Title: Evaluating stakeholders' preferences: reconciling heritage and sustainability

Authors: Wan Abdullah Zawawi Noor Amila; Abdullah Alias

Addresses: Civil Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Ipoh, Malaysia ' Kulliyyah of Architecture, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract: Decisions on heritage redevelopment are often based on monocultural British system guidelines, a narrow representation of Malaysia's multi-cultural society. Involvement of direct stakeholders is minimal in the decision process. This paper provides an objective evaluation for traditional shophouse redevelopment, incorporating multiple stakeholders' preferences. It explores stakeholders' conflicts and values using the Multiple Criteria Analysis (MCA), comparing the stakeholders' preferences on a set of criteria for redevelopment decisions. It was found that they have dissimilar preferences, even within their homogenous groups. This study discovers the potential of MCA to increase transparency in redevelopment decisions involving built heritage and multiple stakeholders.

Keywords: conservation areas; traditional shophouse; redevelopment decisions; stakeholder values; multi-cultural society; MCDA; multicriteria decision analysis; AHP; analytical hierarchy process; stakeholder preferences; heritage redevelopment; sustainability; sustainable development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2013.056843

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2013 Vol.5 No.4, pp.336 - 349

Published online: 22 Sep 2014 *

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