A Framework for Assessing Sustainability in Post-Disaster Reconstruction Projects on The Example of Syria

Abstract

A disaster has the potential to cause significant damage to the environment, impact the wellbeing of individuals and affect every aspect of the urban system. The severity of disasters has increased in recent years because of not only the damage and loss of life but also the unsustainable nature of post-disaster reconstruction efforts. The reconstruction of infrastructure following a disaster is a dynamic and complex process, distinct from the construction of new infrastructure in non-disaster scenarios. It is therefore imperative that post-disaster reconstruction projects adopt a more development-oriented approach, incorporating the characteristics and strategies of sustainability. This research addresses the nature of the post-disaster reconstruction environment and the critical necessity of ensuring the sustainability concept. This research proposes a novel and effective framework that is well-suited to the dynamic and complex nature of post-disaster reconstruction projects. The proposed framework comprises 50 key indicators, identified based on previous studies, which collectively contribute to the achievement of sustainability across its five dimensions. The framework is comprised of five dimensions, namely economic, social, environmental, technical and institutional. A questionnaire survey was conducted with the participation of 40 experts involved in post-disaster reconstruction projects in Syria. The objective was to assess the adequacy of the key indicators checklist and to determine the importance of each indicator. The relative importance of each indicator and the average importance of each dimension were calculated in order to determine which dimension was the most important. This was found to be the technical dimension. The findings of this study will facilitate the implementation of effective and sustainable management strategies for post-disaster reconstruction projects. This can be achieved by adopting the proposed framework and utilising sustainability indicators from the outset, thus preventing failure, enhancing resilience and reducing future vulnerabilities in the built environment.

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