Social Equity in Urban Projects

Overview

New Urbanism aims to promote sustainable urban projects; however, it is often critiqued for excluding lower-income groups, thereby reducing social equity (Trudeau, 2018). Although social equity is a foundational element of conceptual frameworks for sustainable urban development, its implementation often falls short in practice, creating a gap between theory and reality (Ahmad, 2024; Manaugh, Badami, & El-Geneidy, 2015; Srinivasan, 2024). Submissions to this project would seek to address that gap by exploring strategies, contexts, and processes that promote social equity in existing sustainable urban development projects.

The project draws from various studies, including Trudeau (2018), who argues that social equity must be considered from the beginning of sustainable development initiatives to ensure fair access and prevent exclusion. Examining how social equity is conceptualised, operationalised, and prioritised relative to environmental and other objectives is crucial for developing more inclusive project designs (Manaugh, Badami, & El-Geneidy, 2015).

This research will assess how different urban development projects effectively incorporate community participation and address social equity concerns. By examining real-world cases, the project aims to highlight how inclusive decision-making and equitable resource distribution can enhance social outcomes. For instance, Srinivasan (2024) emphasises the importance of integrating community engagement in urban development, while Ahmad (2024) highlights the need for comprehensive evaluations of long-term impacts to ensure that equity-focused initiatives build resilient communities.

This project will address three core gaps in literature. The first is the need for an equity-focused design metrics, which include criteria for evaluating inclusivity in projects, with metrics assessing factors such as housing affordability, access to green spaces, and public transportation reach (Angel et al., 2018; McKinsey Global Institute, 2016). The second is stakeholder engagement tools, which are guidelines to ensure local community involvement, shown to improve the relevance and success of urban projects (Ahmad, 2024; Srinivasan, 2024; OECD, 2020). The third includes impact and progress evaluation tools, which provide mechanisms for assessing social impact metrics like income distribution and access to services, thereby measuring equity outcomes over time (Ahmad, 2024; Manaugh, Badami, & El-Geneidy, 2015; OECD, 2020).

This project seeks demonstrate how social equity considerations can be systematically integrated into project planning, execution, and evaluation processes. By embedding social equity within the project management framework, the study will highlight the importance of setting inclusive benchmarks and evaluating success in terms of equitable outcomes. It will provide project managers with tools and methodologies for incorporating social equity from project inception to completion, thereby enhancing the social impact of urban projects.

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Its purpose is to provide research and education that combines academic excellence with positive impact on people, business and society.  As a world leader in experiential learning and personalisation, joining NBS as a researcher is an opportunity to achieve your potential.

Applications for October 2025 intake closes on 1st July 2025 and applications for Jan 2026 intake closes on 1st October 2025.

Reference List
Ahmad, I., 2024. Advancing Social Equity through Sustainable Development: Challenges and Opportunities. Sustainability Quest, 1(1), pp. 1-7.
Angel, S., Parent, J., Civco, D.L. & Blei, A.M., 2018. Atlas of Urban Expansion. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Manaugh, K., Badami, M.G. & El-Geneidy, A.M., 2015. Integrating social equity into urban transportation planning: A critical evaluation of equity objectives and measures in transportation plans in North America. Transport Policy, 37, pp. 167-176.
McKinsey Global Institute, 2016. Urban world: Cities and the rise of the consuming class. McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/urbanisation/urban-world-the-global-consumers-to-watch.
McKinsey Global Institute, 2016. Bridging infrastructure gaps: Has the world made progress? McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/business%20functions/operations/our%20insights/bridging%20infrastructure%20gaps%20how%20has%20the%20world%20made%20progress%20v2/mgi-bridging-infrastructure-gaps-discussion-paper.pdf

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2018. Divided cities: Understanding inequality in the world’s urban centers. OECD Report. Available at: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/9789264300385-en.pdf?expires=1732530847&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=26D3AEA488D9186CAD220063AFC0327D
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2020. The territorial impact of COVID-19: Managing the crisis across levels of government. OECD Publishing. Available at: https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/view/?ref=1095_1095253-immbk05xb7&title=The-territorial-impact-of-COVID-19-Managing-the-crisis-and-recovery-across-levels-of-government
Srinivasan, J., 2024. Community Engagement and Social Equity in Urban Development Projects. Journal of Sustainable Solutions, 1(3), pp. 6-12. Available at: https://doi.org/10.36676/j.sust.sol.v1.i3.14.
Trudeau, D., 2018. Integrating social equity in sustainable development practice: Institutional commitments and patient capital. Sustainable Cities and Society, 41, pp. 601-610.

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