2015 年 38 巻 4 号 p. 27-32
The future of new community development requires extensive consideration of environmental, economic, social, and other aspects. Through these considerations, we need to enhance the efficiency of community functions, revitalize the community economy, and minimize environmental impacts. In order to develop sustainable communities, new potentials of locality need to be recognized and integrated appropriately with the existing social and environmental characteristics. This article illustrates the potential of sustainability assessment (SA) in achieving this goal. Firstly, we briefly summarize the theoretical background of SA based on literature review, highlighting the significance of eliciting the value of local stakeholders and their integration into the planning process. We then provide two brief statements on potential aspects of community development, such as regional and neighborhood planning, in which SA could play a significant role.