1 ASSESSING TOTAL VALUE REQUIREMENTS ON LOW INCOME HOUSES IN BRAZIL

The present paper explores the implications of the various value dimensions on the design of low-income houses using Holbrook’s value typology. The case study involved an in-depth investigation on 40 houses chosen through a non-probabilistic approach within a single building project in Brazil. The study has brought insights on other dimensions of value that are often neglected on the construction literature. The researchers concluded that houses have to be considered as a comprehensive product that cannot be divided in separated parts during the design briefing. Similar to what happens in the car industry, value requirements for furniture, curtains, carpets, and all other products that take part on the building, need to be evaluated all together in order to obtain a briefing that best describe the customer value. That should be the case even if the construction company does not deliver the other products of the building. In the case of low-income housing projects, this approach can enable an increase the perceived value without necessarily an increase in cost