Low cost green housing

Fall 2022
-
1st Lecture
“GREEN BUILDINGS”

Dr. Ehsan Omar Raslan

(Ehsan.omar@polimi.it)
What do expect from this course?
 Overall learning outcomes?

Overview on housing development in Egypt

Policies, reforms, legislation, and movement

Compare traditional and contemporary housing

Problem of low and middle housing with reference to other

developing countries

Green housing solution

 Course contents

Lectures Activities in class Assignments Reading list Site visits

housing
Books
development
Discussion Presentation

Compare
traditional and LEED buildings
Articles
contemporary in Cairo, Egypt
housing
Using building
dynamic
simulation (such
Research
Green Housing as energy plus,
design builder, Standards
Solutions
IESVE)
 Assignment no (1)- Presentation & Research
TOPICS- 3 Stages
• Low cost housing projects in developing countries
(Should be green project)
• Low cost housing projects in Egypt
• Compare between them and suggest changing

PRESENTATION MAY INCLUDE

• Introduce your project (Location, Climate, Cost)
• Urban analysis (Orientation, Form,
• Architecture analysis ( materials, size,

SUBMISSION: 16/10/2022

INDIVIDUAL WORK
Contents

What is a green building?

Why it is important to think about green buildings?

What are the typical design strategies in green buildings?

START WITH THIS VIDEO AND MENTION TO WHAT & WHY & HOW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEUShQ7r_tE
WHAT IS A GREEN BUILDING?
 What is a green building?

• The Office of the Federal Environmental Decrease

Impact
Executive (OFEE) .. Practice to Increase
efficiency & Decrease impacts on
environment and people.
• The EPA …Practices & Processes that are
Increase
Efficiency
environmentally responsible and resource-
efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle.

Demolish
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) … a

Maintenance
holistic concept to understand the positive and

Operational
negative effect of the built environment on the

Construction
natural environment & inhabit of buildings
every day.
Design
 WHY we move to green building?

Oil
Prices

Climate
Change

GHG
emission

Global Worming Pie

what are the design strategies typically adopted in green buildings?
 Design strategies typically adopted in green buildings are:

High airtightness
of the facility

Highly insulated
building
envelopes

Advanced
windows and
solar control
systems

Energy storage

Solar thermal
collectors and
photovoltaic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaK-gmdiyoQ&feature=emb_logo
panels
 Design strategies typically adopted in green buildings are:

High airtightness
of the facility

Highly insulated
building
envelopes

Advanced
windows and
solar control
systems

Energy storage

Solar thermal
collectors and
photovoltaic
panels
 Design strategies typically adopted in green buildings are:

High airtightness
of the facility

Highly insulated
building
envelopes

Advanced
windows and
solar control
systems

Energy storage

Solar thermal
collectors and
photovoltaic Design parameters for solar-control systems
panels
 Design strategies typically adopted in green buildings are:

High airtightness
of the facility

Highly insulated
building
envelopes

Advanced
windows and
solar control
systems

Energy storage

Solar thermal
collectors and
photovoltaic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsP9KKurhQ8
panels
 Design strategies typically adopted in green buildings are:

High airtightness
of the facility

Highly insulated
building
envelopes

Advanced
windows and
solar control
systems
People living in BedZED (London) use fewer
natural resources than their neighbors.
Energy storage
BedZED dwellers use
• 81 percent less energy to heat their homes,
• 45 percent less electricity, and
Solar thermal • 58 percent less water.
collectors and
photovoltaic
panels
Any Questions
*****
GOOD LUCK
 Grades

Items Grades
Assignment 1 – 3 phases 25
Midterm Exam 20
Final Exam 50
Attendance 5
 Lectures & Grades
No. Contents Comments Sections Tools
23/10 Green housing projects (Concept – Activity in Class Find apartment 100 Google search &
Design – materials – project m2 and draw draw on Revit
description) (Plans, sections,
elevations)
30/10 Green housing projects (Concept – Lecture to get Comments Calculate the cost Google search
Design – materials – project & to conclude this subject of constructions + Revit + Excel
description) (Lecture should introduce sheet
the cost concept )
30/10- Final Submission for Phase 1 – Low cost Research & introduction Out of 8
Assign housing projects in developing to your case study
ment 1 – countries (Should be green project)
Phase 1
6/11 Low cost Materials for housing in Egypt Activity in Class Calculate the cost Google search
(Cost – Energy consumption – of constructions + Revit + Excel
Properties – advantages & sheet
disadvantages
13/11 Low cost Materials for housing in Egypt Lecture to get Comments Calculate the Google search
(Cost – Energy consumption – & to conclude this subject energy + Revit + Excel
Properties – advantages & consumption & cost sheet
disadvantages of electricity
20/11 Midterm Exam 20 marks
 Lectures & Grades
No. Contents Comments Sections Tools
27/11 Housing regulations in Egypt & Organizations Activity in Class Calculate the Google search
energy + Revit + Excel
consumption & cost sheet
of electricity
04/12 Housing regulations in Egypt & Organizations Lecture to get What can be Google search
Comments & to changed in design + Revit
conclude this (orientation,
subject shading, plan
distribution,
11/12 New projects Dar Masr and middle income Activity in Class What can be Google search
housing changed in design + Revit
(orientation,
shading, plan
distribution,
18/12 New projects Dar Masr and middle income Lecture to get Change the Google search
housing Comments & to materials & + Revit + Excel
conclude this calculate the cost sheet
subject
18/12 Final Submission for Phase 2 – Low cost Research & Out of 8
Assign housing projects in Egypt analysis of your
ment 1 – case study
Phase 2
 Lectures & Grades
No. Contents Comments Sections Tools
25/12 Compare traditional and contemporary Activity in Class Change the Google search
housing materials & + Revit + Excel
calculate the cost sheet
1/1 Compare traditional and contemporary Lecture to get Final revision Draft PPT
housing Comments & to
conclude this
subject
8/1- Final Submission for Phase 3 – Compare Research & results Out of 9
Assign between them and suggest changing and of your case study
ment 1 – calculate cost
Phase 3
 3rd Lecture
Low Cost Housing
 Content
• What is low cost housing?
• Why we need low cost housing?
• When we need low cost housing?
• Low cost of cost effective housing?
• Factors affecting choice of materials and technologies
• Technologies for alternative materials for low cost housing
• low cost housing materials characteristics
• low cost housing techniques
• Design of individual building
• Component of the building
 What is low cost housing

Low-Cost Housing is a new concept

which deals with effective
budgeting and following of
techniques which help in reducing
the cost of construction through the
use of locally available materials
along with improved skills and
technology without sacrificing the
strength, performance and life of
the structure.
 Why we need low cost housing

Population grows

The price of every product increase

Construction industry

Environmental effect is important

Utilization of the alternative materials for environmental

protection and cost reduction
 Why we need low cost housing

Population of Egypt 1950-2030 (thousands)

 When we need low cost housing
• Severe shortage of houses in
developing countries specially
for poop people
• Severe problem of management
of agro-industrial waste in
developing countries
• Expensive and scarce building
materials and components
• People may also need
affordable housing because of
change in their lives has
impacted in their financial
circumstances
 Low cost of cost effective housing
• Aims at reducing the cost of construction
and at the same time not scarifying any
elements of the safety or serviceability of the
house over the life cycle

• New technologies are used so construction

time is also reduced to much extent

• Resources from local context are used which

also utilized many resources locally and
generals employment
 Factors affecting choice of materials and technologies
• Availability / suitability of raw
materials
• Availability of skilled labor
• Scale of construction
• Cost variation with conventional
materials
• Acceptability by people
• Availability of adequate power for
production of components
• Typology based on climate
condition
• Disaster resistant requirements
• Environmental aspects
 Technologies for alternative materials for low cost housing
• Energy efficiency
• Environmental friendly
• Employment generating

LOW COST HOUSING MATERIALS

CHARACTERISTICS
• Easy to manufacture
• Easy affordability
• Easy erection / commissioning
• Faster and cheaper construction
• Effective waste utilization
• Energy efficient and environmental
friendly
 low cost housing materials characteristics
• Easy to manufacture
• Easy affordability
• Easy erection / commissioning
• Faster and cheaper construction
• Effective waste utilization
• Energy efficient and environmental friendly
 low cost housing techniques

Design of Materials and Planning and TOTAL

individual construction land reduction =
building = 10 technology = development 40 %
% 20 % = 10 % (Minimum)
 low cost housing techniques
• Design of individual building = 10 %
• Materials and construction technology = 20 %
• Planning and land development = 10 %
• TOTAL reduction = 40 % (Minimum)
 Design of individual building
• Efficient building design
• Aesthetics and luxury is less
important factor
• Simple rectangular plan
• Mnium stair case and circulation
area
• Optimum story Hight
• Optimum opining Hight
 Component of the building

• Vertical elements
• Horizontal elements
• Doors and windows & walls
• Staircase
 Component of the building – Types of construction used

• Load bearing structure cheaper for normal

low cost rise building as it requires lesser
concrete and steel rods
• Thich wall provides thermal insulation
• Easier and requires less time to
construction
• Flexibility and strength advantage for
frame structure
Hollow concrete block vs brick masonry

• One Hollow concrete = 8 standard bricks

 Hollow concrete block load bearing wall

• Cheaper than stone and bricks

• Easy handle and light weight
• Better insulation due to air space and voids
• Consumption od mortar is lesser
• Environmental friendly technology
• Placing vertical reinforcement is easier

• Hollow concrete block load bearing wall is cheaper

than 45 % than conventional RRC system

• Can e used in frame structure as well

 Partial precast system
• Partial precast system uses combination of

both precast and cast and cast in sit

• Use of pre cast element reduces cost

• No heavy liftin equipment required

• No need of cement plaster

• Advantages
• Cement consumption is less than 45 %
• MS rod consumption is less = 17%
• Formwork required = 73 %
• Partial pre cast system is up to 40 % cheaper
than conventional cast in situ RCC system
 Advantages of low cost housing

• Cement consumption is less than 45 %

• MS rod consumption is less = 17%
• Formwork required = 73 %

• Partial pre cast system is up to 40 % cheaper than

conventional cast in situ RCC system
 Pre cast stairs s in site stairs

• Cheaper and quicker to construct

• No form work required
• Can be cantilever or simply supported
• Cantilever suitable for low cost
construction but simple supported
more durable
Finished low cost housing
 Comparison

• Low cost housing

• Conventional houses
• Almost saves 40% cost
• Expensive
• Environmental friendly
• Uses more resources
• Faster in construction
• Slow in construction
• Local resources are utilized
• Suitable for any size depending upon budget
• Suitable for small family
 References

Transformations in Popular Attitude, Customs and Beliefs: A Framework for the Development of Poor
Rural Settlements in Egypt
Case Studies
 Definitions of Affordable housing

Internationally, housing affordability is defined in multiple

ways. One of the most helpful definitions of housing
affordability was offered by MacLennan and Williams (1990,
p.9) as being “concerned with securing some given standard of
housing (or different standard) at a price or a rent which does
not impose, in the eye of some third party (usually the
government) an unreasonable burden on household incomes.”
 Comparison between different materials

Characteristics

Disadvantages
Environmental

Projects that
Advantages
Made from

Dimension
Properties

uses this
Thermal

material
Picture

Cost
Material

Adobe
Sandbag
Papercrete (padobe)
Straw bales
Lightweight concrete
Cordwood
RICE STRAW BRICK
Straw-cement Composite
Rammed Earth
clay brick
Compressed Earth Block
(CEB)
Cigarette Butt Bricks
 Notes

No of Populations in slum housing

Compare between the materials
Affordable housing Definitions & Previous projects
 Contents
• Why we need affordable housing
• Definitions
• Poverty
• Low income class
• Social Housing
• Affordable housing definition
• Housing Plan in Egypt
• Types of social housing units in Egypt
• The main entities involved in providing housing and financing affordable housing in Egypt

• London - Experiences from other cities

 Why we need affordable housing
• By 2050 two out of three
human beings will live in
cities (2.5 billion people
will be added to
urbanization )

• This problem will be

clearly in Asia and Africa
 Why we need affordable housing
• By 2050 two out of three
human beings will live in
cities (2.5 billion people
will be added to
urbanization )

• This problem will be

clearly in Asia and Africa
 Why we need affordable housing?
• Climate change
 Poverty definitions

• Poverty:
It is defined as the situation arising
from insufficient income for
individuals to provide their basic
needs.

• Central Agency for Public

Mobilization and Statistics
(CAPMAS)
They study of poverty indicators about
income, expenditure and consumption
, in 2017/2018 , A family of five needs
3678 pounds a month in order to meet
their basic needs.
 Low income class definitions
• Low-income class defined as whose
income does not match its living
requirements, and it does not have the
possibilities of obtaining adequate
housing through the formal market
mechanisms for housing.

• In 2017, the Central Bank established a

classification for the Egyptian society
according to the income within the
regulations of the Central bank’s
initiative for mortgage, as shown in
(Table 1),
 Social Housing Definition
Social housing
The main features of social housing can be summarized as following:
The united nation (UN)
defines the right to
adequate housing as the
house in which the person The units’ prices or rents should be suitable for the financial
benefits from the ability of low-income class.
appropriate degree of
privacy, safety, lighting,
ventilation, infrastructure The units should be suitable for human’s lifestyle and has
and suitable location at the basic facilities (water- Electricity – Sewage).
reasonable costs.

The units should exist far away from sources of pollution

The units should be close to transportation means to allow

residents to move for work and entertainment places more
easily, also medical care centers and schools
 Affordable housing definition in Egypt

Affordable housing

It is the suitable housing for

the needs of low-income
families, which its cost is
appropriate to their financial
conditions, and does not
exceed 25: 30 % of the
income of individuals so that
they can meet others basic
living costs
 Housing Plan in Egypt
First stage Pre-War
1973 war preparation
period:
Where it relied on the
central administration
policy by the state that
was the only one
responsible for
developing housing
plans in terms of design,
construction,
maintenance and
management
Second stage from 1973 Third stage from 1981
to 1981 to 2017
The "Economic opening The political stability
period": The government period, the 2011
moved to a policy of revolution and beyond":
consolidating the
enabling approach to
work by individual
participation and private
sector with public sector
in building their houses.
 Types of social housing units in Egypt
The Types of social housing
units of Social Housing
Project during the period
(2012-2017)
The main entities involved in providing housing and financing affordable
housing in Egypt

• Utilities and New Urban Communities, which is the

supervisor of localities, governorates,
• The New Urban Communities Authority”,
Government • the Ministry of Social Solidarity,
• the Ministry of Endowments,
• the Housing Finance Fund funded by the state budget and
the Construction Bank

• Private sector: Represented by investors involved in some

Private sector
affordable housing projects

• Individuals: shows in participation of individuals in

building many housing units, whether it is formal housing
Individuals that individuals build within planned areas in existing or
new cities, or informal housing, which are illegal housing
projects

Civil Society • Civil Society: In the recent period, the role of the "Together
 London City
Peabody foundation 1862
• It is one of London's oldest and largest housing
associations with around 55,000 properties across
London and the South East.

• One of the first attempt to address affordable housing

issue in London

• It started a campaign to build solid housing to replace

the overcrowded and disease plagued London slum

• It developed a financial model based on the principle

that the investments should bring in a modest revenue
in order to continue trusts activates
London City

Peabody building Standard by Henry Darbishire

• Allowed variation in size off the dwellings

• Minimization of the maintenance cost
• Flexibility in clustering the buildings
 London City – 1900 After the Second World War
GLC Greater London Council

• Designed to replace the inner

city slum

• In 1960s GLC imitated the

startup of a program and the
design of a new town for
60.000 people in East London
called Thamesmead, a project
intended to be the showpiece
of the current ideals and
concepts of affordable
housing
London City – 1900 After the Second World War

Thamesmead, master plan in 1967

Affordable housing Design – Part 1
 Contents
• Thamesmead project
• Addis Ababa project
• Three strategies to develop affordable housing projects
Housing Crisis in London
 Thamesmead - South East London in 1970
Idea : Not just a place to live BUT a community
New Urban Structure for the area characterized by a series of connected public squares, streets and courtyards
 Thamesmead - South East London in 1970
In 2017
Design Problems
• Criminals & Isolation
• Shopping center
• Transportation
• Architecture vision without
community consideration
 Addis Ababa Capital of Ethiopia

Ethiopia in 1974 to 1991

• Immense poverty
• Lack of resources
• Ended up to 90% informal
hosing

• After liberation the new

federal republic of Ethiopia
took 10 years to recover
 Addis Ababa Capital of Ethiopia

In 2004, they started Hosing

development
programme(Grand house
programme) with the following
objectives:
• Creating housing for lower
and middle income
householders
• Providing space for small
enterprises
• Create new jobs in
construction
• Promote home ownership
 Addis Ababa Capital of Ethiopia

Standard for social housing - condominium buildings in Addis Ababa

4 TO 5 Storey slab block , 5 to 6 dwelling unites in each floor
 Addis Ababa Capital of Ethiopia

However the
emphasis of
economy of
buildings and lack of
maintenance and
quality of applied
materials and details
is achieved different
results

The ways of
clustering
condominium lacks
lead to undefined in
between spaces and
the scale of project
lead to anonymity
 Lesson learned from two cases
To be successful and sustainable the architecture project need to consider the following aspects

Economy

Building technology

Ownership and participation

Ways of urban clustering

Create defined and useful in between spaces

good connection to the city as a whole

Strategies of mixed dwelling types and group of inhabitants

Create diverse and inclusive community

Implement possible adaptation to changing the needs and life styles over time
 Three design strategies for affordable housing

Incrementality

Three design strategies to

develop affordable housing for Typology mix
sustainable urban environment

Clustering
 Incrementality
What does it mean by incrementality?
Incrementality

• Relating to Three design

• Beings strategies for
Typology mix
affordable
• Occurring in especially small housing
increments
Clustering

Ex: Increment additions or increments

change

In the context of housing design used

to descry projects to accommodate
growth and change through time

New concept to describe an old idea

• Previous names were

• Growing
• Expandable
• Evolutionary
• Aided self help housing
 Incrementality
1930s –Growing housing
in Germany aftermath of the stock market crisis of 1929

Between 1st and 2nd world war - Aided self help

The basic idea was that each family should complete the construction of its on
home

1970s – Sites and services

Top down form management
(Governmental agencies, financial and technical support)

After the 2nd war - Evolutionary housing

Types of housing that accommodate growth and change over time (This
concept focused on dwelling unite / flexile housing system)
Incrementality
After the 2nd war - Expandable houses
growth and change from more theoretical to actual production of housing Three design
strategies for
Typology mix
affordable
2000s- incremental housing housing
Key feature is policy makers
Clustering