Social Sustainability Considerations During Planning and Design: A Framework of Processes for Construction Projects

This study introduces a conceptual framework of 50 processes for integrating and evaluating social considerations in construction projects. These processes focus on the planning and design phases because they offer the greatest potential for influencing project performance. The concept mapping method was applied to develop this framework based on the input from 25 experts in academia, industry and government. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses were used to organize these processes into six categories defining social sustainability in construction projects: Stakeholder Engagement, User Considerations, Team Formation, Management Considerations, Impact Assessment, and Place Context. Practitioners can benefit from this framework, which enhances existing sustainability assessment methods and helps address the challenge of developing truly sustainable projects. This framework also provides academics with a tool for introducing students to social sustainability in construction projects. By considering these social sustainability processes during the planning and design phases, infrastructure project performance will ultimately be enhanced. Future research could use this framework as a baseline for (a) developing metrics based on these processes, (b) assessing social processes during the construction and operation phases of sustainable infrastructure projects, and (c) incorporating this new knowledge into new courses and modules for existing ones.