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Some design aspects of sustainable post-disaster housing

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DOI: 10.1108/IJDRBE-06-2012-0019

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 International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment
Some design aspects of sustainable post-disaster housing
Simon Tucker, Arosha Gamage, Chitral Wijeyesekera,
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Simon Tucker, Arosha Gamage, Chitral Wijeyesekera, (2014) "Some design aspects of sustainable post-
disaster housing", International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, Vol. 5 Issue: 2,pp.
163-181, doi: 10.1108/IJDRBE-06-2012-0019
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(2011),"An overview of post-disaster permanent housing reconstruction in developing countries",
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Some design aspects of Sustainable

post-disaster
sustainable post-disaster housing housing
Simon Tucker
Graduate School of the Environment, Centre for Alternative Technology,
Machynlleth, Powys, UK
163
Arosha Gamage
Faculty of Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa,
Sri Lanka, and
Chitral Wijeyesekera
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School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering,

University of East London, London, UK

Abstract
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to discuss selected aspects of the design of post-disaster housing
building on current guidance in this area. The paper focuses on the use of appropriate materials and
technology to suit the climate and site and draws lessons from traditional housing types and settlement
patterns.
Design/methodology/approach – A case study of a design project is used to illustrate an approach
toward sustainable design. The approach is structured and could therefore fit into the wider structures
and frameworks of providing such housing.
Findings – A design was generated that meets many of the desired environmental criteria. It was also
found that important design resources are required by the design team not mentioned in the existing
guidelines.
Research limitations/implications – A limitation of the paper is that the design is hypothetical
and there has been no input from prospective inhabitants or other groups.
Practical implications – The design approach illustrated here may be of use to relief organizations
working in the field and also could be used to develop further awareness of sustainability.
Organizations that provide for and coordinate post-disaster construction could consider making further
design resources available as part of a project.
Social implications – The study addresses the design of housing, which itself is an activity located
in society.
Originality/value – The paper adds to the discussion on the design of post-disaster housing and
supports the argument that such housing can help to support wider and longer-term development.
Keywords Sustainable Development, Environment, Case study, Post-disaster reconstruction, Design
methods, Post-disaster housing
Paper type Research paper

The paper is an outcome of the project “Promoting Sustainable Design and Education to Facilitate International Journal of Disaster
Resilience in the Built Environment
Tsunami Reconstruction in Sri Lanka”, a UK-Sri Lanka Partnership Links Scheme funded by the Vol. 5 No. 2, 2014
UK Department for Education and Skills and the British Council. The authors acknowledge pp. 163-181
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited
the contribution of Prof Rohinton Emmanuel in initiating the project and the helpful comments of 1759-5908
the reviewers of the first draft. DOI 10.1108/IJDRBE-06-2012-0019
 IJDRBE 1. Introduction
Post-disaster housing will often be built under the most extreme and complex
5,2 conditions, and due to limited time and resources, it is probable that some important
design aspects will be ignored. Considerations of sustainability may well be the aspects
that have a low priority in such conditions, with the result that the environmental effects
of the housing are worse than they could have been, or that the housing performs poorly
164 in some functional way, or that opportunities are lost to integrate the housing into a
longer-term sustainable development plan.
Guidelines are particularly useful in the chaotic and complex social and economic
environments that can be expected to follow a large-scale disaster. The response to
disasters can involve hundreds of aid agencies and non-governmental organizations,
and there is a potential for a lack of coordination. Guidelines have been published, for
example, by the United Nations (UNEP and SKAT, 2007) that provide an overview of
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sustainable reconstruction and list the stages of a project and recommend when
different aspects of sustainable design should be addressed. The aim of this paper is to
illustrate through a case study some additional design aspects not covered in existing
guidelines and thereby contribute to further understanding and discussion of this area.
The existing guidelines are usually clear, but by necessity they tend to be generic or
specific to one region and therefore possibly not relevant in another region. Ahmed
(2011) has made an extensive literature review of post-disaster housing reconstruction,
including guidelines for good practice, and concludes that more integrated models and
processes are required. Here, a case study approach is used to illustrate one example of
how this integration may be achieved. We focus specifically on the use of appropriate
materials and technology to suit the climate, site and social conditions, and on the study
of traditional housing types and settlement patterns to inform design solutions. This
approach is applied to a housing model for a site in tsunami-affected Sri Lanka.
An indicative literature review is used to introduce the proposed design approach.
The approach consists of an information-gathering phase and a design-response phase,
which are illustrated by the case study in Sections 4 and 5. The project described was
developed by one of the authors (Gamage, 2007) following the 2004 tsunami, but it was
not built. A discussion of the design approach follows the case study.

2. Post-disaster shelters and housing

2.1 Definitions and strategy
The provision of emergency shelter is regarded as a highly complex process due to the
factors involved, which include funding and donor interests, political pressures and
needs and wants of the survivors (Babister and Kelman, 2002). Provision of
post-disaster shelter can also be haphazard. Habitat International reported that
communities and individuals were still living in “makeshift, uninhabitable shelters” six
months after the 2004 tsunami (Batra and Chaudhry, 2005). The provision of housing
will involve a similarly complex process, and there are many opportunities for mistakes
to be made. Researchers and field workers have approached this complexity and
responded to the need for greater understanding from several perspectives as outlined
below.
First, there is a distinction to be made between emergency shelters, temporary
housing and permanent housing. Quarantelli (1995) gives conceptual definitions of these
and also includes temporary shelters as a type. Shelters provide immediate and
 short-term shelter from the elements, whereas housing implies a return to normal living Sustainable
patterns even if on a temporary basis. Researchers such as Shaw (2006) have suggested
that rebuilding following a disaster should be considered an opportunity for
post-disaster
development, and therefore rebuilding could be linked into a development plan. Such housing
housing would be designed and built in accordance with local expectations and usual
practices as to its lifespan.
There are several descriptions of the problems and mistakes that occur in provision 165
of post-disaster shelter and housing. Johnson (2007) gives examples of these through a
number of case studies and proposes a strategic planning framework for provision of
housing and shelters. The problems and issues associated with temporary housing
projects include timing of the provision, access to existing social networks, comfort of
the housing relative to locally expected standards and others such as cost and provision
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of land. The strategic framework would include appointment of an organization to be

responsible for overseeing strategy in such an event, as well as the more detailed
considerations such as prior identification of resources, materials and appropriate
designs. Ahmed (2011) notes how often the literature reports on inadequate housing
being built that is culturally inappropriate in terms of settlement layout, form, style and
materials used. Shaw and Ahmed (2010) state the importance of comprehending local
culture and traditional practices and patterns in designing successful housing.
There is also some literature on the potential links between climate change and
disaster (Helmer and Hilhorst, 2006). Thomalla et al. (2006) discuss how the increased
awareness of climate change and the resulting debate can lead away from a responsive
reaction to disaster and toward a longer-term integrated approach that prepares for
disaster through a disaster risk management process.
A systems approach toward provision of post-disaster sustainable housing has been
suggested (Limoncu and Celebioğlu, 2006) and a conceptual model formed of the
decision-making process that would be followed in a country following a disaster. The
systems approach allows analysis of all the components of a system and their
relationships. Local data would be gathered in line with the requirements outlined by the
model, so that when disaster strikes all the groups responsible for provision of housing
would understand what actions to take and how to coordinate those actions. Hayles
(2008, 2010) finds a need for better knowledge transfer and knowledge management in
the whole process of post-disaster housing reconstruction.

2.2 Guidelines
Guidelines and standards exist for emergency shelter provision such as the Sphere
standards (Sphere, 2004), which refer to recommended physical quantities, such as
usable floor area per person, and also to provision of less tangible qualities, such as the
dignity and safety of inhabitants. Guidance is available from organizations (e.g. UN/
OCHA, Shelter, DFID, 2008) for the strategic planning, project coordination and
construction of transitional settlements, but these do not focus on design issues.
Sustainable building guidelines specific to Southeast Asia are available (UNEP and
SKAT, 2007), which describe environmental, technical, social, economic and
institutional aspects, and also detail project management and planning aspects. Some
practical design issues are also covered. The document therefore proposes a framework
or procedure by which sustainable reconstruction can be facilitated. NHDA (2005) gives
 IJDRBE some general design guidance and the best practice in the environmentally conscious
design related to Sri Lanka.
5,2
2.3 A sustainable approach
A “sustainable building” is generally taken to mean that the design has included careful
consideration of the buildings’ harmful effect on the environment and has sought to
166 minimize that effect. Boyle (2005) provides a summary of what is generally meant by
this term. In the years following the report of the Bruntland Commission (WCED 1987)
there has emerged a widespread and growing understanding that sustainable
development involves engaging with and responding to social, economic, and
environmental factors. The term “environmental” could include minimizing energy use
and emissions of greenhouse gases resulting from construction of the building and its
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subsequent operation, using non-toxic materials, preserving site biodiversity and

avoiding the pollution of water and land resources.
Much advice is available to the designer of environmental buildings. This includes
guidance on climatic design considerations (Givoni, 1969; Koenigsberger et al., 1973;
Evans, 1980) and on the use of appropriate building materials in different contexts (Stulz
and Mukerji, 1993; Berge, 2001). Further advice on the environmental impacts of
building materials is readily available (Woolley et al., 1997), and technical and scientific
methods such life cycle analysis are becoming increasingly used for the prediction of the
environmental impacts of a building over its life span. This has resulted in an increased
interest in the use of “traditional” or “greener” materials such as timber, stone, earth and
bio-based materials.
There is also literature on the relationship between sustainability and vernacular
architecture (Asquith and Vellinga, 2005; Turan, 1990) and also on theoretical aspects of
sustainability in relation to the built environment. For example, sustainable architecture
is seen by Williamson et al. (2003) as a “revised conceptualisation of architecture in
response to a myriad of contemporary concerns about the effects of human activity”.
These concerns are reflected by the inclusion of such factors as biodiversity and
minimization of greenhouse gas emissions into architectural design. Heath (2009) claims
that “a general principle of sustainable architecture is that buildings should respond
reflectively to the environment in which they are placed”.
To be sustainable, post-disaster housing must not quickly become obsolete, and
therefore the satisfaction of occupants is highly relevant. Rand et al. (2011) found that
the build quality of the housing was a significant factor in occupant satisfaction, even
when this meant greater time waiting for the house. The latter study also confirmed that
occupants should be engaged in the construction process, but that it was not important
to actually build the housing particularly where quality might thereby be compromised.
Karunasena and Rameezdeen (2010) found that the owner-driven (as opposed to
donor-driven) approach to reconstruction of housing resulted in greater occupant
satisfaction on nearly all of their assessment criteria.
Other relevant studies include that of Caia et al. (2010), who found indications that the
type of temporary housing provided could affect the psychological state of survivors,
with a “traditional house” appearance scoring better than container-type housing.
Roseberry (2008) examined the sustainability of post-disaster housing, highlighting the
complexity of such assessments and examining in more detail the environmental
impacts of the materials used. Schilderman (2004) showed how designs of traditional
 housing have been adapted to avoid constructional weaknesses that would make them Sustainable
vulnerable to future disasters, and thereby mitigate against disaster and contribute to
(sustainable) development.
post-disaster
At a local level, Sri Lankan traditional architecture has been closely studied by housing
architects with regard to spatial patterns and composition, materials and technology.
The traditional architecture has been reinvented following the pioneering work of
architects Geoffrey Bawa and Minnette De Silva (Robson, 2002), and this approach has 167
been adopted by many architectural practices. For example, one of the authors (Gamage,
2003) studied how traditional buildings maintain thermal comfort with respect to
orientation, built form and materials, when designing a suburban condominium.
Dayaratne (1999, 2000) examines in detail the literature as to how traditional techniques
have been utilized as a sustainable approach and influenced the design of buildings in
Sri Lanka, and claims that these new directions and reinventions can produce more
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innovative ways to design toward sustainability (Dayaratne, 2010).

2.4 Summary
A selective overview of current literature shows a strong awareness of a need for better
planning, preparedness and use of clear procedures and of integration of provision of
shelters and housing into longer-term development plans. Strategic and practical
guidelines exist but do not dwell on the detailed aspects of design focused on here. The
literature on sustainability agrees that factors such as the materials used for building
and the relationship of the completed buildings to their cultural, economic and
environmental contexts are intrinsic aspects of what is generally referred to as
“sustainability”. The reinvention of traditional techniques to inform modern building
design is well established in Sri Lanka, but design of post-disaster housing to take
account of these advances has not been sufficiently addressed to date.

3. Design approach
Procedural approaches and guidelines for design are available that outline important
factors to consider as mentioned above, and these are often quite generic for good
reasons. For example, one guide (Gut and Ackerknecht, 1993) simply advises the
designer to “collect information about the local climate factors and the requirements of
the user […] analyse this information […] develop the appropriate design concept”, and
then lists “design rules” on how buildings and parts of buildings can respond to various
climates. Design advice such as this tends to be generic because of the numerous
variables that can differ between one project and the next.
The relevant aspects of our design approach are outlined in Table I, which remains
generic enough to allow individual interpretation by design teams. Building activity and
the monitoring of outcomes would follow the third stage.
Cultural conditions are not specifically discussed in the following case study nor are
such sensitive factors such as expectations and aspirations of future inhabitants.
Although the economics of post-disaster housing is a major consideration, it is also
outside the scope of this paper. However, an assessment of building and material costs
may lead to identification of ways of increasing the sustainability of the design. For
example, it might be beneficial for reasons including cost, but also for social reasons
such as “ownership” of the housing to enable the local population to carry out some or all
of the building. If this is the case, then the design of the housing and its construction can
 IJDRBE Stage Description
5,2
1 Information gathering and analysis of relevant factors
Context and site
Climate
Identification of appropriate thermal strategies for buildings
Study of local settlement patterns, housing types, traditional building materials and
168 techniques
Assessment of the skill levels available
Survey of availability of appropriate materials to suit climatic, site, cultural and economic
conditions
2 Formulation of design proposals
Show how each of the relevant factors identified at stage 1 has been addressed
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Make use of local knowledge and consider ways to involve the future inhabitants in the
design process
Allow the availability and skill levels of local labor and of financial resources to influence
the construction method and materials (e.g. the standardized construction method that
could enable local and possibly unskilled labor to be quickly trained)
Make design proposals for the materials and potential building layouts and construction
Table I. methods in sufficient detail to allow their communication to all stakeholders
Design approach 3 Assessment of proposals, consultation, development of designs, selection of design

be influenced by the skills and training available. Assessments made at stage three
could include environmental impact, energy use, thermal comfort, economic viability
and user feedback prior to building.

4. Case study – Kamburupitiya, Matara, Sri Lanka

4.1 Context and site
In December 2004 a tsunami destroyed or severely damaged almost 1,700 housing units
while partially damaging around 4,500 and completely disrupting regular human
activities in four coastal division secretariats in Matara on the south coast of Sri Lanka
(Department of Census and Statistics, 2005). It affected nearly 82,000 persons, and there
was the need to facilitate a permanent relocation for the affected families living in
coastal areas, and reconstruction of affected townships. Land availability, environment
and availability of natural resources were the main criteria for site identification by the
authorities. Kamburupitiya is a suburb about 16 km away from the commercial capital
of Matara, with a large provision of low-density and non-built areas, which has a rural
character and was prime land according to the selection criteria for resettlement. A
6-acre undulating plot was allocated for about 50 houses, plus community facilities
including a school and playgrounds, as well as a community, day care and medical
centers. Although this project was primarily driven by a donor approach, the
responsibility of constructing the house was that of the owner.

4.2 Climate
Sri Lanka is a small island with a distinct variation in its climates. However, in general,
the climate can be categorized as warm-humid. The island can be divided into two main
climatic zones characterized as a wet zone and a dry zone, with additionally some areas
comprising an intermediate zone. Kamburupitiya is situated in the intermediate zone
 about 10 km from the coast. The climate in this region is hot and humid throughout the Sustainable
year, with an average high temperature ranging from 28-30°C and an average low of
21-24°C. The mean relative humidity is 80 per cent RH. This area has a rain fall of 700
post-disaster
mm per year with monsoonal rain from September to December. The wind is mainly housing
from the west and southwest, and from the northeast in winter and is above 3 m/s for
about 80 per cent of the year and over 1 m/s for 94 per cent of the year (World Weather
Online, 2012; Meteonorm, 2012). 169
4.3 Identification of the appropriate building thermal strategies
In this type of climate, shading must be provided, and there should be provision for
allowing the wind to increase the thermal comfort of the inhabitants by increasing the
rate of evaporation from the skin, thus increasing loss of heat from the body (Givoni,
1969). This can be achieved through cross-ventilation of the building. The diurnal
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temperature swing of around 6°C indicates that thermal mass may be useful in lowering
daytime internal temperatures through night cooling of the structure of the building
(Shaviv, 2001). Capeluto et al. (2004) also found that if the temperature variation
was ⬎ 5°C, then night ventilation could be used in heavy buildings to obtain peak
temperature reductions in a hot-humid climate. However, 6°C is a relatively small
variation, so the role of thermal mass on reducing peak temperatures will also be
relatively small, but nevertheless useful.

4.4 Traditional settlement patterns

In the past, different types of settlement patterns were developed according to the
topography, climatic conditions, ethnicity, sociocultural factors, occupation and status
in the society. In Sri Lanka, the main types of settlements were the tank-fed type,
temple-devala type and hill-country-valley type (Figure 1). The majority of houses are
located along the pathways and roads overlooking the paddy fields. In traditional
houses there was no clear boundaries between properties. These houses are separated
from one another sometimes only with a hedge or bushes.

4.5 Traditional house typologies

In this region, the traditional concept is to live in and around the open spaces. The
construction of the houses was also dictated by the material availability from the
surroundings. The most popular and general plan type of the traditional house was
mainly outward looking, with an open veranda to the front as the outer living space
(Lewcock et al., 2002) (Figure 2). This area was used as a social area where occupants
entertained outsiders and in larger houses took the form of a courtyard. This space is
open and well ventilated. Sometimes it is protected with half walls. The inner rooms are
small and dimly lit by small windows and are mostly a private space used for family and
children to sleep (Figure 3).

4.6 Local materials and construction practices

In the traditional houses, the roof was given special attention because it had to
withstand heavy rains and wind during the rainy season and the hot sun throughout the
year. Roof-covering materials depended on the availability of materials from the
immediate surroundings. Mara wood, illuk grass, cadjan (woven palm fronds) and straw
were used. The low wall-plate height and the long eaves protected the walls from the hot
sun and heavy rains. The roofs were mainly steeply pitched to shed the water quickly off
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5,2

Lanka
170

Figure 1.
IJDRBE

Settlement types in Sri

 Sustainable
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Figure 2.
Traditional Sri Lankan
shelter

the surface, using either a single pitch, double pitch with gable or hipped type. In the
north central province, the eaves reached out ⬎ 1.5 m from the walls at a height of about
1.2 m from the ground to withstand the heavy wind (Figure 4).
Plinths were raised above the ground level to protect against the rising damp, to
protect the occupants from various insects and at the same time to reduce the amount of
conducted heat absorbed into the house from the surrounding ground, as well as to
reduce the reflection of solar radiation into the house.
Mud, earth or stone was usually used for the walls. Rammed earth, compressed earth
blocks, kabook (a laterite block) or cadjan (coco plant leaves) in a wattle and daub infill
with timber frame were some of the traditional construction techniques used. Earth
works well in this climate, as the diurnal temperature variation is just sufficient to cool
the thermal mass at night. Small openings kept the direct sun out of the interior, and the
gap between the wall and the roof provided further ventilation to the interior.

5. Design responses and proposal

5.1 Context and site
In the proposal, a limited number of house layouts have been adopted, all using the same
materials, and this approach will result in reduced building costs. At the time of the
project, the possibilities of owner-driven and donor-driven approaches were both open,
 IJDRBE
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Figure 3.
Features of traditional Sri
Lankan houses

and the choice of materials and construction methods allows the possibility of local
people building their own houses. The site is undulating, and so a number of house types
are required to allow flexibility in the orientation of each house. Only some of the
traditional features, materials and techniques described above have been included. This
is because the study of traditional housing is not meant to enable a simplistic
reproduction of those types, but rather to inform an appropriate design that must take
account of all the various cost and material constraints.

5.2 Response to climate and thermal strategy

Large openings are provided to allow available breezes to flow through the dwelling,
thus providing cooling to the inhabitants. Roofs are large to shed water away from the
building and provide solar shade. Thermal mass is used to lower the peak daytime
temperatures. Trees and tall bushes are to be placed to the east and west of openings for
further shade as required.

5.3 Settlement pattern

Some traditional concepts and technology inspired the design of this settlement in terms
of the layout of the scheme as well as of the individual house types. Although orienting
the sides of the houses in north-south directions would have been the ideal solution in
 Sustainable
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Figure 4.
Example of local
construction

terms of obtaining natural ventilation from the southwest, it was difficult to locate all
houses in the same direction due to the natural topography of the site. The general
positioning of houses on the site was influenced mainly by the natural undulating
topography and the given shape of the site (Figure 5). However, the flexibility in the
house design allows each house to adjust to the existing site conditions, and the size and
placement of openings are varied accordingly to achieve maximum thermal comfort.
The layout is also inspired from the traditional hill-country-valley-village type because
of its undulating character where the plot allocation is mainly determined according to
its contours. The layout also supports the use of natural drainage and rainwater
harvesting. A simple drawing such as Figure 5 could also be used at this stage in
discussions with future inhabitants.

5.4 Housing types, materials and construction

Knowledge of the traditional materials and constructions used, and how these were used
in conjunction with the other factors described above, can lead to insights into how other
materials might be used. In this case, usage of environmentally responsive materials,
sloping roofs, simple plan form, a high plinth, inbuilt seat (pila), an open veranda and
kitchen yard and small openings at higher levels are all inspired from the traditional
layout (Figures 6 and 7). Environmentally responsive materials are also considered cost
effective, thereby adding to the sustainability.
Walls of earth-compressed block construction are built on a cement-rendered high
plinth, and a Calicut tile roof and a combination of windows, grills and ventilation holes
in different sizes are used to gain maximum ventilation but reduce solar heat gains into
the building (Figures 8 and 9). Earth construction is generally seen as a sustainable
 IJDRBE
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Figure 5.
Initial proposal for site
plan

material because of its low environmental impact (Houben and Guillaud, 1994). It was
recognized that the use of the readily available roof tiles might lead to problems with
excessive heat from the sun being transmitted through them, so the use of a radiant
barrier in the roof space would need to be examined in further detail in the next stage of
the process. The placing of the smaller rooms either above or below the main living
space is a response to the slopes of the site so the houses can be arranged as in the
hill-type settlement pattern while being of a fairly standardized construction.

6. Assessment of design proposals

6.1 Types of assessment
Many types of assessment are possible and may have been included as part of the design
process. All of these will contribute in various degrees to the sustainability of the
solutions adopted but are often missed out due to lack of resources or of qualified
assessors. Here it was recognized that a key question was whether the proposed house
would provide shade and allow cooling breezes to flow through it, whatever its
orientation on the site. Therefore, a key assessment was of the thermal performance of
the house.

6.2 Thermal comfort

Computer-based dynamic thermal simulation (IESVE, 2011) was used for the thermal
assessment, as this can show in detail the effect of orientation on thermal performance
and is a well-established technique in building design. The simulation required a climate
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Figure 6.
Typical plan

data file, which was not available for the site at Kamburupitiya, so data from nearby
Hambantota were obtained. Decisions on modeling issues such as these require a
minimum level of knowledge for the results to be meaningful. The result obtained here
showed that the cross ventilation and shading were good and air temperatures in the
living spaces for the various orientations were almost identical (Figure 10).
Further detailed testing led to small but useful modifications to the designs, such as
the addition of a window in the sleeping area to increase ventilation. Other tests showed
that to try and optimize the amount of mass would lead to minimal improvements, and
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Figure 7.
Typical section

Figure 8.
Type A house computer
rendering

Figure 9.
Type B house computer
rendering
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Figure 10.
Air temperatures in living
space for each orientation

that inclusion of a radiant barrier would lead to a reduction in radiant temperature of up

to 2°C, agreeing with an earlier study by Jayasinghe et al. (2003).
No other assessments were done in this case but usually would include economic and
other environmental assessment as well as involving future occupants in critiquing and
developing the design.

7. Discussion
The study shows the potential role of applying lessons from traditional housing
solutions to the construction of post-disaster housing. This approach might help to
avoid the problems that other researchers have identified, such as the unintentional
building of “barracks” (Shaw and Ahmed, 2010). Settlements built this way should be
able to evolve and sustain themselves more easily because the materials and
construction methods are more rooted in the cultural and climatic contexts. The study
also shows that different types of information, resources and skills are needed by the
design team and that local knowledge can be accessed to inform the design and
construction.
Using these aspects of sustainable design to help integrate housing into a longer-term
development plan implies that the various guidelines and frameworks for post-disaster
housing need to take into account existing development plans where they exist, and
have ways of linking to them. The work required to do this may be small when
compared to the potential waste of constructing housing that subsequently fails to work
and has to be replaced after a short time, and this is an area for further research.
Any design approach can only be a guide, as every situation will have aspects that
are either similar or different to other situations (e.g. climate). In this case, the study of
traditional housing has led directly to incorporation of the design elements and
techniques shown in Table II, which also indicates how a design team would show the
 IJDRBE Design factor Design response
5,2
Site and settlement The overall planning of the neighborhood is in response to the topography
pattern of the site, with open common spaces and a potential for many private
spaces that can be reinforced using vegetation as seen in traditional
settlements. Natural biodiversity is maintained by landscaping with
indigenous plant species
178 Climate and thermal A house design that responds to the site and climate because it can be
strategy altered in section and oriented as required by the constraints of the site
and still provide the cross ventilation needed for thermal comfort
Traditional techniques The design is generic enough to be altered as required by the site as in
traditional vernacular, including varying window sizes and varying wall
heights and plan dimensions and can be built in stages according to the
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initial needs and resources

Materials The use of energy-intensive materials is avoided by using local materials
such as sun-dried stabilized earth block
Table II. Community Greater possibility of community acceptance through designing for
Design factors and acceptance construction by local labor. The link to familiar traditional forms also is
responses intended to aid acceptance

design response to the relevant factors identified (cross-refer with Table I). The
formulation of the table is left to the design team.

8. Conclusions
Overall the strategy of learning from traditional housing has in this case resulted in a
house design that uses sustainable materials and performs well thermally. This was
taken as a partial validation of the initial hypothesis that study of traditional aspects of
local housing would add to the sustainability of the design.
By encouraging designers to take inspiration from traditional examples of housing, it
should become easier to bring together the need for rapid provision of housing, with the
need to integrate such activity into longer-term development plans. An integrated and
holistic approach can be rigorous, yet flexible, and responsive to local conditions and
individual skills, interpretations and perceptions of the relevant issues.
If the aim is to create sustainable housing fit for its purpose, then specialist
knowledge and analytical skills are probably required and might be available within the
local-built environment-related community or provided by a relief organization.
Consideration of these skills and knowledge should be made within the context of the
development of an approach or methodology aimed at making post-disaster housing
more sustainable and a part of longer-term development. This approach could assist in
creating a more economically feasible, socially acceptable and environmentally viable
built form.

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Corresponding author
Simon Tucker can be contacted at: tuckers3@cardiff.ac.uk

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