TOWARDS A SOCIOCULTURAL MODEL FOR SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS IN THE ARAB REGION

Abstract

Architecture and Construction Sustainability is considered nowadays one of the fiercest markets worldwide. Developing rating systems and accreditations has become a competition between different nations for achieving excellence in their sustainable architectural approaches.

Globalization has managed to further complicate this competition resulting in the emergence of Global Cities based on standardization and cloned sustainable architectural vocabulary. This resulted in depriving the local societies from having distinguished experiences and unique memories related to the space occupied. It also created a sociocultural gap between the current regional rating systems and certifications of the Arab world and the distinctive needs of their societies. That’s why the prior research work is still considered lacking in regards to investigating the effectiveness of developing the local sustainability assessment systems of the Arab countries based on their international counterparts. The research work also doesn’t provide suitable strategies on how to develop those rating systems to fulfill the needs of each society and enhance its sustainability without losing its definitive identity.

This Thesis discusses the effectiveness of adopting Sociocultural Policies and Strategies that can be interdependent on the local sustainability assessment systems. This approach facilitates the tailoring of these systems based on the societies’ current and future needs in addition to their unique and diverse identities. The sociocultural approach may also help to further humanize the building designs and current robotic competition of the construction markets.