Oliver, A and Smith, S D (2018) Perceptions of sustainability in domestic housing: How do those who must deliver it understand it? In: Gorse, C and Neilson, C J (eds.) Proceedings of 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, 3-5 September 2018, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK.
Abstract
A response to the needs of the sustainability 'agenda' has been the development of different assessment methods that are intended to direct and inspire designers towards sustainable practices. Each of these assessment methods are underpinned by a particular understanding or interpretation of the best way to meet a perceived set of sustainability needs. This situation raises questions surrounding how notions of sustainability and sustainable development are assimilated and interpreted by Industry Professionals. These questions revolve around how a designer perceives sustainability and how this influences their personal design approach. However, one issue that persists is the lack of a shared sense or understanding of what sustainability is and why it is important to our industry and society. In order to explore the breadth of perception within the domestic housing sector, a series of 24 semi-structured interviews with architects and structural engineers have been thematically analysed. Early outcomes suggest that while there is a thread of working towards sustainability, three aspects need further exploration. First is a confirmation that the level of understanding of sustainability practices and procedures is inconsistent across the sector. Second is a potential lack of engagement with the standards they are being asked to adhere to. Thirdly, some professionals are frustrated in that they feel they can contribute more to the conceptual design process than they are being asked. The outcomes of this study will be beneficial in three ways – they can contribute to the understanding of sustainability practices within the domestic housing sector; knowledge dissemination via guidance and design guides could help limit the variability of approaches of design teams; and, finally, the understanding developed will allow a more informed approach to policy development.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | housing; sustainability; standards; architectural practice |
| Index terms: | structural engineer, architectural practice, exploration, architect, conceptual design, knowledge dissemination, housing, variability, interview, society, sustainable practice, design team, sustainable development, designer |
| Subjects: | business, construction type, profession, data collection methods, research dissemination and communication, professional practice, environmental resource management, health safety and environment, design practice, statistical analysis, communities and social development, sustainable practices |
| Topics: | Information Management, Research Practice, Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Sustainability, Construction Technology, Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here