Housing Solution For Aleppo Post War
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Transcript of Housing Solution For Aleppo Post War
Abdul Hakim K1230810
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FACULTY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING
School of Civil Engineering and Construction
BSc (Hons) DEGREE IN
Civil Engineering
Abdul Hakim
K1230810
Housing solution for Aleppo post war
26/04/2015
Supervisor: DR Hasan Haroglu
WARRANTY STATEMENT
This is a student project.Therefore, neither the student nor Kingston University makes any
warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy of the data or conclusion of the work
performed in the project and will not be held responsible for any consequences arising out of
any inaccuracies or omissions therein.
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Abstract
This paper aims to research the most appropriate housing solutions for Aleppo post war.
The objectives of the study include exploring the best methods for repairing and
reconstructing the damaged houses, considering which materials can be recycled from the
damaged buildings, finding the most suitable temporary accommodations, and designing a
sustainable type of housing fast and for the lowest cost.
The research is based on the analysis of the literature devoted to city reconstruction after
war, the possible plans, materials, and the best ways to restore the community. The case
study method has been selected as the method for research conduction. Having used the
experience of Kosovo and Sierra Leone of society reconstruction after the war, this study
refers to the report created by Barakat under the title „Housing reconstruction after conflict
and disaster‟ written in Humanitarian Practice Network in 2003.
The study concludes that a plan of reconstruction will be necessary, The recommended plan
will necessitate a full consideration of damages in order to assess where the repair is
possible, and in which circumstances complete rebuilding and resettlement will be required.
The repair and reconstruction plan will be created with the purpose to create a list of the
primary and secondary buildings requested for analysis. The reconstruction plan will include
analysis of the material which can be recycled, as well as a full assessment of the need
and scope of the temporary accommodation required, and a recommendation for the most
suitable product . The study recommends that sustainable designing should take place in
order to guarantee cheap development of the houses built after the war.
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Table of Contents
Abstract ..................................................................................................................... 2
Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................ 5
1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 Aleppo Profile .................................................................................................................. 5
1.2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 5
1.2.2 Damage Analysis ......................................................................................................... 6
1.2.3 Housing and Shelter ..................................................................................................... 6
1.2.4 City Damage Analysis .................................................................................................. 7
1.3 Aim and Objective ........................................................................................................... 7
1.4 Methodology ................................................................................................................... 8
Chapter 2: Housing solution for Aleppo post war ............................................... 10
2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 10
2.2 Temporary Accommodation .......................................................................................... 10
2.3 Repairs and Reconstruction .......................................................................................... 12
2.4 Recycling of Materials ................................................................................................... 14
2.5 Sustainable Design ....................................................................................................... 16
2.6 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 16
Chapter 3: Methodology ........................................................................................ 20
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 20
3.2 Case Study ................................................................................................................... 20
3.3 Limitations ..................................................................................................................... 22
Chapter 4: Results and Key Findings ................................................................... 23
4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 23
4.2 Temporary Accommodation .......................................................................................... 23
4.3 Repair and Reconstruction ............................................................................................ 24
4.4. Recycling of Material .................................................................................................... 24
4.5 Sustainable Design ....................................................................................................... 25
Chapter 5: Discussion ........................................................................................... 26
5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 26
5.2. Temporary Accommodation ......................................................................................... 27
5.3 Repair and Reconstruction ............................................................................................ 28
5.4 Recycling of Material ..................................................................................................... 30
5.5 Sustainable Design ....................................................................................................... 30
Chapter 6: Conclusion ........................................................................................... 32
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Chapter 7: Recommendations .............................................................................. 33
8: References .......................................................................................................... 34
9: Appendices ........................................................................................................ 37
Appendix 1 Population displacement .................................................................................. 37
Appendix 2 Neighbourhood damage ................................................................................... 38
Appendix 3 Heavy damage ................................................................................................. 39
Appendix 4 Types of shelter ................................................................................................ 40
Appendix 5 Photos before and after the war ....................................................................... 41
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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Introduction
The Syrian crisis is the biggest humanitarian emergency at the moment in the world. Since
the beginning of the war in Syria three years ago almost half of all Syrians have been forced
to leave their home and flee for their lives. An estimated 9 million Syrians have fled their
homes since the outbreak of civil war in March 2011, taking refuge in neighboring countries
or within Syria itself. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR), about 2.5 million people have fled to Syria's immediate neighbors Turkey,
Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. 6.5 million people are internally displaced within Syria. This study
will focus on finding housing solutions for the effected people once this war ends.
1.2 Aleppo Profile
1.2.1 Introduction
Aleppo is a Syrian city situated at the north of the country, which has been destroyed as a
result of the war. As Aleppo was one of the largest cities in the country before the war, it can
be presumed that the Syrian government will be interested in the city reconstruction. The city
has a large potential, therefore, all the parties will be interested in it reconstruction and
further growth. The members of the community are interested in the reconstruction of their
homes as well since many families have remained in the city living in the temporary camps
and waiting for the improvement of the situation. The escalation of the war in city began in
2012 and continues till nowadays. The war has caused vast damages to the city and this
destruction is going to continue since the conflict has not ended yet. Most of the houses and
the infrastructure of the city have been either partially or fully ruined. The war is going to end
and the city will require rebuilding and reconstruction.
To see the possible reconstruction options it is necessary to assess the damages which
have already been caused and to predict further possible ruin in the future. Aleppo was one
of the major cities in Syria in 2011 with the population of about 3.083.500 people, which was
25% of the urban population of the whole country at the time. After the beginning of the war
1.72 million people had to leave their homes for different reasons, 48% of which still stayed
in Aleppo and 52% were displaced either to the coastal cities of Syria, or immigrated to the
neighboring countries. It should be mentioned that the city has a lot of informal housings.
Officially, two informal camps were created on the border with Turkey. The problems
concerning water and electricity supply, food and transportation, heating and other issues
deserve attention since the infrastructure of the city is partially damaged. Therefore, the
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damage analysis must be provided in order to assess the possible reconstruction options
and costs after the end of the war.
1.2.2 Damage Analysis
The analysis of the overall damages of the city requires additional attention. Along with
housing, the city infrastructure was damaged as well. 22 neighbourhoods at the east
remained without any healthcare services. About 70% of pharmaceutical industry has
stopped its operations. Problems with education have arisen as many public and private
schools were closed. Having 535 operating schools in 2011, 368 have remained
nonfunctional for now, with others experiencing problems in operation. The problems with
waste collection creates additional danger to the absence of the health care. Four
neighbourhoods at the west and 36 neighborhoods at the east have remained without waste
collection systems. The water supply has been reduced dramatically having offered only 1
hour of water delivery to the population. The electricity supply has been reduced as well. 805
of the population at the west have electricity from 1 till 4 hours a day. 55% of population at
the east have electricity supply from 3 till 6 hours a day. For comparison, pre-crisis electivity
supply was 23.2-24 hours daily. Problems with electricity have increased the deterioration
factors of the basic services.
Post war, the inhabitants of Aleppo experience transportation challenges. There is no direct
access to the international roads. These issues with transportation are complicated either by
blockade or because of the road having been ruined. Still, ruined roads are not the only
problem, public transportation is either too small or too limited. Having stopped the formal
transportation connection, many drivers started offering alternative transport which has
increased the price for services. The hike in gasoline prices has drastically affected the
transportation cost. The railways and airports of Aleppo have been closed since 2012. Due
to road issues, there is only one cross-point between the west and the east of the city and
hundreds of people cross this point searching for better life.
1.2.3 Housing and Shelter
In 2011, before the war began, there were about 720.000 housing units in Aleppo. As it has
already been mentioned, 302.000 housing units were ruined. Such devastating ruining of the
houses affected the shelter of the population. Having analysed the proportion of population
in terms of displacement, it should be stated that 44% of internally displaced people stayed
in their houses and did not reside anywhere, 26% of population had to reside in Aleppo and
30% fled to other cities of the country or abroad (Appendix 1). The current displacement of
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people in Aleppo, especially those who have their houses destroyed, takes place in informal
camps. Being aimed at reconstructing houses after the war, these informal residences will
require reconstruction as well. According to the UN Habitat (2014) report, people in most
cases refer to hosting shelter type (35%). However, there are also other types of shelter,
such as rent, collective rent, squatting, unfinished buildings, partially damaged buildings, and
collective shelter (Appendix 4).
1.2.4 City Damage Analysis
The damage of the city by the end of 2013 was serious. 52% of the housing stock of the city
(about 302.000 houses) was either partially or fully destroyed). Despite the housing stock,
industrial sector, educational establishments, city infrastructure, and healthcare services
were also ruined. 20 neighborhoods have received heavy damages, 61 neighborhoods were
partially affected, and 44 neighborhoods were either slightly affected or remained untouched
(Appendix 2). To have a detailed analysis for the area reconstruction it should be noted that
78% of heavy and partial damages are accounted for multi-storied buildings. 67% of heavy
damaged buildings were informal camps. The industrial damage comprises 71% (Appendix
3). Analyzing the population affected by the housing damages, it should be stated that 2.25
million of people were affected either in heavy or partial way. Only 0.96 million of people in
Aleppo were not affected in a direct way.
1.3 Aim and Objectives
The study aims to conduct a detailed exploration into options for the best way to reconstruct
housing in Aleppo, and to make certain there is a robust recommendation to find a solution
for housing in Aleppo post war. The study will investigate the best ways to repair and reuse
buildings, paying particular attention to rebuilding damaged buildings. The study will also
consider use of sustainable design concepts and the prospect of rebuilding using materials
recycled from the damaged buildings, and examine both temporary and permanent housing
solutions.
Abdul Hakim K1230810
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Objectives
Temporary accommodation
The study aims to provide a recommendation for the most suitable temporary
accommodation for the inhabitants of Aleppo. Many people have lost their homes or their
homes have been damaged during the war, the study will explore options for finding short
term accommodation until the work repairing and rebuilding houses is completed.
Repairing the damaged housing
The study will consider how to repair the housing of Aleppo to the standard that it was prior
to the war. A reconstruction plan will be developed which will look at the best materials,
methods and the resources available.
Recycle the materials from the damaged buildings
Maintaining the environment and its resources is an important objective of global
organisations and governments, through mobilising sustainable environmental concepts.
The study will explore which materials can be reused and recycled in the rebuilding process
in Aleppo. This will make certain that the dumping of the demolition waste and avoiding
landfills is possible.
Sustainable design
The study will give detailed consideration into researching and suggesting a sustainable
design which will meets the needs of the next phase. It is possible to assume that the
approach of sustainability is a natural tendency in civil engineering nowadays, so that it has
to be applied to the project in Aleppo.
1.4 Methodology
The case study methodology has been selected as the best way to justify the reconstruction
facilities offered for Aleppo after the war. The choice of the case study as a research method
is explained by the possibility to justify the situation and the research question (Thomas
2011). The advantage of the case study methodology in this case is the possibility to find the
appropriate case, which suits the situation, and to guarantee that the information from that
case can be applied to the current problem (Hyett, Kenny, & Dickson-Swift 2014). Referring
to the purpose of the research, the case study is used with the purpose to answer the
question of how Aleppo can be reconstructed after the war and why the reconstruction of
the city after the war is required (Baxter & Jack 2008). The case study research method can
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help understand whether the post-war reconstruction of the cities deserves attention. The
case study methodology has a number of advantages in this research. First, the case study
will help to calculate the possible advantages and disadvantages of the selected strategy.
Second, the case study shows all the possible complications and limitations of the selected
strategies. Finally, case study research helps to see the scope of work required to be done.
The choice of the report by Barakat (2003) titled “Housing reconstruction after conflict and
disaster” managed by Humanitarian Practice Network is a report which contains an analysis
of post-war Kosovo and Sierra Leone. The analysis of the destroyed cities was completed
with the detailed plan of the reconstruction which is necessary to renew the city and the life
there.
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Chapter 2: Literature Review
Housing solution for Aleppo post war
2.1 Introduction
Having conducted research with the purpose to reconstruct housing in Aleppo, the study is
aimed at analysing the possible ways for repairing the damaged housing, recycling the
materials from the damaged buildings, searching for temporary accommodations, and
designing a sustainable type of housing which can be built in a short time and low cost. The
literature review includes the discussion of the strategies different cities and counties have
used for repairing the damaged houses, the ways of recycling the materials from the
damaged buildings and how to do it faster and with higher efficacy, the means that
governments used for searching for temporary accommodations to people after wars
conflicts and other disasters. Moreover, the literature review will focus on the designing the
houses which can be built within the shortest period of time and for the lowest price. The
main focus of the discussion is a scope of academic sources from different databases, which
discuss the city reconstructions after the war. Aleppo is a large city in Syria, which will
require reconstruction after the war. However, it is necessary to consider all the possible
variants and to understand the advantages and complications, which may appear after the
decision to make the reconstruction in a particular way. The main purpose of the literature
review is to analyse the existing resources and to use the data for planning the
reconstruction of Aleppo city. The information from the literature review will be taken for the
discussion of the research results and providing the recommendation for the use of the
research findings in the post-war reconstruction.
2.2 Temporary Accommodation
With regard to the temporary accommodation for former refugees from Aleppo, it is
necessary to state that Syria should rely on its own land as long as it is a less expensive and
complicated decision. As Leckie (2007) explains, the majority of post-war states are not able
to afford refugee resettlement on their own. As a consequence, Syria is expected to rely on
the foreign donations and investments. Leckie (2007) also pays attention to the fact that
foreign investors will need to receive returns on investments. It can become a strong
motivator for the national economy (Leckie 2007). Therefore, Aleppo city should think about
different ways of creating cheap accommodation. To be more specific, Brynen and El-Rifai
(2007) assume that national building and constructing agendas still should demonstrate their
involvement in the process. Considering the experiences that United Kingdom had creating
the temporary accommodation after the World War II, it is important to note that the
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government created the temporary bungalow (Vale 2003). The main problem of such
accommodation is that in reality their costs exceeded the long lasting brick houses. Having
an intention to create a low cost accommodation within the short time frames, the UK
government appeared to create the high cost houses of low quality (Noble 2008). Having an
intention to build the prefabricated houses, the government divided the factories‟ previously
used for war manufacturing into sections “all [are] to have two bedrooms, the floor area
… to be 635 square feet, and to allow transportation from the factory, each component
part could be no bigger than 7½ feet wide” (Gilbert 2011, p. 2). The use of such
accommodation allowed saving costs on building brick houses. Prefabricated houses in
practice were also used much longer, even now it is possible to see people still living in such
buildings created after the war which designed only for temporary living.
The use of prefabricated houses intended to be temporary accommodation has a number of
advantages. There is the ability to like the create numerous houses for many people within
a short period of time, they are long lasting, and also the fact that these houses blend with
the contemporary city architecture (Lizarralde 2014). However, the numerous advantages do
not allow considering such buildings as suitable accommodation because their cost is too
high (approximately twice the price of a brick house). Also, each house required separate
design due to the inability to put the building on mass production. Even though the
reconstruction of accommodation was cheap, the infrastructure required much costs
(Robinson 2009). Discussing temporary accommodation which was used in many countries
after the war, the major problem identified is the fact that it was used for much longer period.
Creating a temporary accommodation, it should correspond to its initial qualities, to be “an
unpleasant expedient justified only as a last resort and sometimes to be abandoned just as
soon as emergency is over” (Moses p. 17). However, the major problem is that most of the
houses are built for human convenience. Also, the close location to the city infrastructure
also makes the building have better appearance than temporary accommodation requires.
Another research confirms the fact that temporary accommodation for refugees has to be
placed at the urban areas. Kacowicz and Lutomski (2007) suggest that urban areas are the
most suitable places for the temporary settlement of refugees due to numerous advantages.
To be more exact, the refugees will be surely provided with all the basic facilities, the
shortage of which can be observed in rural areas. As a consequence, urban area is more
convenient from the perspective of temporary employment as well. The refugees will
comprehend the already existing socio-environmental framework, which is applied in a
certain region (Kacowicz & Lutomski 2007).
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All in all, temporary accommodation for the refugees from Aleppo is expected to rely on the
following aspects. First of all, foreign investments remain to be a sufficient source of
budgeting. It is especially important under the conditions of economic collapse, because the
country will need the reanimation of its basic industries. Foreign capital will be valuable at
this stage, as society will lack employment. Second, mobilising the forces of the most
ambitious national building agendas is also effective, as it will provide the refugees with
certain degree of employment, as well. Besides that, these agendas will get cheap lands at
their disposal, which it will create convenient conditions for new start-ups and projects in the
related industries. Third, the refugees should be resettled in the already existing urban zones
as long as there is no considerable impact on the process of urbanisation. In fact, the
refugees will be provided with all basic facilities. Having considered these points, these
decisions address social and economic pillars of sustainability. Hence, this strategy fits the
rest of the decisions regarding the project of repairs and reconstruction in Aleppo.
Eventually, these are the most pivotal issues, which the literary review has distinguished.
2.3 Repairs and Reconstruction
To start with, it is necessary to admit that the literature review has identified that material
consideration is an approach, which has to be chosen for the entire procedure of repairs and
reconstruction in Aleppo. Many houses in Aleppo were built using concrete, therefore,
concrete and bricks repair and rehabilitation should become the main focus of this part in the
literature review. Concrete crack and concrete columns repair should become the main
aspects of city reconstruction (Gambhir 2013). As Biondini and Frangopol (2008) have
proven, mechanical characteristics of material are a prominent factor regarding the
resistance of reconstructed building. The essence of the chosen approach is based on the
redesign of original material into brick sets of the similar size. Biodini and Frangopol (2008)
have conducted an elasticity test in accordance with Italian UNI Standard. As a result, the
redesigned set of bricks is capable of resisting the tension of the load equal to nearly 30% of
the material‟s natural strength. On the contrary, it is worth mentioning that the material
demonstrated no vibration deviation at the load equal to 10% of its natural strength (Biodini
& Frangopol 2008). One may argue that these results are valid in the laboratory environment
only. However, the use of recycled and re-used material in city repair and reconstruction is a
justified means.
Taking these points into consideration, it is necessary to note that the material for
reconstruction is the primary concern. In such a way, this approach suggests that the original
material of damaged buildings should obtain a form of smaller bricks, which comprise a set
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of the similar size. The parameters for a single brick and a number of sets depend on the
peculiarities of the destroyed building. All in all, it is the main point concerning the general
approach of reconstruction and repairs of the houses in Aleppo. Eventually, the suggested
methodology is quite flexible. It recommends taking measures of the related environment,
especially soil, as long as it has the primary connection to the foundation of a building. Thus,
foundation is the central objective of this methodology. This is clearly seen throughout the
related requirements of the methodology. Still, this methodology implies an independent
decision-making concerning the results of the investigation, because these data are
regarded as the main determinant of potential solutions (Telford 1991). In fact, such flexibility
is relevantly correlated with the suggested design, which will be described next. Hence, it is
necessary to proceed with this description.
Regarding the basic points of Aleppo houses‟ design, it is necessary to admit that it needs
minimal hierarchical guidance. In other words, it does not have to follow a strict pattern,
which is applied to every single damaged building within the city. That is why the results of
the first proceedings of the international workshop on design in civil and environmental
engineering suggest that minimum of instructive guidance is the best way to serve all needs
of the destroyed buildings in Aleppo. To be more specific, these proceedings assume that
the design of damaged building should be developed in terms of a so-called Reservoir
project. This project directs repairs team into smaller groups, which work for every single
house independently. These groups are enabled to create their own standards and
approaches, as the main goal is to restore destroyed buildings at the highest level of civil
engineering practice and environmental considerations. In such a way, each building will be
designed in accordance with its own requirements, which are not influenced by the general
outline. By the same token, the reconstructing process is able to fill some data gaps, which
can be not mentioned by the hierarchical framework (Thompson 2011). The gained
experience can be exchanged and systemized so that this project has some theoretical
value to the entire discipline of civil engineering. These procedures may seem to be
complicated, but they can be supported by the relevant evidence from the related case
study. Actually, the majority of repair procedures were conducted by private building agenda
within post-war Europe (Charlesworth 2006). These agendas developed their own
frameworks regarding every single segment of destroyed cities. This framework was not as
detailed as a modern one, but the purpose of this example is based on the need to prove
that reconstruction procedures can be embodied without a hierarchical guidance of the
government. It is also worth mentioning the socio-cultural factor. Promoting of the idea that
Europe should start “living the same life” was sufficiently strong (Charlesworth 2006). As a
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consequence, the same social advertising can be applied to the case of Aleppo. The lack of
materials and equipment was not a particular approach, but the unavoidable fact of the post-
war reality. Hence, contemporary independent repair teams have to calculate required
resources as accurately as possible.
Moreover, it is becoming increasingly apparent that such design means minimal costs, as
well. It does not require the entire set of sophisticated equipment, which can be transported
without the guarantees of it being actually used. The suggested design is flexible so that it is
able to fit any budget, which will be available for Syria after the end of the civil war. Budget,
however, is not the most prominent concern of house repairs in Aleppo. One of the most
important objectives is quality restoring of all damaged buildings according to the up-to-date
standards and principles of sustainability. As long as the suggested standards and
approaches have been issued, it is necessary to discuss the considerations of sustainability
in terms of design.
2.4 Recycling of Materials
Recycling is known to be one of the most environmentally friendly practices. Therefore, it
should be applied to the repairs and reconstruction of houses in Aleppo. It reduces costs,
time, and considers environmental concerns. In such a way, recycling serves these
functions. The problem of demolition waste and construction waste recycling will become the
central issue after the war ends in Aleppo. After the war, the amount of demolition waste is
huge and being aware of the possible recycling aspects of this material can become help on
city reconstruction. Bricks, wood, class, concrete, metal are all the demolition and
construction waste which can be recycled. European Union insists that about 20-25% of
such waste can be recycled (European Commission 2015). The value of demolition and
construction waste recycling is in its components and resources. Much material can be used
for further reconstruction after the recycling process.
According to Saddleback Education Publishing (2009) admits that the most widespread
building materials for recycling are concrete and bricks. In fact, concrete comprises
approximately 40-50% of all recyclable building materials. Concrete usually loses 10-15% of
its original size. Therefore, it is a convenient and efficient material for preliminary planning.
What is more, it can be easily separated in order to be utilized for bearing or foundation
supporting segments (Saddleback Education Publishing 2009).
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With regards to bricks, it is important to note that recycling has certain implications, which
are revealed by Hendriks and Janssen (2004). Reused bricks tend to contain a particular
degree of hazardous substances and chemicals, which are minimal in the original
substance. Hence, one should not confuse recycled bricks with the so-called “equivalent of
building material” as long as it is likely to be harmful to health and safety. Needless to say,
the recycling calculations of substances and chemicals are supposed to address the existing
standards and requirements, which are regarded as official in a particular state (Hendriks &
Janssen 2004). These standards may seem to be irrelevant, though, but certain hazardous
deviations still can be traced. Therefore, quality assurance is obligatory at every single
phase of recycling.
The decision on how the material should be reused is made on the basis of the following
sequence; The evaluation of the material is provided and assessment made whether the
product can be reused. Another option of using the recycling option is to see whether the
material from the construction can be reused. Overall, the main stages of the recycling are
assessment of the material, reparation of different types of materials which can be reused,
preparation of the material to recycling and recycling of the material depending on their
characteristics (Limbachiya & Roberts 2004). With regard to recycling of demolition and
construction waste, it is important to understand the principle according to which material
should be separated. Firstly there are the materials, which can be used in reconstruction
without further recycling. Such material usually includes metal, wood, and glass. Rubble is
the material which is ready to be reused in another application. Soil and chemically
contaminated rubble is the material, which requires additional handling before recycling
process. Wood, plastic, unsorted glass and metal are the materials which should be applied
to the recycling processes before being used. Finally, the demolition and construction waste
can have some material, which is not subjected to any recycling process and they are to be
eliminated in any other safe way (Hendriks & Janssen 2001).
The University of British Columbia (2014) offers another plan of recycling demolition and
construction waste. Stage one is estimation. At this stage the amount and type of the
material is estimated. The second stage should set the target of recycling. Each material can
be used in different spheres and it is important to know the sphere where the recycled
material will be used. The third stage is planning. This stage allows minimizing the waste
generation and costs on its recycling. The fourth stage is engagement where the material is
transported to the stations where it will be recycled. Track and evaluation are the final stages
of recycling which involve monitoring and assessment of the final product.
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It is necessary to admit that recycling of building materials is supposed to address all three
dimensions of the theory at substantial level. To put it in a simpler way, recycling of building
materials should consider requirements of space, lifespan, and technology. This theory also
addresses the sustainable design, which can be regarded as the embodiment of economic
pillar of sustainability. Recycling techniques should also consider related standards of health
and safety so that minimum or none of hazardous substances and chemicals are included in
the recycled concrete and bricks, which are the most used material for house repairs in
Aleppo. In such a way, this strategy correlates with the outlined methodology, which is
considered as an environmental pillar of sustainability. Taken together, these pillars render a
social pillar, which raises an additional, but also important issue: a temporal accommodation
for Aleppo‟s citizens, whose houses will be under reconstruction. Hence, it is pivotal to
discuss this aspect separately.
2.5 Sustainable Design
With regard to sustainable housing design in Aleppo, it is necessary to admit that the central
concern is a need for minimal time and costs, which underpin the idea of environmentally
friendly design. This requirement is logical as long as Syria suffers from the civil war and
external financial support is not provided on a regular basis. Besides, it is essential to
mention that low costs should be understood in terms of the design sophistication, while the
budget for the factual repairs, material, etc. is no object. Taking these points into account, it
is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the fact that design has to presuppose a
progressive sequence of repairs. It is possible to assume that the approach of sustainability
is a natural tendency in civil engineering nowadays, so that it has to be applied to the project
in Aleppo. House design required for Aleppo should serve all three pillars of sustainability:
economic, environmental, and social (Boström 2012). There is also some additional benefit,
which is beyond the terms of sustainability. Overall, working the direction of sustainable
design, it is important to create universal house, safe and secured. The cost efficiency over
time must be supported with the efficiency of the recourses as only in this case the
sustainability of design will be justified (Queensland Government 2008).
According to Hendriks and Janssen (2004), environmentally sustainable building can exist in
terms of considering three dimensions: technologies, space, and building lifespan. All these
dimensions are mutually correlated, but the most significant one is technology as long as it
directly underpins environmental sustainability. In other words, a building, which obtains
reasonable space and performs effectively for a long period, cannot exist without being
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incorporated with sustainable technologies. On the contrary, it is worth noting that lifespan of
a building is also an important component. It is not included in the traditional sustainable
housing models; however, but it can be regarded as one of the most prominent determinants
of sustainability. Provided that a building is designed according to the sustainable
technologies and obtains rational area, but demonstrates certain problems in its
performance, lifespan should be regarded as a metric. This metric designates a period of
real sustainability of the building. Taking this point into account, it should be admitted that
this dimension has to be included into the mathematical calculations of sustainable housing.
Such models will enable to create comparisons, which include related dependent and
independent variables (changeable and stable factors). As a result, these comparisons will
determine approximate break-even points for every single set of variables (Hendriks &
Jannsen 2004). To return to the subject of the houses‟ repairs in Aleppo, it should strive for
long-termed lifespan, because it is one of the objectives, which have already been tackled.
Thus, Hendriks and Jannsen (2004) suggest that environmental load has to be spread over
a broader area.
In fact, broader area means more space, which is a component of the three dimensions
theory, as well. In contrast, a rational use of space, which is easily affected by environmental
loads, is not any more sustainable. That is why sustainable space implies sufficient width of
the foundation, which is commonly regarded as the main area of contact with the
environmental loads. As it has been mentioned previously, foundation is the primary concern
of the project‟s methodology so that this theory is quite applicable to the entire case of
Aleppo. The similar evidence can be traced in the related case study. As it has been already
mentioned, the experience of post-war reconstruction in Europe suggests that centre and
foundation are the most prominent segment of a building. In such a way, this objective
correlates with the theory of three dimensions. To be more precise, it is related to the
dimension of space, because centre and foundation are commonly recognized as the main
determinants of space management for a certain building.
The economic examples of the sustainable design are related to the use of the “energy
efficient appliances”, “energy efficient heating technologies (heat pumps, automatic
temperature control, smart meters)”, and “installation of solar panels for space heating, water
heating or electricity production” (Strandbakken 2011, p. 7). Considering the environmental
sustainability of the house design, the following aspects should be considered, the use of
recycled and re-used material should be applied, landscape deprivation, pollution, and
embedded energy. The social issues of sustainable design should pay attention to such
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aspects as noise, criminology position, lack of space, families with children. Overall, creating
sustainable design the following technical standards should be included as “water, sewage,
insulation, size, and “quality” in general” (Strandbakken 2011, p. 15). The research
conducted by Nijenmanting and Senel (2010) suggests that the best variant for a sustainable
design in the Netherlands was a house for on family where the family is an owner and the
house is of low price.
The examples of the sustainable housing designs are numerous. As it has already been
mentioned a sustainable house design includes the houses which are created with the
minimum costs and do not require much financial incentives in the future. Therefore, the
choice of the solar panels and the green houses which are supplied by the natural heating
and cooling systems is the best choice. However, the initial price of such houses is higher.
The state should decide whether the initial cost can be exaggerated with the purpose to
reduce the housing spending in the future. It is significant to admit that since the number of
refugees has increased, many world known companies have decided to create sustainable
houses which correspond to all the features of sustainability. The first example is a refugee
housing by Ikea. The main characteristics are that they house five people, solar panel, USB
outlet and a specific rook which generates the sunrise at night. Exo shelter by Reaction
Housing can contain four beds. Being too small and inappropriate for long living, such type
of housing does not meet the needs of Aleppo community. U-Dome by World Shelters with
cost about $1,500 can be considered as a good temporary accommodation, but not as a
sustainable design due to small space and absence of the elementary infrastructure needs.
QuickHab by Green Horizon Manufacturing would be a good choice. Even though the space
is about 25 square meters, such type of house is equipped with all the necessary items for
living. The strong walls are also supported with the keys security that allows it being the
accommodation for people which need fast and cheap homes and who plan to stay there for
some time. Global Village Shelter by Global Village Shelter, LLC can be considered as a
good decision since being convenient for living with all the requires facilities, this house can
be quickly delivered to any part off the world. Being a sustainable house, this item can work
for longer years (Mallonee 2014).
The precast concrete housing design implies less time and costs and relates to the
sustainable design (Charlesworth 2006). Minimum time for repairs per single house is
conveyed by a progressive sequence of reconstructing procedures. In the same manner,
costs are saved. Gradual repairs presuppose the exact amount of materials and equipment
so that repairs produce minimum waste (Englekirk 2003). Actually, precast concrete housing
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design applied to the destroyed buildings in Aleppo would contribute to the practice of civil
engineering. This experience will create a new civil engineering paradigm from the
perspective of precast concrete housing design. In other words, this technique has not been
applied to the repairs of houses in a post-war city to its broadest extent. Thus, the Aleppo
project obtains not only empirical value, but theoretical one as well.
2.6 Summary
Therefore, the literature review section has considered the basic literature devoted to the
problems of temporary accommodation, repairs and reconstruction principles, the ways of
using the recycled material for building and sustainable design principles. The information
from this section will be helpful in understanding the foundational aspects for city
reconstruction in Aleppo. Having referred to the case study and the example of city
reconstruction in Kosovo and Sierra Leone, the literature review will be helpful in providing
the discussion of the results obtained. However, before considering the results and their
detailed analysis, the methodology used in this research requires precise consideration.
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Chapter 3: Methodology
3.1 Introduction
The research refers to the case study as the basic methodology. The examples of city
reconstruction in Kosovo and Sierra Leone after the war are used as the basis for the
research. Having referred to the report by Barakat (2003) titled “Housing reconstruction after
conflict and disaster”, the key results will provide a detailed analysis of the possible ways for
repairing the damaged housing, recycling the materials from the damaged buildings,
searching for temporary accommodations, and designing a sustainable type of housing
which can be built in a short time and low cost. The research methodology will cover
Barakat‟s report with the specific reference to Kosovo and Sierra Leone with the purpose to
consider the damages in the cities and to analyse the actions referred to during
reconstruction. Having used one case study as the basis for plan development, the focus of
the research will be the ways of arranging temporary accommodation, repair and
reconstruction, recycling material necessary for city reconstruction, and sustainable design.
3.2. Case Study
The report by Barakat (2003) titled „Housing reconstruction after conflict and disaster‟ and
prepared by Humanitarian Practice Network is used as the case study for consideration.
Referring to this report, the following basic information is used, the availability of the
community resources, the materials existing and necessary, the possibility to recycle the
damaged buildings, and the planning materials. The case study is based on the analysis of
the cities reconstruction after different disasters. Kosovo and Sierra Leone have been
chosen as the basic cities for analysis due to their close relation to the problem under
consideration.
Using the case study, temporary accommodation was considered with the purpose to
understand how Kosovo and Sierra Leone solved the problem of temporary shelter for
people who remained without their houses, but who did not want to move to other cities and
waited for their homes to be reconstructed. Immediately after the war ended, the temporary
shelters were arranged in Kosovo and Sierra Leone with the purpose to meet human needs.
The case study shows that the temporary accommodation for the citizens of Kosovo and
Sierra Leone was done with the help of the cheapest and the most suitable material for the
area. In case of the cities used for the analysis, plastic was used.
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Repair and reconstruction of Kosovo and Sierra Leone was provided within the shortest
timeframes and under the sever pressure of financial limits. The case study offers several
ways of after war city reconstruction and the implementation of the human labour and state
financing will be considered as the best choice. The repair and reconstruction mentioned in
the case study were subjected to the strict rules. The cities with small damage were not
repaired for the state costs at all. The cities which were not damaged severely were under
repair and those cities, which were subjected to severe damage, were rebuilt. Repair
strategies involved the smaller repairs of the houses, repair of the constructions, and
reconstruction of the houses in case major damages.
Recycling of material was not popular in Kosovo and Sierra Leone. Some waste after the
war was recycled, but it was not prominent in the reconstruction of the city. The recycled
demolition waste was not used in major amounts; there is little discussion about it in the
case study. This limitation can be considered as one of the novelties in the current research.
The case study did not discuss much of the recycling strategies; therefore, it is important to
understand the processes where recycled materials could be used and to address the
advantages where it could be applied.
The case study also referred to the sustainable design in cities reconstruction. The major
point about the city sustainability mentioned in the study is the possibility to refer to
environmental, technical, financial, organizational, and social sustainability. Paying attention
to the climate,to technical possibilities of the state, to financial opportunities, and to the
social needs, the cities need to use the strategies required for reconstruction and city
rebuilding.
The repair and rebuilding strategies Kosovo and Sierra Leone used for cities reconstruction
will be applied to Aleppo. Having gathered the information and the experience of the after-
war cities, further discussion will be provided with the collaboration of the literature review
with the purpose to understand the best way to reconstruct housing having an intention to
find a solution for housing in Aleppo post war. The collected information will help create a
detailed assessment of the required materials and the necessary actions for Aleppo
reconstruction having focused on the best ways to repair and reuse buildings, paying
particular attention to rebuilding damaged buildings, using recycled materials, and to find
both temporary and permanent sustainable housing solutions.
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3.3 Limitations
One of the main limitations of the case study methodology is not enough resources. Having
used one case study as the basis for the research, the analysis is referred to one source
only. Also, the subjectivity of the problem solution is another limitation. It is obvious that the
case study is presented from the one position of one author or a group of authors who have
their vision of the issue. However, sometimes the opposing opinions are required to make a
balanced and informed decision. Another limitation of the research in this case is the status
of the war. The war has not ended yet, therefore, there is no adequate assessment of the
losses and damages. The reliability of the case study can be questioned, the peculiarity of
the data collection and the method creates biased relation to the problem since most case
studies do not describe the sample method collection procedure, which does not allow
checking the scope.
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Chapter 4: Results and Key Findings
4.1 Introduction
Having analysed the case study with the detailed consideration of the reconstruction of
Kosovo and Sierra Leone after their conflicts, the research results section presents a plan
and analysis of the possible measures necessary to be implemented in Aleppo after the war
ends in regards to the possible ways for repairing the damaged housing, recycling the
materials from the damaged buildings, searching for temporary accommodations, and
designing a sustainable type of housing which can be built in a short time and low cost.
Having used the report by Barakat (2003), the research will be conducted with the purpose
to describe the best way to reconstruct housing in Aleppo after the war ends. The analysis of
the selected case study has helped to conclude that many issues and aspects should be
reconsidered before the beginning of the reconstruction process. The research has identified
the key points to consider and the major actions required to reconstruct the city after the
conflict.
4.2 Temporary Accommodation
Having considered the examples of Kosovo and Sierra Leone, it is important to prioritise
beneficiaries and people who require temporary and further the constant houses. The
following criteria should be used:
• People whose homes were totally destroyed and who had to use informal camps for
living, who could not allow renting the places for living or leaving in other cities or states
• Families with more than 6 members and having children under 12
• The families with older members and with chronic diseases
• Those who are interested in rebuilding their homes
• The families where the father died during the conflict
• Families living in the risky conditions
Plastic houses and tents are the cheapest and the most rational temporary accommodations
for people. Such houses should be located in a camp allowing reducing the square used.
Such houses are to be prefabricated and easy to transport since it is not predicted to use
this temporary housing for longer purposes.
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4.3 Repair and Reconstruction
Having accessed the situation in the whole, the reconstruction should start with the houses
which were partially damaged. In this case, the families will be able to move to their
apartments faster and, therefore, leave their temporary accommodation for another family in
need. The affected houses and those which were subjected to minimum damage will require
repair only. This solution is applied to the houses where the construction is not touched. In
case of house repair, the owners can decide whether to reconstruct the building faster using
their funds and to move in or to wait for the assistance funds and to live either in partially
ruined buildings or to move to temporary shelters. In case of minor damage in the
neighbourhood, the community should arrange the provision of the necessary materials for
people and to encourage them to repair their homes without waiting for the state to do it,
since building the new houses for those whose places that were totally destroyed or heavily
damaged should be a priority. A very important rule, which should be maintained, is that the
house repair is done to the pre-war condition and remains in the property of the previous
owner. In case of any improvement of the housing condition, the cost should be imposed on
the owner of the building.
4.4. Recycling of Material
The use of recycled material while city reconstruction is helpful and profitable means for city
renewal. The example from Kosovo and Sierra Leone case study shows that the use of
recycled material can be justified to the extent, until it is not associated with human death
and disaster. In this case, the demolition and construction waste must be used for other
needs or in such a way that people do not associate it with death. Wood, metal, and plastic
are the materials which must be re-used if their condition allows doing it. Moreover, the case
study shows that the temporary buildings if constructed from cheap and non-stable material
can be recycled as well. The use of temporary shelters as a recycled material for further
building has been justified in the case study example. Also, the information from the case
study confirms high percentage use of metal and concrete recycled and re-used for
community purposes.
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4.5 Sustainable Design
Sustainable design should meet five key characteristics of sustainability, namely
environmental sustainability (avoids any attempts to contaminate the environment), technical
sustainability (used technology corresponds to the place and its needs), financial
sustainability (the plan corresponds to the possible financial needs and abilities of the state),
organizational sustainability (the ability to organize the working process and to arrange
successful communication between the parties), and social sustainability (the projects meets
the social needs in general). The sustainable design of the new houses should also be
considered as one of the options along with city reconstruction and housing repair. New
housing requires more additional work compared to housing repair, namely selection of
location, construction model, material to be used and design.
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Chapter 5: Discussion
5.1 Introduction
The strategy discussed as a part of the city reconstruction should be considered as the plan
of actions. The findings have presented a detailed analysis, which will be used on the
planning and which require consideration after the war ends. The plan discussed will affect
the damaged buildings after being reconstructed and the whole community. One of the main
affects which should be remembered is a complete loss of cultural heritage of a city. Cultural
design can be partially renewed; however, it would not be the same as it was before the war.
Thus, the war destroyed Khusriwiye Mosque and the Carlton Citadel Hotel, Umayyad
mosque, and many other cultural and historic buildings (see Appendix 5 for photos before
and after the war). These buildings can be reconstructed. However, the historic and cultural
significance of these buildings will be lost. These places will remain the reminders of the war,
which took place in the city, but will never be considered as the cultural heritage. Having
reconstructed the place, it will be impossible to renew the covered market which history
dates back 2000 years ago, the Aleppo citadel dated back 4000 years ago, Endowment
library which contained the most important manuscripts in the city (Alafandi & Rahim 2013),
and many other buildings, which can be reconstructed as buildings but will never be
renewed as the historic or cultural heritage. Having analysed the case study of city
reconstruction after the war, it is possible to apply the research results into the literature
review analysis and to discuss the possible outcomes for Aleppo city.
Considering the possible resources Aleppo city can have at the moment of reconstruction,
the following materials were considered, undamaged buildings and the materials left
undamaged after the main building is destroyed. Overall, the available resources necessary
for Aleppo reconstruction are numerous. The land will be available since the whole city will
require rebuilding. Professional human resources necessary for city reconstruction will be
available in the necessary amount since people need job and they will be ready to work for
the benefit of their community. The city reconstruction will require institutional resources,
community resources, and financial resources, which will be available as the country is
ready to reconstruct the city. The availability of technology and building materials is a
question, which can be considered after the war ends and the country will be able to plan the
budget. Therefore, the resources required for city reconstruction are adequate and can be
found.
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5.2. Temporary Accommodation
Immediately after the end of the war, many citizens of Aleppo will return home with the
purpose to reconstruct their buildings. Since a considerable inflow of people is expected,
temporary accommodation should become a priority. Paying attention to the duration of the
war and the absence of knowing when it is going to end, temporary shelters should be
implemented in a form of tents, plastic sheeting, or emergency centres. Having analysed the
possible variant of temporary accommodation and Aleppo community, QuickHab by Green
Horizon Manufacturing was decided to be the best option for the city needs (Mallonee 2014).
Being an easy transported, settled and small in its sizes, such accommodation may serve as
a shelter for many families which are going to change there.
The damages which have already been identified in the report and which can appear in the
future are sure to take some time for reconstruction. People who are interested in faster
reconstruction of their homes are welcome to take part in the process. The possibility to live
in temporary shelter is an option. Additional advantages of using temporary shelter before
reconstruction are the support from neighbours, availability of emergency help and the
possibility to reduce tension along with the shelter itself. However, temporary shelter is
usually expensive with the possibility to accept a limited number of people. QuickHab is the
cheapest solution for Aleppo with the advantage that it can be further used as a recycled
material for buildings.
Having obtained the research results from the case study and having observed the literature
review materials, it is possible to conclude that QuickHab does not involve much investment
and can be used for temporary purposes. Many examples are known when temporary
accommodation was used for many years after the reconstruction period ended. It is an
inappropriate use of the resources and it should be prevented. QuickHab accommodation in
Aleppo should serve for the temporary needs. According to the research, Aleppo has already
a number of temporary houses for those, whose homes were destroyed but who do not want
to leave their city, but this accommodation is set within the previously living areas (Kacowicz
& Lutomski 2007). When the reconstruction starts after the war, this temporary housing will
be cleaned for creating the sustainable housing or reconstruction procedures. Therefore, a
camp with several QuickHab shelters can be a good decision for the newly emerging city.
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5.3 Repair and Reconstruction
The repair and reconstruction of Aleppo city should be based on the reconstruction plan. The
process of reconstruction should be guided by the local authorities since Aleppo city is not
the only place which requires reconstruction. The government cannot regulate the
reconstruction process precisely, therefore, the responsibility should be put on them. The
assessment of the labour potential is required. After the war, many people of different
building professions will go to Aleppo along with those who do not have any occupation but
want to take part in city reconstruction. The assessment of the ability of the community is
required. Each member of the community should report any construction or relevant skills
that they possess in order to contribute to the community renewal. Additional to occupation,
the general assessment of the housing needs and the number of beneficiaries is required.
The assessment of the building materials required to the city reconstruction should be
arranged with the careful consideration of the economic and environmental particulars of the
city. The selection of the custom bricks sized 40 x 40 x 160 mm3 cut were framed with the
stainless metal from original ones should be considered as the primary building resources.
Such cut bricks from the original ones are considered as the recycled and their resistance
can be equal to 15.85. Such redesigned set of bricks is capable of resisting the tension of
the load equal to 250 kPa/s, which is nearly 30% of the material‟s natural strength. In this
case, the recycled material will meet the needs of the environment. The new building
materials should also correspond to the environmental needs of the community and be
ordered within the country.
Aleppo community should be interested in rebuilding facilities, however, after the conflict the
community may still experience some problems which may affect organization and
management of the community resources. The desire to start a normal life after the city
reconstruction is one of the best reasons for human resources mobilisation and participation.
Reconstructing the city, the external factors are considered in financial and technical forms.
The donors for city reconstruction should be identifies in order to see the full recourses
available and required. According to UN Habitat (2014), “Typical donors include international
and regional development banks, bilateral donors, and multilateral donors such as the UN
agencies, the European Commission and NGOs”. These specific actors should be assessed
after the war in Aleppo and before starting the reconstruction.
The choice of the partial type of contribution through self-help as a financing type for Aleppo
reconstruction has both the advantages and disadvantages. Contribution through self-help
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type of financing is the defined as the use of either personal or community grants to build
houses where beneficiaries are also supported with the material and/or labour. The main
advantage of this system is that the personal assets are involved that helps to finance other
reconstruction processes and to renew the city faster. The problems the community will face
having selected this type of financing can be explained by the failure to the meet the needs
of the recipients in material. Time spent on building may also have some conflicting
situations. The use of technology in the after war society should be properly assessed as
there are many people who have no qualifications and in case of referring to the technology
may experience difficulties. Professionals will be attracted to the place; therefore, it is
important to understand the balance between professional and non-professional staff and
the level of technology implementation. Additional training will require costs which is not a
good option for a completely ruined city and the country‟s economy which is devastated.
With the repairs and reconstruction of destroyed buildings in Aleppo more specifically, it is
necessary to admit that any reconstruction is supposed to be based on the data of the
preliminary investigation, which can be divided into several phases. Alexander et al. (2012)
assume that the investigation of possible repair solutions can be determined by geotechnical
research of the related environment. The soil investigation is the primary objective as long as
it has the closest contact with the foundation of a building. This is an essential point even if
the foundation is not damaged. As soon as the geotechnical environment of the building is
identified and the related data are extracted, it is important to brainstorm possible ways of
repairs. Needless to say, the most apt variant should be chosen according to the results of
geotechnical investigation. The chosen option has to address the following measurements,
as well. First, footing should be founded on piles. Second, installing piles need to be
substituted with jet grouting below the spread footing. Third, the installation of soil anchors is
compulsory. Fourth, diaphragm walls have to support the footing. Fifth, sheet piling is
supposed to guard backfill. Doubtless, strength of all joints should be also ensured
(Alexander et al. 2012). These requirements are relatively simple, but their effectiveness is
obvious in the following example from the related case study. In fact, the main objective of
post-World War II reconstruction was the privilege of centre and foundation over periphery.
The privilege should be understood as the requirement for the periphery to serve the centre
and foundation (Charlesworth 2006). Despite there being no such sophisticated framework
nowadays, civil engineering of that period took the correct approach as seen in the results of
the chosen reconstruction.
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5.4 Recycling of Material
Since Aleppo is a city built mainly of bricks and concrete, the material for recycling will
mainly involve this particular basis. Of course, wood, plastic and glass will be present;
however, it will be used at the second place. Having assessed the scope of the material to
be reconstructed, the workers have to remove all the parts which can be immediately used.
These parts can be the window frames, unbroken bricks, and similar resources which do not
require additional recycling or repair (Hendriks & Janssen 2004). The metal recycling is one
of the most profitable means of demolition waste reuse (Limbachiya & Roberts 2004). Metal
is another material which will be used in city reconstruction. This material can be used both
as the primary material without recycling or as the basis for other building needs after the
recycling procedures. Therefore, much of the material in the city will be reused and recycled.
Aleppo city reconstruction should gather the metal constructions with the purpose to reuse
the pieces without recycling and to refine the pieces which cannot be used as they are.
Metal construction can be used in building the houses, creating the frames for the
constructions, and strengthening the walls, ceilings, and other parts of the city while housing
repair. One of the disadvantages of the case study was low number of recycled materials
used, which led to increased financial insertions into the region. To eliminate this mistake,
Aleppo should learn from this negative experience and capitalise on the benefits of using
recycled materials.
After the assessment and the primary use of the materials, the further stages of
reconstruction should be involved. It is significant to highlight the use of recycled concrete for
building and repairing the houses (Saddleback Education Publishing 2009). Paying attention
to the fact that most of the cities in Aleppo were concrete based, the use of concrete
recycled from the damaged buildings should become the basis for city renewal. Using the
recycled concrete will increase the speed of city renewal since the delivery of the new
material can last for a long time, while the recycled concrete can be used immediately. The
financial advantages of using recycled material are numerous and having assessed the
Kosovo experience, where recycling was minimal, financial advantages become particularly
apparent. The use of recycled concrete will help to reduce the costs on city reconstruction
since using the new building materials will require large financial incentives.
5.5 Sustainable Design
Planning and implementation of the Aleppo reconstruction after the war, it is important to
state that the reconstruction approach must be sustainable. It means that the resources
used for rebuilding the city must be locally found. Such position is specific as to make sure
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that the reconstruction is successfully implemented, the materials should adapt to the local
environment conditions and the working tasks are related to the workers‟ abilities. The
choice of the new location for the houses should be attentively conducted. The new
settlement should not be isolated from other society. The balance of the rural and urban
population should be followed. It is important to state that approval from the authorities will
be required in case of selecting a new settlement. The characteristics of new location should
not differ greatly in geological, environmental and similar characteristics. The material
discussed above should meet the needs of both new buildings and repaired housing. The
construction of the new houses should maximise the local economic value. The traditional
technique for house building will be used to make sure that no additional training is required
and the employees are familiar with the strategy and materials. The choice of the traditional
technique may be justified by the desire to save or resume the cultural peculiarity of the
place, the availability of the material and the labour power, low transportation cost.
Paying attention to the characteristics of the environment and the needs of people, the solar
panels for water heating will be the best decision. Solar panels have been considered one of
the best examples of the sustainable design (Strandbakken 2011). Moreover, it is possible to
construct the roof of one-storied building in such a way that the sunlight roofs consume
during the daily time can heat the apartment at night. However, it is important to pay
attention to the fact that such way of house heating should be used for cold period only.
Since the temperature in Aleppo does not usually go below zero, such way of heating is an
appropriate and cheap way to keep the place warm during the cold month. Then more
urgent problem in the cooling of the places since the temperature may rise till 33-36 °C. So,
thick brick houses are the only possible way to guarantee cooling of the places.
Reconstructing Kosovo, the principles of sustainable design were not followed, which has
resulted in high house costs for population. When reconstructing the city, the state did not
think about the future, their main purpose was to create the houses for people within the
shortest period of time. As a result, the case study used for this research did not discuss
sustainable design from the point of view of the reduction of the further housing costs.
Having analysed the environmental, technical, financial, organisational, and social
sustainability, Kosovo case study did not focus on the possible ways of heating and cooling
houses, which resulted into further higher costs of the houses. This is a lesson that can be
learnt and the reconstruction of Aleppo should use foresight that Kosovo did not, by making
certain that the houses built in keeping with the principles of sustainability.
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Chapter 6: Conclusion
The research has presented detailed analysis of the plan of actions for Aleppo
reconstruction when the war ends. Having introduced the problem and the purposes, it was
agreed that the main goal of the study was to focus on the best ways of repairing and
reusing buildings- paying particular attention to rebuilding damaged buildings using materials
recycled from the damaged buildings, to find both temporary and permanent housing
solutions, and to design a sustainable type of housing which can be built in a short time and
low cost. The reconstruction of Kosovo and Sierra Leone was used as the model for
reconstruction plan. The application of the case study as the method for research is justified
as having the successful examples of city reconstructions after the war, it is possible to apply
those strategies and practices for Aleppo reconstruction. The research results have shown
that it is possible to reconstruct the city and that both the repair and new building strategies
will be used. The results can be used for developing a detailed plan with the additional
budgeting for reconstruction after the war ends. The research results can be developed or
changed after the war ends as some statistical numbers may differ and the scope of damage
may increase. The case study analysis used has allowed exploration of the possible
outcomes and to generate the costs and materials requires for city reconstruction when the
war ends.
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Chapter 7: Recommendations
The further research is required after the end of the war in Aleppo. The current research
can be used as the basis for theoretical analysis and further development such as including
the infrastructure reconstruction, entertaining facilities, and other city use. This research can
also be used as the basis for further assessment of the required resources and the
possibility to develop the city architecture. Having the whole city destroyed, it is possible to
use this report and having analysed the disadvantages of the displacement in the past to
build a new convenient city for Aleppo citizens. Having conducted the research basing on
the case study, it is possible to recommend the following actions related to the city
reconstruction.
After the war ends the damages must be considered and calculated in order to prepare
a detailed plan for reconstruction.
The detailed plan of damages is required to see where the repair is possible and in
which places the complete rebuilding will be required. In case of deeper damage of the
housing and complete destroying of the house, the resettlement can be considered as
one of the options.
The budgeting with the costs at the moment of the reconstruction is needed after the
war ends.
The analysis of the material which can be recycled should be conducted.
The assessment of the need and scope of the temporary accommodation is required.
The repair and reconstruction plan should be created with the purpose to create a list of
the primary and secondary buildings requested for analysis.
The sustainable designing should take place in order to guarantee cheap exploitation of
the houses built after the war.
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Appendix 5 Photos before and after the war
Khusriwiye Mosque and the Carlton Citadel Hotel in December 2011 (Porter 2015)
Khusriwiye Mosque (green arrow) and the Carlton Citadel Hotel (blue arrow) in 2014 (Porter
2015)
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The Carlton Citadel before the war (Porter 2015)
The Carlton Citadel now (Porter 2015)