The place of care in a large Belgian modernist complex

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of care, as well as the extent to which it is undervalued in Western societies, emphasising the instrumentalization and neoliberal logic that care is subject to. Since the 1970s, various feminist theorists have developed ethics of care. This evolving and controversial ethic has become a critical tool in sociology, philosophy, economics, and public policy analysis but is still underdeveloped in architecture and urban planning. This paper adopts the feminist ethic of care to analyse and criticise the evolution of a modernist social housing complex. The Cité de Droixhe was built in the 1950s to offer various facilities, 2000 rental social housing units, and vast green areas in Liège (Belgium). However, since its creation, it has undergone major transformations including the demolition of nearly 1000 units. In this qualitative inductive research, an interdisciplinary approach between architecture and social sciences was proposed, combining archival research, semi-structured interviews, and participatory observations. The ethic of care is mobilised both as a research and methodological posture and as an object of analysis. The data collected led to questioning the place of care in the evolution of the large complex under different themes: the facilitation of reproductive work, the valorisation of care professions, and the attention paid to proximity and the daily life of the neighbourhood inhabitants. By highlighting the integration and loss of care within the different transformations of the housing estate, this study shows the importance of reasserting the value of care and making it a collective responsibility, contributing to drawing perspectives for a more feminist, equal, and caring city.

Social Housing and COVID-19 pandemic: Validity of adaptability as a planning strategy

The Covid 19 pandemic made visible the centrality of the domestic space as an organizar ot the daily life of Latin American urban societies, even when a large part of the available units does not meet the attributes of the Human Right to adequate housing. Based on this scenario, and from the particular perspective of architecture, this essay asks about adaptability as a qualitative premise of Social Housing: its indispensable consideration as a tool to foreshadow or anticipate increasingly uncertain futures. From a disciplinary epistemological framework, in which the architectural project is the main instrument for the production of knowledge within the framework of architectural research, a fieldwork is recovered challenged by the experience of going through a pandemic in a local context. As a result, it contributes to the postponed discussion on the role of the planning attributes of Social Housing, as a determinant of its qualitative aspects.

Preparation of Two Participatory Social Housing Interventions in a Marginalised Roma Community in Romania

The first desegregation efforts in the marginalised and segregated communities in the Pata-Rât area were carried out within the frames of two social housing projects (between 2014–2017 and 2020–2023). Although a housing first methodology would have been more adequate in the context of a marginalised community, given the shortcomings of the Romanian social assistance system, implementation was impossible. In this context, it was necessary to develop a system to access social housing but also to create a reasonably ‘fair process' at the community level. Thus, in both interventions, the starting point for developing the social housing criteria was to survey the community in order to explore the community members' preferences regarding the criteria to be considered in the selection of the beneficiary families for the social houses. The surveys covered all the inhabitants of the Pata-Rât area, that is 219 households in the first survey and 282 households in the second. The survey results served as the basis for the development of the criteria for accessing social housing. In this article, we present and discuss the results of the community surveys from 2016 and from 2020, the year of the pandemic outbreak. Differences were found in the prioritisation of criteria, with an increasing preference for those reflecting vulnerability/needs (e.g., number of children, years spent in the community, disability) and decreasing preference for the ones indicating family resources (e.g., employment, income, education). These differences reflect the increase in poverty and loss of resources occurring in the community during this period, due both to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to the relocation of the 35 better-off families in the first Pata-Cluj project.

Thermal Comfort Analysis Using System Dynamics Modeling—A Sustainable Scenario Proposition for Low-Income Housing in Brazil

As a riveting example of social housing in Brazil, the Minha Casa Minha Vida program was set in 2009 to diminish the 6-million-home housing deficit by offering affordable dwellings for low-income families. However, recurrent thermal discomfort complaints occur among dwellers, especially in the Baltimore Residential sample in Uberlândia City. To avoid negative effects of energy poverty, such as family budget constraints from the purchase of electric appliances and extra costs from power consumption, a simulation based on system dynamics modeling shows a natural ventilation strategy with a mixed combination of sustainable and energy-efficient materials (tilting window with up to 100% opening, green tempered glass, and expanded polystyrene wall) to observe the internal room temperature variation over time. With a 50% window opening ratio combined with a 3 mm regular glass window and a 12.5 cm rectangular 8-hole brick wall, this scenario presents the highest internal room temperature value held during the entire period. From the worst to the best-case scenario, a substantial reduction in the peak temperature was observed from window size variation, demonstrating that natural ventilation and constructive elements of low complexity and wide availability in the market contribute to the thermal comfort of residential rooms.

A Pilot Study to Evaluate Occupant Quality of Life in Optimised Retrofit Dwellings in Wales, UK

This paper discusses an investigation into quality of life (QoL) as a pilot study from a sample of occupants living in existing dwellings, that have been (2021) or will be retrofitted in 2022 and 2023, funded by the Welsh Government's (WG's) Optimised Retrofit (OR) project. The pan Wales OR project aims to retrofit close to 2000 existing social housing dwellings targeting nearly-zero/zero operational energy standards, to alleviate occupant fuel poverty and reduce energy costs and carbon emissions and increase occupant comfort and QoL. The methodology presented builds on two previous research projects undertaken and completed by two of the authors in 2010 and 2020, to adapt and create a hybrid Short Form-36 (HSF36) health survey, accompanied by the established RAND analysis system. The HSF36 questionnaire survey has been further refined for the OR project and has been used to collect occupant data through face-to-face interviews and online surveys. The occupants live in dwellings manged by one of Wales's largest registered social housing landlords (RSL's) with circa 8000 dwellings. The challenges and solutions for undertaking occupant engagement for surveys during Covid19 restrictions are illustrated. Once dwelling retrofits are completed in 2022 and 2023, the intention is to conduct a second and third phase of occupant engagement. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Vivienda de interés social y pandemia en Colombia. Disrupciones en las formas de habitar

Social housing built in the last decade in Colombia shows an upsurge in peripheral urbanizations that began in the 90s: series of large high-rise communities in areas of urban expansion, disconnected from city centers, with insufficient access to goods and services, and with strict regulations set by the horizontal property regime. Based on a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of social housing projects in four regions of Colombia, in this article we discuss social and economic disruptions the pandemic caused in the lives of residents. We show that the pandemic not only affected the daily life of households and their economic situation, but also altered rules of coexistence: strict bans on economic activities in homes were relaxed, while biosafety protocols reinforced boundaries between inside and outside of the complexes. Analyzing this crisis in peripheral horizontal property highlights the importance of rethinking the organization of collective life in these dwellings. © 2022 Universidad Nacional de Colombia. All rights reserved.

Innovating digital POE platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study of co-production in Brazilian social housing

This paper deals with digital POE methods focusing on their reached potential in facilitating the face-to-face experiments demanded by the project. Recognized as a set of methods and instruments applied in environments during use, Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) can help manage the project process, providing diagnoses and recommendations that feed new projects and interventions in environments in use. POE approaches have been continually restructured in the face of new environmental, social, economic and especially technological demands. In early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns and quarantines made it challenging to continue to apply traditional face-to-face POE-based tools and techniques. Simultaneously, the MORA Housing Research Group was carrying out a research project in the city of Uberlândia (Brazil) focusing on the understanding of the relationship between the incidence of arboviruses in the case study social housing neighbourhood, the occupants' practices, and the built environment management, through POE. The social distancing measures applied during the Covid-19 pandemic led the research team to transform methods from face-to-face to hybrid ones, comprising digital and physical approaches to co-produce durable solutions against dengue. The work comprises a five stage method using on-shelf digital platforms and designing other 2 specifically for the project's purposes. By introducing the digital/physical hybrid POE format, the use of social networks and messaging applications significantly reduced the number of necessary visits by researchers to the neighbourhood from 20 to 5 in the first stage of the work, saving a lot of time and effort. The new tools were easy to use for all users. Users reported finding it pleasant to participate in activities with digitally remote researchers. The findings from this project indicate that the incorporation of new digital tools to facilitate physical POE research as a novel hybrid approach provides a successful alternative approach to standard POE processes that are based on face-to-face participation. Copyright © 2023 Villa, Stevenson, Garrefa, de Bortoli and Lya de Melo Carvalho.

THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 CONFINEMENT ON THE CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF CO2 INSIDE SOCIAL HOUSING IN CHILE

More than ever before, the COVID-19 crisis and the need to spend longer periods of time in our places of residence, have highlighted the need to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and ventilation to reduce the risks of airborne virus transmission. Added to the need to progressively improve the energy performance of our buildings to achieve carbon neutrality is this completely contrary new requirement, which forces reconsidering the ventilation issue, its standards, and technological solutions to improve IAQ and limit the risks of contagion inside our homes, without losing sight of the goals that climate change imposes on us. Chile is seeking strategies to generate sustainable, energy-efficient, and comfortable housing, which must be reconsidered in light of Covid-19. Greater permanence inside the home revealed the precariousness of the lifestyles the most vulnerable families face;sometimes exposing them to environments that are risky for their health. The objective of this research was to estimate the impact of Covid-19 on CO2 indoor air concentrations, as a result of the intensity of use (occupation) of the home, considering envelopes with different levels of airtightness. Using an experimental methodology, based on simulations with the DesignBuilder software, the CO2 concentrations of four types of social housing, located in the commune of Coronel, Biobío, Chile, were quantified. The results showed that confinement increased CO2 levels by 16.4%, while the change from the original condition of the envelope to more airtight levels generated an increase of more than 83% in normal use and 97% for periods of confinement. © 2022, Universidad del Bío Bío. All rights reserved.

THE HOUSING HARDSHIP IN ROME. PUBLIC RESIDENTIAL BUILDING VS SOCIAL HOUSING?

In recent years, the issue of housing hardship has reached levels, and taken on forms, comparable to those recorded in the sixties and the seventies. Since 2007, the domino effect of the financial-sector crisis, which quickly extended to the economy as a whole, and then became a pressing social problem, has heightened the demand for social housing, both in terms of emergency accommodations and in the so-called “grey area”. The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation, generating still more dire statistics. And yet, while in earlier decades the housing emergency was caused by a structural shortage in the stock of residential units, today the primary problem lies in the procedures dictated by the market for obtaining a home. Any study of housing hardship in the current scenario of climate change, a sociohealth crisis and economic recession calls for strategies and tools able to lead to new models for restoring urban and territorial balance, as well as new housing policies, making it a field of research teeming with different theoretical, experimental and propositional perspectives. The paper, having first established the overall reference framework, sets out to illustrate the particular features of the “Rome dossier”, examining the regulatory, procedural, methodological and operational approaches taken over the last 25 years by the various city administrations, so as to highlight not only limits and obstacles, but also paths of ongoing development potentially able to mitigate housing hardship while furthering the complex process of urban renewal. © 2022, University of Cantabria - Building Technology R&D Group. All rights reserved.

Social Housing: How Covid-19 Has Affected/Infected and What Care/Design Strategy is Needed

For over a year, Covid-19 has rapidly imposed many changes not only in daily habits, but also in the adaptive capacity of the domestic space, imposing a functional reinterpretation to make it more flexible for multiple uses, such as home, office, gym, etc. Sensitive data on the indirect effects of the lockdown and on the houseinhabitant relationship show how new spatial needs have conditioned our physical and mental health as well as having produced cultural and socio-economic implications. Thus, the need to review home comfort and improve the quality of the indoor environment has become urgent, as well as to enhance contact with nature to live happier. This becomes more relevant in Social Housing, where moments and spaces for sharing represent the most characterizing aspect of the life of low and middle-income residents. The sector literature has dealt with this issue several times, especially in more recent times, but the results of the interrelation between Covid-19 and Social Housing are still poorly investigated and deserve further investigation. This paper aims to investigate the specific housing typology and to propose appropriate treatments as design strategies, to ensure healthier conditions of urban life. Through practical experimentation on an Italian case study, an emblematic example of economic and public housing in the urban history of Rome, the study will provide design solutions, graphic results and best practices that demonstrate the necessary updating of the architectural discipline in the light of a global pandemic, within the limits of a preliminary investigation which will suggest new ideas for the current debate on the subject.

Social housing and the pandemic in Colombia. Disruptions in dwelling practices

Social housing built in the last decade in Colombia shows an upsurge in peripheral urbanizations that began in the 90s: series of large high-rise communities in areas of urban expansion, disconnected from city centers, with insufficient access to goods and services, and with strict regulations set by the horizontal property regime. Based on a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of social housing projects in four regions of Colombia, in this article we discuss social and economic disruptions the pandemic caused in the lives of residents. We show that the pandemic not only affected the daily life of households and their economic situation, but also altered rules of coexistence: strict bans on economic activities in homes were relaxed, while biosafety protocols reinforced boundaries between inside and outside of the complexes. Analyzing this crisis in peripheral horizontal property highlights the importance of rethinking the organization of collective life in these dwellings.

Assessment of Social Housing Energy and Thermal Performance in Relation to Occupants' Behaviour and COVID-19 Influence-A Case Study in the Basque Country, Spain

Evidence shows that people have a major impact on building performance. Occupants' impact is especially important in social housing, where their occupants may present greater vulnerabilities, and their needs are not always considered. This study aims to analyse the socio-demographic influence in social rental housing concerning hygrothermal comfort and energy consumption in a case study located in Vitoria, Spain during the first 4-month period of 2020 and 2021 (during and after COVID-19 lockdown). An innovative data management system is included, where the users and administration can see in real-time the temperature and consumption in the dwellings. A 2-phase method has been applied;phase 1 is associated with outdoor climate conditions, building properties and social profile. Phase 2 determined the results in energy consumption, indoor hygrothermal comfort and occupant energy-use pattern. The results show that the comfort levels and energy consumption vary according to the analysed social profiles, as well as the heating activation periods and domestic hot water system usage. In conclusion, socio-demographic characteristics of social housing households influence the hygrothermal comfort of their dwellings, occupants' behaviour and heating and domestic hot water energy consumption.

Assessment of Social Housing Energy and Thermal Performance in Relation to Occupants’ Behaviour and COVID-19 Influence—A Case Study in the Basque Country, Spain

Evidence shows that people have a major impact on building performance. Occupants’ impact is especially important in social housing, where their occupants may present greater vulnerabilities, and their needs are not always considered. This study aims to analyse the socio-demographic influence in social rental housing concerning hygrothermal comfort and energy consumption in a case study located in Vitoria, Spain during the first 4-month period of 2020 and 2021 (during and after COVID-19 lockdown). An innovative data management system is included, where the users and administration can see in real-time the temperature and consumption in the dwellings. A 2-phase method has been applied;phase 1 is associated with outdoor climate conditions, building properties and social profile. Phase 2 determined the results in energy consumption, indoor hygrothermal comfort and occupant energy-use pattern. The results show that the comfort levels and energy consumption vary according to the analysed social profiles, as well as the heating activation periods and domestic hot water system usage. In conclusion, socio-demographic characteristics of social housing households influence the hygrothermal comfort of their dwellings, occupants’ behaviour and heating and domestic hot water energy consumption.

The paradox of informality and sustainable human settlement in Botswana

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to inform policy and contribute to the existing literature on low-income housing. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, a case study approach was adopted, and data were collected through secondary data collection that is literature survey and through empirical data collection by conducting face to face interviews and survey of key stakeholders, citizens, and government authorities, and in some cases supplemented by on site photography. The data collected from the field was analysed using quantitative and qualitative techniques. The questionnaires were coded for scientific analysis of data. The information was presented in a structured way that permits for in-depth analysis of the data. Findings: In this study, many paradoxes were noted defying common sense, but nonetheless, they require a solution. It has been concluded that, while efforts to improve settlements and anticipate future ones are becoming more common, the desire for eradication persists in many towns in Botswana. Research limitations/implications: The major limitation of this study is that it was done during the period of COVID-19 induced movement restrictions. As a result, the preferred face to face interviews with key informants were not possible. Practical implications: This research informed policy on low-income housing in Botswana. The Government of Botswana can use the findings of this study to formulate policies which help in alleviating challenges currently faced in practice when implementing low-income housing projects. The concept of low-income housing has been adopted by many developing countries including in Africa. As such, results of this study can also be applicable in other developing countries where they can be used as a starting point for evaluating the success of policies and the practice of low-income housing. Originality/value: This work made original contribution to knowledge by putting the plight of housing the urban poor in Botswana will in perspective. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in social housing areas in Denmark.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is thought to be more prevalent among ethnic minorities and individuals with low socioeconomic status. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies during the COVID-19 pandemic among citizens 15 years or older in Denmark living in social housing (SH) areas. METHODS: We conducted a study between January 8th and January 31st, 2021 with recruitment in 13 selected SH areas. Participants were offered a point-of-care rapid SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibody test and a questionnaire concerning risk factors associated with COVID-19. As a proxy for the general Danish population we accessed data on seroprevalence from Danish blood donors (total Ig ELISA assay) in same time period. RESULTS: Of the 13,279 included participants, 2296 (17.3%) were seropositive (mean age 46.6 (SD 16.4) years, 54.2% female), which was 3 times higher than in the general Danish population (mean age 41.7 (SD 14.1) years, 48.5% female) in the same period (5.8%, risk ratios (RR) 2.96, 95% CI 2.78-3.16, p > 0.001). Seropositivity was higher among males (RR 1.1, 95% CI 1.05-1.22%, p = 0.001) and increased with age, with an OR seropositivity of 1.03 for each 10-year increase in age (95% CI 1.00-1.06, p = 0.031). Close contact with COVID-19-infected individuals was associated with a higher risk of infection, especially among household members (OR 5.0, 95% CI 4.1-6.2 p < 0,001). Living at least four people in a household significantly increased the OR of seropositivity (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.6, p = 0.02) as did living in a multi-generational household (OR 1.3 per generation, 95% CI 1.1-1.6, p = 0.003). Only 1.6% of participants reported not following any of the national COVID-19 recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Danish citizens living in SH areas of low socioeconomic status had a three times higher SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence compared to the general Danish population. The seroprevalence was significantly higher in males and increased slightly with age. Living in multiple generations households or in households of more than four persons was a strong risk factor for being seropositive. Results of this study can be used for future consideration of the need for preventive measures in the populations living in SH areas.

Energy Retrofit of Suburban Districts: An Opportunity for Social Regeneration

Residential construction is the largest segment and accounts for 75% of the building stock in the EU-27, of which 36% is multi-family. It is generally accepted that the building sector is one of the largest energy consumers in Europe and residential buildings are responsible for the majority of energy consumption (more than 65% of energy is used for heating). A significant proportion of today's social housing in Europe was built between the 1950s and 1970s, when post-war reconstruction and heavy immigration flows to the most industrialised areas required an immediate response to housing shortages. In many cases, solutions were adopted that were very different from those of the first working-class neighbourhoods, which were built in the early 1900s primarily to address health emergencies and had deficiencies related to outdated building types and poor performance, lack of services, distance to work, and social degradation. This chapter demonstrates how the necessary energy refurbishment required by current regulations provides an opportunity to modernise housing to meet new needs and regenerate suburban areas. New housing models, small temporary apartments associated with multifunctional spaces, represent the latest requirements that characterise a new type of users and families. The recent emergency in Covid 19 has highlighted that this type of accommodation is not able to respond to ever-changing needs and requires flexibility to fulfil functions not strictly related to housing. The examples provided in this chapter are evidence of good practice in reviewing outdated models of existing housing stock. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Differences in the Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Access to Care between Italians and Non-Italians in a Social-Housing Neighbourhood of Milan, Italy.

The northern Italian region of Lombardy has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic since its arrival in Europe. However, there are only a few published studies of the possible influence of social and cultural factors on its prevalence in the general population. This cross-sectional study of the San Siro social-housing neighbourhood of Milan, which was carried about between 23 December 2020 and 19 February 2021, found that the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibodies in the population as a whole was 12.4% (253/2044 inhabitants), but there was a more than two-fold difference between non-Italians and Italians (23.3% vs. 9.1%). Multivariable analyses showed that being more than 50 years old, living in crowded accommodation, being a non-Italian, and having a low educational level were associated with higher odds of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, whereas a higher level of education, retirement, and being a former or current cigarette smoker were inversely associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our findings are in line with previous observations indicating that a lower socio-economic status may be a risk factor for COVID-19 and show that non-Italians are disproportionately affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection. This suggests that public health policies should focus more on disadvantaged populations.

Disrupting Human Rights: A Social Work Response to the Lockdown of Social Housing Residents.

The article probes the disproportionate impact on marginalised populations to reduce the spread of COVID-19 (COVID-19 is an acronym that stands for coronavirus disease of 2019).. It explores this problematic through research with refugees residing in social housing in Melbourne, Australia. The focus is on the specific pressures facing this cohort with the 2020 deployment, without notice, of armed police to enforce lockdown in the central Melbourne housing high rise tower estates. Our research methodology comprises narrating experiences of a community leader who had direct contact with residents and is a co-author of this article; accounts arising from an African community forum and a review of media sources that are attentive to voice. From a thematic analysis, we found consistency of narrative for a cohort whose voices had previously been excluded from the public domain. The themes were in three key areas: representation and employment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse social workers and community workers; restoration of human rights to those experiencing state-sanctioned violence; and the application of critical multicultural social work practice. We apply theorising derived from Helen Taylor and Jacques Derrida, and argue that responses to crises should be led by the wisdom of affected communities, in keeping with critical social work theories and practices.

Older adults living in social housing in Canada: the next COVID-19 hotspot?

Older adults in social housing have high rates of chronic diseases and live in clustered housing, creating the ideal situation for a tragic outbreak in this vulnerable population, which has been largely unrecognized in the public health discourse. It is estimated that two thirds of this population have cardiometabolic conditions that put them at higher risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19. In addition, their social isolation, low mobility, low health literacy, and limited internet access are barriers to accessing basic needs, health information, and health care in a Canadian context where many services have moved to virtual platforms. Since older adults in social housing tend to be clustered in apartment buildings with shared facilities, there is an increased risk of exposure through common spaces (e.g., elevator, laundry room) and high-touch surfaces. Compared to long-term care homes, there is substantial movement in and out of social housing buildings as residents are required to go out to meet their basic needs and individuals providing support enter the buildings without screening (e.g., personal support workers, volunteers delivering groceries). Without a targeted public health strategy to support this vulnerable population, we surmise that social housing will be the next COVID-19 hotspot.

RéSUMé: Les adultes âgés en logement social présentent des taux élevés de maladies chroniques et vivent dans des logements regroupés, une situation propice à une éclosion tragique dans cette population vulnérable largement laissée pour compte dans le discours de la santé publique. Il est estimé que les deux tiers de ces adultes ont des troubles cardiométaboliques qui les exposent davantage aux résultats défavorables de la COVID-19. En outre, leur isolement social, leur faible mobilité, leur faible littératie en santé et leur accès limité à l'Internet font obstacle à la satisfaction de leurs besoins fondamentaux et à leur accès aux renseignements médicaux et aux soins de santé dans un contexte canadien où de nombreux services ne sont maintenant offerts que sur des plateformes virtuelles. Comme les adultes âgés en logement social tendent à être regroupés dans des immeubles d'appartements avec des installations communes, les espaces communs (ascenseur, salle de lavage) et les surfaces souvent touchées leur font courir un risque d'exposition accru. Comparativement aux maisons de soins de longue durée, il y a de nombreux va-et-vient dans les immeubles de logements sociaux, car les résidents doivent sortir pour satisfaire leurs besoins fondamentaux, et les personnes qui les aident (préposés aux services de soutien à la personne, bénévoles qui livrent des produits d'épicerie) entrent dans l'immeuble sans être assujetties à un contrôle. En l'absence d'une stratégie de santé publique pour appuyer cette population vulnérable, nous présumons que les logements sociaux seront le prochain « point chaud ¼ de la COVID-19.