Housing Pathology: Towards a Holistic Pathological Approach of Residential Buildings

Housing pathology is the holistic approach to identify, investigate and diagnose housing deficiencies, specify preventive measures and remedial interventions and evaluate their effects. In analogy with health as the core condition for the quality of human life, the health of housing accommodations stands for housing quality, being the ability of...

Obsolescence – understanding the underlying processes

Obsolescence, defined as the process of declining performance of buildings, is a serious threat for the value, the usefulness and the life span of built properties. Thomsen and van der Flier (2011) developed a model in which obsolescence is categorised on the basis of two distinctions, i.e. between endogenous and exogenous cause-effect...

Building pathology in the Netherlands – main problems and results through research and practice.

This report is dedicated to the main problems of building pathologies in the Netherlands and the main solutions through research and practice as questioned by the CIB W086 Building Pathology Commission for its 2014 meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Objective is to contribute to the Research Roadmap 2014-2016 as communicated in January 2014. The...

Obsolescence, conceptual model and proposal for case studies

What is obsolescence? There is a general understanding that buildings, similar to machinery, should be demolished and replaced when they become obsolete. The truth of this assertion is found problematic, as obsolescence is not clearly understood in conceptual or practical terms. Understanding obsolescence is important. It presents a serious...

Understanding obsolescence: A conceptual model for buildings

What is obsolescence? Numerous older buildings have been demolished due to being labelled as obsolete. There is a general understanding that buildings, similar to machinery and durable consumer goods, should be demolished and replaced when they become obsolete. The truth of this assertion is examined and found to be problematic, as obsolescence...

Obsolescence and the end of life phase of buildings

What is obsolescence? Numerous older housing blocks have been knocked down because of being obsolete. There is a general understanding that buildings, like machinery and durable consumer goods, should be replaced when they become obsolete. But is this true? Obsolescence is a serious threat for built property. Given its immobile, long lasting and...

Obsolescence and the end of life phase of buildings

What is obsolescence? Numerous older housing blocks have been knocked down because of being obsolete. There is a general understanding that buildings, like machinery and durable consumer goods, should be replaced when they become obsolete. But is this true? Obsolescence is a serious threat for built property. Given its immobile, long lasting and...

Comparison of methods used in European countries to assess buildings' condition

This paper presents a comparative analysis of methods used in European countries to assess buildings’ condition. The following methods were compared: a Portuguese method to assess buildings condition, an English housing health and safety rating system, a French method to assess buildings that may be declared inhabitable, a Dutch standard about...

Main spatial defects of illegal residential buildings: The case of Alto da Cova da Moura districts

The purpose of the paper is to describe the main spatial defects in illegal residential buildings. Three research questions are addressed: What are the main spatial defects of the dwellings? What are the main spatial defects in the relation between buildings? What is the impact of spatial defects to the minimum habitability conditions of...

Main functional elements having defects of illegal residential buildings: The case of Cova da Moura district

The purpose of the paper is to describe the main functional elements with defects in illegal residential buildings. Three research questions are addressed: What are the main functional elements with defects in buildings and in dwellings? What are the main defects found? In which way these defects affect the use of buildings? The defects were...

Portuguese method for buildings' Condition assessment: Analysis of the first three years of application

The purpose of the paper is to analyse the first three years of application of the Portuguese method to assess buildings condition. This method is a multi-criteria assessment methodology to determine the condition of the building and the presence of basic infrastructure in a fivepoint scale, based on a visual inspection. The method was developed...