SOCIAL HOUSING IN CHILE: OPPORTUNITIES TO APPLY VALUE CONCEPT IN EARLY STAGE OF PROJECTS

At present, finding actions oriented to adding value in early stages of projects which can consider profitability as a main factor in the process, is rather easy. However, the concept of value is rarely incorporated into most projects whose objective is to satisfy real needs of low income people. To improve past results, the Chilean Government has included concepts such as deficit, quality, and social insertion in its social housing policies. This paper describes and suggests some actions aimed at improving current processes using the opportunity to add value and captures real user’s needs in early stage of the project. In order to find out how the current process can be improved applying the concept of value, the “Vista Hermosa” case study project will be analyzed to determine in which way the Government and the building companies involved in the process are incorporating said concept into the design phase. Data collected has been obtained by means of reviewing literature that analyzes value concept through Lean Thinking and Value Management. Results show that the New Chilean Housing Policy allows the use of value concept in the early stage of these projects. At present no formal processes are in place to systematize and support the job and deliver value in current projects; therefore, these activities have been associated to entities such as UTpCH with a social responsibility that plays an important role in their activities. This research aims at studying the current process and discovering the opportunities given by the Chilean Government in order to add value to such process for delivering satisfactory solutions.