A dialectical system framework for green building assessment in high-density cities

Urban areas afford 56% of the world population and the top 600 cities emit 70% of the world greenhouse gases, highlighting enormous challenges and potentials of carbon emission reduction and sustainability in high-density cities. Though vast research has reviewed the green building assessment (GBA) systems in different perspectives, little has explicitly examined the dialectics of GBA, particularly its complexity and dynamics. The assessment of green buildings, however, can be regarded as a complex dynamic system with multifaceted dialectics, particularly in high-density cities. Thus, this paper aims to examine the dialectics of GBA within the context of high-density cities by identifying 42 GBA systems and then comparing 12 widely adopted systems in depth. Dialectics denote the complex and dynamic interdependency among the elements of a system. A dialectical system framework is developed to guide the systematic comparison of the GBA systems in three dimensions: ‘concept’, ‘methodology’ and ‘value’. The results reveal that dialectics exist and encounter challenges in all three dimensions, including a multi-perspective but inconsistent concept of GBA, well-organised but oversimplified methodology for GBA, and value-laden but insufficient stakeholder engagement in GBA. The developed framework provides a new approach to understanding the complex and dynamic interdependency among the various elements of GBA systems. The findings should raise the awareness of green building developers, planners and designers about the dialectics in GBA and thus inform the associated decision making and design optimisation, making it possible to more effectively achieve green buildings.