ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 335

International Conference | Bari - Lecce, Italy Session V - VI DESIGN DECISIONS AIMED AT REDUCING WASTE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIGHT WOOD FRAME LOW-INCOME HOUSING Carina F. Barros Nogueira1, Fernanda A. Saffaro2, Sidnei J. Guadanhim3 & Ercília H. Hirota4 1ZEMCH Brazil, Technology and Urbanism Centre, State University of Londrina, Brazil, [email protected] 2ZEMCH Brazil, Technology and Urbanism Centre, State University of Londrina, Brazil, [email protected] 3ZEMCH Brazil, Technology and Urbanism Centre, State University of Londrina, Brazil, [email protected] 4ZEMCH Brazil, Technology and Urbanism Centre, State University of Londrina, Brazil, [email protected] Abstract Managers of the construction sector are being urged to provide solutions to reduce the housing deficit in the low-income segment. The use of prefabricated building systems is a potentially successful alternative for this purpose, however, it is imperative to define early solutions in the product design phase that meet the rationalisation avoiding waste of high-value materials and low productivity of manpower. The Light Wood Frame (LWF) system is one of the alternatives of prefabricated building systems, however, its use in this segment needs to be further explored in Brazil. This research has been studying the decision-making in the product development in social house-building aimed at reducing waste in the LWF construction system. The study was carried out during the product design phase of a social housing, and the decisions established were registered by a team of researchers and students of Architecture. The data collection allowed the team to review design decisions that would result in material waste, considering mass production. Subsequently, a survey of the waste due to the solutions suggested enabled the assessment of the decisions impact. The main decisions were related to waste reduction through the dimensional coordination between the standardised components of the building system, especially at the interface between the boards that comprise the wall panels and at the windows and doors’ openings. The proposed solution ensures the dimensional coordination that reduces the waste of sheathing components. Keywords Waste, dimensional coordination, rationalisation, social housing, light wood frame. 333