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Dear Colleagues,

Nature-induced disasters and conflict disrupt considerably the built-environment. Yearly, disasters leave severe consequences such as human and economic losses and social disorder in the form of deaths, injuries damage and destruction to buildings, infrastructure, and displacement of communities. To minimise disaster impacts, reduce risks and vulnerabilities to hazards, facilitate recovery and resilience of communities and to ensure the sustainability of the built environment, stakeholders initiate reconstruction and community recovery programmes in the aftermath of disasters or conflict. Whereas permanent housing reconstruction is a core component of post-disaster reconstruction programme and an effective means for community recovery, several factors necessitate how permanent housing reconstruction programmes are managed. While the management approach for housing reconstruction programmes may vary from context to context, the management process faces the complexities, challenges and uncertainties that requires effective management. Moreover, disaster resilience is about considering possible disasters in an early stage of construction planning, where BIM technologies and implementation of big data will give an opportunity to consider relevant information into the building lifecycle models.

This Special issue welcomes articles on the management of Post-disaster housing reconstruction programmes. We seek for contributions on how previous experiences and lessons learned can help in understanding the complexities of post-disaster context and the challenges that affect the management of the permanent housing reconstruction process, cases that unpack the associated social, economic and environmental issues facing affected communities and those that suggest using big data and implementing resilience information into building information models.

Prof. Dr. Irene Lill
Dr. Abdulquadri Ade Bilau
Guest Editors

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Keywords

natural hazards
conflicts
disaster risk reduction
built environment resilience
housing reconstruction
building information models
construction lifecycle

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 10489 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cyclone Aila and Post-Disaster Housing Assistance in Bangladesh

by Sebak Kumar Saha and Chris Ballard

Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8604; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158604 - 2 Aug 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3439

Abstract

This paper examines the processes and outcomes of a post-disaster housing assistance program delivered by an NGO, Islamic Relief Bangladesh (ISRB), in one of the villages worst affected by Cyclone Aila in Bangladesh in 2009. The findings, based on both qualitative and quantitative data collected in the field, reveal that the selection of the most suitable beneficiaries for housing aid was subject to undue influence from both elected and unelected leaders. A broad tendency on the part of ISRB to deliver houses through a top-down approach left little room for meaningful consultation with local people. The recipients thus felt excluded and became passive recipients. Although ISRB adopted a ‘build back better’ principle in the delivery of the housing assistance, the capacity of the new houses to withstand a severe cyclone remains limited. Despite some unhappiness with the process through which the housing was delivered, and dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the houses, most recipients were satisfied overall as they would have been unable to build houses of the same quality by themselves due to their poverty. These findings should be of direct value for relevant government agencies, NGOs, and donor agencies in the future delivery of more successful outcomes in post-disaster contexts in Bangladesh and elsewhere. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Post-Disaster Housing Reconstruction Programmes)

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24 pages, 1956 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Housing Market Value Chain: An Integrated Approach for Mitigating Risk in Informal Residential Construction in Haiti

by Christianos Burlotos, Tracy L. Kijewski-Correa and Alexandros A. Taflanidis

Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 8006; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198006 - 28 Sep 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4081

Abstract

Access to dignified housing represents a critical challenge for many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Technical and economic constraints frequently lead homeowners in these countries toward incrementally-constructed homes, which are often proven deadly when exposed to seismic or meteorological hazards. This paper offers a holistic analysis of the informal residential construction industry contextualized in Léogâne, Haiti, the effective epicenter of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and offers an implementation framework geared towards integrating the housing delivery process to accommodate more resilient typologies. First, the concept of the housing ecosystem is introduced, and a thorough analysis of the technical, economic, and political factors that constrain this ecosystem in Haiti is presented. The defining elements of the resulting residential construction industry are then discussed: An informal blend of Design-Build and Master Builder methods of project delivery for incrementally-constructed (and largely masonry) permanent homes. The housing ecosystem is then redefined as a seven-step housing market value chain, and interventions to further strengthen and integrate this value chain are presented for each of the seven steps. Interventions are grounded in analogous contexts and refactored specifically for the Haitian case study scenario through extensive co-creation with stakeholders in Haiti. Particular focus is given to the Léogâne Community Building Fund, a concept designed to democratize housing finance for low to middle-income groups. When implemented in an integrated fashion, risks across this housing market value chain are effectively mitigated to sustainably deliver dignified housing through a market-based approach suitable for Haiti and extensible to other LMICs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Post-Disaster Housing Reconstruction Programmes)

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