Gender Differences in Environmental Perspectives among Urban Design Professionals

Marita Wallhagen,Ola Eriksson,Patrik Sörqvist

doi:10.3390/buildings8040059

Abstract

Urban design professionals are key actors in early design phases and have the possibility to influence urban development and direct it in a more sustainable direction. Therefore, gender differences in environmental perspectives among urban design professionals may have a marked effect on urban development and the environment. This study identified gender differences in environment-related attitudes among urban design professionals involved in the international architectural competition ‘A New City Centre for Kiruna’ in northern Sweden. Participants’ self-rated possibility to influence environmental aspects was higher for males than for females. Conversely, the importance placed on environmental aspects had higher ratings among females, although the differences regarding the rating of personal responsibility were small. The gap between the participants’ self-rated belief in their ability to influence and rated importance of environmental aspects was larger among female participants. Females placed great importance on environmental aspects even though they felt that their possibility to influence these was rather low. Conversely, male participants felt that they had the greatest possibility to influence, although some males rated the importance of environmental aspects thelowest. The gender differences identified are important from an equality and environmental perspective as they may influence pro-environmental behavior among urban design professionals and ultimately influence the environmental performance of the built environment.

Highlights

Buildings and infrastructure are responsible for a substantial proportion of the global use of natural resources, energy use and emissions to air, water and land [1]
The self-rated possibility to influence environmental aspects was systematically higher for males than for females (Figure 1)
The importance assigned to all these environmental categories received higher ratings among females than males (Figure 2), this gender difference did not reach significance in the context of a multivariate analysis with all seven importance estimates being assigned as the dependent variables (Wilks’s λ = 0.91, F(7, 49) = 0.74, p = 0.636)

Summary

Introduction

Buildings and infrastructure are responsible for a substantial proportion of the global use of natural resources, energy use and emissions to air, water and land [1]. Creating more sustainable designs for buildings and neighborhoods would be beneficial for human health and the environment [2] and could improve building quality without increasing costs [3]. The main barrier to more environmental and sustainable buildings and neighborhoods is neither technological nor economic issues, but rather social and psychological factors [4]. The attitudes towards environmental aspects among decision-makers in the planning and building sector, such as architects, landscape architects, urban planners and urban designers (here referred to as ‘urban design professionals’), or other actors involved in the building and property sector, such as property owners, developers and contractors, may play an important role in realizing the technological potential of a more sustainable built environment. In relation to other groups, they have a marked possibility to influence how the built environment is planned, designed and constructed and, they

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