Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Limited dispersal, territoriality and the occupation of patchy habitats; characters that typify most African rock-dwelling (saxicolous or rupicolous) species, often result in structured genetic patterns with little or no gene-flow among populations (e.g., velvet worms, net-winged midges, elephant shrews, red rock rabbits and a variety of lizards and agamas). In an attempt to deepen our understanding of taxa that inhabit these “terrestrial islands” the distribution of genetic variation was studied at several spatial scales in the rock hyrax, Procavia capensis. This species has a polygynous social system that is unusual among taxa with similar ecological requirements, and a morphology that would intuitively be associated with poor dispersal capabilities (short limbs and a squat, heavy body). Possibly as a consequence of these considerations, few studies have attempted to determine the distance of migration by rock hyraxes and the influence that their social system and the surrounding landscape has on dispersal success. This investigation therefore tests hypotheses of how the ecology, distribution, social structure and the connectivity of the surrounding landscape have contributed to shaping the structure of rock hyrax genetic variation across the Namaqualand and western Fynbos regions. To do so, mitochondrial and microsatellite markers were used to document gene-flow at a fine spatial scale (an isolated population comprising 5 koppies), an intermediate spatial scale (across known geographic barriers to saxicolous taxa - the Cape Flats and Knersvlakte), and a regional spatial scale (across the Namaqualand/western Fynbos regions of South Africa - regions exhibiting contrasting landscape connectivity). In addition the genetic diversity, spatial clustering, sex-biased dispersal and relatedness (fine-scale) of colonies is described and the major genetic breaks detected in the investigation dated using a relaxed molecular clock approach. Finally, these results were compared to other studies that identified the Cape Flats and Knersvlakte as phylogeographic disruptors. The genetic patterns at a fine spatial scale were complex: Gene-flow was restricted by the social structure of the rock hyrax rather than geographic distance, dispersal was female-biased and there was significant genetic structure. Genetic structure was also evident at the intermediate and regional spatial scales. In the Hottentots Holland Mountains and Cape Peninsula gene-flow was restricted (in both data sets) in comparison to localities that traversed the Cape Flats. In contrast, gene-flow across the Knersvlakte was restricted in the mitochondrial DNA data set but not so with microsatellites. A similar pattern was observed at a regional scale pointing to male-biased dispersal within this species - a result of its polygynous social structure. In addition to sex-biased dispersal, landscape connectivity also influenced gene-flow on a regional spatial scale as the Namaqualand region, which has greater intermediate suitable habitat compared to the western Fynbos region, displayed significantly higher levels of gene-flow between sampling localities. Consequently, colonies in Namaqualand were genetically more diverse compared to those of the western Fynbos region. Two major matrilineal clades were evident on both side of the Knersvlakte - one to the north of this biogeographic break (Namaqualand), and the other to the south (western Fynbos). This was not, however, evident from the microsatellite data (reflecting the influence of male dispersal) where seven nuclear clusters were found. In keeping with other studies on saxicolous vertebrate taxa straddling the same region, this area of low connectivity has acted (and probably still does) as a barrier to gene-flow. Importantly, unlike in many other (admittedly invertebrate) species, no evidence of a genetic break was detected among hyrax populations across the Cape Flats. Colonies across the Hottentots Holland Mountains and Cape Peninsula regions may have been subject to founder-events and breeding isolation. This investigation demonstrated the importance of using a well-structured sampling regime that included both mitochondrial and nuclear markers and it underscores the need to apply appropriate statistical programmes for inferring genetic patterns. It shows that landscape genetics may be useful in a conservation context and should be taken into account when planning conservation initiatives that include the implementation of corridors. In brief, the information contained in this study advances our knowledge of the dispersal capability and genetic diversity of contemporary rock hyrax populations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ‘n Beperkte spreidingsvermoë, territorialiteit en die bewoning van yl-verspreide habitat is kenmerkend van die meeste klip-bewonende spesies in Afrika en dit veroorsaak gereeld gestruktureerde genetiese patrone met min of geen genevloei tussen populasies (bv., die velvetwurms, net-vlerk muggies, klipklaasneuse, klipkonyne en ‘n verskeidenheid akkedisse en koggelmanders). In ‘n poging om kennis oor taksa wat hierdie “terrestriële eilande” bewoon te verdiep, het ons die die verspreiding van genetiese variasie bestudeer oor verskeie ruimtelike skale in die klipdassie, Procavia capensis. Hierdie spesie het ‘n veelwywige sosiale sisteem, wat vreemd is onder taksa met soortgelyke ekologiese vereistes, en ‘n morfologie wat intuïtief verbind kan word met swak spreidingsvermoëns (kort bene en ‘n kort, dik liggaam). As ‘n moontlike resultaat van hierdie oorwegings het min studies tot dusver daarop gefokus om die migrasie-afstand van klipdassies en die invloede van hulle sosiale sisteem en die omliggende landskap op spreidings-sukses te bepaal. Hierdie studie toets daarom hipoteses oor hoe die ekologie, verspreiding, sosiale struktuur en die konnektiwiteit (verbindheid) van die omliggende landskap bydra om die struktuur van genetiese variasie in klipdassies oor die Namakwaland en westelike Fynbos streke te beïnvloed. Derhalwe is mitochondriale en mikrosatelliet merkers gebruik om genevloei te bepaal op ‘n fyn ruimtelike skaal (‘n geïsoleerde populasie bestaande uit 5 koppies), ‘n gemiddelde ruimtelike skaal (oor bekende geografiese grense vir klipbewonende taksa - die Kaapse Vlakte en die Knersvlakte), en op ‘n streeks (groot) ruimtelike skaal (oor die Namakwaland/westelike Fynbos streke van Suid-Afrika - streke met kontrasterende konnektiwiteit van die landskap). Bykomend is die genetiese diversiteit, ruimtelike groepering, seksuele eensydigheid in spreiding en genetiese verwantskappe (fyn skaal) van kolonies beskryf en die hoof genetiese skeiding gedateer deur gebruik te maak van ‘n ontspanne molekulêre klok. Laastens het is die resultate van hierdie studie vergelyk met dié van ander studies wat die Kaapse Vlakte en Knersvlakte as filogeografiese skeidings gevind het. Die genetiese patrone op ‘n fyn ruimtelike skaal was kompleks: Genevloei is beperk deur die sosiale struktuur van die klipdassie eerder as geografiese afstand, migrasie was wyfie-spesifiek en daar was beduidende genetiese struktuur tussen kolonies. Genevloei was beperk in die Hottentots Holland berge en die Kaapse Skiereiland (in beide datastelle) in vergelyking met lokaliteite oor die Kaapse Vlakte. In kontras was genevloei oor die Knersvlakte beperk in die mitochondriale DNA, maar nie in die mikrosatelliete nie. ‘n Soortgelyke patroon is waargeneem op ‘n streeks skaal wat dui op mannetjie-spesifieke spreiding in hiérdie spesie - ‘n resultaat van die veelwywige sosiale struktuur. Bykomend, saam met geslag-spesifieke spreiding, het landskaps konnektiwiteit ook genevloei beïnvloed op ‘n streeks skaal omdat die Namakwaland streek, wat meer tussenleggende geskikte habitat bevat in vergelyking met die westelike Fynbos streek, beduidende hoër vlakke van genevloei tussen lokaliteite getoon het. Gevolglik was kolonies in Namakwaland geneties meer divers in vergelyking met dié van die westelike Fynbos streek. Twee hoof moederlike genetiese groepe is waargeneem op elke kant van die Knersvlakte - een aan die noorde van hierdie biogeografiese skeiding (Namakwaland) en een in die suide (westelike Fynbos). Dieselfde patroon was egter nie waarneembaar in die mikrosatelliet data nie (wat die invloed van mannetjie-spesifieke spreiding toon) waar sewe nukluêre groepe gevind is. In ag genome ander studies op klipbewonende gewerwelde taksa oor dieselfde verspreiding, het hierdie area van lae konnektiwiteit histories (en heelmoontlik ook huidiglik) as ‘n grens vir genevloei gedien. Belangrik, anders as in ander (hoewel ongewerwelde) spesies, kon ons geen bewyse verskaf van ‘n genetiese skeiding tussen klipdassie populasies oor die Kaapse Vlakte nie. Kolonies in die Hottentots Holland berge en Kaapse Skiereiland is dus onderhewig aan moontlike vestigings-effekte en telings-isolasie. Hiérdie studie demonstreer die belang van die gebruik van ‘n goed-gestruktureerde monsternemingskema, die insluiting van beide mitochondriale en nukluêre merkers en dit beklemtoon ook die noodsaaklikheid van die gebruik van toepaslike statistiese programme vir gevolgtrekkings oor genetiese patrone. Dit toon ook dat landskapsgenetika nuttig mag wees in ‘n bewaringskonteks en in ag geneem moet word in die beplanning van bewarings inisiatiewe wat die implementering van korridors insluit. Kortliks, die informasie in hierdie studie bevorder ons kennis oor die spreidingsvermoë en genetiese diversiteit van kontemporêre klipdassie populasies.

This study explored the emerging Self-Imposed Activity Limitation (SIAL) theory among community dwelling elders. This theory was examined using the proposed Aging Well Conceptual model which was guided by Baltes' Selection, Optimization with Compensation model, Markus and Nurius' Envisioned Possible Selves theory, Kuypers and Bengtson's Social Breakdown Syndrome model, Bandura's Self-Efficacy theory, and Rotter's Locus of Control theory. The objectives of this study were to explore the relationships among multiple variables in a hierarchical model and to examine the explanatory power of the SIAL variables in predicting elders' well-being.A correlational descriptive design with a causal modeling approach was used employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques. The Aging Well model was tested through a secondary analysis of the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) database selecting respondents aged 65-74 years.Two research questions guided this study. Research question one, how well does the Aging Well model fit with empirical sample data, was explored. The Aging Well model statistically approximated the MIDUS data after theoretical and statistical modifications and explained 76% of the variance of elder's well-being. The mediating effects of SIAL variables were determined by nested alternative model testing. Research question two, are the proposition statements in the Aging Well model valid, and was demonstrated empirically by the expected patterns of correlation and covariance among most of the variables in the Aging Well model.SIAL as a composite factor had a large positive effect on elder's well-being. Elders' perceived constraints and perception of aging had no direct effect on well-being. The influences of these two factors on well-being were mediated by a common factor, SIAL. These findings supported the emerging SIAL theory by suggesting that the optimal use of SIAL would lead to adaptive outcomes promoting elders' well-being. In addition, SIAL mediated the effects of elders' sense of control and perception of aging on well-being. The full range of SIAL could not be examined due to limitations inherent in secondary data analysis.

This qualitative research study addressed the gap in the literature and lack of clinical guidelines and frameworks for health professionals as they assess and manage risk when balancing the safety and autonomy of community-dwelling older adults. Twelve health professionals were asked in individual interviews how they perceive, identify, assess and treat risk and how they negotiate the safety and autonomy of their clients. Informed by grounded theory methodology, the findings revealed what kinds of decisions health professionals made and how they made them within this clinical context. These findings from the perspective of the health professional contributed to the development of a definition of living at risk, a safety continuum and a conceptual/practice framework to help health professionals, including occupational therapists, make sound clinical decisions as they balance the autonomy and safety of their community-dwelling older adult clients.

Background: Although there is significant scholarly interest in defining the concept of successful aging, there are very few small-scale, in-depth qualitative studies examining the lived experience of women over 80 who self-identify as aging successfully. Aim: The aim of this study is to explore the lived experience of a small group of community-dwelling Jewish women over 80 in a single county in Northwestern Vermont who self-identify as aging successfully. Approach: This study has a phenomenological approach. Method: Phenomenological interviews were conducted with five women over 80 years of age. Interview content was analyzed, and shared themes were synthesized. Findings: Findings revealed the following shared themes: acknowledgement of extraordinary quality of life events and/or circumstances, extensive and ongoing social involvement with communities and/or individuals, and strong sense of self. Conclusions: The lived experiences of participants who self-identified as aging successfully were characterized by gratitude for the lives they led and continue to lead, extensive and ongoing communal and interpersonal social engagement, and high levels of self-esteem and self-knowledge. Implications for practice: Interventions focused on promoting gratitude, ongoing social engagement, and self-esteem/efficacy may improve individuals' chances of aging successfully; women over 80 respond positively given the opportunity to tell their story, and may benefit from affiliation with a religious community.

This thesis explores the dynamic interface of supply and demand for student housing within the context of national sustainability policy and planning in the UK. These interconnections are increasingly important given the tripling of students tuition fees, which can alter the residential expectations of students, as well as implementing policy schemes that aim to retrofit the most energy inefficient dwellings. Using the university town of Loughborough as a case study, findings are presented from a mixed-methods research comprised of an online survey, semi-structure interviews, and focus groups. The thesis makes several original contributions to academic knowledge of student geographies. First, the discussion shows that the profile of student housing in the UK has dramatically changed which is underpinned by numerous drivers tied to changing policies, reforms, and reconfigurations of students residential expectations. Second, the thesis stresses the importance of examining the sustainability challenges unfolding in the housing sector and the ways these dynamics impact upon students residential experiences. Third, by establishing the first-ever student housing taxonomy, it is demonstrated that physical and sustainable discrepancies are evident in the types of accommodation that are supplied to students, allowing for a broader investigation of the student housing stock in the UK. Fourth, it is contended that the energy efficiency of a dwelling has a limited impact on students energy expenditure, indicating that students manage their energy consumption in various ways. In addition, it is advocated that the fuel poverty (FP) calculation framework could usefully be revised and adapted to more effectively identify students in FP conditions. Fifth, it is ascertained that students finances tend to have limited effects on their selection of housing. It is concluded that advancing the understanding of sustainability issues entangled in the student housing sector is crucial for progressing knowledge in student geographies.

L’objectif de ce travail était d’étudier l’évolution des symptômes dépressifs (SD) chez 2590 sujets âgés français, issus de la population générale et suivis pendant 20 ans entre 1988 et 2008. Une méthode d’analyse du changement fondée sur l’identification de trajectoires individuelles de développement a été utilisée afin de tenir compte de l’hétérogénéité pressentie dans cette population. Les facteurs et évènements évolutifs associés aux trajectoires de SD ont été étudiés. Nous avons identifié cinq trajectoires d’évolution de SD entre 1988 et 2008 et trois trajectoires entre 65 et 104 ans. La majorité des individus ne présentait pas ou peu de SD au cours des 20 ans de suivi. Cependant, environ une personne sur dix suivait une trajectoire compatible avec un diagnostic de dépression chronique. Les antécédents psychiatriques, la polymédication, les comorbidités somatiques et la perte d’autonomie étaient des facteurs fortement prédictifs de dépression « émergente » ou « persistante ». Le veuvage apparaissait être un facteur protecteur d’appartenance à la trajectoire de dépression « persistante » pour les femmes uniquement. L’entrée en institution et le décès étaient plus fréquents dans les trajectoires les plus défavorables. Les trajectoires de SD étaient significativement associées aux trajectoires de consommation d’antidépresseur. Notre travail confirme l’hétérogénéité de l’évolution des symptômes dépressifs en population âgée. Il alerte sur la prévalence préoccupante de la chronicité et aide à déterminer des sujets à plus haut risque d’évolution défavorable qui pourraient faire l’objet d’actions de prévention. / The aim of this study was to investigate patterns of the course of depressive symptoms (DS) in 2590 community-dwelling older adults followed over a period of 20 years, between 1988 and 2008. Using a group-based trajectory method, we modelled the course of DS and examined associations between trajectory patterns and baseline socio-demographic and health variables, as well as outcomes. We identified five time-related trajectories between 1988 and 2008, and three age-related trajectories between 65 and 104 years old. A majority of participants experienced no or only mild DS. However, about one to ten belonged to high-level trajectories consistent with clinically relevant chronic depression. Psychiatric history, polypharmacy, somatic comorbidities and functional limitation were strongly associated with membership to increasing and persistently high trajectories. Being widowed seemed to be a protective factor for membership of this persistently high trajectory group only in women. Institutionalization and death were more prevalent in worse trajectories. Trajectories of DS and trajectories of antidepressant use were significantly associated. Our study confirmed heterogeneity of the evolution of DS in late-life and highlighted the problematic risk of chronicity. We identified several high-risk groups for later-life depression that can be easily detected and that are amenable to preventive intervention.

The history of housing in Sweden is a central part of our cultural history and for the collective understanding of ourselves. During the 20th century the Swedish state has played an active roll in the production of housing. But, since the 90s the housing question has been left to the market which struggles to produce the quantity of housing that is needed. While the housing that is built today comes with a lot of qualities, it is also ridden with problems. The floor plans are general, yet fixed, common spaces are under prioritized and the possibility to customize your apartment is low. Not to mention that we are moving towards a situation were also rental apartments are put on the free market which under the current situation, could lead to an increased segregation in the bigger cities. The ability to choose how your home should be configurated has become a luxury.   The situation has certain similarities with the speculative way of building of the late 19th century in Sweden. The answer then was to make it possible for workers, small farmers and officials to build their own homes with financial help from the state.   When neither the market nor the state can provide good enough housing for the citizens, it is time to, like before, explore how we can take the matter in our own hands. Today an answer could be joint building ventures. Friends, colleagues or like-minded can get together and build their own multifamily houses by planning, building and finally inhabit the buildings. It is today a tricky process, but experiences from Germany have showed that it can be a reliable way of providing housing when the idea gets more normative. Holmsund could be a good testing ground for joint building ventures. The settlement is expected to grow, there are free central plots and the settlement can provide enough service and commuting possibilities even for people more used to city life.   My system provides a frame, concrete slabs resting on steel columns with a wet core stabilizing the structure laterally. The users are then, in dialogue with the architect and the other residents negotiating the space after their needs and economical situation.

A cidade de São Paulo é marcada pelo asfalto, pelo horizonte de prédios, por seus arranha-céus, torres espelhadas, pelos rios soterrados ou canalizados e poluídos, pelo excesso de carros, pelo trânsito. A urbanização da capital paulistana, induzida pela industrialização, ocorreu de forma acelerada e sem preocupação com a natureza. O movimento ambientalista, que ganhou força no mundo na década de 1960, desencadeou uma série de novas demandas, tanto do cidadão que deseja e reivindica áreas verdes e novas políticas de preservação em sua cidade, quanto do consumidor que passou a desejar produtos que gerem menos impactos ambientais, como sacolas biodegradáveis e meios de transporte menos poluentes. Atualmente, essas demandas transformam o urbano em São Paulo e o verde se tornou elemento de valorização do espaço. Essa pesquisa busca compreender como a demanda pelo verde transforma o espaço e a vida dos moradores na periferia da cidade, com base nas políticas públicas de preservação no bairro de Vargem Grande, localizado na zona sul, no distrito de Parelheiros. Vargem Grande, que é um loteamento considerado irregular pelo Estado, se estabeleceu em 1989 dentro da Cratera de Colônia. A Cratera foi tombada pelo órgão de proteção ao patrimônio cultural do Estado de São Paulo como patrimônio geológico em 2003, por se tratar de área formada pelo impacto de um corpo celeste na Terra. Além disso, o bairro fica dentro da área de proteção aos mananciais da represa Billings e da Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA) Capivari Monos. Existem mais de 17 leis que estabelecem como essa área deve ser ocupada. Vivem no bairro em torno de 50 mil pessoas, é com base no relato dos moradores sobre o cotidiano em Vargem Grande que buscamos compreender como se dá a relação entre essas políticas e a luta por moradia na cidade e como o discurso de preservação da natureza influencia na produção e reprodução desse espaço e da vida dos moradores. / The city of São Paulo is known, among others, for its asphalt, for its sky-line of buildings, for its skyscrapers and mirrored towers, for its buried or canalized and polluted rivers, for the excess of cars and for its traffic. The urbanization of the capital of the state, which was induced by industrialization, occurred in an accelerated manner and without concern for nature. Environmental movements, which gained worldwide traction in the 1970s, unleashed a series of new demands, both by the citizen who desires and claims green areas and new policies of conservation in his or her city, and the consumer who came to desire products that causes less environmental impact, like biodegradable bags and less pollutant means of transportation. Nowadays, these demands have been transforming the urban aspects of São Paulo and the green feature has become an element of space valorization. This research aims to comprehend how demands for a green environment transform the space and life of the dwellers in a working-class suburban area of the city, based on the public policies of conservation at the Vargem Grande quarter, located in the south zone, in the district of Parelheiros. Vargem Grande, a division of land into lots considered illegal by public power, was established in 1989 inside the Colônia Crater. The crater was put under government trust by the cultural heritage protection agency of the State of São Paulo as geological patrimony in 2003, for being an area formed by the impact of a celestial body on Earth. Besides that, the quarter is located inside the wellspring conservation area of the Billings dam and the Environmental Protection Area (EPA) of Capivari Monos. There are more than 17 laws that determine how this area should be occupied. Around 50 thousand people live in the quarter. Based on the report of some of the dwellers about their everyday life we seek to comprehend how these policies and the struggle for housing in the city relate to each other, and how the discourse on nature conservation influences the production and reproduction of both the space and life of its inhabitants.

Este trabalho discorrerá sobre a análise comportamental das famílias quanto aos seus anseios relacionados aos atributos de localização e de características de moradia na cidade de São Paulo quando submetidos a processos de escolhas múltiplas para futura residência, tendo como resultado a hierarquização dos atributos escolhidos em grau de importância. Para a análise dos anseios das famílias foram utilizados questionários enviados por e-mail a clientes que adquiriram apartamentos de uma incorporadora na cidade de São Paulo ou que visitaram seus stands de vendas, totalizando 103 respondentes. O banco de dados fornecido pela incorporadora era composto por nome, endereço residencial, endereço de e-mail, idade, renda familiar. Estes questionários tiveram como base os artigos de MONTGOMERY e CURTIS(2006) e WIDMANN E KELLY (2011) e foram distribuídos ao público por intermédio da plataforma Survey Monkey . As perguntas foram baseadas em variáveis de atributos de localização e de características de moradia, segundo BURGESS E SKELTYS (1992). Quanto ao público, as perguntas foram em relação à estrutura familiar, a localização da sua residência atual, idade e faixa de renda. Os resultados estão apresentados por meio de gráficos demonstrando as preferências de cada público identificado, estratificando-o segundo às suas estruturas familiares e idades, faixa etária e por fim renda familiar em relação aos atributos elencados na fase de elaboração do questionário. Espera-se com esta dissertação entender os anseios das famílias residentes da cidade de São Paulo quanto as suas prioridades no que diz respeito às escolhas de características de moradia e de localização. Como produto final do trabalho disponibilizar dados, informações e recomendações que possam ser utilizados em pesquisas futuras, atendendo às necessidades dos desenvolvedores de produtos imobiliários, profissionais de marketing e da área de real state . / This paper will discuss the behavioral analysis of the families regarding their desires related to the attributes of location and characteristics of housing in the city of São Paulo when submitted to multiple choice processes for future residence, resulting in the hierarchy of the attributes chosen in degree of importance. In order to analyze the families\' wishes, questionnaires were sent by e-mail to clients who purchased apartments from a developer in the city of São Paulo or who visited their sales stands, totaling 103 respondents. The database provided by the developer was composed of name, home address, e-mail address, age, family income. These questionnaires were based on the articles by MONTGOMERY and CURTIS (2006) and WIDMANN AND KELLY (2011) and were distributed to the public through the Survey Monkey platform. The questions were based on variables of location attributes and housing characteristics, according to BURGESS AND SKELTYS (1992). As for the public, the questions were in relation to the family structure, the location of his current residence, age and income range. The results are presented through graphs showing the preferences of each identified audience, stratifying it according to their family structures and ages, age group and finally family income in relation to the attributes listed in the questionnaire elaboration phase. It is hoped that this dissertation will understand the aspirations of the families living in the city of São Paulo, as well as their priorities regarding the choice of characteristics of housing and location. As the final product of the work, provide data, information and recommendations that can be used in future research, meeting the needs of developers of real estate products, marketing professionals and real estate professionals.

A presente pesquisa teve por finalidade a avaliação da qualidade dimensional dos compartimentos que compõem as habitações através da análise do Uso, da Função e das Atividades desenvolvidas nestes ambientes. Inicialmente foram inventariados 216 apartamentos selecionados dentre os lançamentos imobiliários realizados no município de São Paulo, entre os anos de 2000 a 2005, universo estudado pelo Inventário das Recomendações Dimensionais dos Espaços, Equipamentos e Mobiliário da Habitação FAPESP 03/09.069-1, BOUERI J.J., (2004)1, do qual o autor foi colaborador com o detalhamento de todos os arranjos dos ambientes em trabalho programado Pesquisa de Composição de Mobiliário e Equipamentos da Habitação (2004). Posteriormente, foi realizado um aprofundamento nos apartamentos de quatro dormitórios, verificando o uso dos espaços em função das atividades ali exercidas no segundo trabalho programado do autor. Com base nesse aprofundamento, foram aplicados dois tipos de avaliação da Qualidade Habitacional, inicialmente o Método de Avaliação da Qualidade Arquitetônica Habitacional de PEDRO, João Branco (2003) nos quesitos relativos ao dimensionamento e posteriormente os Índices Ergonômicos da Habitação, Prof. Dr. BOUERI, J.J. (2001)2.Com base nos resultados obtidos na avaliação, a pesquisa buscou concluir com o tipo de qualidade dimensional existente nos apartamentos lançados no mercado imobiliário da cidade de São Paulo. A relevância do estudo criterioso do dimensionamento habitacional extrapola o âmbito do projeto arquitetônico devido à relação de interdependência com os preços dos apartamentos, principalmente nas grandes cidades, como é o caso de São Paulo. Este fator, associado ao custo da terra urbana, forma conjunto que compõe o valor de venda dos apartamentos. / The purpose of this research was to evaluate the dimensional quality of habitation compartments. Witch was accomplished by the analysis of Use, Function and Activities performed at these environments. Initially, 216 apartments were selected amongst the real state launchings in the São Paulo city, between the years of 2000 and 2005 were inventoried. Those units also belong to the Inventory of the Dimensional Recommendations for Spaces, Equipment and Furniture at the Habitation FAPESP 03/09.069-1, BOUERI J.J., (2004), having the rooms disposal (lay outs) already been studied in detail by the author. Afterwards, a deepening study on the four bedroom apartments was carried trough by the same author, verifying the space uses in function of the activities there developed. Based in this new study, two types of evaluation of dwelling quality were applied: at first Evaluation Method of Architectural Dwelling Quality PEDRO, João Branco (2003) in the sections of dimension and afterwards the Ergonomic Rate of Dwelling, BOUERI (2001).Based of the gotten results the research was directed to the type of dimensional quality of the apartments launched in the real estate market in the city of São Paulo.The importance of the careful study of dimension in the dwellings went beyond the scope of the architectural project due to the interdependent relationship between the market price and the measure of the building, mainly in the great cities, as it is in São Paulo. This factor plus the price of urban soil, compound the market value of the apartments.