Developing a fuzzy AHP model to evaluate environmental sustainability from the perspective of Secured by Design scheme—A case study

In environmental security, Secured by Design (SBD) is one of the most important schemes which promote environmental sustainability in cities with prevention and reduction actions such as increase natural surveillance determine the specific definition of urban spaces and create a sense of ownership and responsibility in citizens. This paper discusses a model for evaluating environmental security from the perspective of SBD scheme and investigates the extent to which crime and fear of crime are integrated within environmental sustainability.

For this purpose a hierarchical model with four levels suggested. This model decomposes the main principles of SBD scheme to localized criteria and sub criteria which influence it. These factors later prioritized using pairwise comparison logic and fuzzy group analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method and the relative importance of each factor on achieving environmental security determined.

In addition the proposed model has been used to calculate the overall rating of quadratic areas in region 17 of Tehran based on their environmental sustainability. Also, using the calculation results, strategies were suggested separately for each SBD principle in order to reduce urban crime and improve the environmental sustainability of the studied area.

Results showed that the area 4 and area 1 have the highest and lowest environmental security rate respectively. Finally this paper argues that SBD as an initiative is useful to assist in achieving environmental security and development of environmental sustainability.