Self-help low-cost housing construction technology in Brazil

Abstract

Brazilian cities suffer from an increasing shortage of housing for low-income people. Gevernamental efforts to eliminate the problem have not been successful, and there is a need for other approaches to the problem. Among these, self-help housing seems to be very promising. In this study, a self-help low-cost housing technology is presented, and the construction of a 22 m² prototype is described. The development of the technology was based on four parameters: User's participation, use of low-cost materials, modular coordination, and man-equipament interaction. The technology was developed to provide the basic shelter, which consists of the following sub-systems: foundation, walls, plumbing and electrical systems, floor and roof. The results obtained in the construction of the prototype encourage the adoption of the approach used, and provide a basis for further development of the technology to easy the housing problem in Brazil.