software. Results. The concentration phenomenon in housing construction becomes indirectly dependent on regional diversification of the urban and rural housing stock, with an intense and natural correlation for the urban housing stock, which is stronger than in the case of the rural housing stock. The multifactorial model of concentration in housing construction indirectly depends on the combined regional diversification of incomes and population and the urban or rural stock. Conclusions. The evolution of the Siberian macro-region is shaped by the increasing urbanization and localization processes, which exacerbate the insufficient level of diversification. These factors are detrimental to the development of the local markets of resources; they have a negative effect on the rate of housing construction and on the supply in the housing market.

Renovation under the Blockade: Demolition of Wooden Buildings in Leningrad. 1941–1942

Based on a complex of published and archival sources, the article deals with a problem that has not been adequately covered in historiography. Since half of the housing stock of Leningrad on the eve of the war was made up of wooden buildings, it was they who at the turn of 1941/1942 have become one of the resources for solving fuel problems. Carrying out the planned demolition of about 6 thousand wooden residential buildings, as well as numerous wooden kiosks, fences, summer theaters, restaurants, pavilions, the city government solved a number of urgent tasks. Thus, it got rid of emergency and fire hazardous objects, provided enterprises and institutions with precious fuel, and provided the population of the besieged city with the opportunity to independently engage in firewood. Brigades of workers, employees and other categories of the population, created in factories, factories and households, carried out the demolition of wooden structures, and carried out another important mission. They contributed to the fact that some of the townspeople were relocated from dilapidated wooden buildings to rooms and apartments that were empty as a result of the death of hundreds of thousands of Leningraders during the first blockade winter. This was to ensure the safety and proper operation of stone houses. Several waves of evacuation of disabled categories of the population created additional opportunities for preparing for an active resettlement policy. Thus, significant areas of urban housing stock were subject to renovation in the shortest possible time, and its technical and transport support became the main problem. The implementation of this action was possible as a result of a significant reduction in the population of Leningrad.

Gentrifying the Brazilian city? Convergences and divergences in urban studies

There is a growing number of processes in Brazilian cities that have been identified as gentrification. However, the classic definition of gentrification as a process of transformation of existing urban housing stocks by new homeowners with a higher socio-economic profile poses challenges to understand recent empirical data coming from Brazil and the Global South more generally. Instead of dismissing them as deviant cases, this paper challenges the Northern empirical foundations of gentrification theory and calls for a new methodological approach to both classic and new cases that take into consideration its contextualization. This new framework for gentrification research is based on necessary dimensions that identify the production of gentrifiable space as the initial condition to the process of socioeconomic change with displacement in which built-environment upgrades constitute one of its most visible feature. These dimensions are present in each and every case, bounding the concept and operationalizing research, while local mediating forces make gentrification context-specific. Therefore, urban studies on gentrification. Should understand and explore the nature of these differences, in a return to in-depth studies and empirical research, opening spaces for decentering positions and building theory from multiple positionalities.

A spatio-temporal life cycle assessment framework for building renovation scenarios at the urban scale

Reducing the energy consumption of buildings is a priority for carbon emissions mitigation in urban areas. Building stock energy models have been developed to support decisions of public authorities in renovation strategies. However, the burdens of renovation interventions and their temporal distribution are mostly overlooked, leading to potential overestimation of environmental benefits. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides a holistic estimation of environmental impacts, but further developments are needed to correctly consider spatio-temporal aspects.We propose a spatio-temporal LCA framework to assess renovation scenarios of urban housing stocks, integrating: 1) a geospatial building-by-building stock model, 2) energy demand modelling, 3) product-based LCA, and 4) a scenario generator. Temporal aspects are considered both in the lifecycle inventory and the lifecycle impact assessment phases, by accounting for the evolution of the existing housing stock and applying time-adjusted carbon footprint calculation.We apply the framework for the carbon footprint assessment of housing renovation in Esch-sur-Alzette (Luxembourg). Results show that the renovation stage represents 4%–16% of the carbon footprint in the residual service life of existing buildings, respectively after conventional or advanced renovations. Under current renovation rates, the carbon footprint reduction would be limited to 3–4% by 2030. Pushing renovation rates to 3%, enables carbon reductions up to 28% by 2030 when combined with advanced renovations. Carbon reductions in the operational stage of buildings are offset by 8–9% due to the impacts of renovation. Using time-adjusted emissions results in higher weight for the renovation stage and slightly lower benefits for renovation.

Floating architecture in the landscape: climate change adaptation ideas, opportunities and challenges

ABSTRACTOpportunities exist for radical strategies, driven by spatial planning, to adapt our urban fabric to climate change. Floating developments are one such innovation. This phenomenon and its ideas are driven by a variety of societal forces, including by population pressure, rapid urbanisation, the resulting need for additional housing inventory, by urban adaptation strategies to counter fluvial flooding and sea level rise, plus interests in urban landscape renewal. We reflect on seventeen projects in five countries and note that, to date, it is inner city harbours or industrial areas in decline that are being targeted for floating communities. These can add renewal, recreational and landscape value, while simultaneously expanding the existing urban housing stock.

ІСТОРИЧНИЙ АСПЕКТ РОЗВИТКУ РАЙОНІВ МІСТ КНР

Розвиток різних міст відбувається на певній історичній основі, яка є платформоющодо вибору способів, засобів та шляхів оновлення різних районів, тому актуальним завданнямє огляд історичних передумов розвитку міст КНР. У статті визначено, що головною тенденцієюрозвитку КНР є зростання рівня урбанізації, до 2020 року очікується, що 60% усього населеннябуде проживати у містах. Це створює потребу в оновленні міського житлового фонду, кількісному і якісному його зростанні. Визначено шість періодів розвитку міст КНР, проаналізовано існуючі моделі реконструкції районів міст, визначено їх переваги та недоліки. Державне регулювання економіки в КНР орієнтовано на перехід до ринкових форм господарювання призбереженні централізованого планового управління економікою, це оптимізує процес управлінняефективністю, допомагає використовувати переваги, які дає ринковий механізм розвитку,зменшуючи економічні ризики за допомогою державних заходів.

Modelling Urban Housing Stocks for Building Energy Simulation Using CityGML EnergyADE

Understanding the energy demand of a city’s housing stock is an important focus for local and national administrations to identify strategies for reducing carbon emissions. Building energy simulation offers a promising approach to understand energy use and test plans to improve the efficiency of residential properties. As part of this, models of the urban stock must be created that accurately reflect its size, shape and composition. However, substantial effort is required in order to generate detailed urban scenes with the appropriate level of attribution suitable for spatially explicit simulation of large areas. Furthermore, the computational complexity of microsimulation of building energy necessitates consideration of approaches that reduce this processing overhead. We present a workflow to automatically generate 2.5D urban scenes for residential building energy simulation from UK mapping datasets. We describe modelling the geometry, the assignment of energy characteristics based upon a statistical model and adopt the CityGML EnergyADE schema which forms an important new and open standard for defining energy model information at the city-scale. We then demonstrate use of the resulting urban scenes for estimating heating demand using a spatially explicit building energy microsimulation tool, called CitySim+, and evaluate the effects of an off-the-shelf geometric simplification routine to reduce simulation computational complexity.

Analytical investigation of urban housing typologies in twentieth century Istanbul

PurposeTurkey has been rapidly urbanizing since the 1950s. In quantitative and qualitative meanings, the problem of housing is one of the most important subjects on Turkey’s agenda. Increasing population, rapid cultural and economic transition and the dynamics of in-migration, changes in social life, consumption patterns and value systems have made a significant impact on housing demand and supply. If we try to realize a general analytical outlook to define the basic formal and informal categories that reflect specific values pertaining to housing typology of the twentieth century, it would be possible to make a classification under the following sub-titles: formal housing-row houses, separate houses, apartment blocks, social housing, mass-housing, luxury housing including gated communities; informal housing – squatter settlements/gecekondus, slums; inbetween –apartkondus, unpermitted constructions/building extensions. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachIstanbul has been experiencing these various dynamics of planned and unplanned housing settlements in a very radical way, since the 1950s. Changing typology is examined systematically under certain periods up to now. In confronting housing needs under rapid urbanization, “types of housing supply channels” appeared and as a result, urban texture has been changing by periods. In this paper, in order to understand each of these categories and the conditions under which they have been generated, an analysis will be realized to understand the urban housing concept of Istanbul within the twentieth century urban environment.FindingsThe factors playing a role in the evolution of twentieth century dwelling forms on Istanbul will be defined, and the physical/architectural, locational, neighborhood characteristics, as well as their user profile will be examined.Originality/valueThis study is expected to contribute to the further understanding of the urban housing stock and the future trends in housing typology.

Quantifying lack of external shading within former soviet standard housing

In order to contribute to a strategy of future upgrades as to mass housing inherited by Russian cities from the previous Soviet epoch, the paper addresses a problem of outer shading devices absence that leads to summertime overheating in the dwellings (inhabitants' opinion and Passive House criterion). By using the ratio of projections area (as a complex of shading elements) to windows area when estimating basic samples of the urban housing stock from the period 1950s – 70s in terms of their shading qualities, this study provides data on their potential inclination to be overheated. Thus, the model ratio is indicated. Finally, the Unshaded Windows Factor, described as the model ratio and divided by a current one, is introduced with the intention of making a preliminary assessing tool. The outcomes can be used in a process of sun-protections development during mass urban housing renovation.

Formalizing informal homes, a bad idea: The credibility thesis applied to China’s “extra-legal” housing

Discussions about informal housing in developing, emerging economies often revolve around the need for prohibition, privatization and formalization. Private title is seen as a guarantee against indiscriminate expropriation leading to tenure security, better access to utilities and mortgage, and higher investments. However, the argument that formalization and privatization out of necessity lead to better rights of otherwise “victimized slum-dwellers” can be questioned. In addition, prohibition of informal housing can marginalize socially weaker groups, while drawing on critical resources for enforcement. We argue that to avoid externalities, one first needs to probe into the perceived function of existing property rights before considering institutional form, irrespective whether formal or informal. China’s extra-legal housing − or “Small Property Rights’ Housing” (SPRH) − is a case-in-point. Extra-legal housing is estimated to account for one-third of the Chinese urban housing stock. In light of this scale, we maintain that extra-legal housing performs a vital function in providing social security, i.e. affordable housing for low(er) income groups. The argument is supported through a survey amongst 300 respondents in 7 medium and large-sized cities. The survey finds that − despite alleged tenure insecurity − SPRH rallies a high level of perceived credibility along three dimensions: economic, social and psychological. Our findings indicate that urban planning and housing policy should consider institutional differences in line with existing functions. In this case, based on the CSI Checklist (Credibility Scales and Intervention), maintaining status-quo or co-optation might be more sensible as credibility is perceived to be high.

Quantifying lack of external shading within former soviet standard housing

In order to contribute to a strategy of future upgrades as to mass housing inherited by Russian cities from the previous Soviet epoch, the paper addresses a problem of outer shading devices absence that leads to summertime overheating in the dwellings (inhabitants’ opinion and Passive House criterion). By using the ratio of projections area (as a complex of shading elements) to windows area when estimating basic samples of the urban housing stock from the period 1950s – 70s in terms of their shading qualities, this study provides data on their potential inclination to be overheated. Thus, the model ratio is indicated. Finally, the Unshaded Windows Factor, described as the model ratio and divided by a current one, is introduced with the intention of making a preliminary assessing tool. The outcomes can be used in a process of sun-protections development during mass urban housing renovation.

Exploring the relationship between urban land supply and housing stock: Evidence from 35 cities in China

This article investigates how government intervention in the urban land supply affects China's housing market over time using panel data from 35 cities between 2004 and 2014. We find that the restriction of urban land supply has varied effects upon real estate destocking over different time periods and under the influence of the development status of different cities. In cities with relatively high housing-price-to-income ratios (>9), the effect of residential land quota control is not substantial within three years, whereas that of land supply price regulation is significant. In contrast, in cities with relatively low housing-price-to-income ratios (<7), quantitative control of land supply has a significant positive effect on real estate destocking. For cities whose ratios lie between 7 and 9, regulation of both land supply and land price negatively impact the housing market. Moreover, we cannot neglect the fact that these government interventions in the land market will have crucial consequences on housing consumption due to subjective psychological expectations. Based on these findings, we argue that top-down policy intervention should be more prudent, and that future government regulations need to be refined to consider specific local conditions.