This document discusses housing standards and the effects of poor housing. It outlines minimum standards for housing sites, materials, space, light, ventilation, windows/doors, waste disposal, water supply, walls, roofs, and floors. The WHO recommends criteria for healthful housing including physical protection, adequate facilities, preventing disease spread, protection from noise/pollution, and safety. Poor housing can cause respiratory, skin infections, rat/insect infestation, accidents, high morbidity/mortality, and psychological effects. Overcrowding is also a health problem associated with human dwellings.

1. B Y ; S U R A K S H Y A P O U D E L
B P H 1 S T Y E A R , 2 N D B A T C H
U N I V E R S A L C O L L E G E O F M E D I C A L
S C I E N C E S ( U C M S )
HOUSING STANDARD
CRITERIA AND EFFECTS OF
POOR HOUSING

2. Housing
“Housing” in the modern concept includes not only the
‘physical infrastructure’ but also the immediate
surroundings and the related community services
and facilities.
It has became part of the concept of “human
settlement”,which is defined as “all places in which a
group of people reside and pursue their life goals;the
size of the settlement may vary from a single family
to millions of people”.

3. Healthy Housing
Aa A Stable
Home is at
the center of
our lives
and our
happiness.

4. Standards of housing
The following standards of housing are considered to
be a minimum requirement in Nepal:
SITE
 It should be elevated from its surrounding.
 It should be away from breeding places of arthropods
and insects.
 It should be in pleasing environment.
 The subsoil water should be below 3m.

5. Materials
 There should be provision of aqequate quality
building materials.

6. SPACE
 There should be an open space all around the house
which is called “set back”.
 There should be proper ventilation and lightening.
 In rural area only 1/3 of the land should be utilized
and in urban areas 2/3 for construction.

7. Light
 Day light should be visible in excess of 1% over half
the floor area.
 There should be provision of adequate light to all
rooms.
 The study and kitchen rooms can be often be
managed by light sources.

8. Ventilation
 There should be adequate cross ventilation in each
room.

9. Windows and doors
 Ratio of doors and windows should be 1/7 of the
floor area and never less than 1/10

10. Waste disposal facilities
 Waste material should be removed from the dwelling
at least daily and disposed of in a sanitary manner.
 The sewage should be collected and disposed of in a
sanitary manner.

11. Water supply
 Safe,adequate and easily available water should be
provided.

12. Wall
 There should be strong walls with low heat capacity
and weather resistance.
 The walls should be at least 25cm thick brick/stone
made with cement, plastered and coloured.

13. Roof and floor
 The height of the roof should not be less than 3m in
the absence of air conditioning for comfort.
 The floor on the house should be at least 11sq.m for
occupancy by more than one person and 9sq.m for a
single person.
 The floor area should be impermeable , smooth and
damp proof.
 Plinth (slab) level should be 50-100 cm from the
ground and road levels.

14. CRITERIA FOR HEALTHFUL HOUSING
An Expert committee of the WHO recommended the following criteria
for healthful housing similar to the basic principles of Healthful
Housing published by an American Public Health Association:
1. Healthful housing provides physical protection and shelter.
2.Provides adequately for cooking ,eating ,washing and excretory
functions.
3.Is designed ,constructed maintained and used in a manner such as
to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
4.Provides for protection from hazards of exposure to noise and
pollution.
5.Is free of unsafe physical arrangements due to construction and
maintainence and from toxic,or harmful materials.
6.Encourage personal and community development ,promotes social
relationships , reflects a regard for ecological principles and by the
means promotes mental health.

15. Healthy housing

16. HOUSING AND HEALTH
Housing is part of the total environment of man and
being a part , it is to some extent responsible for the
status of man’s health and wellbeing.

17. EFFECTS OF POOR HOUSING
 RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS : Common cold , tuberculosis,
influenza, diphtheria, bronchitis, measles, whooping cough , etc.
 SKIN INFECTIONS :Scabies ,ringworm ,impetigo , leprosy
 RAT INFESTATION : plague
 ARTHROPODS : houseflies ,mosquitoes , fleas and bugs
 ACCIDENTS:A substantial proportion of house accidents are caused
by some defect in the home and it’s environment.
 MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY: high morbidity and mortality
rates are observed where housing conditions are sub-standard.
 PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS : people living in densely
populated urban areas feel a sense of isolation which may lead to
neurosis and behaviour disorders.

18. OVERCROWDING
OVERCROW
DING IS A
HEALTH
PROBLEM
IN HUMAN
DWELLINGS

19. POOR HOUSING CONDITION

21. FOR YOUR ATTENTON
THANKYOU