Temporary housing units (THUs) have been used for displaced population (DP) in the aftermath of naturaldisasters to serve as an alternative residence while the permanent housing process is completed. A THU isoften provided as a prefabricated system, which has been criticized due to the economic, environmental,and social aspects of THUs. However, this model has been widely used in previous recovery programs.Additionally, it should be highlighted that the lack of potential of certain areas persuades decision-makersto implement the THUs. This paper presents a new model for choosing optimized THUs based on thesustainability concept. This model supports decision-makers in selecting a more adequate type of THU,to reduce the negative impact of temporary housing (TH) when there is no other possibility.The Integrated Value Model for Sustainable Assessment (MIVES), a Multi-Criteria Decision Making(MCDM) model that includes the value function concept, is used to evaluate the sustainability value ofeach THU alternative.THU technologies that had been suggested for the Bam earthquake recovery program by a semi-public organization have been analysed by this method to achieve two aims: (1) to determine the mostsustainable technology to use and (2) to test the designed model.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Environmental and sustainability assessment tools have an important role in moving towards a better world, bringing knowledge and raising awareness. In the architecture and civil engineering sector, these assessment tools help in moving forward to constructions that have less economic, environmental and social impacts. At present, there are numerous assessment tools and methods with different approaches and scopes that have been analyzed in numerous technical reviews. However, there is no agreement about which method should be used for each evaluation case. This research paper synthetically analyzes the main sustainability assessment methods for the construction sector, comparing their strengths and weaknesses in order to present the challenges of the Spanish Integrated Value Model for Sustainability Assessment (MIVES). MIVES is a Multi-Criteria Decision Making method based on the value function concept and the Seminars of experts. Then, this article analyzes MIVES advantages and weak points by going through its methodology and two representative applications. At the end, the area of application of MIVES is described in detail along with the general application cases of the main types of assessment tools and methods.

Many people lose their homes around the world every year because of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes. In the aftermath of a natural disaster, the displaced people (DP) have to move to temporary housing (TH) and do not have the ability to choose the settlement dimensions, distributions, neighborhood, or other characteristics of their TH. Additionally, post-disaster settlement construction causes neighborhood changes, environmental degradation, and large-scale public expenditures. This paper presents a new model to support decision makers in choosing site locations for TH. The model is capable of determining the optimal site location based on the integration of economic, social, and environmental aspects into the whole life cycle of these houses. The integrated value model for sustainable assessment (MIVES), a multicriteria decision making (MCDM) model, is used to assess the sustainability of the aforementioned aspects, and MIVES includes the value function concept, w...