An investigation of the potential of sustainability in collective housing developments

Duan, Siyu 2023. An investigation of the potential of sustainability in collective housing developments. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Collective housing suggests possible advantages in energy and sustainability performance over ordinary housing. Existing research shows that collective housing communities have the benefit of stronger social connection which contributes to building a sense of community. Research also suggests that many collective housings benefit from their sustainable design concepts and strategies, primarily because of their shared spaces, resources, and skills, and therefore have a low impact on the environment. However, whether these strategies last, and can be applied to future projects, and whether sharing would produce actual savings in energy are unclear and remain under-explored. The everyday life of collective housing residents is different from ordinary housing residents in many ways. However, energy-related occupant behaviour in collective housing has not been studied in detail. This research aims to review the definitions, development, and sustainable features of various types of collective living housing; to explore the impact of building design configurations and occupant behaviours on energy consumption in collective housing developments; to find out the sustainable strategies and main challenges in existing collective housing developments at both design and in-use stages; to investigate the energy-related occupant behaviours in private and shared spaces in collective housing; and to discuss research findings from social and environmental aspects to provide suggestions for collective housing developments aiming to achieve better living environment. The research uses mixed methods including a literature review, computer modelling studies, case studies, and empirical field work. Firstly, a literature review of collective housing concepts, history and development, benefits and challenges, review of ii existing projects, and research topics and methods, as well as the impact of energy-related occupant behaviours in buildings, helps to identify what are the areas that need to be studied in collective housing. Then, a massing study of co-housing building typology aims to investigate which building design elements have the greatest influence on building energy consumption in co-housing buildings. After that, a desk-based case study reviews three collective housing projects in different locations. It provides an in-depth understanding of the project’s design process, occupant participation, and sustainability. And lastly, two UK collective housing projects are studied through fieldwork including interviews and observations to provide an understanding of the design process, sustainability practices, and energy-related occupant behaviours of collective building in detail from collected primary data.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Architecture
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	4 January 2024
Last Modified:	04 Jan 2024 12:11
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/165219

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