Journal of Housing and the Built Environment最新文献

A key challenge of Fit for 55 will be reducing household emissions. For this, it is necessary to understand the factors that influence emissions and the specific role of household income. This study tests the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) for households and links carbon emissions with income, housing, energy sources, and hidden energy poverty. We use individual household data from the Polish energy consumption survey complemented with data from a budget survey both compiled by Statistics Poland. The EKC is estimated in two scenarios, i.e. current energy mix, and zero-carbon electricity. Our model is based on the least trimmed squares technique. The study confirms the existence of the inverted U-shaped EKC in households, which is especially relevant for owners of small houses. This finding might be explained by the energy under-consumption often experienced by the poorest households, whereas wealthier households usually live in energy-efficient buildings and use less carbon-intensive fuels. The turning point is reached at 373 euros of income and 3425 kg of carbon emissions in a usual energy mix scenario compared to 560 euros and 5104 kg in a clean electricity scenario. Apart from income, household carbon emissions are interrelated with house size and hidden energy poverty, which should be in policymakers focus.

To examine the direct and indirect effects of emotional connection to one’s living environment on depressive symptoms as mediated by feelings of loneliness, satisfaction with family relationships and frequency of family contact. A convenience sample of 360 older Israeli adults (representing three ethnic groups) was interviewed. Using bootstrapping, we tested the strength and significance of three simultaneous mediators’ conditional indirect effects on the relationship between one’s connection to living environment and depression. The results revealed a negative link between connection to living environment and depressive symptoms, mediated by feelings of loneliness, satisfaction with family relationships and frequency of family contact. The study indicates the vital role of connection to one’s living environment in determining depression in older adults as mediated by family contact, family relationships and loneliness. The study elucidates factors that can decrease older adults' depression and enable them to age in place.

Livability is pivotal when planning human habitations. Sustainable planning strategies have been gradually adopted to enhance the livability of built environments, especially in the context of developing countries with a continuously improving planning system. Unlike other spontaneously developed low-income housing estates (e.g., urban villages) in China, subsidized housing estates (SHEs) are entirely planned and dictated by local governments and that may be significantly affected by urban planning policies and practices. However, the role of urban planning in achieving the livability of SHEs has yet to be fully investigated. By focusing on a pilot project of SHEs in Guangzhou, this study attempts to identify the extent and rationale of planning impacts on the livability of the SHEs. The study concludes that, although the updated planning policies and schemes encouraged public participation and livability, their achievements still hinged on the institutional environment in Socialist Marketized China. Consequently, the implementation of SHE plans encountered several challenges, resulting in insignificant improvements in livability from planning. This study provides an in-depth understanding of urban planning and its impacts on livability in the context of developing countries with a continuously developing planning system.

Despite the widely-recognized importance of student housing in educational settings, the housing experience of university students remains understudied. This study attempts to assess the residential satisfaction in student housing in Stockholm, Sweden and the indicators which predict residential satisfaction in this context. Moreover, it explores whether residential satisfaction varies between different socio-demographic groups. A list of satisfaction indictors was identified through reviewing literature and a number of semi-structured interviews, thereafter data was collected from a questionnaire survey with simple random sampling. The responses were analysed through descriptive analysis, stepwise regression, t-test and analysis of variance. The results show that the current occupants are generally satisfied with the student housing in Stockholm. Seven indicators appear to be predictors of satisfaction, among which the strongest ones are kitchen facilities, cleanliness and accessibility to public transport stations. In terms of socio-demographic characteristics, those with a shorter residential duration are found to be more satisfied. Furthermore, studio residents are more satisfied than corridor-room residents.

The use of inherent defect insurance (IDI) can transfer housing quality risks to insurance companies, alleviate conflicts of interest between consumers and developers and protect consumer welfare. However, the level of IDI penetration is still low in China. Developers, as buyers of IDI, and consumers, as buyers of insured houses, can influence market trends. An analysis is needed with respect to government subsidy mechanisms for developers and consumers to theoretically derive the optimal subsidy end time, amount and order to boost their investment. Therefore, an evolutionary game model is established between developers and consumers to analyse the strategy selection of stakeholders and system equilibrium stability. Then, the game trajectory of IDI market participants is simulated by MATLAB to analyse the effects of government subsidies on the evolution process and results. The results show that the government can set the subsidy end time based on the proportion of developers purchasing IDI and of consumers purchasing insured houses. The government should first subsidize developers to boost the market share of insured houses, thereby avoiding a situation in which insured houses are in short supply. Until developers’ purchase probability increases, the government should subsidize consumers to increase their probability of purchasing insured houses. The government can also determine the subsidy amount based on the cost and income of developers purchasing IDI and consumers purchasing insured houses. This research can help the government rationalize and optimize its subsidy policies to encourage developers to purchase IDI and consumers to purchase insured houses and speed up IDI penetration.

Mexico's housing policies and institutions have focused on increasing the housing supply over the past 50 years. Despite this, most of the population has been unable to afford it and has been forced to fend for themselves through self-construction in socially produced neighborhoods. This research compares the difference between inhabiting a "turn-key" house provided by the state and a self-constructed house through the lens of appropriation and its effects on identity and place attachment that evidence the co-constitutive nature of the house/resident dynamic. As case studies, thirty houses were analyzed in six neighborhoods, three state-financed and three socially produced. The empirical data collected through the qualitative study was structured through the development of a theoretical model called "dwelling by appropriation" that attempts to describe the practices surrounding the appropriation of the home. The research found that individuals who construct their own homes are prouder of them, more satisfied with them, have a higher sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy, and are more trusting of their neighbors as they are in control of critical decisions regarding their living environment.

There is an extensive body of literature exploring the changes that large housing estates (LHE) in Central and East European (CEE) cities have undergone since the beginning of the post-socialist transition. Although some studies discussed residents’ satisfaction with the transformed neighborhood environment within these estates, analyzing differences at the national, CEE and pan-European levels, they have primarily focused on cities in fast-track reforming countries, leaving the non-EU context unexplored. In addition, more recent analyses are generally scarce, while little is known about how LHEs, particularly unrefurbished ones, compare to newer housing types of similar densities in these terms. The paper aims to contribute to filling these research gaps by investigating neighborhood satisfaction in two unrefurbished LHEs and one recently built residential district in Novi Sad, the second largest city in Serbia. The research data was collected from 162 structured ‘traditional’ (in-person) face-to-face interviews involving a Likert-type questionnaire supplemented with open-ended questions. It was processed in the SPSS 23.0 software package. ANOVA and Scheffe post-hoc tests were used to determine differences and Chronbach’s Alpha to measure internal consistency. Through a series of descriptive comparative analyses, the paper examines the variations in evaluations of specific neighborhood features and the correlation between residents’ satisfaction, their potential mobility and the housing market position of the studied areas. The research results indicate that the majority of LHE residents are satisfied with their neighborhood environment, live in the neighborhood of preference and do not feel ‘trapped’, while the situation in the newly built residential district is somewhat different, revealing the shortcomings of post-socialist urbanism. The concluding section discusses the research results against the backdrop of previous studies, questions the stability of neighborhood satisfaction in unrefurbished CEE LHEs, highlights the importance of regeneration, and proposes directions for future investigations.

The neoliberal model of housing production has been installed in most Latin American countries. However, in most cases it has resulted in problems of urban accessibility. Understanding that accessibility is not only a problem of distance, but especially of the experience of mobility towards services, this article analyses the perception of urban accessibility that is configured in neighbourhoods built through housing policy in Temuco, an intermediate city in the south of Chile. Methodologically, a mixed approach was deployed, based on the application of an urban accessibility index, semi-structured interviews and go along interviews on the daily mobility of residents of the city’s housing neighbourhoods. The results show that the experience of mobility towards urban services is marked by a number of barriers related to socio-economic status and gender, which the residents do not face in identical ways. In addition, it is noted that urban investments and infrastructures built around neighbourhoods to improve their accessibility can be perceived as socially selective when they promote a specific type of mobility, to the detriment of others. We conclude by reflecting on the importance of the subjective dimension in the configuration of urban accessibility in intermediate and small cities, where this phenomenon is not usually problematised.

A case study of 20 families investigated a cluster design of new homes for 15 adults with intellectual disabilities in Australia. It explored how families created a cluster home model for adults to live in their own homes with paid support in a modern context by answering three research questions: What type of home did parents choose for their children with intellectual disabilities and why? What type of home did they achieve? How did they overcome challenges to accomplish building the home? Families adopted a participatory design approach, collaborating as learning partners to secure government funding for purchasing land and constructing their cluster design. However, it was a complex project requiring many stakeholders with conflicting interests and priorities. Specifically, families rejected the group home model preferred by government agency staff, shifted the focus from technical building rules and design standards to prioritise each adult’s needs and preferences for their home, rejected institution-like fixtures/fittings when installed and used family governance to choose key support workers directly. Ultimately, the families created security of place through tenancy in attractive homes with government funding, welcoming neighbours and chosen support workers.