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Challenges of responding to sustainability with implications for affordable housing

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  • Arman, Michael
  • Zuo, Jian
  • Wilson, Lou
  • Zillante, George
  • Pullen, Stephen

Abstract

Sustainability is one of the most contested ideologies of our time because everyone acknowledges that it must occur but no one can agree on what needs to change in response. This is unsurprising, because objecting to the goal of sustainability is like objecting to other inherently good goals like peace or freedom. Responses to sustainability exist on a long continuum, with some interpreting sustainability to mean conservation-at-all-costs and reduced economic growth, while others suggest that the market will ensure sustainable outcomes eventually result. Further, sustainability can be easily manipulated to justify predetermined outcomes. There are, indeed, a multitude of conceptual and pragmatic challenges to operating on sustainability, particularly when the scale shifts from a global goal to local action. Using the application of sustainability to affordable housing in Australia as a case study, this article argues that rather than limiting sustainable outcomes, the existence of the sustainability debate which focuses on the many challenges is a positive indicator that sustainability may be attainable.

Suggested Citation

  • Arman, Michael & Zuo, Jian & Wilson, Lou & Zillante, George & Pullen, Stephen, 2009. "Challenges of responding to sustainability with implications for affordable housing," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(12), pages 3034-3041, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:68:y:2009:i:12:p:3034-3041
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    1. Laura Tupenaite & Irene Lill & Ineta Geipele & Jurga Naimaviciene, 2017. "Ranking of Sustainability Indicators for Assessment of the New Housing Development Projects: Case of the Baltic States," Resources, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-21, October.
    2. Ikenna Stephen Ezennia & Sebnem Onal Hoskara, 2019. "Methodological weaknesses in the measurement approaches and concept of housing affordability used in housing research: A qualitative study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(8), pages 1-27, August.
    3. Charoenkit, Sasima & Kumar, S., 2014. "Environmental sustainability assessment tools for low carbon and climate resilient low income housing settlements," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 509-525.
    4. Bimpe Alabi & Julius Fapohunda, 2021. "Effects of Increase in the Cost of Building Materials on the Delivery of Affordable Housing in South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-12, February.
    5. Jie Zhao & Zhenghong Peng & Lingbo Liu & Yang Yu & Yan Yu, 2021. "Evaluation on the Internal Public Space Quality in Affordable Housing Based on Multi-Source Data and IPA Analysis," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-17, September.

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