The National Institute of Building Sciences has released its 2023 Built Environment Workforce Survey, an update to the 2021 survey, which collected thousands of responses on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the built environment.

The new report included participation from nearly 30 partner organizations with a breakdown of respondent views on the definition of diversity and disability, and how important they feel diversity is in the built industry. Of the over 6,500 respondents, 68% were men and 31% women. More than 82% of respondents identified as White and/or a person of European descent.

While nearly four in five (79%) women respondents said it is important or extremely important to increase the diversity of the built environment, one in five (21%) of men respondents indicated that increasing diversity is of little importance or not important at all.

Discrimination in the Built Environment

The report also highlighted responses regarding age, gender, race, parental status, and even body size.

• Age: Almost one-third (32%) of respondents indicated they have experienced discrimination or prejudice based on age.
• Gender: Women indicated they have experienced discrimination or prejudice in the built environment based on age (44%), professional experience (23%), parental status (18%), body size/shape (17%), and more.
• Disability: Among respondents who included disability in their definition of diversity, 73% said the built environment is not diverse, in terms of disability.
• Race: More than half (55%) of respondents who are Black, African American, and/or of African descent indicated they have experienced discrimination or prejudice based on race during their career in the built environment.

Read the report at nibs.org/about/diversity-inclusion.