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- Permanent Link:
- http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI13042109/00001
Notes
- Summary:
- This paper is an examination of decision-making in post-disaster housing reconstruction, with special focus on the practices and key challenges faced by the leading non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Housing recovery passes through four discrete stages in the aftermath of a disaster: emergency shelter, temporary shelter, temporary housing, and permanent housing. With the increased involvement of NGOs at the different stages of post-disaster housing reconstruction, it is important to analyze the factors that help in the design and establishment of a sustainable housing project. The paper starts with a review of the relevant literature on natural hazards and disaster events, climate change and increasing vulnerability, hazard risk and appropriate mitigation, and sustainable strategies. The literature suggests that it is both prudent and necessary to establish to what extent technical/scientific information, as well as local knowledge, is being exchanged between different stakeholders, and that it is critical that stakeholders understand what encourages and what constrains the adaptation of local solutions in post-disaster housing reconstruction. In order to undertake an in-depth exploration of the experiences of professionals, the study employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis on data collected through the use of a semi-structured, open-ended questionnaire. The study reports a general consensus that self-built housing and housing built with the help of volunteers and families, was the most appropriate response. Poor choices in building-materials, as well as a lack of knowledge and training in new construction technologies are examples of how reconstruction work can unintentionally increase vulnerability. The paper also suggests strategies to be adopted by organizations involved in post-disaster reconstruction in terms of risk management, climate change, community engagement, design, and knowledge management. One key area to be targeted for improvement is the transfer of knowledge and dissemination of lessons learned in order to capture knowledge gained on completed projects to feed into new projects. The main challenges involve changing people’s behavior towards more collaborative ways of approaching projects, getting people to work together across projects, and providing valuable input in what can be large and fragmented trans-disciplinary ‘teams’. ( English )
- Subject:
- Recovery and Reconstruction ( English )
- Citation/Reference:
- Hayles, C.S., (2010). An examination of decision making in post disaster housing reconstruction. International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp.103 – 122.
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