Sustainability assessment on an urban scale: context, challenges, and most relevant indicators

The concept and practice of sustainability in urban planning have gained worldwide significance since the early 2000s and have become increasingly mainstream in the policymaking process. Adopting global frameworks, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ISO standards, for sustainable communities provides an opportunity to build more sustainable, innovative, and equitable towns and cities, with regard to natural resources and biodiversity. However, attaining sustainability requires addressing many fundamental issues at various levels, and achieving the goals and objectives of sustainability poses a significant challenge for all segments of society. Several methods for assessing the sustainability of the urban environment have been established in recent years. Therefore, compiling a short and comprehensive list of indicators addressing the broad concept of urban sustainability issues has arisen as a significant challenge. This research reviews four urban sustainability assessment tools—BREEAM-C, LEED-ND, iiSBE SBToolPT Urban, and iiSBE SNTool—to identify a clear set of key sustainability priorities. This study aims to highlight a more consistent list of indicators that are considered the most significant aspects and priorities within the analysed sustainability methods, allowing for a common understanding of the most important principles that must be considered in the design of sustainable urban areas and are compatible with the most recent standardization and sustainability targets. The end product of this study includes a proposal for a set of sustainability indicators to assess environmental, social, and economic issues to implement in the design of sustainable urban environments, independent of the local context