Reimagining the Possibilities of Affordable Housing in a Climate Risk Environment
Affordable housing is becoming a global problem. The unaffordability and rising cost of housing has led to an increase in rent and homeownership. The sharp decline in homeownership over the past decade is evident in U.S. Census data. Millennials were the most popular generation in 2019, but they contributed only 47.9% to homeownership. Contrary to this, the Gen-X homeownership rate was at 69%. This is compared to the 77.8% silent generations. Trends of declining homeownership across generations are evident in other parts, such as the U.K. where rates dropped steadily from 71% to 64% between 2003 and 2018. Experts point out affordability as a major reason for this decline.
The rental market has not been better for renters. Affordable housing climate either. Affordable housing is defined by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development as homes that are affordable to a household earning 30% or less of its income. By This is the standardFull-time minimum wage earners can’t afford a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States.
This affordable housing crisis has been caused by many factors. First, developers find it more difficult to invest in affordable housing due to rising labor and material costs. Market forces such as lowered interest rates may have the unintended consequence of driving up demand in areas with less supply. This is especially true for desirable urban areas where the average home price is too high for low-wage earners. Finally, it is important to be aware of how policies at local, federal, and regional levels can affect housing patterns and have implications for affordability. For example, zoning regulations can impact allowance requirements with minimum setbacks, density controlling regulations, and can determine the space required to build more housing.
Climate Change and Climate Migration Impact
Climate change is another pressing issue that has the potential to further exacerbate the affordability problem in housing. Recent climate disasters have highlighted the increased risk. The Australian brushfires and record breaking heatwaves in Greece, Hurricane Ida’s path of destruction in the U.S. and the worst flooding in Germany in recent years are just a few examples of climate disasters. Climate change has two main effects on affordable housing: the loss of housing stock due to climate disasters, and the migration of people from areas where disasters have occurred. This causes higher insurance premiums to increase the cost of housing in climate risk areas. It also drives up the demand for housing more temperate locations, increasing the costs.
Research suggests that rising sea level due to carbon emissions could lead to sea level rises by 2050. 300 million homesThe number of people living in these areas is nearly three times that predicted by earlier data models. This highlights the importance of climate-friendly affordable housing. Afflicted climate conditions can not only cause the displacement of hundreds of millions of people but also place additional economic and resource constraints in areas that are less susceptible to climate-related catastrophes. Cities, planning commissions as well as engineers, architects, and designers, need to work together to find a solution for creating more affordable housing in a climate prone environment.
Carbon positive housing
One innovative way to address this problem is to build housing that doesn’t contribute any carbon emissions, or that generates energy beyond its needs. Carbon positive housing is defined as homes that produce more energy than they need (used for heating and insulation, electricity consumption, etc.).).
A building’s energy use can be reduced by using efficient design. This is the first step towards carbon positive housing. By using the right materials and reducing operating and maintenance costs, a building can be optimized for energy efficient. Passive design, better insulation materials for heating/cooling and integration of closed-loop systems can all make buildings more energy-efficient and reduce building loads. To address the remaining energy requirements, renewable energy systems can be implemented. Common on-site energy sources include photovoltaics (PV), sun water heating, or wind turbines.
Habitat for Humanity has created a NetZero Source home. It uses envelope efficiency, efficient appliances, lighting, and passive and active solar features to reach its net zero goal. The home uses the utility grid to store energy. It draws from the grid if the PV system produces less than the house requires. This method eliminates the need of battery storage and reduces cost, complexity, maintenance, and upkeep of the solar electric systems.
Another example is the Charlotte Vermont HouseIt is an all-electric house that uses the sun to generate passive energy, the earth to heat the home and the wind through a single 10KW Wind Turbine. The house is a verified net energy producer, putting more energy back into grid than it uses for its own needs, including cooking. In order to make the house affordable and reproducible, the design strategy included a desire to eliminate all fossil fuel combustion on site.
Affordable Housing Possibilities
Affordable housing is difficult due to high construction, labor and land costs, as well as restrictive zoning regulations. In order to close the supply gap, builders will need to double the housing stock within the next 5-6 year. It boils down to ensuring affordable and secure housing. This issue is urgently needed by policymakers, architects, planners and designers. Some housing types may be more conducive to affordable housing and sustainability, based on recent design trends.
1. Modular Housing
A modular home is a house which is close to completion when it arrives on site. These homes are also known as prefabricated homes. They arrive on site as multiple pieces of the house and are then assembled on the foundation. This way of building homes can reduce manufacturing costs. Modular homes are easy to construct and have a lower labor cost. A 2000-square-foot modular house can be purchased for $100-200 per square foot. A modular house is constructed using quality materials and machine-built joinery systems. This reduces the need for annual repairs. These homes can withstand all types of weather because they are sturdy. You can optimize them for energy efficiency by considering specific climate conditions. This will make them more sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective.
The Swan Housing AssociationCross-laminated wood was used to build affordable housing in East London. The work started in December 2018 and the 151 modules that were previously built on-site were transferred onto site by January 2019. The first phase of installation was the kitchens and bathrooms, with electrical and plumbing work following. The remaining modules were then connected by a simple process of laying them. Because of the modular design and ease of assembly, the project delivery was much faster, which in turn reduced the overall labor time and cost.
2. Tiny Homes
According to the US Census single-family homes have experienced slow growth since 1995. It has been difficult to build affordable homes of mid-size size due to the land crunch. Builders are finding it hard to produce single-family homes affordable enough to fill the housing shortage. These issues can be addressed by the construction of tiny homes.
Tiny homes can be built as standalone structures or in conjunction with a larger building. A typical US house is approximately 2000 sq.ft. A tiny house is usually less than 400 sq.ft. Tiny homes are based on minimalism and include many amenities in a small area to provide affordable living. Many tiny homes can be built off-grid. This makes them extremely cost-effective and energy-efficient. They are smaller than traditional homes and cost half the price. They can be incorporated with many sustainable building techniques and materials. With the addition of renewable energy, they can be made carbon-neutral or net-zero homes. The embodied carbon footprint of these houses can be reduced by using local and recycled materials. Their smaller size also means that the space requires less energy to heat and cool.
3. Manufactured Homes
Manufactured houses are constructed in a factory. However, unlike modular homes, they can be assembled and placed on the property. They are subjected to different rules in each state and are regulated by HUD code. These fully-manufactured homes are similar to modular homes. They can be both cost- and energy-efficient, with half the construction costs compared to traditional homes. You can also improve their energy efficiency by using weather stripping and caulking, as well as air sealing and choosing energy-efficient lighting. Manufacturing homes may also make use of sustainable materials, which helps to reduce their embodied energies. These types of homes offer a huge advantage to builders and developers, as they are more scalable. This allows them to build houses and communities much faster, and also at a substantial cost advantage.
The Path to Affordable, Carbon Positive Housing
These new options for affordable homes can be rethought to be climate resilient and carbon positive. They can be designed to reduce and reuse waste and be used as energy-efficient alternatives. These buildings can perform better, help manage energy costs, and even generate their own energy by leveraging new design and technology.
Data-driven decision making and repeatability are two ways to scale affordable carbon positive housing. To make a building more efficient, designers and architects have traditionally conducted climate and site analyses manually. This is a time-consuming and tedious process that can increase project costs. Automated performance analysis tools can be helpful in accelerating the project timeline. They allow designers to choose better materials, optimize design choices, and meet sustainability targets. Use Advanced energy analysis toolsFor example, ensuring that energy efficiency measures are included in all projects is possible with the help of a consultant. This includes strategies that reduce demand-side loads like high-performance envelopes, air barriers systems, daylighting devices, sun control, shading devices, careful choice of windows and glazing. Passive solar heating, natural ventilation, water conservation, and daylighting are all possible. It is important to take into account the efficiency of equipment and systems once overall building loads have been reduced. This could include energy efficient lighting, electric lighting controls and high-performance HVAC.
Intentional design strategies and methods that consider repeatability, such as the Charlotte Vermont house example are key to affordable and sustainable homes that can be built at scale. This philosophy can be combined with tools and technologies that help designers make smarter design decisions and accelerate their decisions. It opens up the possibility of addressing climate change and affordable housing.
Architecture, engineers, policymakers, and stakeholders must work together to reimagine the possibilities of affordable and sustainable housing. In order to address complex issues such as affordability and sustainable housing within a climate risk environment, thoughtful policy and thoughtful design must be combined. Although modular, manufactured, and tiny home housing options offer opportunities to build affordable homes at scale, it is not possible to do so in isolation. It is necessary to combine innovative design and technology with well-crafted policies and the right incentives to create more sustainable and affordable communities.
