Developing an Assessment Framework for Affordable and Sustainable Housing

Sustainable housing has been subject to research, practice, and policymaking for a while. More recently attention has been drawn to the separate problem of declining affordability in housing. This paper describes research aimed at developing an assessment framework for both affordability and\ sustainability as part of the effort to incorporate both of these features into new housing projects. The research has a particular focus on developments aimed at urban densification. Background literature on both affordability and sustainability is reviewed and emerging schemes that deal with both aspects of housing developments. Performance indicators are identified and incorporated in an interim assessment framework tested using a group of industry experts. The research has highlighted areas where further development is required to attain quantitative assessments of affordable and sustainable housing developments.