Table 4 Barriers to social sustainability as per participants’ feedback

1

Awareness

Misunderstanding of Social Sustainability

4.62

0.57

4.71

0.45

4.26

0.7

4.52

2

Awareness

Lack of previous research on the concept

4.48

0.72

4.35

0.58

4.26

0.54

4.36

3

Awareness

Lack of public general awareness

4.51

0.58

4.45

0.6

4.05

0.86

4.32

4

Awareness

Over-emphasis on other aspects

4.41

0.65

4.23

0.63

3.95

0.8

4.18

5

Awareness

No understanding of the benefits

4.05

0.71

3.78

0.85

3.77

0.83

3.86

6

Awareness

Lack of training and education

3.95

0.64

3.67

0.67

3.82

0.68

3.81

7

Awareness

Indirect influence over other aspects

2.95

0.64

2.82

0.76

2.68

0.79

2.81

8

Convenience

Housing quality

3.14

0.62

3.26

0.73

3.42

0.97

3.28

9

Convenience

Unemployment

2.38

0.93

1.12

0.31

2.45

0.92

1.99

10

Convenience

Uncontrollable conditions

2.32

0.97

2.21

1.08

1.32

0.56

1.91

11

Convenience

Safety and security/ terrorism

1.77

0.85

1.59

0.76

1.82

0.81

1.73

12

Convenience

Pollution

1.78

0.90

1.43

0.83

1.61

0.86

1.60

13

Convenience

Lack of healthcare

1.45

0.66

1.25

0.45

1.54

0.67

1.42

14

Equity

Heterogeneity and exclusion of users

4.34

0.77

3.82

1.01

4.53

0.97

4.24

15

Equity

Different community interests

3.35

0.71

3.57

0.6

3.62

0.73

3.52

16

Equity

Inequity in sustainability implementation

3.12

0.62

1.88

0.31

2.02

0.38

2.30

17

Equity

Increased racial disparity

1.22

0.42

1.19

0.37

1.06

0.3

1.15

18

Equity

Unfair and undemocratic system

1.16

0.39

1.05

0.23

1.08

0.3

1.09

19

Involvement

Lack of public participation

4.16

0.81

3.92

0.97

4.52

0.81

4.21

20

Involvement

Different users’ priorities and needs

4.09

0.60

3.89

0.74

4.32

0.56

4.11

21

Involvement

Technological influence (e.g. internet)

3.49

0.58

3.62

0.76

3.75

0.83

3.63

22

Involvement

Impact of backgrounds and beliefs

3.69

0.70

3.62

0.68

3.45

0.8

3.58

23

Involvement

Cultural change resistance

2.92

0.79

3.03

0.52

2.79

0.68

2.91

24

Involvement

Lack of interest in green initiatives

2.7

0.87

2.81

0.53

2.58

0.86

2.69

25

Involvement

Associated cost

1.45

0.66

3.13

0.57

3.22

0.51

2.67

26

Involvement

Lack of societal cohesion

1.78

0.60

2.02

0.75

1.67

0.73

1.82

27

Measurement

Lack of sustainability measurement tools

4.53

0.78

4.39

0.68

3.96

0.86

4.27

28

Measurement

Intangibility of social sustainability

4.52

0.78

4.21

0.63

3.78

1.09

4.14

29

Measurement

High context sensitivity

4.11

0.67

4.22

0.53

4.07

0.8

4.13

30

Measurement

Lack of a universally accepted definition

4.11

0.60

3.89

0.74

3.82

0.51

3.93

31

Measurement

Lack of other demonstration projects

3.87

0.55

3.72

0.8

3.69

0.84

3.75

32

Measurement

Availability of data

3.85

0.55

3.69

0.47

3.57

0.58

3.69

33

Measurement

Unpredictable resident behaviour

4.04

0.56

3.93

0.52

1.87

0.57

3.20

34

Measurement

Unpredictability of human response over time

2.77

0.60

2.62

0.59

1.23

0.43

2.15

35

Policy

Limited sustainability guidelines

4.15

0.90

4.38

0.95

3.77

0.83

4.09

36

Policy

Lack of government support

3.86

0.81

4.23

0.63

4.08

0.74

4.06

37

Policy

Lack of government promotion and incentives

3.49

0.84

3.37

0.68

3.52

0.74

3.46

38

Policy

Conflict in between public policies and regulations

2.69

0.92

2.52

0.83

2.38

0.65

2.52

39

Policy

Change of governmental authorities directions

2.18

0.65

2.08

0.7

2.12

0.62

2.12

40

Policy

Pandemics and natural forces

1.18

0.39

2.12

0.74

1.92

0.7

1.77

41

Urbanisation

Residents’ instability/ displacement

4.53

0.58

4.39

0.68

3.91

1.09

4.25

42

Urbanisation

Housing deficiency

2.71

0.62

2.61

0.49

2.58

0.5

2.63

43

Urbanisation

Uncontrolled surroundings

2.69

0.63

2.66

0.67

2.51

0.5

2.61

44

Urbanisation

Population growth and spread

2.69

0.63

2.49

0.5

2.57

0.5

2.58

45

Urbanisation

Lack of preservation of historic and cultural sites

1.39

0.49

1.31

0.47

1.19

0.4

1.29

Delphi 2nd round statistics

Cronbach’s α

0.945

0.912

0.874

Significance (p)

0.000

0.000

0.001

Number of respondents

16

18

20

Chi-square

380.294

Kruskal Wallis (H)

10.565

df

2

Significance (p)

0.00142