Journal of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

Journal of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

Reconstruction of War-Damaged Housing Using Light Steel Frame (LSF) Systems and Their Conversion into Environmentally Sustainable Buildings

Document Type : Short Communication

Author
Mahsa Faghih Samarin
Faculty of Mechanical and Energy Engineering Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22054/eenr.2026.92358.230
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction
Following the cessation of the imposed war, the physical reconstruction of damaged territories and the provision of sustainable livelihoods for displaced and affected households have emerged as paramount national priorities. Conventional post-disaster reconstruction predominantly relies on heavy, carbon-intensive construction methods that result in protracted, multi-year delivery timelines and impose severe fiscal burdens on governmental and humanitarian support agencies.
Problem Statement
Conventional reconstruction paradigms are inherently characterized by high capital expenditures, extended implementation schedules, and significant environmental externalities, particularly elevated greenhouse gas emissions and the intensive depletion of natural resources. Moreover, prevailing reconstruction initiatives often lack a long-term perspective on economic and environmental sustainability, operating with an infrastructural focus restricted solely to emergency shelter provision while failing to address household employment and self-reliance imperatives.

Analysis and Key Findings
This study proposes an economically viable and sustainable framework designed to concurrently deliver resilient housing and generate sustained employment opportunities. The proposed model is grounded in modern industrial building systems, specifically Light Steel Frame (LSF) construction, which offers critical engineering advantages including rapid erection, high seismic resilience, material recyclability, and operational compatibility with decentralized renewable energy systems. A comparative structural analysis based on an identical spatial layout in Parand City indicates that the proposed LSF structure achieves a total building dead-weight of 107 metric tons per unit, compared to 510 metric tons for an equivalent conventional reinforced concrete-frame benchmark, while requiring less structural steel (3.3 vs. 4.0 tons) and substantially less cement (5.2 vs. 20.5 tons). Within this framework, a three-story residential prototype is designed to accommodate three two-person households. The building’s operational electricity demand is fully met through on-site solar photovoltaic panels. The decentralized water management infrastructure integrates 5,000-liter storage reservoirs and advanced septic treatment systems, enabling effective wastewater reclamation and closed-loop reuse. Treated effluent is subsequently utilized for greenhouse drip irrigation, while source-separated organic waste is valorized into natural bio-fertilizer. In tandem with the residential component, a 900 m2 commercial greenhouse is incorporated as the primary engine of productive employment and localized economic development. Building energy simulations reveal a 66% reduction in total annual primary energy consumption, driven predominantly by curtailed domestic hot-water demand and the total elimination of baseline space-heating loads. Life-cycle embodied energy analysis indicates a net reduction exceeding 50%, decreasing from approximately 4,000 to below 1,900 MJ/m2, with the most pronounced mitigations achieved in the exterior (81%) and interior (55%) wall assemblies. In parallel, operational net carbon emissions decrease by approximately 50%, highlighted by an 88% abatement in natural-gas-derived emissions, while aggregate daily freshwater demand declines by about 50% through greywater recycling loops and low-flow sanitary fixtures. Overall, preliminary evaluations demonstrate that this integrated model can supply structurally secure housing for war-affected populations within a substantially compressed timeframe and at reduced capital costs relative to conventional reconstruction methods.
Policy Recommendations
Furthermore, by generating productive employment via the integrated greenhouse facility, minimizing structural waste and embodied carbon, and mitigating dependence on municipal water networks and fossil fuels, the proposed model significantly bolsters the long-term socio-economic and ecological resilience of post-conflict communities. Policymakers and authorities directing post-war reconstruction programs are strongly advised to adopt LSF-based, production-integrated housing typologies as a scalable, low-carbon alternative to traditional paradigms, particularly in vulnerable regions where the dual delivery of resilient shelter and livelihood restoration constitutes an urgent strategic imperative.
Keywords
Keywords: Light Steel Frame (LSF)
Sustainable reconstruction
renewable energy
Sustainable development
Economic resilience
Subjects
References
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Journal of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
Volume 5, Issue 14
Autumn 2025
Pages 99-116

  • Receive Date 29 April 2026
  • Revise Date 14 June 2026
  • Accept Date 14 June 2026