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Towards Sustainability Assessment of the Built Environment: A Classification of the Existing Challenges

Author

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  • Hashem Amini Toosi

    (Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Via Ponzio 31, 20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Monica Lavagna

    (Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Via Ponzio 31, 20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Fabrizio Leonforte

    (Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Via Ponzio 31, 20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Claudio Del Pero

    (Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Via Ponzio 31, 20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Niccolò Aste

    (Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Via Ponzio 31, 20133 Milano, Italy)

Abstract

The application of sustainability assessment in a decision context is associated with various challenges that explain why the transition to action-oriented knowledge still needs to be fulfilled. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the associated challenges in sustainability assessment in the decision context of the built environment. Several publications are reviewed to provide a systemic understanding of the associated complexities. The challenges in sustainability assessment in the built environment are categorized at different levels, from understanding to measurement and implementation. The challenges are further categorized into definition, context, interpretation, data, measurement methods, uncertainties, indicators and indices, results, coordination, conflicts, and action-oriented knowledge. Moreover, according to the nature of each challenge, they are classified into epistemological, methodological, and procedural challenges. The novelty of this review is that it reviews and reports almost all fragmentedly reported challenges in sustainability assessment of the built environment in the literature within a holistic framework that provides a clear understanding of the state of the art and second discusses them within an integrated framework (the Sustainability Assessment Network) including the position of active-role players to resolve them, including strategists, scientist, and stakeholders.

Suggested Citation

  • Hashem Amini Toosi & Monica Lavagna & Fabrizio Leonforte & Claudio Del Pero & Niccolò Aste, 2023. "Towards Sustainability Assessment of the Built Environment: A Classification of the Existing Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:15:p:12055-:d:1211879
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ricardo J. Bonilla-Alicea & Katherine Fu, 2019. "Systematic Map of the Social Impact Assessment Field," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-30, July.
    2. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Serajuddin, Umar, 2020. "Tracking the sustainable development goals: Emerging measurement challenges and further reflections," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    3. Sala, Serenella & Ciuffo, Biagio & Nijkamp, Peter, 2015. "A systemic framework for sustainability assessment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 314-325.
    4. Mohamed Abubakr & Adel T. Abbas & Italo Tomaz & Mahmoud S. Soliman & Monis Luqman & Hussien Hegab, 2020. "Sustainable and Smart Manufacturing: An Integrated Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-19, March.
    5. Mark Stafford-Smith, 2014. "UN sustainability goals need quantified targets," Nature, Nature, vol. 513(7518), pages 281-281, September.
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