Navabakhsh, Sahar; (2025) A Participatory Framework for Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Housing Estate Regeneration Schemes. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

To enable sustainable development, the assessment and analysis of housing estate regeneration schemes (HERS) need to consider the socioeconomic as well as environmental impacts of the schemes. Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) is a methodology used to calculate the overall socioeconomic and environmental impacts of buildings over their lifecycle. The current practice of LCSA has a strong preference for objective and quantitative approaches to assessment, with a lack of transparency on the assessment processes and results, and limited stakeholder involvement. To promote equitable, transparent, and informed decision-making over regeneration of housing estates, this research explores “How can a participatory framework effectively evaluate the holistic lifetime sustainability of housing estate regeneration schemes?”. A literature review is conducted for exploring the current sustainability assessment frameworks (SAFs), decision-making processes, and stakeholder engagement in sustainability assessment of HERS. The properties and engagement barriers for a holistic sustainability assessment of HERS and the main gaps in knowledge and practice are identified. An innovative mixed-methods design is planned to develop; implement; and evaluate a novel participatory LCSA framework for HERS. The research design consists of desk-based research, surveys, observational studies, semi-structured interviews, a peer-extended learning workshop, a criteria-based evaluation, and a case study consisting of co-design and co-production workshops; surveys; Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). Qualitative analysis includes coding, reflexive thematic analysis (TA), and descriptive synthesis. Quantitative analysis includes descriptive and inferential statistics, and content analysis. Overall results are analysed and synthesised through triangulation and consolidation of data analyses. Framework development consists of a multistakeholder survey and observational studies from the workshops with the stakeholders of HERS. The stakeholders’ perceived properties for a holistic SAF, engagement barriers, and benefits of a participatory SAF for HERS are identified and a robust and novel framework is introduced. The proposed framework integrates participatory approaches into LCSA stages in five steps: 1) participatory indicator selection and goal setting, 2) co-design and impact assessment, 3) MCDA for scoring of impact assessment outputs, 4) aggregation of the results, and 5) analysis and communication of the results. Framework implementation involves testing the proposed framework on a case study of a housing estate in London. A mixed-methods survey and eight co-design workshops are conducted as part of a collaboration with researchers from Bartlett School of Planning, University College London (UCL). Three co-production workshops are conducted as part of the case study. The survey and field notes from workshops are analysed for identifying the indicators for the LCSA (Step 1). A plan for refurbishment and regeneration is proposed and compared with the council’s previously approved demolition and redevelopment plan, and a comprehensive LCA and other impact assessments are conducted (Step 2). The results are presented to the stakeholder for MCDA (Step 3), and finally the results are aggregated (Step 4) and analysed through consistency check and dominance check for ensuring the robustness of the results and communication with the stakeholders (Step 5). The results present the holistic superiority of the retrofit and extension regeneration scenario to the redevelopment scenario across all indicators. Framework evaluation is done through analysis of survey questions on the effectiveness of the existing SAFs, workshop evaluation questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and a peer-extended learning workshop with the stakeholders of HERS. A qualitative criteria-based evaluation of the framework and this research is also conducted. The findings reveal the framework's effectiveness cross-examined through different methods and across a wide range of criteria and present the framework’s diverse range of impacts. The proposed framework represents a significant advance in sustainability assessment methodology, providing meaningful stakeholder engagement while maintaining technical rigour. The framework responds to the expectations of different stakeholders while meeting the required policies and benchmarks for sustainable development. It enables local authorities, housing associations, and other stakeholders to promote informed decision-making for a comprehensive and transparent stakeholder-based comparison of different regeneration scenarios. Implementing the proposed framework in practice and policy will mean meeting the identified impacts and promoting holistic sustainability in regeneration of housing estates.

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