Assessment of social sustainability: a comparative analysis

Abstract

Sustainable development is a widely used term, which has been discussed thoroughly at environmental, economic and social levels. While prior researches were dominated initially by environmental issues and economic aspects, social dimension had less chance of study. Therefore, the goal of this study is to understand the physical and non-physical aspects of social sustainability and to assess its application in housing developments. In this research, a mixed method approach was used to assess social sustainability in different typologies of housing development. Two residential compounds and its surroundings were investigated. Morphological analysis for the research setting was conducted along with statistical analysis for the collected data from households. As a result, there was a salient difference between compound and its surroundings. This can be seen clearly in the case of serious trial to improve social sustainability represented by providing vital open spaces associated with a well-designed facility. This helps to create various forms of social interaction and boosts a sense of belonging which will affect positively on social sustainability. Meanwhile, poor design creates negative energy due to the absence of social sustainability parameters. So, there is a need to consider the role of social infrastructure in designing and planning residential development.

Understanding of Construction Product Assessment Issues and Sustainability among Investors, Architects, Contractors, and Sellers of Construction Products in Poland

“…No architect participating in the study indicated that sustainable development has two pillars-environment and society. In all surveyed professional groups, the submission of environmental and social pillars was less frequent than the environmental and economic pillars, which is generally consistent with the fact that the social dimension of sustainability is subject to less research than economic aspects [10,11].…”

“…The construction sector also has a direct influence on the social aspects of life and the environment. The social dimension is subject to less research than environmental issues and economic aspects [10,11]. The answer to how to measure, evaluate, and certify social sustainability in the construction sector is not yet complete and precise [12].…”

Social Sustainability in Gated Communities Versus Conventional Communities: The Case of Amman

“…The social theorist connected residential development with the term "community" which reflects the people who live in one particular area or people considered a unit because of their common interests, social group, nationality, shared interests, or background [21]. Generally, these communities have different configurations and purposes, as seen in Amman, where residential development can be classified into two major types: a) piecemeal residential development (conventional communities), which are constructed piece by piece over time, and b) residential compounds (gated communities), which are planned and constructed as a complete project [22].…”

An Integrated Infrastructure Prioritization Model: Case Study of Tripoli, Lebanon

“…Also, (Murphy, 2012) and (Boström, 2012) have worked on developing prevention approaches for a wide variety of urban issues while constructing a sustainable development plan for urbanscapes. (Abed, 2017) added the importance of the social factors in the sustainable development of infrastructure. However, the authors note that sustainable development is dominated by the economic and environmental indicators in most studies.…”