Sustainable Futures in the Built Environment to 2050

11Social Media in the Built Environment

Bob Thompson

11.1 Introduction

‘Social media’ is shorthand for a host of different applications, channels and platforms that facilitate interaction and networking amongst people and groups with a common interest. As an interface between consumers of goods and services and their provision, social media is about wider technological issues and how they influence the occupation and use of workspace.

This chapter explores what social media is currently and the factors affecting its rise to importance, pausing to look at the scale of the subject and how it affects the individual and the built environment. The built environment here refers to the man‐made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, ranging in scale from buildings and infrastructure to neighbourhoods and cities. The functional remit covers the entire lifecycle of a building from planning and development through design, construction, transaction and occupational management.

Historic drivers of social media are examined drawing out the links with broader technologies. Social media in its current form is then examined in more detail, breaking down the subject into different types of user interaction and exploring the growth and popularity of each.

Looking to the future, contextual analysis is undertaken to highlight the strategic issues and technologies that will affect social media in the future and future scenarios generated that challenge the technology.

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