IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i4p1005-d138575.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Critique of the Application of Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment Tools in Urban Regeneration

Author

Listed:
  • Luke Boyle

    (Urban Real Estate Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa)

  • Kathy Michell

    (Urban Real Estate Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa)

  • François Viruly

    (Urban Real Estate Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa)

Abstract

Neighbourhood Sustainability Assessment Tools (NSA tools) are fast becoming the principal framework for urban planners and developers for promoting urban sustainability. The majority of NSA tools promote a specific type of urban development that effectively excludes regeneration projects from the urban sustainability conversation. Given that the world’s megacities are mostly built, it is argued that it is essential that strategies for global sustainability consider that urban development is focussed internally to address existing, under-serviced communities in particular need of meaningful intervention and sustainable redevelopment frameworks. The paper uses existing knowledge on NSA tools to highlight the shortcomings of outcomes-based approaches to urban governance and builds the case that the technocratic “one-size-fits-all” approach adopted by many tools inadequately accounts for underlying institutional, social and economic arrangements that influence urban development, making them inappropriate for application in both planned and existing communities. The paper proposes that urban redevelopment strategies need to be derived from the urban realities of a particular place or context. Such strategies must be grounded in principles of urban governance, participatory action and an understanding of market dynamics. Without these collaborative procedural frameworks, urban regeneration projects will continue to inadequately transition towards more comprehensive sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Luke Boyle & Kathy Michell & François Viruly, 2018. "A Critique of the Application of Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment Tools in Urban Regeneration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:4:p:1005-:d:138575
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/4/1005/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/4/1005/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lesley Hemphill & Jim Berry & Stanley McGreal, 2004. "An Indicator-based Approach to Measuring Sustainable Urban Regeneration Performance: Part 1, Conceptual Foundations and Methodological Framework," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 41(4), pages 725-755, April.
    2. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    3. Xing, Yangang & Horner, R. Malcolm W. & El-Haram, Mohamed A. & Bebbington, Jan, 2009. "A framework model for assessing sustainability impacts of urban development," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 209-224.
    4. Yangang Xing & R. Malcolm W. Horner & Mohamed A. El-Haram & Jan Bebbington, 2009. "A framework model for assessing sustainability impacts of urban development," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(3), pages 209-224, September.
    5. Kampelmann, Stephan & Van Hollebeke, Sarah & Vandergert, Paula, 2016. "Stuck in the middle with you: The role of bridging organisations in urban regeneration," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 82-93.
    6. Oli Mould & Roberta Comunian, 2015. "Hung, Drawn and Cultural Quartered: Rethinking Cultural Quarter Development Policy in the UK," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(12), pages 2356-2369, December.
    7. Ayyoob Sharifi & Akito Murayama, 2015. "Viability of using global standards for neighbourhood sustainability assessment: insights from a comparative case study," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(1), pages 1-23, January.
    8. Helen W Zheng & Geoffrey QP Shen & Yan Song & Bingxia Sun & Jingke Hong, 2017. "Neighborhood sustainability in urban renewal: An assessment framework," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 44(5), pages 903-924, September.
    9. Umberto Berardi, 2012. "Sustainability Assessment in the Construction Sector: Rating Systems and Rated Buildings," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(6), pages 411-424, November.
    10. Andrew, Tallon, 2017. "`Urban regeneration` by Peter Roberts, Hugh Sykes and Rachel Granger," Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal, Henry Stewart Publications, vol. 11(1), pages 109-111, September.
    11. Catalina Turcu, 2013. "Re-thinking sustainability indicators: local perspectives of urban sustainability," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(5), pages 695-719, June.
    12. Umberto Berardi, 2013. "Sustainability assessment of urban communities through rating systems," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1573-1591, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ricciardelli, Alessandra & Raimo, Nicola & Manfredi, Francesco & Vitolla, Filippo, 2021. "Sustainability of Urban Regeneration Projects in Resilient Cities: a Multiple Case Study," EconStor Conference Papers 246779, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    2. Tanushri Kamble & Sarika Bahadure, 2020. "Neighborhood sustainability assessment in developed and developing countries," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 4955-4977, August.
    3. Anna Runge & Iwona Kantor-Pietraga & Jerzy Runge & Robert Krzysztofik & Weronika Dragan, 2018. "Can Depopulation Create Urban Sustainability in Postindustrial Regions? A Case from Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Yuqi Zhang & Sungik Kang & Ja-Hoon Koo, 2021. "Perception Difference and Conflicts of Stakeholders in the Urban Regeneration Project: A Case Study of Nanluoguxiang," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, March.
    5. Zachary Christman & Mahbubur Meenar & Lynn Mandarano & Kyle Hearing, 2018. "Prioritizing Suitable Locations for Green Stormwater Infrastructure Based on Social Factors in Philadelphia," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-17, November.
    6. Rosalie Callway & Helen Pineo & Gemma Moore, 2020. "Understanding the Role of Standards in the Negotiation of a Healthy Built Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-26, November.
    7. Ayomikun Solomon Adewumi & Alex Opoku & Zainab Dangana, 2024. "Sustainability assessment frameworks for delivering Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets: A case of Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) UK New Const," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 3779-3791, September.
    8. Doil Kim & Kabsung Kim, 2022. "Financial Support for Neighborhood Regeneration: A Case Study of Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.
    9. Gerhards, Jan & Greenwood, Dan, 2021. "One Planet Living and the legitimacy of sustainability governance: From standardised information to regenerative systems," SocArXiv z4ja7, Center for Open Science.
    10. Yuchen Guo & Ze Zhang, 2024. "Reducing carbon emissions through green renewal: insights from residential energy consumption in Chinese urban inventory districts from an evidence-based decision-making perspective," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    11. Carmela Gargiulo & Antonio Sforza & Claudio Sterle & Floriana Zucaro, 2018. "An Optimization Model Fitting the Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-16, September.
    12. Å pela VerovÅ¡ek & Tadeja ZupanÄ iÄ & Matevž JuvanÄ iÄ & Simon PetrovÄ iÄ & Matija Svetina & Miha Janež & Žiga PuÅ¡nik & Iztok Lebar Bajec & Miha MoÅ¡kon, 2021. "The Aspect of Mobility and Connectivity While Assessing the Neighbourhood Sustainability," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 10, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Umberto Berardi, 2013. "Sustainability assessment of urban communities through rating systems," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1573-1591, December.
    2. Matthew Cohen, 2017. "A Systematic Review of Urban Sustainability Assessment Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-16, November.
    3. Pamela A. Mischen & George C. Homsy & Carl P. Lipo & Robert Holahan & Valerie Imbruce & Andreas Pape & Weixing Zhu & Joseph Graney & Ziang Zhang & Louisa M. Holmes & Manuel Reina, 2019. "A Foundation for Measuring Community Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-16, March.
    4. Guangdong Wu , & Kaifeng Duan & Jian Zuo & Xianbo Zhao & Daizhong Tang, 2017. "Integrated Sustainability Assessment of Public Rental Housing Community Based on a Hybrid Method of AHP-Entropy Weight and Cloud Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-25, April.
    5. Qi Zhang & Esther Hiu-Kwan Yung & Edwin Hon-Wan Chan, 2021. "Meshing Sustainability with Satisfaction: An Investigation of Residents’ Perceptions in Three Different Neighbourhoods in Chengdu, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-32, November.
    6. Kevin Dean & Claudia Trillo & Erik Bichard, 2017. "Assessing the Value of Housing Schemes through Sustainable Return on Investment: A Path towards Sustainability-Led Evaluations?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-19, December.
    7. Jones, Michael John, 2010. "Accounting for the environment: Towards a theoretical perspective for environmental accounting and reporting," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 123-138.
    8. Sudeshna Kumar & Sumitro Bhaumik & Haimanti Banerji, 2021. "Methodology for Framing Indicators for Assessing Economic-Socio-Cultural Sustainability of the Neighbourhood Level Urban Communities in Indian Megacities: Evidence from Kolkata," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 154(2), pages 511-544, April.
    9. Bebbington, Jan & Larrinaga, Carlos, 2014. "Accounting and sustainable development: An exploration," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 395-413.
    10. Shiyao Zhu & Dezhi Li & Haibo Feng & Tiantian Gu & Jiawei Zhu, 2019. "AHP-TOPSIS-Based Evaluation of the Relative Performance of Multiple Neighborhood Renewal Projects: A Case Study in Nanjing, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-17, August.
    11. Soad Abokhamis Mousavi & Ercan Hoşkara & Kyle M. Woosnam, 2017. "Developing a Model for Sustainable Hotels in Northern Cyprus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-23, November.
    12. Ali Cheshmehzangi & Ayotunde Dawodu & Wangyang Song & Yuzhu Shi & Yuwei Wang, 2020. "An Introduction to Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment Tool (NSAT) Study for China from Comprehensive Analysis of Eight Asian Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-29, March.
    13. Theodore Metaxas & Laura Juarez & Gaby Gavriilidis, 2021. "Planning and Marketing the City for Sustainability: The Madrid Nuevo Norte Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-22, February.
    14. Jiangang Shi & Kaifeng Duan & Guangdong Wu & Hongyun Si & Rui Zhang, 2022. "Sustainability at the community level: A bibliometric journey around a set of sustainability‐related terms," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 256-274, February.
    15. Tan Yigitcanlar & Md. Kamruzzaman, 2015. "Planning, Development and Management of Sustainable Cities: A Commentary from the Guest Editors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-12, November.
    16. Charl de Villiers & Matteo La Torre & Vida Botes, 2022. "Accounting and social capital: A review and reflections on future research opportunities," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(4), pages 4485-4521, December.
    17. Tan Yigitcanlar & Md. Kamruzzaman & Suharto Teriman, 2015. "Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment: Evaluating Residential Development Sustainability in a Developing Country Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-33, March.
    18. Chiara Garau & Valentina Maria Pavan, 2018. "Evaluating Urban Quality: Indicators and Assessment Tools for Smart Sustainable Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-18, February.
    19. Lavinia Chiara Tagliabue & Fulvio Re Cecconi & Sebastiano Maltese & Stefano Rinaldi & Angelo Luigi Camillo Ciribini & Alessandra Flammini, 2021. "Leveraging Digital Twin for Sustainability Assessment of an Educational Building," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-16, January.
    20. Fang He & Wendong Wu & Taozhi Zhuang & Yuan Yi, 2019. "Exploring the Diverse Expectations of Stakeholders in Industrial Land Redevelopment Projects in China: The Case of Shanghai," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-27, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:4:p:1005-:d:138575. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.