The double edge of cutting edge: Explaining adoption and nonadoption of the STAR rating system and insights for sustainability indicators

STAR (Sustainability Tools for Assessing and Rating system), is a ‘cutting edge’ program that accounts for historical critiques of sustainability indicators, by responding to stakeholder demands for legitimacy, salience and credibility. Data from 37 interviews with urban planners and sustainability directors, illustrate that this sophistication largely accounts for why over 80 US communities and cities have opted to become members of STAR. The research, however, also uncovered a double edge: it is this sophistication that has also made STAR resource intensive and demanding of political support within municipal governments. High labor and resource demands make engagement difficult for some cities. Without substantial political support, STAR can be a tough sell to municipal administrations. Thus, feasibility needs to also be considered a factor in indicator relevance, usability, and in influence. There are, however, likely trade-offs between feasibility on the one hand, and legitimacy, salience and credibility on the other.