Ma, Wai Yip. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-78). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgments --- p.iii / Content --- p.iv / List of Tables --- p.vi / List of Figures --- p.viii / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Literature Review --- p.6 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Expected Sign of variables --- p.17 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Data Description --- p.21 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Methodology --- p.24 / Chapter 5.1 --- Ordinary Least Square --- p.24 / Chapter Chapter Six --- Empirical result --- p.26 / Chapter 6.1. --- Basic model 1 --- p.26 / Chapter 6.2. --- Basic model 2 --- p.27 / Chapter 6.3. --- Comparison between Basic model 1 & Basic model 2 --- p.30 / Chapter 6.4. --- "Model with ""Design Variables""" --- p.32 / Chapter 6.5. --- "Model using ""restricted sample""" --- p.35 / Chapter 6.6. --- "Model with ""Interactive terms and design""" --- p.36 / Chapter 6.7. --- "Model with ""Interactive terms and design"" using restricted sample" --- p.40 / Chapter Chapter Seven --- Limitations and Future direction --- p.42 / Chapter Chapter Eight --- Concluding Remarks --- p.44 / Appendix One Tables --- p.46 / Appendix Two Figures --- p.62 / Appendix Three Using floor plans information to construct dataset --- p.64 / Appendix Four Implicit prices of housing attributes over time --- p.68 / Appendix Five Robustness check for the potential problem of heteroskedasticity --- p.74 / Reference --- p.75

Syfte: Dagens urbanisering ger behov av förtätning av stadskärnor vilket kan leda till borttagande av parkering, grönområden och solljus. Att bygga och bo i innerstäder är dyrt på grund av höga markpriser, komplicerade projekt och en hög efterfrågan på bostäder. Bostäder idag utformas utefter regelverken SIS och BBR vilket i innerstäder kan få komplikationer. Målet med arbetet är därför att ifrågasätta vissa regler kring tillgänglighet, rumshöjd och ljusförhållanden i syfte att förenkla förtätning och skapa ett nytt förslag av en planerad infill-fastighet där en varierad lägenhetsstruktur uppnåtts tillsammans med en potentiell ekonomisk vinst.   Metod: Arbetets undersökningsmetoder är kvalitativa och består av litteraturundersökningar, dokumentanalyser och intervjuer. Dessa utfördes för att analysera dagens förtätning och resultera i en skissning där byggregler avskaffats för att förenkla viss förtätning.   Resultat: Arbetets skissning visar att en mångfaldig lägenhetsstruktur är uppnåbar via avskaffande av vissa BBR-krav som skapat olika lägenhetstyper, intressanta volymer, tvåvåningslägenheter och yteffektiva planlösningar. Avskaffandet av regler för att förenkla förtätning påverkar inblandade på ett eller annat sätt.   Konsekvenser: Att avskaffa byggkrav i förtätningssammanhang kan ta bort kvalitéer som dagsljus och tillgänglighet i bostäder. Kortsiktiga lösningar på parkeringsbristen finns men förtätning med levande bottenvåningar utförs för att lösa parkeringsbristen långsiktigt genom att skapa tillgångar geografiskt nära människor som minskar behovet av bil. Att avskaffa regler kan leda till enklare projektering och bidra med viss ekonomisk fördel, men dyr nybyggnation tillsammans med hög efterfrågan på centrala bostäder kan försvåra för låga budgetar och prissänkning av bostäder.   Begränsningar: Det generella resultatet av arbetet gällande regelavskaffande fungerar i förtätningssammanhang i andra täta städer men då undersökningen är baserade på Jönköpings innerstad och erfarenheter och åsikter kopplade dit kan generella giltigheten ifrågasättas. Skissningen är baserad på egna åsikter och endast lämplig i detta sammanhang.   Nyckelord: Förtätning, infill, flerbostadshus, urbanisering, byggregler, standard, tillgänglighet, rumshöjd, ljusförhållanden, stadskärna, innerstad. / Purpose: Today's urbanization requires densification of cities, which can lead to removal of parking lots, green areas and sunlight. To build and live in inner cities is expensive because of high land prices, complicated projects and a high demand for housing. Homes today are designed according to the regulations SIS and BBR, which in the inner cities leads to complications, especially regarding accessibility qualities and light conditions. The aim of this work is therefore to abolish certain rules regarding accessibility, room height and lighting conditions in order to simplify densification and create a new proposal of a planned infill property where a varied apartment structure has been achieved together with a potential financial gain.   Method: The research methods of this work are qualitative and consist of literature studies, document analyzes and interviews. These were performed to analyze today's densification and result in a sketch where building rules were abolished to simplify some densification.   Findings: The work outline shows that a multiple apartment structure is achievable via the abolition of certain BBR requirements that have created different types of apartments, interesting volumes, two-storey apartments and surface-efficient floor plans. Abolition of rules to simplify densification affects people in one way or another.   Implications: Abolishing construction requirements in densification contexts can remove qualities such as daylight and accessibility in homes. Short-term solutions to the parking  shortage exist but densification with living ground floors is performed to solve the parking shortage in the long term by creating assets geographically close to people which reduces the need for car. Removing rules can lead to simpler planning and contribute with some economic advantage, but expensive new construction together with a high demand for central housing can make it difficult for low budgets and price reductions in housing.   Limitations: The general result of this work on the elimination of rules works in densification contexts in other dense cities, but since the survey method is based on Jönköping's inner city and experiences and opinions linked to it, the general validity can be questioned. The sketch is based on one's own opinions and only suitable in this context.   Keywords: Densify cities, infill, apartment buildings, urbanization, building rules, standard, accessibility, room height, lighting conditions, city center, inner city.

Flerbostadshus anses viktiga för att minska energianvändningen i byggnader, och potentialen att energieffektivisera i samband med renovering är stor. Denna studie behandlar hur arbete med energifrågor genomförs i renovering av flerbostadshus byggda under miljonprogrammet i stadsdelen Östra Sätra i Gävle. Avhandlingens analytiska verktyg baseras på perspektiv utvecklade inom teknik och vetenskapsstudier (STS) och aktörsnätverksteori (ANT) samt urbana studier. I studien utvecklas och tillämpas verktyget energisammansättningar. Genom en symmetrisk ansats studeras energifrågors definition och innehåll i renoveringen genom att spåra kedjor av översättningar. Det empiriska underlaget är kvalitativa intervjuer, mål- och strategidokument, beslutsprotokoll och observationer. Avhandlingen visar att energiarbetets innehåll flätades samman med exempelvis kommunal planering och energipolitik, med bostadsbolagets befintliga arbetssätt för renoveringar och dess relationer till sina kunder, samt med lagen för allmännyttiga bostadsbolag. Studien identifierar också att spänningar uppstod i energiarbetet inom flera områden. Dessa rör hur de ekonomiska vinsterna och kostnaderna för energiarbete ska beräknas och fördelas, översättningar av energimål, var och hur energiarbete ska prioriteras i den bebyggda miljön, i vilken takt energiarbetet ska ske och hur de boende ska delta i energiarbete. Studien visar att energieffektiviserande åtgärder prioriterades i renoveringen så länge som de beräknades vara ekonomiskt affärsmässiga och en del av det allmännyttiga arbetet, men även hur förändringar var svåra att genomföra om de utmanade eller förändrade befintliga relationer och arbetssätt. Det gällde särskilt i relationen till de boende i området och till ekonomiska kostnader för renoveringen. / Transforming the energy used in apartment buildings have become increasingly important issues. This study examines how energy issues were designed in a refurbishment project for apartment buildings built during the “Million Programme” era in Sweden in the district of Östra Sätra in Gävle. The analytical approach and tools used are based on science and technology studies (STS), actor–network theory (ANT), and urban studies. Specifically, the study applies the concept of assemblages, which in this study are called energy assemblages. Energy issues are examined as they translated and negotiated in practice by actors and how they are incorporated into the refurbishment design. The empirical data are based on qualitative interviews, analyses of documents, and observations. The analyses demonstrate that work on energy issues was intertwined with the city’s work on planning and energy issues, the housing company’s working practices, as well as the laws governing public housing companies. The study also demonstrates that sometimes tensions arose in situations in which different energy assemblage processes collided. The study identifies several areas of tension. First, tensions arose in situations of diverse translations of energy goals. Second, in negotiations about calculations of the financial costs of energy transition. Third, tensions also arose when determining where energy transition should be located. Fourth, about resident participation in energy issues. Fifth, the energy transition timeframe. The study demonstrates that energy efficiency measures were prioritized in the refurbishment as long as they were treated as financially beneficial and did not challenge or change existing relationships, work practices, and customer relations.

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

This PhD study is at the intersection of people, place and technology and pioneers innovative development approaches towards interactive social networking systems informed by community, social and urban studies and employs human-centred and participatory design methods. The project delivers a greater understanding of the potential for internet-based systems to support and facilitate social networks of urban residents and the role of those networks to foster neighbourhood identity and social capital. Departing from conventional notions that regard communities as collectives, this study builds upon more contemporary interpretations of community inherent in Castells’ and Wellman’s theories of the network society and networked individualism. The thesis challenges the view that a mere re-appropriation of applications used to support dispersed virtual communities of interest is adequate to meet the place and proximity-based design requirements that community networks in urban neighbourhoods pose. The overarching principal research aim of the study is to propose new ways of conceptualising the roles of social networks of urban residents to better inform the design of new technology facilitating urban neighbourhood developments. Addressing this aim requires a new understanding of the roles of social networks of urban residents. The study sets out to critique the implicit theories underlying technology design in this area and to propose a more appropriate theory based on recent developments in the field and empirical findings from the study. The key research questions are: 1. What theoretical model can better represent social interaction of residents in inner-city apartment buildings? 2. How can relevant research methods be adapted to take the network qualities of social interactions into account? 3. What are the implications of a new understanding of social networks for the design of technology that supports the growth of neighbourhoods? 4. What are the implications of a new understanding of social networks for an urban architecture that supports the growth of neighbourhoods? Within a framework of action research, the study follows a case study approach of three different inner-city residential apartment complexes in Brisbane. Research methods are mostly qualitative and ethnographic and include surveys, focus groups, participant observation and interviews, as well as participatory design. The study delivers innovative outcomes on three levels: 1. Theoretical innovation with an analytical translation of Wellman’s notion of networked individualism and a conceptualisation of the communicative ecology model into the context of system design that supports social networks of residents in inner-city apartment buildings; 2. Methodological innovation with the presentation of Network Action Research, an addition to the action research family which pays particular attention to the network quality of social formations in communities; 3. Empirical innovation with research findings which indicate that the key factors influencing the successful design and uptake of interactive systems to support social networks in urban neighbourhoods. They include the swarming social behaviour of urban dwellers, the dynamics of their existing communicative ecology, and the serendipitous, voluntary and place-based quality of interaction between residents on the basis of choice, like-mindedness, mutual interest and support needs. Findings are presented in three parts to audiences interested in people, technology and place. Drawing on social, urban and computer sciences, this research project delivers insights which will assist efforts to facilitate urban neighbourhood community building with new media and network ICTs. Understanding the issues and challenges as well as opportunities and strengths in forming a local meshwork of social networks will help Australians negotiate the complex web of daily choices, access a greater social safety net, and participate in the socio-cultural and socio-economic life of their city. This in turn will contribute to greater social inclusion, urban sustainability and healthier local economies.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:28:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 resumo.pdf: 34712 bytes, checksum: c196e12310704414ba4f06e741ad13a4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-23 / The present work consists of the evaluation of constructive performance of some enterprises contained in the "Programa de Arrendamento Residencial (PAR) from Caixa Econômica Federal in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais/Brazil, executed with the structural masonry technology. The proposal of this research was the analysis of the existent pathological manifestations, with emphasis in the structural aspect of the enterprises, however, also contemplating other types of damages in the constructions. There were chosen five enterprises being taken into account the following parameters: age, load and location. The data were taken accomplished through inspections. Firstly it was made a qualitative analysis in the five enterprises through a meticulous evaluation of the pathological manifestations, demonstrated through the pictures took "in loco ", only two of these enterprises were inhabited and they could be analyzed internally. This interns analysis provided a meticulous quantification of the pathological manifestations found in the apartments and circulation in all the floors. After that, the types more frequent of pathological manifestations were verified in constructions of structural masonry in the loads and ages analyzed. The responsible administrator for the enterprises available the projects and some responsible builders accepted to answer referring questions about the projects and the executions of the works. Like this, it was possible to cross project information and execution of the work, diagnosing the origin of each type of found pathological manifestation. With the cause of the problems, collective and preventive solutions were proposed and, looking for the improvement of the quality of the enterprises already built and future enterprises, pointing out that the collective solutions a usually have a some difficulty to be executed. It was compared the quantitative results of the enterprises in different ages and loads and it was observed that, as expected, the age interferes in the number of occurrences of pathological manifestations, however project mistakes and execution makes that useful life of the work is reduced through the increase and the precocious emergence of pathologies in the constructions. / O presente trabalho consiste na avaliação de desempenho construtivo de empreendimentos contidos no Programa de Arrendamento Residencial (PAR) da Caixa Econômica Federal, na Cidade de Belo Horizonte, executados com a tecnologia de alvenaria estrutural. A proposta desta pesquisa foi a análise das manifestações patológicas existentes, com ênfase no aspecto estrutural dos empreendimentos, porém, contemplando também outros tipos de danos nas edificações. Foram escolhidos cinco empreendimentos, levando-se em conta os seguintes parâmetros: idade, porte e localização. O levantamento de dados foi realizado por meio de vistorias, de avaliação dos projetos disponibilizados e de entrevistas com representantes das construtoras a respeito dos projetos e das execuções das obras. Primeiramente, foi realizada uma análise qualitativa dos cinco empreendimentos por meio de uma avaliação minuciosa das manifestações patológicas. A partir desta avaliação, as manifestações patológicas encontradas nos apartamentos e na área de circulação foram quantificadas, sendo verificados os tipos mais frequentes nas edificações analisadas. Assim, foi possível confrontar informações de projeto e execução da obra, diagnosticando a origem de cada tipo de manifestação patológica encontrada. Com base nesta análise, foram propostas soluções corretivas e preventivas, visando à melhoria da qualidade dos empreendimentos já edificados e de empreendimentos futuros. Deve-se ressaltar que as soluções corretivas muitas vezes têm um elevado grau de dificuldade para serem executadas. Compararam-se os resultados quantitativos dos empreendimentos de idades e portes diferentes e observou-se que, como esperado, a idade interfere no número de ocorrências de manifestações patológicas. No entanto, erros de projeto e execução fazem com que a vida útil da obra seja reduzida, tendo em vista o aparecimento precoce de patologias nas edificações.

The aim of my PhD project has been to understand how Hutong residents' ideas about living space have been different from those living in the high-rise compound and how their concept of living space has been changed by both internal and external factors, meaning additional affiliated functions and governmental city-planning. I conducted my fieldwork in Beijing between July 2009 and September 2012: fourteen months in total, interspersed with trips to St. Andrews. I spent ten months from July 2009 to May 2010 living in a Hutong called Xingfu Street (the word translates as ‘happiness'). Then I moved into a high-rise apartment outside the inner city, called Suojiafen Compound, for a further four months. This study concerns space in the contemporary city of Beijing: how space is humanly built and transformed, classified and differentiated, and most importantly how space is perceived and experienced. In the end I have developed the concept “overlapped” space as a way to detect the “personality” of space in both Hutong and high-rise apartment: how they differentiated from each other and how they have been transformed in different way by the residents inside.

För att skapa ett bra inomhusklimat i flerbostadshus ställs höga krav på ventilationssystemet för att ta hand om den fukt som skapas. Det finns således anledning att undersöka om Boverkets byggreglers krav för minsta luftflöde är tillräckligt ur fuktsynpunkt. Syftet är att uppmärksamma problem med ökande fukttillskott i nyproducerade flerbostadshus vilket skulle kunna förändra projekteringen av ventilation i framtiden. För att kunna undersöka om Boverkets byggreglers krav är tillräckligt ur fuktsynpunkt analyseras relativ fuktighet och fukttillskott i fyra flerbostadshus i Jönköping. Det framgår att flera lägenheter erhöll höga värden för fukttillskott och relativ fuktighet vilket kan skada byggnaden och påverka människors hälsa. Boverkets byggreglers krav för minsta luftflöde var otillräckligt ur fuktsynpunkt i flera av de undersökta flerbostadshusen. / To create a good indoor climate in apartment buildings, high demands are made on the ventilation system to take care of the moisture that is created. There is therefore reason to investigate if Boverket, the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, requirements for minimum airflow are sufficient from a moisture point of view. The purpose is to rise awareness about increasing additional moisture in newly built apartment buildings, which could change the project planning of ventilation systems in the future. In order to investigate whether requirements of the Boverket building regulations are sufficient from a moisture point of view, relative humidity and additional moisture were analyzed in four apartment buildings in Jönköping. Several apartments received high values of additional moisture and relative humidity which could damage the building and affect human health. The requirements of Boverket building regulations for minimum airflow should therefore be reviewed.

The subject solutions diploma works are objects of apartment buildings II Health in Upper Smokovec. The work is focused on the bottom shell construction based versions of risk analysis. The content of the work are equipment, detailed construction schedule, budget and technical procedures of selected parts of the building.

In a time where the climate is one of the most important issues and challenges in politics, both nationally and globally, the social debate is moving towards the need to build more sustainably, where wood is becoming increasingly popular from a sustainability perspective. The study examines the possibilities for an increased use of wood in Dalarna by highlighting the obstacles and challenges that slow down the progression of wood construction. It is also examined how an extended collaboration between the actors in the construction sector and how previous experiences with wooden construction projects can increase confidence in the material and promote wooden construction. The study is conducted through qualitative interview studies with active actors in several levels within the construction sector. A total of 9 respondents participates in the study from different parts of the process; clients, project designer, the wooden industry and construction contractor to form a deeper understanding of the subject from different perspectives within the construction sector. It describes a positive attitude towards wood as a building material with visions of expanding constructions with more wood as a frame material where confidence in the material is high. The biggest challenges for wood as a building material are described as a lack of knowledge and prejudices within both the industry and the market. Other challenges to ensure a promotion of the material, which heights in detailed development plans were explained. Strategies and needs to promote the work of implementing wood in more projects are described where it is a matter of facilitation, not a requirement to ensure wooden constructions. It appears that ignorance regarding fire and moisture are the most common prejudices in the industry, which is confirmed by the theoretical framework. Today's building regulations allow the use of all types of frame materials, but the ignorance regarding fire properties and how wood as a material handles being exposed to moisture is a problematic challenge. An expanded industry collaboration where shared knowledge and experience between the actors in the creation of and participation in forums is an important factor in promoting wood in construction projects as described in the theoretical framework. An increased degree of completion and streamlining of the assembly process would give wood several additional advantages. / I en tid där klimatet är en av politikens viktigaste frågor och utmaningar, både nationellt och globalt går samhällsdebatten mot att vi måste bygga mer hållbart där trä blir alltmer populärt ur ett hållbarhetsperspektiv. I studien undersöks möjligheterna till en ökad användning av trä i Dalarna genom att belysa de hinder och utmaningar som bromsar progressionen av träbyggande. Det undersöks även hur en utökad samverkan mellan aktörerna inom byggsektorn och hur tidigare erfarenheter av träbyggnadsprojekt kan öka förtroendet för materialet och främja träbyggandet. Studien bedrivs genom kvalitativa intervjustudier med aktiva aktörer i flera led inom byggsektorn. Totalt nio respondenter deltar i studien från olika delar av processen; beställare, projektör, träindustri och byggentreprenör för att bilda en djupare förståelse kring ämnet från olika perspektiv inom byggsektorn. Det redogörs för en positiv inställning till trä som byggnadsmaterial med visioner om att utöka byggnationerna med mer trä som stommaterial där förtroendet för materialet är högt. De största utmaningarna för trä som byggnadsmaterial beskrivs vara brist på kunskap och fördomar inom både branschen och på marknaden. Övriga utmaningar för att säkerställa ett främjande av materialet, som höjder i detaljplaner redogjordes för. Strategier och behov för att främja arbetet med att implementera trä i fler projekt beskrivs där det handlar om ett underlättande, inte ett krav för att säkerställa träbyggnationer. Det framkommer att okunskap gällande brand och fukt är de vanligaste fördomarna inom branschen vilket styrks av det teoretiska ramverket. Dagens byggnadsregler tillåter användningen av alla typer av stommaterial men okunskapen gällande brandegenskaper och hur trä som material hanterar att utsättas för fukt är en problematisk utmaning. En utökad branschsamverkan där delade kunskaper och erfarenheter mellan aktörerna i skapande av och deltagande i forum är en viktig faktor för att främja trä i byggprojekt vilket beskrivs i det teoretiska ramverket. En ökad färdigställandegrad och effektivisering av monteringsprocessen skulle ge trä ytterligare flera fördelar.