Where is the Social Sustainability in Green Buildings?

Abstract

While green buildings today are labeled as “sustainable,” many of them actually fall short, especially on social sustainability metrics. Through literature review, document analysis, and site survey, this study examines what the current state of research and development is on social sustainability in green buildings and what the best practices are. The findings indicate that green building rating systems are a major trend in the academic research and are criticized for valuing environmental sustainability over social sustainability. Document analysis confirms that LEED, the most widely used green building rating system, does not adequately address social sustainability. A site survey at the LEED-certified Tulsa City-County Library demonstrates how to properly balance social and environmental sustainability in a building. Recommendations are made for future green buildings based on the data collected.