Models for the Optimal Design of Housing Development Systems

Abstract

New settlement projects which provide housing can he considered as housing development systems. In such projects, there can he large variation in costs and quantitative design efficiency indicators. Therefore, quantitative analysis and optimisation techniques are required to achieve cost-effective designs of such development systems. In this paper, a quantitative model is discussed and two optimisation models are presented. Using these optimisation techniques, a planner can achieve both directly and simultaneously, multiple design objectives involving criteria such as density, open space standards, and so on, while minimising the cost of a given dwelling space, or maximising the dwelling space within a given affordable cost. Applications of the models are illustrated with example problems.