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The surging cost of living and shortage of affordable and sustainable homes fuel the global housing crisis. Earthship buildings are marketed as the epitome of affordable and sustainable alternative housing. This paper aimed to elicit the perception of Earthship buildings among youngsters in the United Kingdom using immersive virtual reality technology. Additionally, the impact of virtual reality on perception compared with two-dimensional drawings was investigated in the study.

A three-phase, experiment-based survey was adopted: Phase 1: literature review, Earthship house model conception and the virtual environment creation; Phase 2: two-dimensional drawing-based pre-visualisation survey; Phase 3: virtual reality–based post-visualisation survey.

The findings indicated that youngsters had a remarkable, positive change in attitude towards the uptake of the Earthship houses after virtual reality visualisation. In contrast, sustainability experts shared more concerns regarding the concept's viability in the United Kingdom, even after the virtual reality visualisation. However, both youngsters and experts agreed with the pre-eminence of virtual reality over two-dimensional drawings.

The lack of awareness about Earthship buildings for posterity was noted in previous studies, which could be attributed to there being very few Earthship buildings in the United Kingdom. The importance of this awareness among youngsters cannot be over-emphasised since youngsters are affected most by the shortage of affordable and sustainable homes. This gap was addressed by enlightening the youth about Earthship houses and imparting awareness through near-real-life virtual reality visualisation.

In 2016 all new houses in England and Wales must be zero carbon. To date most work in zero carbon housing has been carried out on detached family housing typologies. Practice has shown that one of the overriding factors in the struggle to achieve zero carbon status (Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6) is the projected significant increase in construction cost. While grant funding can offset some of this increase, further costs savings will be required to allow developers to deliver affordable homes within reasonable profit margins. One result of this will be a reduction in design quality; which will impact on the quality of the spaces provided and the robustness and longevity of the construction and finishes. In order to deliver better design standards, higher density attached family housing models should be considered to ensure that a proportion of the projected increase in cost of the building fabric can be transferred to the internal volume of the house, thus achieving better quality living spaces. The following paper reviews the context for future housing provision in the UK and examines two existing medium density terraced housing developments. The existing examples reflect two contrasting approaches: one derived from low-energy principles utilising minimum space standards, the other reflecting the need for high quality spaces but at premium cost. A new medium density terrace model is proposed that deals with these conflicting demands to demonstrate that it is possible to provide affordable, high quality, higher density, family housing whilst meeting low energy targets.

As public–private partnerships (PPPs) have become preferred and veritable approach to deliver affordable housing, the seemingly lack of understanding of the significant factors that impact on success has become a notable setback. This study aims to delineate significant factors that can support decisions in affordable PPP public housing delivery.

Largely, a questionnaire survey was adopted to elicit insights from practitioners, policymakers and experts to develop an evaluative decision support model using an analytical hierarchy process and multi-attribute utility technique approach. Further, an expert illustration was conducted to evaluate and validate the results on the housing typologies.

The results revealed that energy efficiency and low-cost green building materials scored the highest weighting of all the criteria. Furthermore, multi-storey self-contained flats were found to be the most preferred housing typology and were significantly influenced by these factors. From the model evaluation, the scores on the factors of sustainability, affordability, cultural values and accountability were consistent across all typologies of housing whereas that of benchmarking, governance and transparency were varied.

The decision support factors captured varied dimensions of key factors that impact on affordable PPP housing that have not been considered in an integrated manner. These findings offer objective and systematic support to decision-making in affordable PPP housing delivery.

Housing delivery systems have been classified as developmentally‐orientated or conventionally‐orientated. It has been claimed that a developmentally‐orientated approach to building procurement would encompass the parameters of community empowerment and participation in design, job creation via the development process, and economically and environmentally‐sustainable procurement (Taylor & Norval 1995). New building procurement systems display an increasing awareness of sustainability, but concentrate on economic and social sustainability, as opposed to environmental sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to document and evaluate the extent to which issues of environmental sustainability have been incorporated in the delivery of affordable housing in South Africa. The paper elaborates on a range of relevant principles for sustainable construction, which incorporate: minimisation of resource use; maximisation of reuse of resources; maximisation of use of renewable and recycled resources; use of non‐toxic materials; protection of nature; achievement of quality criteria; and promotion of labour intensive methods, skills training and capacity enhancement of local people. The authors examine the extent to which the principles of environmental sustainability have been applied, both in practice and in the formulation of South African housing policy. Finally, recommendations are made for the application of criteria for environmental sustainability in the delivery process of affordable housing in South Africa.

The paper aims at analyzing trends and principal causes of developments in‐house prices in Malta over the past 26 years, with a specific focus on the issue of affordability. This focusing on the strong demand for home ownership and interest from foreign buyers, supply availability together with its relationship to the high vacancy rate existing. Also delved into include the distortions in the rental market, sustainable housing measures, housing densities and high‐rise developments. Finally, noted is the implication on the use of housing as an investment asset in relation to trading on Malta's Stock Exchange

A long‐term approach has been utilized to arrive at deductions. Comparisons undertaken taken mostly with small states.

The present global credit crunch can offer some relief with regard to housing affordability for first time Maltese home buyers. Updating of restricted home rentals can lead to an improved working for the Maltese property market, with some of the large proportion of vacant units being released onto the market.

Based on data collected from National Statistics, together with data bases held in the practice of DHI Periti.

It derives projections for likely future developments in this context and in the light of this discusses some policy options.

An improvement into the quality of life for Maltese households delved into, whilst providing measures for households not to fall below the poverty line also indicated.

Gives original views on projections for the housing affordability index, together with noting that a large vacant property market for the Mediterranean region possibly creates minimal damage to its proper functioning.

The purpose of this paper is to enhance sustainability in affordable housing in Saudi Arabia within an effective locally adopted sustainability assessment tool by discussing the multi interdisciplinary concept of sustainability in the built environment and introducing environmental indicators which are recently developed to foster environmentally responsible practices. The study aim expands beyond proposing sustainable feasible alternatives for existing affordable housing project in Saudi Arabia, namely, Al-Ghala project, to appropriating the measuring tool itself to make the review process easier, faster and more effective.

Al-Ghala project, a typical affordable housing project is selected to act as a case study for this research. The housing units are assessed according to LEED to obtain the overall evaluation which obviously reflects the quality of the project sustainability. Elements that negatively affect the score and suggested feasible remedies are then identified, as well as inapplicable and inappropriate LEED components. The data were complemented by observation, interviews with occupants and project management team, monthly consumption rates of water and electricity, in addition to computer modelling and analysis by Ecotect and Green Building Studio.

Sustainability in affordable housing requires a holistic framework that promotes environmentally responsible practices including design, construction and management phases. LEED provides evidence that it can considerably contribute in enhancing sustainability of post-occupied affordable housing units by identifying points of weakness that lead to inefficient use of energy, water and materials; paving the way for a wide range of sustainable modifications. In addition, for LEED to be competent in Saudi Arabia a native version needs to be developed in which local circumstances are taken into consideration.

According to the wide range of subjects covered by LEED, some elements could not be measured in depth. Impact of modifications proposed for LEED needs to be tested further.

The paper includes implications for the development of feasible environmentally sensitive affordable housing in Saudi Arabia.

This paper fulfills an identified need to study how affordable housing can be made sustainable.

Despite the varied housing policies guiding the Nigerian housing provision, its delivery is yet to level up with the global acceptable sustainability requirements. Previous studies revealed that developing countries are yet to unravel and embrace the tenets of sustainable housing delivery. This study, therefore, adopted the analytic hierarchy process survey in evaluating the critical success factors (CSFs) that can enhance the delivery of sustainable housing and, in turn, meeting the nation’s sustainable housing needs.

Data for the study was sourced from housing developers in Nigeria. A pilot survey was done to reduce the identified success factors into a manageable size. These factors were evaluated using the analytical hierarchy process to ascertain the significant factors for sustainable housing delivery in developing economies.

Findings from the study revealed that government funding towards sustainable housing, access to low-interest housing loan, mandating affordable housing development, ensuring community participation during housing delivery, the involvement of housing stakeholders, ensuring the security of life and properties, use of sustainable materials, adaptable housing design and befitting land use are the significant CSFs required for enhancing sustainable housing delivery.

The findings of this study seek to inform developers, practitioners and policymakers on the CSFs crucial for sustainability attainment in the built environment.

The CSFs are quite important and they would promote government sustainability programmes, meeting housing needs and if well implemented and adopted thereby solving environmental and socio-economic challenges of traditional housing development. This research has added to the existing literature on sustainable housing delivery by providing information on inclusive CSFs that would enhance the delivery of sustainable housing in the developing economy. Further research of this nature can also be carried out to compare and contrast with other developing economies.

The aim of this paper is to study and evaluate the situation of different affordable housing projects with an eye toward developing a new affordable and sustainable housing model in the hot-arid climate of Jordan. There is a clear interest in providing affordable housing, yet sustainable and environmental issues are highly marginalized. To bridge this gap, and to meet Jordanian housing needs while tackling environmental problems, this research has analyzed the environmental issues of selected housing projects in Jordan, aiming to determine the existing problems. In addition, it proposes a solution through a sustainable and affordable housing model that was analyzed and compared to the previously studied housing projects.

A cross-sectional design strategy was adopted and a mixed design method was used. Information related to the physical and operation characteristics of buildings was collected through the review of “as built” drawings and other relevant documents. Further information was obtained from field surveys and personal interviews with architects and decision-makers in the housing sector. Energy consumption patterns of these housing projects were analyzed using the DesignBuilder simulation program. Water efficiency was assessed using the BRE Code Water Calculator. Based on the previous analysis, a new housing model was developed that was evaluated in terms of energy and water consumption.

The analysis shows a significant difference among different housing projects in terms of energy cooling and heating loads in different climatic regions in Jordan. Energy analysis proved that the proposed model is energy efficient in different locations and it can save up to 50.4 per cent of annual energy usage in comparison with existing projects. In addition, it can save around 43 per cent of water consumption by using a number of modifications for saving water.

Most of the housing initiatives focus on providing affordable housing, yet sustainable and environmental issues are highly marginalized. This research will bridge the gap by reducing the operation cost of affordable housing through adapting and implementing sustainable measures of design and construction.

This paper presents a sustainability assessment model to holistically guide sustainable construction and green retrofitting of affordable housing from the Ghanaian perspective.

A comprehensive review was carried out, which yielded 16 sustainability indicators. Then, a questionnaire survey was conducted among respondents in the Ghanaian housing sector. Forty-seven valid responses were received and analysed using fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) technique.

A four-index model was developed that includes: Housing and Transportation (H + T) index, household-satisfaction index, efficient stakeholder-management index and quality-related index. These indices account for 25.3%, 26.3%, 23.6% and 24.9% of sustainability attainment in affordable housing, respectively. Accordingly, household-satisfaction has the greatest contribution to sustainability attainment in affordable housing.

Due to challenges in obtaining responses to the questionnaire, the study was conducted with relatively small number of responses.

The model serves as a tool that could be used to objectively and comprehensively assess sustainability performance in affordable housing. Besides, it could be used as a baseline to calibrate future projects and for benchmarking success levels of comparable housing projects. Finally, the estimated indices are applicable in decision making for optimum resource allocation for sustainable low-cost housing in the Ghanaian perspective.

Affordable housing provision is one of the visions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), as highlighted in Vision 2030. For about 21 months now, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has ravaged the world and has increased the level of economic crisis and financial uncertainty to achieve planned projects. Studies investigating the reality of how the COVID-19 pandemic may streamline the chances of achieving affordable housing for all in 2030 are scarce. Thus, this study examined the relevance of affordable housing, the perceived impact of COVID-19 on affordable housing and proffered measures to promote affordable housing finance in Vision 2030.

Medina, Riyadh and Al Qassim were the participants' cities engaged via panel interviews and supported by existing relevant Vision 2030 documents. The Delphi method was adopted to explore the government officials, financial operators (bankers), academicians and employees' opinions, and the analysed data presented in themes.

Findings show that SA Vision 2030 blueprint expresses an exemplary country in all ramifications, including affordable housing finance for the citizens. Findings reveal that the COVID-19 pandemic threatens SA affordable housing finance Vision 2030. The increased housing shortage, high construction housing cost, increased foreclosures, increased eviction, possible homelessness, financial instability and vulnerability emerged as the perceived impact of COVID-19 on affordable housing finance in Vision 2030. Refinancing housing loans to boost Vision 2030, forbearance to promote Vision 2030, improve payment relief, among others, emerged as measures to promote affordable housing in the post-COVID-19 era.

The research only identified the possible negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on affordable housing finance in Vision 2030 and proffered policy solutions from the engaged participants' perspective. Also, the study covered three cities (Medina, Riyadh and Al Qassim). The suggestions that will emerge from this research may be adopted to address other sectors captured in Vision 2030 that are critical and hit by the ravaging pandemic.

Measures such as refinancing mortgages and strengthening government housing agencies will promote affordable housing for Vision 2030 if the relevant policymakers and mortgage institutions are well implemented.

This research identified the perceived early threats from the COVID-19 pandemic that could affect affordable housing transformation in Vision 2030 from the participants' perspective. Studies regarding COVID-19 and affordable housing in Vision 2030 are very few.