Timber Housing Production Systems in Brazil

Abstract

This paper is based on an evaluation of the industrialization levels and main production systems of Brazilian timber housing producers. Two methods were used to investigate this understudied topic. Literature-based projection was carried out to identify the production system of each sampled company, from the construction technique(s) produced by the same. The second method consisted of face-to-face interviews to identify the current production system of each producer. For both methodologies, the timber housing sector presented a considerable level of industrial development in view of the greater popularity of prefabrication systems. Due to admissions to enable the system identification from the literature-based projections, a result contrast in artisanal production was verified between both methodologies. Despite the sampling difference, the two methods showed typical results for the industrial processes. Thus, few artisanal developers and a visible amount of industrial-based producers could regard this sector as industrial-featured.