La importancia de los materiales en las viviendas de muy bajo coste

Abstract

This text fits into the context of the attempt to emphasize the considerable importance of the factor of the construction materials in the subsection of low cost housing in Developing Countries in general and in Latín America in particular. The author tries to quantify, in a global manner, the repercussion of the materials through different assumptions and to show how it increases as the sections of installations and finishes diminish —in fact, practically disappear—. In accordance with this and as a consequence, the author discusses the necessity to use autochthonous materials and to support the research and technological development which lay stress on the use of alternative materials and the re-use of agro-industrial waste. As a pan of the Chapter V reproduced here, a special Section entitled "The Industry of Construction Materials" is contemplated, a section which we omitted and which can be found in n.º 198 of this Quarterly where it was originally published.