Sustainable rehabilitation of the built environment : the case of coastal area of Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon

This research project considers the causes and negative impact of inadequate construction standards and planning policies upon the Lebanese Coastal Zone (LCZ) environment, particularly in the area of Zouk Mosbeh (ZM) , wherein commercial, residential, industrial and tourist developments and amenities intersect so haphazardly, and where a failure to raise standards and correct abuses lead to the degradatiol) of the area. , Drawing upon previous built environment research, particularly sustainable rehabilitation, urban planning, as well as urban development in Lebanon, and focusing on the LCZ particularly on ZM, was helpful in identifying the complex relations between the various environmental problems of water, air, biodiversity, soil, and land erosion, on one hand, and the various socioeconomic development sectors relating to population, agriculture, industry, and construction, on the other. The adopted methodology approached the problem of the built environment and its impact on the biophysical environment holistically, taking into account environmental, economic and socio-cultural justice, as main dimensions of sustainable development. This was undertaken in the form of a case study on the coastal area of ZM, along the LCZ. Recommendations in the form of guidelines for the sustainable rehabilitation of the built environment in the area of ZM were developed. These included the roles of all stakeholders in the decision-making process regarding urban development, the municipality, inhabitants, and finally built environment professionals. The literature is very robust, especially regarding the need for bottom-up participatory process where all stakeholders are involved in the policy and implementation process. In contrast, important gaps were found, / ... and this relates to the lack of interaction among stakeholders, especially between the municipality authority and the community on the one hand, and between built environment professionals and the rest of the community on the other. This has obvious negative implications for sustainable urban planning and development. Additionally, this study has demonstrated the need for all built environment stakeholders in ZM and, for that matter, in all of Lebanon to commit to sustainable development principles. This commitment is imperative, as it is the , .. only viable strategy for meeting 'the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations. It is hoped that this research will contribute significantly to current debates on environmental sustainability in Lebanon, especially during this period of unprecedented physical reconstruction and development, so that the principles of sustainable development will be integrated into national plans, especially urban plans to avoid huge and future correctional expenditure.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo