Identification of Social Sustainability Assessment Indicators in Residential Complexes through a Meta-Synthesis Approach (Case Study: Scopus Database)

In societal development, housing occupies a fundamental position and is regarded as one of the essential human needs. Consequently, in recent years, attention to the social dimension of sustainable architectural development has grown considerably. However, due to the context-specific nature of the concept of social sustainability, there is no consensus among researchers regarding its defining characteristics. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study sought to provide a systematic, categorized list of indicators for assessing social sustainability in the design of residential complexes, as discussed in the literature. The research method was meta-synthesis based on the seven-step approach proposed by Sandelowski and Barroso. Accordingly, the target population included all studies published in the Scopus database between 1994 and 2025. Following the screening process in line with the selected method, out of the initial 221 identified studies, 19 were retained in the final list and subjected to coding. After coding, 23 unique indicators were extracted and classified under 12 concepts—including private environmental desirability, public space desirability, physical desirability of the residential complex, sense of place attachment, accessibility, compliance with functional standards, social equality, security, safety, social participation, social interaction, and social cohesion—and four emerging categories: environmental satisfaction and desirability, social justice, comfort, and social capital.
 
Extended Abstract
1-Introduction
In recent years, attention to the social dimension in sustainable development approaches has increased significantly, and alongside the economic and environmental dimensions, it has emerged as one of the three main dimensions of sustainability, since it plays a crucial role in determining people’s quality of life and well-being. Nevertheless, despite the growing use of this concept in scientific debates and policymaking, due to the context-specific nature of social sustainability, researchers have proposed a wide range of indicators and criteria for its assessment. There is still no unified and widely accepted definition of social sustainability, particularly in architectural literature. This diversity has led to fragmentation in perspectives and findings, highlighting the need for greater convergence and alignment of prior research. Accordingly, the present study seeks to fill this knowledge gap and, using a systematic literature review approach, provide a classified list of indicators for assessing social sustainability in residential complex design.
 
2-Materials and Methods
This research is qualitative in nature, and in terms of data collection, it belongs to meta-study research—specifically, meta-synthesis. It is based on Sandelowski and Barroso’s seven-step model of meta-synthesis and employs quantitative content analysis to systematically review studies that identify indicators of social sustainability. The target population includes all research published in the Scopus database between 1994 and 2025. The reason for selecting this database is that it is one of the most comprehensive international citation indexing platforms, in which many reputable scientific journals are indexed. Accordingly, it was chosen as the primary source of data. After completing the screening process, out of the initial 221 identified studies, 19 articles were selected for coding in the final list. In the first stage of data analysis, open coding was used to extract and categorize the social sustainability indicators; in the next step, quantitative content analysis was employed to rank the indicators.
 
3- Results and Discussion
The first step in Sandelowski and Barroso's seven-step model is formulating the research question. Based on this question and the selected keywords, the database was systematically reviewed, resulting in the identification of 221 research titles. Screening proceeded in three stages: title, abstract, and full text. In the title screening stage, studies irrelevant to the research subject as well as duplicates were excluded, eliminating 172 of the 221 initial records. In the abstract screening stage, 11 additional studies were removed for lacking a clear methodology or not aiming to identify social sustainability indicators. Finally, during full-text screening, 19 more studies were excluded because they either did not mention social sustainability indicators or were inconsistent with the research objective. After these three stages of screening, 19 studies remained in the final list for coding.
After reviewing the selected studies, social sustainability indicators were extracted from their content. Each identified indicator was considered as an open code, resulting initially in 100 codes. By eliminating codes with only single frequency and merging conceptually similar codes through the constant comparison technique, 23 final codes were obtained. For analysis and synthesis of qualitative findings, open coding was applied. The 23 unique indicators were compared using the constant comparison method, and related codes were conceptually labeled and grouped into distinct categories. Altogether, 12 concepts were identified: private environmental desirability, public space desirability, physical desirability of the residential complex, sense of place attachment, accessibility, compliance with functional standards, social equality, security, safety, social participation, social interaction, and social cohesion. These concepts were classified into four overarching categories: environmental satisfaction, social justice, comfort, and social capital. To ensure the reliability and validity of the findings, the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) was applied. Quantitative content analysis of frequency indicated that among the 23 identified indicators, three had the highest occurrence in prior studies: access to public services, quality of private environmental design, and quality of private environmental construction. This finding underscores that equitable access to urban public services, effective design and organization of residential interior spaces, and the quality of building materials are crucial factors in improving quality of life, which is the central aim of social sustainability.
 
4- Conclusion
Identifying social sustainability indicators in housing provides architects and designers with a valuable decision-making tool. These indicators allow designers to go beyond physical and aesthetic considerations and incorporate human and social dimensions of housing. For instance, by recognizing the needs of diverse resident groups (children, the elderly, women, persons with disabilities), designers can create spaces that enhance social equity, safety, accessibility, and social interaction. Moreover, by applying these indicators, designers are able to develop housing and neighborhood models that foster place attachment, social cohesion, and long-term residential stability. Thus, this ensures that housing design projects are successful not only in physical terms but also socially effective and aligned with the goals of sustainable development.