Home 1.0 : framework for affordable housing

Abstract

The right to well-designed, safe, affordable, and healthy housing is a fundamental human right, yet addressing the growing global demand for adequate housing is a complex challenge characteristic of wicked problems with diverse interconnected factors and dynamic conditions that reveal no singular solutions. This thesis addresses this issue by developing HOME 1.0, an innovative framework approach designed to assist development teams by facilitating informed design decisions for energy-efficient affordable housing projects in the pre-development phase. Frameworks are hierarchical structures used to develop applications. Energy efficient buildings are a non-optional required component of the affordable housing framework due to the correlation between energy use and affordability.The research methodology begins by assessing existing approaches, NYC building regulations, and key parameters involved in affordable housing development. HOME 1.0 consolidates building, site, cost, income, and other development factors into a centralized database, providing users with a comprehensive overview of project feasibility. The framework incorporates site selection, parametric massing generation, and energy analysis, allowing for quick evaluation of design and budget parameters, democratizing the affordable housing development process. Results of the study demonstrate the effectiveness of the HOME 1.0 framework in streamlining the pre-development phase. The framework simplifies site selection by identifying city-owned vacant land meeting project requirements, parametric massing generation based on zoning regulations, and conducting energy analyses to optimize energy use and cost. The research suggests that the implementation of HOME 1.0 can reduce the timeline for pre-development phases among other benefits. The HOME 1.0 framework offers a comprehensive approach to address the wicked problem of affordable housing. By emphasizing energy efficiency in design decisions, it benefits developers, operators, residents, and the environment by promoting health, comfort, and cost reductions over the life cycle of affordable housing projects. The implications of this research extend to the development of energy-efficient affordable housing, ecological benefits through reduced emissions, economic sustainability, and improved well-being. However, limitations exist in the framework’s accuracy, as it relies on the assumptions driving its parameters and requires user testing for external validation.