A Framework for Building Sustainability Assessment for Developing Countries Using F-Delphi: Moroccan Housing Case Study

Noussaiba Rharbi (), Antonio García Martínez, Abdelghani El Asli, Safae Oulmouden and Hicham Mastouri
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Noussaiba Rharbi: School of Architecture, Planning and Design, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Benguerir 43150, Morocco
Antonio García Martínez: Instituto Universitario de Arquitectura y Ciencias de la Construcción (IUACC), Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain
Abdelghani El Asli: School of Science & Engineering, Al Akhawayn University, Ifrane 53000, Morocco
Safae Oulmouden: School of Architecture, Planning and Design, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Benguerir 43150, Morocco
Hicham Mastouri: Energy and Water Research Center, College of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Benguerir 43150, Morocco

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-24

Abstract: International building sustainability assessment tools (BSATs) offer a comprehensive framework for assessing environmental, economic, and social sustainability. However, these tools cannot fill the gap between their standards and the regional needs of developing countries such as Morocco. This paper presents a new framework to assess the sustainability of buildings in Morocco. The methodology proposed is the Fuzzy Delphi method to minimize the list of indicators with the help of 14 local experts and give an appropriate weight to the indicators and sub-indicators. The two-round analysis found a balanced weighting for the environmental, economic, and social dimensions, with the social pillar ranked highest in importance. A hierarchical framework of six consensus-based categories and 63 sub-indicators was developed. Consensus was measured using the dispersion threshold approach ≤ 0.2. The results show that waste and pollution (0.80), adaptability and resilience (0.78), and resources (0.75) are prioritized over the innovation category. Notably, sewage management, water reuse, and public infrastructure emerged as critical sub-indicators. A comparative evaluation against local BSATs from the region—Ethiopia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Oman—revealed convergence in core indicators like energy and water, yet divergence in economic and resilience criteria, reflecting regional specificities. This work contributes to the literature by presenting a validated, expert-driven assessment tool that aligns with local needs, offering a practical basis for national green certification and sustainable housing policy in Morocco and similar contexts.

Keywords: Fuzzy Delphi; building sustainability assessment; green rating systems; developing countries; Morocco (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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