C hapter 04: Strateg i es fo r g reen i n g so c i a l ho u si ng
Maintenance and management approaches Traditional affordable housing projects tend to require more maintenance than market-rate housing however, green buildings can be built to be more durable and require less maintenance. The use of more durable materials and components is a technique inherent in green building that saves materials (and costs) through avoided maintenance and replacement. Additional up-front investment in a more durable design can lead to cost savings through the life of the building, and should be quantiďŹ ed as best as possible (Bradshaw et al., 2005). Durability in materials: Greater attention to building component durability reduces maintenance frequency and costs (Bradshaw et al., 2005). Alternatively where local and renewable materials are used and where the occupants are well trained in the use of the materials, maintenance can be easy to deal with from an occupant point of view. For lighting, CFLs or LEDs reduce maintenance costs due to longer bulb life. The xeriscape approach to landscaping is a theoretically maintenance free approach to outdoor space and green roof vegetation. This technique uses native plants to reect local character and cut down on external water use needed to keep plants alive. By using only local species, only plants that grow in the climate naturally are used, meaning that they will require less maintenance and water than other species (Bradshaw et al., 2005). Flexibility in Design: Design built to enable flexible expansion or reuse of the building ensures the sustainability of the development beyond the
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Green building interventions for social housing
initial purpose. A significant benefit of a building that is able to be reused is the prevention of the destruction and disposal of the materials. The versatility of the house to meet the needs of the occupant throughout their life (accommodation for future disability or growth in family size) also helps to prevent disposal or excessive reconfiguration. In developing countries, incremental housing where the basic necessities (kitchen, WC and shower, living / sleeping quarters and services) are initially provided free of cost with provision for future structured expansion by the occupants has been found to help create a rich sustainable habitat. The design of the build should accommodate the possibility of future expansion by minimising the extent of demolition and material waste. The use of materials that are recyclable can also assist in the reconfiguration of the building or the total reuse of the materials for future use.
Monitoring and evaluation of green social housing Monitoring and evaluation of sustainable housing practices is vital for demonstrating to various actors, including the political institutions and the national/ international financial institutions, the benefits of sustainable housing. In many cases there can also be a performance gap between design intent and actual performance of green buildings (or any building). All stakeholders can be responsible for addressing this gap by initially working together, communicating effectively and evaluating the performance of the built product. In doing so, the performance gap can be quantified and future changes can be made to avoid common mistakes.