Effective Factors in Applying Sustainable Design to Architectural Projects: Shiraz Case

Abstract

There is currently significant interest in the concept of sustainability. Sustainable architecture often serves as a symbol of sustainability in contemporary cities. The negative environmental impacts of buildings are worsening, making it crucial to find ways to minimize these effects and maximize the use of sustainable building materials. Architects and builders use various construction methods to reduce the environmental impact of structures. In architectural practice, the three core principles of sustainability—social, economic, and environmental factors—are often overlooked by architects during the design phase. Furthermore, sustainability has not been prioritized in architectural education and practice. Given the growing construction activities to meet Shiraz's development needs, applying sustainable design principles is a necessity. The aim of this study is to examine how sustainable design principles are applied by architects in Shiraz in their projects. To this end, 106 building architects were surveyed using a questionnaire. The data was analyzed using SPSS software and Pearson correlation coefficient. The study's results revealed that a significant number of architects apply sustainable design principles in their projects. Additionally, economic and environmental factors were identified as the most important considerations for implementing sustainable design principles in architectural projects, according to respondents. Statistical analysis also indicated a meaningful relationship between awareness of architectural concepts and their implementation in architectural projects.