Perceptions of sustainability in domestic housing: How do those who must deliver it understand it?

A response to the needs of the sustainability 'agenda' has been the development of different assessment methods that are intended to direct and inspire designers towards sustainable practices. Each of these assessment methods are underpinned by a particular understanding or interpretation of the best way to meet a perceived set of sustainability needs. This situation raises questions surrounding how notions of sustainability and sustainable development are assimilated and interpreted by Industry Professionals. These questions revolve around how a designer perceives sustainability and how this influences their personal design approach. However, one issue that persists is the lack of a shared sense or understanding of what sustainability is and why it is important to our industry and society. In order to explore the breadth of perception within the domestic housing sector, a series of 24 semi-structured interviews with architects and structural engineers have been thematically analysed. Early outcomes suggest that while there is a thread of working towards sustainability, three aspects need further exploration. First is a confirmation that the level of understanding around sustainability practices and procedures among designers is diverse. Second is a potential lack of engagement with the standards they are being asked to adhere to. Thirdly, is that designers consider the impact of cost when pursuing sustainability in their design - particularly to enhanced levels, to be extensive and often prohibitively so. The outcomes of this study will be beneficial in three ways - they can contribute to the understanding of sustainability practices within the domestic housing sector; knowledge dissemination via guidance and design guides could help limit the variability of approaches of design teams; and, finally, the understanding developed will allow a more informed approach to policy development.