A Systematic Pathway Study of Sustainable Built Heritage Management

Heritage holds considerable potential in advancing environmental sustainability, yet existing studies have largely remained confined to the exploration of singular issues and have seldom articulated an integrated pathway that systematically connects heritage management with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, the field of sustainable built heritage management has not yet established a comprehensive framework encompassing the entire life cycle, a gap that limits both systematic assessment and strategic application within the broader sustainability agenda. Against this backdrop, this study conducts a systematic review of 115 academic publications focusing on sustainable management of built heritage and based on this analysis, proposes a Sustainable Built Heritage Management (SBHM) framework structured around the full life cycle of built heritage. Compared with existing research that remains fragmented or predominantly value-oriented, this framework systematically embeds sustainability principles into all phases of planning, implementation, monitoring, and feedback, thereby enhancing both the operational feasibility and evaluability of management practices. Furthermore, it strengthens the social adaptability and practical applicability of management processes by establishing multi-stakeholder collaborative mechanisms that can more effectively address complex challenges related to value recognition, ownership structures, distribution of responsibilities, and allocation of benefits. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for future efforts to advance more integrated and multidimensional management systems that can provide stronger support for the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.