Scholarly record
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE – RENOVATION OF COLLECTIVE HOUSING
Abstract
Around 60% of the urban population in Romania lives in blocks of flats made of prefabricated panels, built mostly between 1960 and 1990. Interventions on these buildings are a highly debated topic in order to achieve the 20-20-20 EU targets, but less discussed is the part that makes these interventions truly sustainable on long run. The study presented in this paper constitutes the part related to social sustainability conducted for a project that defines some alternative solutions for Timisoara. These proposals are based on the need to improve the urban quality in the neighborhood and to improve the living conditions and comfort of the existing apartments. In order to present the challenges of social sustainability, the introductory chapters of the study are dedicated to the CEN-TC and ISO standards related to building sustainability assessment and also to the specificity of the Romanian housing stock. The chapter that analyzes the local conditions of Timisoara offers a focused view. In order to define the local priorities from the social sustainability perspective a survey among the inhabitants of three typical neighbourhoods was conducted. Twenty parameters considered important from the social sustainability perspective were assessed by the inhabitants, thus providing data about the perception of the quality of life in these districts: eight features regarding the apartments, six features for the blocks of flats and six for the neighborhood. The results indicate different priorities for the retrofitting projects according to the problems present in the three neighbourhoods. The study proves that the social pillar of sustainable development is probably more important the ecological one when it comes to housing refurbishment and retrofitting.
Publication Impact Profile
Publication details
References10
ISO 21929-1:2011 - Sustainability in building construction - Sustainability indicators - Part 1: Framework for the development of indicators and a core set of indicators for buildings, 2011
EN 15643 – 1 - Sustainability Assessment of Buildings - General Framework, 2012
EN 15643 – 3 – Framework for Social Performance, 2012
Economidou M. & all. Europe’s buildings under the microscope – A country-bycountry review of the energy performance of buildings, EU, pp 26-53 and 98-122, 2011
Sandu D., Comsa M., Rughinis C., Toth A., Voicu M. & Voicu B. Viata sociala in Romania urbana, Ed. Polirom, Romania, pp.55-76, 2006
Voicu B. Despre precaritatea locuirii urbane in Romania, Revista Calitatea Vietii, Vol.XVI, nr.1-2, pp.51-63, 2005
Valceanu D.G., Zulaica L. Indicele calitatii locuirii – instrument de evaluare a calitatii locuirii urbane, Urbanism.Arhitectura.Constructii, Vol.3, nr.4, pp.45-56, 2012
Neme C., Gottstein M. & Hamilton B. Residential efficiency retrofits: a roadmap for the future, EU, 2011
Szitar M.A., Grecea D.M., Veronescu O.A. Policies and strategies to improve the environmental performance of residential buildings made of prefabricated panels in Romania, International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference: SGEM: Surveying Geology & mining Ecology Management, Vol.5, pp.1143-1150, 2012
Branea A-M., Gaman M.S., Badescu S. Network of Green Areas within collective housing communities – case study from Timisoara, Romania, IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, WMCAUS, Vol.245, pp.1-8
View or Download full articleAccess options
SWS access login
Login as SWS Scientific CommitteeLogin as SWS Scientific PartnerLogin as SWS AuthorAuthors and approved SWS contributors will read and export their own linked papers after identity matching by SWS profile, email and SGEM GlobalID.
For librarian assistance: [email protected]
Purchase Instant Access
- Article can be downloaded after successful payment.
- Article may be used according to SWS library access terms.
- Article cannot be redistributed.