A model to prioritise sustainable urban regeneration in vulnerable areas using SWOT and CAME methodologies

Abstract

This work proposes a model for decision-making support to help Administrations to undertake urban regeneration and refurbishment by prioritising vulnerable neighbourhoods and buildings. In order to suggest regeneration measures in vulnerable areas, the SWOT analysis is proposed for identifying determining factors of vulnerability. This permits information to be arranged into categories to obtain a multiperspective diagnosis. The complementary CAME methodology completes the above analysis to Correct Weaknesses, Adapt to Threats, Maintain existent Strengths and Explore detected Opportunities. The combination of these methodologies, scarcely used before in urban regeneration, has proven useful for suggesting general urban regeneration guidelines in complex contexts, which urban environments are, where physico-social conditions clearly interrelate. Thus specific Challenges can be suggested and later materialised through specific urban Lines of Action adapted to specific needs in a studied area. When considering the buildings in an area, they present distinct ages, typologies, and structural and constructive features, so refurbishment solutions cannot be standardised. This work’s proposal is to intervene in social housing of municipal property that is representative of vulnerable buildings. The results are presented on practical datasheets, where regeneration and refurbishment solutions are summarised and economically estimated. This general methodology can be replicated in different contexts by adjusting specific features of areas. The city of Castellón was selected as an empirical case to validate the proposed model.