Mainstreaming environmental issues into housing plans: the approach of strategic environmental assessment

The need of providing social housing for a growing urban population triggers government action in several countries. Considering that these initiatives can cause significant environmental and social impacts, the potential contribution of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to address such challenges is investigated. By reviewing the documents of the major Brazilian housing plan named “My House My Life” and building on the literature, a framework to mainstream environmental and social considerations is proposed. The potential outcomes of its application are outlined as recommendations for both housing planning and project development. The results show that SEA systematic, comprehensive and flexible approach can contribute to inform and influence decision-making about initiatives to reduce housing shortage by: (i) fostering sustainability-oriented related strategic actions, such as the promotion of clean energy and sustainable materials industries and the creation of corresponding jobs; (ii) identifying and assessing alternatives for achieving the strategic goal of providing affordable housing, defining an adequate mix of means to reduce shortage, such as social rent and incentives for using the existing stock, especially in inner cities, and; (iii) identifying risks to achieve the strategic goal, such as economic constraints for delivering social houses with sustainable materials and management of the land and housing stock.