Introduction and Background
The philosophy of housing management covers the whole spectrum in providing residential type of building, starts from planning, design, construction, operation and re-development. The focus for housing management within my interest is during the handing over process and continue throughout the occupancy stage of the house. As to ensure smooth running and operation of the house, the "management" must starts from its inception, particularly from the drawing board.
In applying this philosophy, this page is going to describe the BPE theory into residential building. It basically covers the evohomes and high rise residential.
The need for affordable housing (particularly Evohomes) can be based from Malaysian culture itself that tend to renovate, even before entering the house. This is supported by study of Nurdalila (2012). Based from the study (Nurdalila 2012), there is a need to provide just basic house unit for people, and let's allow them to renovate legally. This is better than illegal house renovation that currently being done by owners, which to some extent might give negative implication to the safety and health aspect. Another reason is the urban expansion and agglomeration that lead to cater for housing in the urban and suburban.
Latest research dimension in housing include the effect of design for low-cost housing, especially PPR, in providing stress-free environment to the residents. This is particularly crucial during the stay@home period, as in the Covid-19 pandemic. Shureen Faris (2020) talk about this scenario in Free Malaysia Today dated 8 May 2020.
Student housing
Student housing is a bit different from typical own-typed housing. The sense of ownership is in the form of rented housing space (single/double room or other various type of residential block) and enjoy the colleges facilities together with the other students (similar with strata management). The best situation is to 100% housed the students within the management of Student Housing Center, covers both undergraduate and postgraduate students; but this is far behind to achieve. It is part of university strategic plan, remain as it is as the continuous effort is being made from time to time to acquire an asset as to hit the target.
Student housing: Research coverage
2020: An on-campus student university student accommodation model
Student housing: The challenges
Capacity to house 100% students
Facility management
Housing Affordability: Another Dimension
The issue of housing affordability is now facing the whole world. It has different perspective from low cost housing, hence the housing affordability is more than financial challenges in owning a house. A study by Mulliner and Maliene (2012) provides wider view of the issue in housing affordability. In supporting this scenario, this survey is run, which is actually inspired from the study conducted by Mulliner and Maliene (2012). Feel free to take this survey in determining the parameters of housing affordability, in gathering response from our local context.
For benchmarking, we can adapt the Code for Sustainable Homes. Another standard that can be followed in improving housing quality is Decent Homes Standard which is introduced by the UK government. Within Malaysian context, new dimension of affordable housing is now under PR1MA, that brings affordable home to working class (middle income earner).
One of my research team product in supporting housing affordability is evohomes. The key and selling point of evohomes is landed-property within urban/sub-urban area, priced at around RM200,000 (USD62,000) for basic house unit. This project is lead by Prof. Dato' Ir. Dr. Hassan Basri (UKM), in collaboration with Bulatan Mekar as industry partner. Evohomes can be considered as the Grow Home concept as well and part of housing affordability definition. It is not a strata property, that can also be an affordable home. A lot of affordable housing development concentrates on strata property, as example UM Land project at Bandar Seri Putra, Selangor (22 Sep 2012); and not much on landed property.
Evohomes: Research coverage
The evohomes research covers the following perspective as well.
- House design: facade.
- Interior design: tatami wall, removable wall panel, wall flat, movable acoustic wall,
space saving
- Building control
- Affordable for young executive: this survey
Evohomes: Media coverage
In order to bring this idea to the market, we do involve in publisize the work. The 1st article about Evohomes appeared on 25 Aug 2012, by Managing Director of Bulatan Mekar.
Evohomes: The challenges
It is a fact that in everything we do, there must be a challenge that need to be overcome. This section discuss the challenges that need to be address in implementing Evohomes.
- Ability of the buyer to renovate: FOMCA and CUEPACS worry that the buyer do not have the ability to renovate the house, thus suggesting basic house unit should start with 3-bedroom.
Evohomes activity
In strengthening our capacity and capability, we do;
Evohomes Internal Seminar: 27 Sep 2012 @ FKAB UKM
Evohomes presentation to PR1MA: 15 Jan 2013 @ Ara Damansara
Evohomes presentation during Seminar Peluang Bisnes Dalam Hartanah Perumahan: 30 Nov 2013 @ Persada Johor
In implementing Evohomes, we referred to Manual Garis Panduan & Piawaian Perancangan Negeri Selangor, focusing on landed housing development.
Existing tools for housing affordability performance
- Building for Life 12: To raise the design quality of new build residential developments across England.