Prevention through Design: An Important Aspect of Social Sustainability

Design and construction professionals who have studied sustainability know that sustainability encompasses social equity and economic equity as well as environmental equity. The vast majority of literature on social sustainability in the built environment focuses on regional urban planning issues, not on specific actions that capital projects owners and design professionals can take. Prevention through Design (also known as Design for Construction Safety) is an emerging trend in the design and construction industry in which design professionals consider the safety of construction workers during the design phase. The paper provides an overview of the PtD concept and suggests PtD should be a required aspect of social equity on capital projects. The barriers to diffusion of PtD—lack of knowledge, higher costs, industry structure and fear of liability—will likely challenge other social sustainability initiatives as well.