DEFINITION OF INDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL HOUSING: IN SEARCH OF A MODEL

• Published in: International journal for housing science and its applications Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. 79 - 92
• Main Authors: de Azevedo, N J D, Reg Silva, J J O, MacIel Silva, P M W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2010
• ISSN: 0146-6518

In developing countries, as Brazil, social housing is financed almost exclusively with public resources. Due to lack of planning of urban space occupation and the restriction of financial resources the emphasis is given to the reduction of quantitative dwelling deficit. Thus, nor always satisfactory benefits are provided with regards to the quality of life, social insertion, generation of income and local economic development. The challenge for developing countries is to establish means to reach economic and social growth with rational use of environmental resources, considering also the diversity of local peculiarities. In developed countries several methods are available for evaluation of buildings sustainability. However, there exist the needs for a more realistic approach directed to the developing countries, which consider, beyond the rational use of natural resources, its demands for social and economic development. The objective of this article is to initiate the discussion of social housing sustainability evaluation through the adequacy and definition of indicators that evaluate not only environmental questions but also social and economic ones. It is expected that this work may contribute for the beginning of the conception of sustainability indicators oriented to the northeast region of Brazil, inducing improvements in social housing.