A sustainability assessment framework for high-rise residential projects: a case of India

Abstract

In India, the polarization of growth towards urban areas leads to a considerable rise in multifamily, high-rise residential projects. Hence, incorporating sustainability in high-rise residential construction is one of the key aims of sustainable urban development. This study presents a comprehensive framework for the sustainability assessment of high-rise residential projects in India, addressing economic, environmental and social dimensions throughout the project’s life cycle. The proposed framework comprises 44 attributes, 11 criteria and three dimensions of sustainability based on an extensive literature review, Indian government policies and guidelines for environmental clearance of residential projects and India’s commonly adopted green building rating systems. The present study has identified 12 economically favourable sustainability attributes which can be helpful to encourage developers to implement them. Further, the analytic hierarchy process was used to evaluate the weights of identified sustainability attributes, criteria and dimensions based on experts’ opinions. The developed sustainability assessment framework provides a blueprint for promoting sustainable practices in high-rise residential construction. It can also be used to develop a sustainability assessment tool for high-rise residential projects.