Achieving sustainable, resilient, and inclusive built environments in the era “beyond the Sustainable Development Goals” requires renewed focus on the human dimensions of transformation. While technological and architectural innovations dominate sustainability discourse, far less attention is given to the roles of learning, agency, and social capability in shaping successful transitions. This paper positions Development Education as a vital yet underutilized driver of systemic change across the built environment value chain. Using a systems-thinking approach and drawing on case studies from Ghana and the broader Global South, the study examines how human capacity, participatory learning, and lifelong education influence sustainable construction, energy-efficient housing adoption, and climate-resilient urban design. Qualitative analyses of stakeholder interviews and policy documents highlight key challenges: persistent skills gaps, low community awareness, and weak institutional learning systems. Findings demonstrate that participatory and transformative learning significantly enhance community uptake of sustainable technologies and strengthen accountability in urban governance. The study further shows that interdisciplinary learning collaborations among academia, industry, civil society, and government enable context-specific and equitable solutions. The paper proposes a model for integrating Development Education into sustainable built-environment planning, emphasizing capacity-building, social inclusion, and institutionalized learning. It concludes that sustainable built environments are fundamentally educational and developmental endeavors.
Keywords: Development Education, Sustainable Built Environment, Human Capacity and Learning Systems, Inclusive Urban Development, Community Participation and Sustainability Transitions