ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 509

housing. Moreover, in the CCA program, companies were aiming at a more costumer-centric approach, offering some flexibility in their products, this was seen as an opportunity to test the real
possibilities of adopting mass customization on a real life context. Regarding the PAR program,
previous researchers have done a considerable effort to understand the PDP and to map clients’
needs, which was an opportunity to carry on a comparative analysis. The case studies were conducted in two phases: (a) analysis of the product development process, and mapping customization requirements
In phase 1, data for the CCA was collected through a set of interviews with the company’s teams
responsible for the product development process, and with the production manager, foreman
and an intern at the construction site. Other sources of evidence were also important, such as the
analysis of legal documents concerning the rules that have to be followed to develop a product
for this type of housing program; direct observation at the construction site; participation on
meetings between the company and the costumers; and the analysis of architectural drawings,
users’ manual, and other internal documents concerning the company’s procedures. For the PAR
program, secondary data was obtained from an existing database and research reports that have
been produced by UFRGS. Data from a previous investigation on the assessment of projects delivered by three small sized local companies (Leite 2005) was also analysed.
In phase 2, the main source of evidence was previously collected data of the CCA program (figure
2). The company had a close contact with clients throughout the PDP, which makes it possible to
collect clients’ profile, requests for change in the dwelling plan and post-occupancy evaluation.
Data from three housing projects were analysed. All of them consist in low-rise buildings with a
similar architectural typology but with different dwelling sizes (2 and 3 bedrooms). Other important source of evidence was a survey carried out in one of these housing schemes to evaluate
adaptations in dwellings (sample size - 60%). During the application of the survey, d ata was also
collected through direct observation and photos of the adaptations were taken under dwellers
permit.
Figure 2: Secondary data available in the company’s database

Data available and sample size

Housing Schemes

Clients’ profile

Clients’ requests for change in Post occupancy evaluation
dwelling plan

SL

63%

60%

45%

SC

75%

80%

61%

SJ

50%

93%

not available

Data analysed for the PAR case has being previously collected through a post occupancy evaluation carried out in a sample size of 20% (for each housing scheme). The questionnaire consisted
of three main blocks: users profile, satisfaction and modifications in dwellings. Three different
projects were analysed, all of them consisted of 2 bedroom dwellings, however they present different architectural typologies: in the first ones, dwellings are distributed in a four store building
(schemes OR and RD); in the second one, dwellings are distributed in a five store building and
delivered without finishing materials (scheme MR); and the third is a low rise housing project
(scheme SR), similar to those analysed in the CCA case. In both cases, the scope of data analysis
was levels of satisfaction and changes made on the dwelling interior spaces and the private open
space (back yard and front entrance, when existing). Also, household profiles were analysed using
a hierarchical cluster analysis technique.

Opportunities and challenges to mass customize low-income housing in Brazil

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