Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Urban Sustainability in Social Housing Using the Casa Azul Label and SBTool Urban in Brazil

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The authors present a sustainability assessment of a social housing case study in Brazil by comparing it with a benchmark project. The study includes combination of the Casa Azul Seal and SBTool. The paper can be considered once the comments below are addressed:

1. The title of the article includes “qualitative and quantitative assessment”, while then there is no reference or clear explanation in the text on them. It is suggested to more clearly indicate which part of the methodology is qualitative and which is quantitative assessment.

2. Section 2: “Develop analysis tables with the survey of the 241 requirements to obtain the scores of each procedure” The authors need to explicitly include information about it.

3. Section 2: “Collect data about the project and other documents related to the approval and licensing 224 process with the Municipality of Araraquara, the technically responsible private” Similarly, there is not adequate information provided about the data collection procedure, assumptions, sources and restraints. More details and explanations are suggested to be added.

4. Table 5: This table is included in the beginning of Section, 3 but it is not mentioned in the text and not explained well. Detailed explanation of the table to be added.

5. Some basic information of the benchmark case study along with references are suggested to be added.

6. The large majority of the references used are not in English. The authors are suggested to include references in English.

7. Section 1.1: “Formula from Diáz Balteiro”: Reference to be added

8. Table 1: Title is missing

9. The authors are suggested to consistently used symbols (i.e. for multiplication it is sometimes applied “x” and others “X”)

10. Figure 2: It is not clear what it is shown in the photo with the yellow outline. Clarifications to be added in the text.

11. “Source: Authors’ own work (2020)”: There is no need to include this phrase. In an original research article, all figures and tables that are not adapted from other references, they are by definition authors’ work

 

 

 

Author Response

Dear Editor and Reviewers of the Applied Science - Special Issue "Sustainable Re-Design of the Built Environment"

We hereby kindly ask you to consider the paper entitled “Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Urban Sustainability in Social Housing using the Casa Azul Label and SBTool Urban in Brazil” for your appreciation.

We thank you very much for the observations on the manuscript and hope the changes have clarified and improved it. We have proceed the revision as much as we could and if new adjustments are needed, we are available to.

Looking forward to hearing from the adequacy of our paper to your journal.

Sincerely yours,

Authors

16th of August 2020

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Thank you for your valuable analysis of the social housing in Brasilia. Here are some comments:

 

-title: it's not clear what kind of assessment is it (environmental sustainability assessment of social housing in Brasilia)

-abstract: the following elements are lacking or narrowly described: problem, motivation --> tool to overcome the problem --> method (what did you do) --> outcome/some recommendations

introduction:

I'm a little bit confused with the term "seal". I think it is proper if you refer to the Casa Azul Seal but label or certificate is better in all other cases (LEED BREEAM etc.)

Line 80 "showed that the evaluation system lacks" which system?

Why SBTool? please explain and include it in the text!

A diagram visualizing the approach will help the understanding of Section 1.1

Section 1.1 and 1.2 cannot be part of the introduction, belong rather to the methodology. Introductions follow the train of thought Problem/motivation --> Tool/method selected  --> literature review (recent state of knowledge - you have already done a part of it but dissipated in the document) --> research gap --> how to overcome (e.g.: research question) --> short description of following sections

 

Also, the description of the geographical area of the assessment is somewhat hidden (Laura Molina).

Please devote a diagram or table or paragraph of your proposal on how to combine Casa Azul with SBTool and other aspects

Please devote a diagram or table or paragraph to describe the strength and weaknesses of the proposed new multi-method.

 

Also, keep in mind that most of the researcher has limited time to read and your document has to be well structured and easy to follow. First focus is on the abstract as a stand-alone part informs about almost everything of your research, the introduction must answer the why I did and what I did questions. Methods need a figure describing the combination of certificates, discussion part explains whether the combination was worth doing and deliver value-added to the current knowledge.

 

 

 

 

Author Response

Dear Editor and Reviewers of the Applied Science - Special Issue "Sustainable Re-Design of the Built Environment"

We hereby kindly ask you to consider the paper entitled “Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Urban Sustainability in Social Housing using the Casa Azul Label and SBTool Urban in Brazil” for your appreciation.

We thank you very much for the observations on the manuscript and hope the changes have clarified and improved it. We have proceed the revision as much as we could and if new adjustments are needed, we are available to.

Looking forward to hearing from the adequacy of our paper to your journal.

Sincerely yours,

Authors

16th of August 2020

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Dear Authors,

 

there is only one comment from my side. Your goal is to adress improvements in Casa Azul:

"study presents a proposal to improve the evaluation of the Casa Azul Label"

 

but in conclusion/discussion only the followings can be read clearly:

"can significantly help to improve the Casa Azul Label and its application in developing countries"

 

can you provide a table or devote 1-2 pharagraphs to clearly unfold "how you propose an improvement"?

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 

The following paragraphs were added to the conclusion of the paper from line 549 to 555:

"The current requirements proposed by the Casa Azul Label focus on isolated and static sustainability indicators, without covering urban insertion, the availability of resources in a given region and the particularities of operation and maintenance of a social housing enterprise in the environmental certification process .

Therefore, the association of weighting and benchmark calculation procedures with the requirements of the Casa Azul Label is a feasible alternative for improving the sustainability classification system adapted to the Brazilian reality and the particularities of a region."

We appreciate all your comments and hope we fulfilled them satisfactorily.

Best Regards

Authors

Author Response File: Author Response.docx