Measuring urban social sustainability: Scale development and validation

Despite the significant role of social sustainability in the sustainable development agenda, there is a lack of research to clearly define and fully operationalise the concept of urban social sustainability. The aim of this study is to contribute to the existing literature by developing a comprehensive measurement scale to assess urban social sustainability (USS) at the neighbourhood level. We argue that urban social sustainability is a multidimensional concept that incorporates six main dimensions of social interaction, sense of place, social participation, safety, social equity, and neighbourhood satisfaction. Failure to consider each of these dimensions may lead to an incomplete picture of social sustainability. Validity, reliability and dimensionality of the USS scale are examined using factor analysis. We also illustrate the application of the USS scale by investigating the influence of quality of design, as one of the least studied factors of urban form, on different dimensions of social sustainability. The paper uses data collected from the household questionnaire survey in a sample of 251 respondents from five case study neighbourhoods of Dunedin city, New Zealand. This study provides new evidence on the significance of improving neighbourhood quality of design and its positive and significant relationship with different dimensions of social sustainability and the overall social sustainability

Neighbourhood Social Resilience (NSR): Definition, Conceptualisation, and Measurement Scale Development

The literature on social resilience lacks a precise definition of this concept and a clear guideline on how to measure it. Particularly, social resilience at the neighbourhood scale has received remarkably little scholarly attention. This study contributes toward filling these gaps in the literature by developing and empirically testing the neighbourhood social resilience (NSR) model as a robust and reliable measurement instrument that integrates various aspects of this complex concept into one coherent and fine-grained psychometric model. The reliability and validity of the NSR model are empirically tested using questionnaire data collected from 234 respondents in five neighbourhoods of Dunedin city, New Zealand. Furthermore, a more nuanced definition for neighbourhood social resilience is provided. Results indicate that social resilience is a second-order and multidimensional concept incorporating eight dimensions. Each of these dimensions captures a distinct piece in the jigsaw of social resilience; therefore, failure to incorporate all dimensions may provide an incomplete picture of this complex phenomenon. Our research bridges the gap between top-down approach of stakeholders and policymakers and bottom-up perceptions and expectations of residents about social resilience of their urban neighbourhood

Modelling Urban Social Sustainability

In recent years, sustainable development has increasingly influenced urban policy, housing and planning in cities all over the world. Debates about sustainability no longer consider it solely as an environmental concern, but also incorporate social and economic dimensions. However, while a social dimension of sustainability is extensively accepted, there seems to be no consensus on the perspectives and criteria that should be adopted in defining the concept, making it difficult to achieve a generalised definition. Additionally, one of the main goals of sustainable development has been to search for the most suitable urban forms for human settlements, which not only enables urban environments to function better, but also provides the requirements for achieving long-term sustainability. As stated in the literature, studying social sustainability through the lens of urban form is a topic in need of further empirical exploration and conceptual clarification (e.g. Bramley & Power, 2009; Colantonio & Lane, 2007; Dempsey et al., 2010). Therefore, this study aims to develop a way of defining social sustainability. It does this through developing a multi-dimensional model for measuring social sustainability at the neighbourhood level. This model is then used to investigate the relationship between social sustainability and urban form. This study comprises two main phases of analysis. The first phase of analysis focuses on developing and statistically testing the social sustainability measurement scale. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses are used to identify the underlying dimensions of social sustainability and to test the validity and reliability of the proposed measurement model through 261 household questionnaire surveys in five case study neighbourhoods in Dunedin, New Zealand. The second phase of analysis focuses on examining the impact of people’s perception of urban form on their perceived level of social sustainability using multiple regression analysis. The social sustainability model developed in the first phase of the study is further used to analyse the relationship between selected elements of urban form (i.e., density, quality of urban design, land use mix, and sustainable transport) with the dimensions of social sustainability. The model demonstrates how dimensions of social sustainability may be promoted or weakened by different elements of urban form. This study has two sets of findings. First, this study found that the social sustainability scale incorporated six dimensions: social interaction, neighbourhood satisfaction, social participation, safety and security, social equity, and pride/sense of belonging. Second, it found that there is a strong relationship between selected urban form elements and dimensions of social sustainability in both positive and negative ways. For example, it was evident that in denser areas, people’s access to facilities and services was higher, while their perceived levels of neighbourhood satisfaction and sense of safety were lower. The results of this research indicate that land-use mix and the provision of public spaces are urban form elements that can encourage people to have more social interaction and participation in their neighbourhood and therefore, increase their satisfaction with their neighbourhood as a place to live. This study contributes to knowledge of social sustainability and urban form both theoretically and practically. The main theoretical contribution of this study relates to the inclusion of the dominant dimensions of social sustainability in the literature and integrates them into one model which is then statistically tested. This allows for the presentation of a clearer definition of social sustainability. This identification of the main dimensions of the concept within the urban context provides a basis for future studies. This study contributes to the body of knowledge practically, as it delivers useful information on the urban form elements that enhance the social sustainability of neighbourhoods. Knowledge of these critical elements can assist local government, policy makers, urban planners and designers in understanding the interrelationships between the physical and spatial elements of urban form and the social qualities of an urban area. This understanding can be used to inform the development of more liveable and sustainable environments

Modelling Urban Social Sustainability

In recent years, sustainable development has increasingly influenced urban policy, housing and planning in cities all over the world. Debates about sustainability no longer consider it solely as an environmental concern, but also incorporate social and economic dimensions. However, while a social dimension of sustainability is extensively accepted, there seems to be no consensus on the perspectives and criteria that should be adopted in defining the concept, making it difficult to achieve a generalised definition. Additionally, one of the main goals of sustainable development has been to search for the most suitable urban forms for human settlements, which not only enables urban environments to function better, but also provides the requirements for achieving long-term sustainability. As stated in the literature, studying social sustainability through the lens of urban form is a topic in need of further empirical exploration and conceptual clarification (e.g. Bramley & Power, 2009; Colantonio & Lane, 2007; Dempsey et al., 2010). Therefore, this study aims to develop a way of defining social sustainability. It does this through developing a multi-dimensional model for measuring social sustainability at the neighbourhood level. This model is then used to investigate the relationship between social sustainability and urban form. This study comprises two main phases of analysis. The first phase of analysis focuses on developing and statistically testing the social sustainability measurement scale. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses are used to identify the underlying dimensions of social sustainability and to test the validity and reliability of the proposed measurement model through 261 household questionnaire surveys in five case study neighbourhoods in Dunedin, New Zealand. The second phase of analysis focuses on examining the impact of people’s perception of urban form on their perceived level of social sustainability using multiple regression analysis. The social sustainability model developed in the first phase of the study is further used to analyse the relationship between selected elements of urban form (i.e., density, quality of urban design, land use mix, and sustainable transport) with the dimensions of social sustainability. The model demonstrates how dimensions of social sustainability may be promoted or weakened by different elements of urban form. This study has two sets of findings. First, this study found that the social sustainability scale incorporated six dimensions: social interaction, neighbourhood satisfaction, social participation, safety and security, social equity, and pride/sense of belonging. Second, it found that there is a strong relationship between selected urban form elements and dimensions of social sustainability in both positive and negative ways. For example, it was evident that in denser areas, people’s access to facilities and services was higher, while their perceived levels of neighbourhood satisfaction and sense of safety were lower. The results of this research indicate that land-use mix and the provision of public spaces are urban form elements that can encourage people to have more social interaction and participation in their neighbourhood and therefore, increase their satisfaction with their neighbourhood as a place to live. This study contributes to knowledge of social sustainability and urban form both theoretically and practically. The main theoretical contribution of this study relates to the inclusion of the dominant dimensions of social sustainability in the literature and integrates them into one model which is then statistically tested. This allows for the presentation of a clearer definition of social sustainability. This identification of the main dimensions of the concept within the urban context provides a basis for future studies. This study contributes to the body of knowledge practically, as it delivers useful information on the urban form elements that enhance the social sustainability of neighbourhoods. Knowledge of these critical elements can assist local government, policy makers, urban planners and designers in understanding the interrelationships between the physical and spatial elements of urban form and the social qualities of an urban area. This understanding can be used to inform the development of more liveable and sustainable environments

Sustainable electricity generation mix for Iran: A fuzzy analytic network process approach

Electricity supply in Iran has been heavily dependent on fossil fuels. In light of the government's emphasis on reducing the consumption of conventional energy sources, combined with the worldwide attention to environmental issues, it is necessary for Iran to revise its current energy mix policy in power sector and move towards a more diversified energy portfolio. This paper aims to contribute to energy management studies through developing a new framework for assessing the mix of energy sources for producing electricity in Iran from the perspective of sustainable development. Multiple qualitative and quantitative criteria with conflicting nature need to be taken into consideration for evaluating competing energy options for electricity production in Iran. In order to address this issue and also to consider the complex interdependence among criteria and alternatives, this paper adopts a fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) method. Seven criteria and nineteen sub-criteria are defined and structured in the form of benefits, opportunities, costs and risks (BOCR) to evaluate the share of six energy resources. The results indicate that the best energy mix for the power sector in Iran is as follows: renewable energies (31.6%), natural gas (25%), coal (12.3%), fuel oil (12.6%), nuclear (8.7%) and gas oil (9.7%).</p

Travel behaviour of vulnerable social groups

Since the emergence of COVID-19, travel restrictions due to the pandemic have influenced several activities, in particular the mobility patterns of individuals. Our main goal is to draw the attention of scholars and policy makers to a specific segment of the population, namely (1) older people, (2) persons with disabilities (PwDs), (3) females, and (4) low-income population that are more vulnerable for travel behaviour change due to crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This article systematically reviews the studies that have explored the implications of COVID-19 for the mobility and activities of individuals pre-, during, and post-pandemic using the PRISMA method. It is found that there are a few studies regarding the travel and mobility needs and challenges of older people and PwDs, and there is no direct study concerning female and low-income individuals while such crisis exist. Questions such as “What are the adverse impacts of restrictions on their travel behaviour?”, “How can they travel safely to work, shopping, and medical centres?”, “Which transportation modes can be more effective for them?”, and “What are the government and policy makers’ role in providing accessible and affordable mobility services in the presence of such crisis?” are without relevant answers in the literature

Travel Behaviour of Vulnerable Social Groups: Pre, during, and Post COVID-19 Pandemic

Since the emergence of COVID-19, travel restrictions due to the pandemic have influenced several activities, in particular the mobility patterns of individuals. Our main goal is to draw the attention of scholars and policy makers to a specific segment of the population, namely (1) older people, (2) persons with disabilities (PwDs), (3) females, and (4) low-income population that are more vulnerable for travel behaviour change due to crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This article systematically reviews the studies that have explored the implications of COVID-19 for the mobility and activities of individuals pre-, during, and post-pandemic using the PRISMA method. It is found that there are a few studies regarding the travel and mobility needs and challenges of older people and PwDs, and there is no direct study concerning female and low-income individuals while such crisis exist. Questions such as &ldquo;What are the adverse impacts of restrictions on their travel behaviour?&rdquo;, &ldquo;How can they travel safely to work, shopping, and medical centres?&rdquo;, &ldquo;Which transportation modes can be more effective for them?&rdquo;, and &ldquo;What are the government and policy makers&rsquo; role in providing accessible and affordable mobility services in the presence of such crisis?&rdquo; are without relevant answers in the literature

The use of morphological description in neighbourhood planning: Form-based assessment of physical character and design rules

Despite ongoing efforts to encourage the use of urban morphology tools into current practice, uptake remains limited. Shortcomings are largely attributed to time and resource intensive methods of historical settlement transformation study. However, developments in quantitative morphological approaches offer new possibilities for efficiency and easier adoption of research tools in practice. This paper proposes the use of typo-morphology methods to inform the adoption of form-based design guidance in neighbourhood master plans. The aim of the study is to develop a comprehensive yet flexible method for form-based character assessment (FBCA) of residential streets. The resulting FBCA classification identifies streets where compliance with form-based design rules could be tightened. The FBCA method is empirically tested in the context of the local neighbourhood plan for Radlett, Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, offering reflections from practice on the usefulness and limitations of the method

Evolving towards Mobility-as-a-Service: drivers and consequences of car subscription services

This study investigates the emergence of car subscription services as a new development in the area of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS). Our aim is to explore the drivers of the emergence of car subscription services, analyse its impact on the incumbent manufacturers, and investigate the impact of COVID-19. We adopt a qualitative approach based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with managers of three car subscription service providers: a leading car manufacturer and two car subscription start-ups. We found three key behavioural and technological trends that drive the emergence and growth of car subscription services and highlighted the various opportunities and risks for the incumbent manufacturers.</p