Challenges of developing sustainable neighborhoods in China

Last decades have witnessed growing public concerns on sustainable development in China arguably due to the social and environmental issues associated with the rapid urbanization. As a result, sustainable neighborhood development has attracted an increasing level of attention from both industry and government. A number of factors exist that may impede the development of sustainable neighborhoods. This study aims to explore the inter-relationship amongst various barriers to sustainable neighborhood development with consideration given to the complex nature of the system. A hierarchical structural model is developed via interpretative structural modeling, which is followed by a classification via Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée á un Classeement (MICMAC) analysis. The complex inter-relationships among various barriers to the sustainable neighborhood developments are examined. The most influential barriers are identified, i.e. unsustainable urbanization mode, lack of supporting policy, lack of national standards and assessment tools, and unsustainable planning. Top priorities can be assigned to deal with these issues properly to facilitate the development of sustainable neighborhoods. This informs the urban policy making process as well as industry practices.