bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Another way of living: The Prefabrication and modularity toward circularity in the architecture
Authors: Silva Marielle Ferreira
Published: November 2020

The world requires housing capable of addressing the ecological challenge and social changes. Various architecture projects have used alternatives to solve these problems, like housing complexes to increase density, fast and low-cost constructions with prefabricated and modular methods and materials. The concrete will always be rooted in the culture of architecture, even the industry of construction can work with other materials and whose manufacture produces a considerable amount of CO2. Taking into account the different construction cycles and the evolution of uses and users, a change in architectural culture is required. This paper aims to shows that it is possible to achieve the concept of circularity in the built environment through the architectural design process. The research by design methodology was used to develop the recyclable typology named Slab focused on residential prefabrication methods, which will facilitate their disassembly and recycling. As a result, the design process and the models’ evolution of the Slab prototypes are presented in this paper. Prioritizing prefabrication and the modularity within the architectural design process has advantages, such highly effective reduce footprint areas, large-scale infrastructure for flexible use, and individual housing units with communal activities, besides, assure the building conditions for future disassembly and recycle.
Thermal performance of real-life in-situ cast lime hemp walls in Flanders
Authors: Knapen Elke , Neelen Naomi , Claes Ilse , Vandoren Bram , Janssens Bart
Published: November 2020

In order to meet the energy performance regulations for new buildings and to improve the energy performance of the existing building stock, a high amount of insulation materials will be needed in the coming years. Meanwhile, the demand for renewable materials and materials with a low environmental impact is increasing. In previous research, the ecological and hygrothermal potential of lime hemp as a building material has been shown. Besides incorporating a large share of renewable and fast-growing hemp shives, lime hemp combines thermal insulating properties and a high thermal inertia with a good moisture regulating behaviour. However, despite the growing interest in the material and promising lab results, the thermal performance in real conditions is still uncertain. Due to the lack of validated data for in-situ cast walls, rather conservative λ-values for lime hemp are currently compulsory used in energy performance certification calculations in Flanders, the Flemish region of Belgium.

In this paper, the results of a case study analysis of four real-life lime hemp projects are presented. The thermal performance of four dwellings with in-situ cast lime hemp walls (both new construction and renovation) is determined by in-situ measurements of the U-value. The measurements show that the in-situ U-value of the lime hemp walls is significantly better than the U-value that is calculated with the λ-value that is currently accepted by the Flemish Energy Agency. However, drying of lime is a slow process, resulting in initially higher U-values that gradually decrease in the first months after lime hemp application. Once dried, in-situ cast lime hemp walls can meet the Flemish energy performance requirements.
Super insulation plasters in renovation of buildings in Sweden: energy efficiency and possibilities with new building materials
Authors: Karim Ali Naman , Johansson Pär , Kalagasidis Angela Sasic
Published: November 2020

Super insulation plasters are new and high energy efficient plasters mixed with aerogel particles. Aerogel is a porous and low-density material with very low thermal conductivity compared to the traditional insulation materials. Today, approximately 27% of Sweden’s multi-family houses have a plaster façade. Plaster is commonly used in many other European countries as well. In this paper, numerical simulations are utilized to estimate the total magnitude of energy and CO
2 emissions that can be saved annually in Sweden by using super insulation plasters. In additional, possibilities and challenges in conjunction with the introduction of new techniques and materials in the building sector have been addressed, through interviews and literature review. The annual energy use and CO
2 emissions can be reduced by 74±48 GWh and 1000 ±600 ton respectively if 10% of Sweden’s multi-family houses are externally insulated by super insulation plaster. Based on the interviews it is evident that distinct information and documentation about a new building material, concerning the material properties and long-term performance, needs to be provided by the producer before usage of the material on industrial scale. Another important issue is the cost of a new technique and that it has to be economically motivated. Implementation of the super insulation plaster in Swedish buildings can contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals numbers 7, 8 and 9 by 2030, by increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and productivity on construction sites.
Powder bed 3D printing with quarry waste
Authors: Voney Vera , Odaglia Pietro , Schenker Filippo , Brumaud Coralie , Dillenburger Benjamin , Habert Guillaume
Published: November 2020

With 3D printing, material consumption can be reduced: It allows to place material only where needed, therefore structurally optimized building parts or formworks can be printed. Currently this technique uses an epoxy based resin to glue layer by layer an inert sand bed. However, this material choice holds a large improvement potential from an environmental and health perspective. It was shown previously, that the organic glue, that releases unhealthy volatile organic compounds, can be replaced by a mineralic binder, namely a geopolymer. With geopolymers and alkali activated materials, the embodied energy can be reduced, especially when built from waste materials. In this study, we focus on the replacement of the sand, which is becoming a scarce resource. The waste from a local gneiss quarry in Ticino (Switzerland) could be a good alternative. The powder bed of the 3D printing is made of aggregates of crushed quarry waste mixed with an aluminosilicate powder. The printing liquid is an alkaline solution that activates the aluminosilicate and reacts to a geopolymer. Droplet penetration experiments on different powder mixes were performed to adjust the binder composition. With a custom built powder bed 3D printer, samples with varying compositions and porosities were printed and tested on compression. It could be shown that samples printed with quarry waste perform as well as samples printed with silica sand in terms of compression strength and accuracy. This new material system is promising: with 3D printing of geopolymers and quarry waste, we can combine the environmental benefits of a new building technique with a low carbon intense material. The application of this technique may help the sustainable development of the local quarry sector by consuming the volumes of waste that causes storing and ecological issues and keep small quarries running.
Enabling regenerative building design through biohacking
Authors: Strunge Jon Wedersøe
Published: November 2020

The availability of circular materials and regenerative materials are, despite a large need, very limited. Mycomaterials being an experimental field of research, are not known or widespread in the industry. Through a collaboration between sectors, new interactions enabled testing of the viability in using mycelium to leverage upcycling of local waste to produce valuable interior building components. This while exploring possibilities in building design and market aspects in overall aim of enabling regenerative building design. By applying an academic protocol to industry know-how on waste treatment and building design, a series of new insights into wastebased mycomaterial performance characteristics on three waste fractions and three mycelium species was made thus enabling further research and product development.
From Prototypes to Production: Overcoming the Barriers to Adoption of Sustainable Building Innovation
Authors: Jensen Christopher
Published: November 2020

Modern interpretations of sustainable buildings are founded upon innovative application of new products and technology, often applied for the first time. However, such prototype innovations require additional development for commercialisation. In the case of sustainable building innovation, this is to align the innovation with industry requirements such as cost, constructability and building regulations, all of which impact the adoption of the innovation into widespread use. Despite a clear understanding of the barriers to innovation in the construction industry, the importance of the attributes of an innovation that lead to adoption are less well understood. This research utilises the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory to analyse how the attributes for innovation adoption potential from the innovation rich Solar Decathlon building competition. This research demonstrates that there are a number of innovation attributes that are not addressed by the Solar Decathlon and this therefore results in the low rates of innovation adoption into industry from the competition.
Sustainable cities and communities through GFRP secant-pile seawall innovation, sustainability, fortification and hurricane storm surge protection
Authors: Steputat C C , Ural D , Nanni A
Published: November 2020

In this ever changing technologically evolving world, in order to create a more sustainable built environment, it is essential to adhere to established core elements and improve or re-invent them for all of humanity, and from a Civil Engineering perspective this includes enhancing and better designing our current and future Infrastructure. A Global Education is essential to promote new, advanced materials, that are not yet mainstream, so we concur that the path towards Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), achieving relevant Targets 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.6 and 11.7, is indeed only possible, if other relevant SDG’s are also met. This research effort is not only discussing Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), but also addressing Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9), through the use of GFRP Resilient Infrastructure project that were recently (2019) installed, in Florida, U.S.A., to start long-term, environmentally friendly, LCA/LCC long-term saving, protection of the Shorelines from Hurricanes and Sea Level Rise [Relevant SDG Targets 9.1 and 9.4 will also be discussed]. Climate Action [Relevant SDG Targets 13.1 and 13.3] and Quality Education [relevant SDG Targets 4.3, 4.4 and 4.7] which are instrumental to the success of this project are considered. Part of the discussions will address the distinctions in Sustainability, i.e. Stability, Resilience, Durability and Robustness among others. In order to illustrate the interaction of the SDG’s, a Secant-Pile/Bulkhead Shore-Protection project that is buried within a dune-system and is in harmony with the surrounding coastal environment was chosen. Constructability issues will be discussed and illustrated, and data measurements provided to showcase the efficiency of this system, resulting in GFRP assembly time savings of 32% to 52%, lightweight installations and ease of constructability. An indication will be provided how the construction sector (i.e. sustainable built environment) can contribute towards Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG11) of the future, along with the challenges that are associated with new materials and methods that yet have to find a broader foothold.
Sustainability through reuse: a reconfigurable structural system for residential and office buildings
Authors: Muresan Alex , Brütting Jan , Redaelli Dario , Fivet Corentin
Published: November 2020

Current load-bearing systems for buildings rarely have a beneficial end of life. Modular design is a proven solution for revalorizing obsolete structures, but it hardly competes with conventional solutions: the range of future spatial configurations that the modules will accommodate is usually too limited to balance additional upfront costs due to necessary oversized elements and extra connections. Through a review of building demolition cases, this paper first presents motives, challenges and requirements for overcoming adverse end-of-life environmental impacts of building structures. Then a new structural system addressing the specified design constraints is introduced. The system is a highly versatile kit of slab and column elements. Contrary to existing modular solutions, its element dimensions do neither constrain the positioning of columns nor the shape of floor plans. Slab elements are stacked vertically to tune bending and shear stiffnesses locally and ensure serviceability requirements for a wide range of column and load cases layouts. All connections between elements are reversible and ready for reuse. Accordingly, the proposed structural system is well-suited for multiple service cycles and architectural needs, mitigating the detrimental effects that buildings have on the environment.
Material flow analysis for Norway’s artificial turfs
Authors: Bø S M , Bohne R A , Aas B , Hansen L M
Published: November 2020

The artificial turf industry is a producer of waste in terms of plastic, microplastic and sand. It is the second largest source of microplastic lost to the environment in Norway, after wear of car tires, according to the Norwegian Environment Agency [1]. A new full-size synthetic football field contains about 100 tons of rubber granules as intentionally added microplastics. Maintaining these fields means refilling the turf with 3.5-6.5 tons granules each year due to a loss caused by the user, removal of snow, surface water runoff and degradation of the rubber granules. The turf also includes 4.8-12.8 tons of synthetic grass fiber, an underlying shock pad (PAD) and about 120-176 tons of sand. The total number of artificial turfs in Norway is approaching 2000, a number that has rapidly increased the last 20 years. Since the expected lifetime of a turf is around 10-12 years, it is soon due for a huge renovation process of existing turfs. The value chain of this complex product stock is not fully developed. This study analyses the material flow (MFA) of artificial turfs in Norway with a focus on the production of new turfs, refilling of granules in existing turfs, renovation of turfs and loss of grass fiber and granules. The results show that there is a significant amount of rubber granules and grass fibers unaccounted for, possibly lost to the environment. This is due to the current design, operation and maintenance of the artificial turfs. Therefore, there is a need for new design of turfs, new operations, maintenance equipment and procedures.
Experimental Interactions with Nature in the City
Authors: Tony Ip
Published: November 2020

There has been an increasing demand for a peaceful and natural environment in urban areas, which has led to the growing trend of various green building rating schemes advocating urban greenery and human-nature interaction. In order to identify the significant elements associated with nature and effective methods of promoting human-nature interactions in a high-density urban city, two experimental public engagement projects were carried out to explore urban nature from the perspective of urban dwellers in Hong Kong. Based on the findings of the photo-elicitation survey, trees and sky were discovered to be the two most significant elements in representing naturalness in an urban context. Another four-month public engagement project was conducted, consisting of a green education hub, urban farming, and birdwatching tours, which were held in an undesignated space under a flyover. Throughout the duration of the project, human-nature interactions were demonstrated in three layers: design for humans, design for humans with nature and design for nature.
Ensuring Citizenship Rights: Cooperation and Tensions in the Governance of Urban Community Gardens
Authors: Estrada M , Kotsila P , Hörschelmann K , Lazova Y , Werner A
Published: November 2020

The manifold social, cultural and health benefits of urban community gardens have received much attention in the literature on urban ecosystem services and nature-based solutions off late. Despite recognition of these benefits by many city governments, critical scholarship in urban political ecology has, however, also shown that urban community gardens can stand in tension with other municipal agendas, in which economic growth is prioritized over social justice. While highlighting some of these tensions, in this paper we pay particular attention to possibilities for cooperation with municipalities and to the possibilities of promoting more inclusive urban citizenship. In the past, community gardens were frequently set up by municipalities for urban residents to respond to food scarcity and public health issues. Today, they are often still founded in periods of socio-economic crisis either by municipalities or by community actors themselves. We discuss whether and if so, how, such a cooperation may promote substantive citizenship rights, while highlighting some of the tensions that counteract this aim. The paper draws on case studies conducted as part of the EU-Horizon2020-funded project NATURVATION (Grant Agreement 730243) and suggests methods for citizen engagement that municipalities can adopt in order to enhance participation in the cooperative development of urban community gardens.
Design process of a water reclamation garden: from natural niches to urban environment
Authors: Tutor L
Published: November 2020

Water reclamation gardens have existed for more than 20 years, combining wastewater process technology and botany to provide wastewater treatment. In these facilities, the boundary between functional gardening and sanitation/water reuse infrastructure is blurred. They use lower footprints than engineered wetlands and can be constructed in urban areas as they do not look or smell like conventional industrial facilities, while providing water treatment on the same scale. These gardens produce treated wastewater, while at the same time provide green and blue access to the community. Treatment can be more effective and adaptive using decentralized systems, where facilities are closer to the waste origin, in this case municipal areas, thereby minimizing costly infrastructure (piping network). For this to work, the treatment units must gain far more public acceptance, and a well-designed and functioning water reclamation garden helps this purpose greatly.

There are three main considerations in designing garden facilities; one is climate. It is necessary to determine whether the local climate can support a reclamation garden or whether an artificial microclimate is needed. The species arrangement is primarily defined by the wastewater treatment process. Plants rooted in the wastewater encounter different environments as the treatment process advances. This phenomenon further delimits available species. Selection is based on equivalence of the original plant habitat to the designed treatment phase and conditions. Considering the needs of the community, the local garden and architectural style defines what a community sees as acceptable or pleasing, sometimes even on a subconscious level. Knowledge of the local gardening trends and cultures helps creating gardens which will then be an integral part of a city’s urban fabric.

Based on the aspects described above, a methodology for a three-layered comparative design practice is introduced, linking wastewater process knowledge, ecological knowledge and information on stylistic trends. Utilizing these tools provides a solid foundation to answer all these demands and builds a foundation for long-term sustainability.
Integrated renovation practices on water resilient infrastructure in Tainan Taikang elementary school in Taiwan
Authors: Li Y Y , Wei C A , Jing S R , Lin K L , Li C T
Published: November 2020

From 2009 to 2017, there were more and more climate disasters which has caused serious damages in campuses, especially the heavy rain, flooding, debris flow in summer and long-term drought in winter. Therefore, based on the successes of small scaled experiments and solutions, MOE start the demonstration campus project in the year of 2018 to make a holistic solution demo site in typical aspect which can be the liveable learning centre for all. The Taikang elementary school in the countryside of Tainan was selected. Goals were set to fully demonstrate both rainwater and grey water resilience and its enhanced usage in the campus. There are four goals: 1. reduce of use and disaster impact, 2. full water absorption ability of all infrastructures from building to site, 3. bioclimate control by introducing green land and water areas to cool down the campus, and 4. maximized reusability. The campus has been reorganized by introducing a holistic water system with large underground water storage rooms underneath both buildings and playground runways paved with demolished concrete gravels, and a reconnected water circulation system for stormwater management and natural infiltration irrigation. Supported by the participation of community, the total cost of the system was a staggering 200,000 USD. The changes were obvious from the taps to the entire system integrated with environmental education. In comparison to previous situations, the campus can withstand heavy rainfall over 80 mm/hr for three hours without flooding, meanwhile providing more than 90% of all the irrigation water needed to water the green lands the entire year. Moreover, the natural cooling system of green lands and water areas provides a cool breeze for natural ventilated classrooms.
Upgrading locally-regulated green buildings to LEED standards: a Dubai case study
Authors: Dabash M , Kianmehr P , Doczy R
Published: November 2020

With Dubai aiming to be one of the greenest cities in the world, the local government has set various requirements and regulations to achieve this goal. The Dubai Municipality has already established and implemented its own locally-developed green building regulation, Green Building Regulations & Specifications (GBR&S), to address major concerns associated with buildings’ resource efficiency. This study proposes a comparison between the GBR&S system with USGBC’s LEED v4 rating to identify where GBR&S falls short and how much it would cost to upgrade to the various levels of LEED certification. The authors also hypothesize that access to efficient, mass public transportation systems is a major factor when determining the cost of LEED certification. With this in mind, proximity to a public transportation network and its effect on the cost of a LEED upgrade were investigated.
The implementation of energy saving policies and their influence on energy use and cultural values in the housing stock of Sweden
Authors: Legnér M. , Femenias P.
Published: November 2020

Introduction: The overall objective is to understand how policies may be used to increase the potential for saving energy while simultaneously preserving cultural values in the housing stock. The project contributes to SDGs 11, 17, 5, 8 and 10. Methods: The paper summarises and discusses findings in previous research and projects led by the authors. Finally the design of a new project launched in 2020 is presented. The purpose of Energy efficiency and cultural values. How well do the policies function on the local level? is to give valuable knowledge on how the building process, advice on energy use and renovation strategies work together in Swedish municipalities. Results: Since the 1970s there has been a conflict between the preservation of architectural heritage and decreasing energy use in the Swedish housing stock. The first policy programme focussing energy saving was launched after the first global energy crisis in 1973. Since then there have been different policies addressing the issue of energy use in housing. The knowledge of how to carefully renovate existing buildings has increased, but the incentives for cutting energy use further has diminished among property managers. As a consequence, there is very little renovation aiming at energy efficiency, which challenges the national goals of lessening the impact on climate change. One problem may be an incoherent and inefficient implementation of policies dealing with the preservation and the energy use of the built environment. Conclusions: The antagonism between energy efficiency and cultural heritage that emerged in the 1970s has changed in character. Above all, increased energy efficiency seems not to be a very strong force when designing renovation projects in homes. If Agenda 2030 goals of accomplishing a well-built environment that does not require unsustainable practices to be sustained are to be reached, new policies will be required. Grant support: The research has been supported by the Swedish Energy Agency (grant #50041-1).
Product Resource and Climate Footprint Analysis during Architectural Design in BIM
Authors: Sameer H , Mostert C , Bringezu S
Published: November 2020

Significant global economic growth in the building sector is recently being noticed according to cities developments. Buildings and construction materials dominate the increasing demand for natural resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and landfill space. This article assesses the application of the product footprints for material, energy, and water as well as the product climate footprint for different design alternatives of building elements. The alternatives include different designs of foundations, exterior walls, and ceilings using recycled aggregates for concrete production. The approach is assessed cradle-to-gate within the life cycle assessment (LCA) boundaries for building elements and construction materials using a product resource and climate footprint analysis. The material footprint is determined by the indicators Raw Material Input (RMI) and Total Material Requirement (TMR), and the energy footprint by the Cumulated Energy Demand (CED). The water footprint is defined using the Available Water Remaining (AWARE) method. The climate footprint is quantified by the indicator Global Warming Impact (GWI) using Global Warming Potential (GWP) values from the Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC. The LCA calculation is integrated into a building information modeling (BIM) tool to make changes in footprint results visible to planners, architects, and civil engineers. Results show that material footprint could be significantly decreased when the recycled aggregates are considered to produce waterproof concrete of foundation and underground exterior walls.
Railway transport systems’ contribution to sustainable development
Authors: Gschösser F , Cordes T , Lumetzberger D , Tautschnig A , Bergmeister K
Published: November 2020

Transport is one of the main contributors to global environmental pollution and in particular greenhouse gas emissions (approx. 24% in 2015). Modern railway transport systems enhance the future environmental performance of transport through i) optimized construction materials, ii) improved construction and refurbishment processes, iii) evolving monitoring and maintenance management and iv) network development. This paper demonstrates a variety of studies investigating the sustainability of the construction, maintenance and operation of railway transport systems. The presented results underline the key role of railway transports systems within a future-proof sustainable built environment. As an example for an investment into a sustainable transport system the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) can be named, with which the European Union aims to offer an attractive, comprehensive and sustainable transport infrastructure and in which railway transport plays the leading role.
Estimation of load curves for large-scale district heating networks
Authors: Streicher Kai Nino , Schneider Stefan , Patel Martin K.
Published: November 2020

Decarbonisation and a transition towards sustainable energy systems in cities are key elements of the United Nations sustainability goal. Large-scale district heating networks sourced by excess heat or renewable energy allow to effectively transform building-related energy systems. This study proposes two different approaches for modelling load curves in large-scale district heating networks: 1) physics-based static energy balance model 2) data-driven regression model trained and adjusted on measured load curves. The load curves generated by application of these two approaches are compared with the actual load of an urban district heating network in Geneva, Switzerland. Both models allow to recreate the actual load curve of the district heating network, however with lower accuracy for higher time resolution in the case of the physics-based model. The physics-based static model can be used to simulate the demand and generate load curves of sufficient quality at monthly and daily resolution. For an hourly load curve, it is recommended to use the data-driven regression model if consumption data of the network is available.
How can we plan for a good urban sound environment, focusing on road traffic noise?
Authors: Forssén Jens , Estévez-Mauriz Laura , Gustafson Andreas , Kropp Wolfgang
Published: November 2020

Introduction. The sound environments in our cities are affected by unwanted sounds, i.e. noise, to an extent that is largely undesired, affecting health and wellbeing. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated the burden of disease from traffic-related noise within the western part of Europe and concluded that we each year lose at least one million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and that only air pollution has a larger disease burden among environmental factors. The burden of environmental noise is mainly sleep disturbance and annoyance. And the dominant source is road traffic.

Methods. This paper describes the mechanisms behind road traffic noise and how we can use them in an urban sound planning perspective to improve the sound environment, as an integral part of sustainable cities and communities. The results are based on calculations and measurements made in previous and ongoing projects.

Results. Treatments at source consider tyre, road, engine (whether electric or combustion), driving speed and acceleration, and further vehicle restrictions. Methods for reduction of noise during propagation and more general urban planning aspects include low-height barriers and ground treatments; acoustically absorbing facades and roofs of buildings, e.g. including vegetation; and building morphology and quiet side. Quantitative reductions, in decibels, as well as qualitative aspects are presented.

Conclusions. The described possible improvements to the urban sound environment, with focus on road traffic noise as the dominant impairing factor, inform us about how a good urban sound environment can be reachable. However, to reach a good sound environment in reality, the work process of applied urban sound planning demands work across disciplines, also at early-stage planning, instead of traditional noise control applied late in the planning process.
Towards spatial integration of qualitative data for urban transformation – challenges with automated geovisualization of perception of urban places
Authors: Thuvander L , Latino F , Zangelidis C , Adelfio M , Naserentin V , Logg A
Published: November 2020

Urban planning needs to face and integrate ecological, social, and economic aspects of city living. So far, attempts to integrate different urban simulation models into one technical platform have focused on quantitative data. The aim of this paper is to present the preparation for an automated method to spatially integrate and visualize interview-based qualitative data on the perception of urban places into a virtual platform. The Gothenburg suburb of Hammarkullen is used as a case study. Two CAQDAS software, NVivo and Atlas.ti, were tested. In both software, locations and urban qualities were coded and clustered. Visualization strategies such as information tree structures, geo-coded quotations, spatial word clouds, linked to 2D maps and 3D environments were developed. Results identify the challenges to overcome and show limitations of the software in terms of creating graphs and relationships as well as automated geocoding of data to maps. The project offers a step towards the integration of qualitative (social) data into digital environments that can be scaled up. By that, it contributes with a new dimension of analysis of urban environments which is necessary for sustainable transformation of cities.
The policy and practice of apartment provision: a test case for Australia’s New Urban Agenda
Authors: Alves Tom
Published: November 2020

Despite the low-density form of Australian cities, metropolitan planning policies have long supported urban consolidation and residential densification, with the objective of achieving a more sustainable urban form. However, recent high levels of apartment development, especially in the capital cities, have failed to deliver the social and environmental advantages anticipated from providing higher density housing in established areas. Instead, rapid densification has occurred alongside, and is directly related to, a substantial decline in the affordability of housing for rent and purchase, and spatial polarisation of housing markets.

Drawing upon the author’s direct involvement in policy development and regulatory reform, the paper provides a detailed investigation of the policy, governance and regulatory frameworks for apartment development in Australia’s major cities, and the specific attempts in recent years to reform these to achieve better outcomes. The research uses Ball’s ‘structures of housing provision’ framework of housing systems analysis to offer a unique contribution to the literature on urban sustainability transitions.

The paper finds that apartments represent a persistent problem for Australian planning and, furthermore, that resolving this problem will be critical to managing Australia’s transition to urban sustainability, while improving access to quality, affordable housing. Relevant strategies and successful points of intervention are identified.

Apartments as a development type pose a unique set of challenges for planning and other regulatory systems. Recent proliferation of apartments has highlighted the contingent nature of existing development controls, which have evolved in conjunction with market processes and established structures of housing provision, principally suburban housing growth. Apartment development presents a challenge to this established model, akin to the challenge that integrated sustainable development represents for planning systems as a whole. This paper provides a framework for understanding emergent pathways from the current impasse and some practical directions.
Call for a Definition and Paradigm Shift in Energy Performance Gap Research
Authors: Janser Marcel , Hubbuch Markus , Windlinger Lukas
Published: November 2020

There is a growing interest in research dealing with energy performance gaps of buildings. Energy performance gaps are usually defined as the difference between energy demand as predicted during the planning phase and energy demand as measured during operation. It is assumed that the research strand, by reducing such gaps, contributes to the United Nations SDGs 7 (clean energy), 11 (sustainable cities) and 13 (climate action). However, in this conceptual article based on literature review we argue that blind spots in the current definition of energy performance gap research (embodied energy, gap between optimal and planned energy performance, greenhouse gas emissions, dynamic character) and weaknesses of frequently used scientific paradigms (techno-economic, psychological) may lead to the fact that the measures identified to eliminate energy-wasting and climate-damaging practices are of limited value. In fact, it is quite possible that conventional energy performance gap research even contributes to perpetuating such practices. The authors therefore call for a definition and paradigm shift in energy performance gap research, suggesting two broader definitions of the research subject (called life cycle energy performance gaps and climate performance gaps) and a promising alternative scientific paradigm (practice theory).
A coordination perspective on dialogue processes between planners and developers in a sustainable urban development project
Authors: Törnå N , Lidelöw S , Stehn L
Published: November 2020

Several of Sweden’s Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) use developer dialogue processes between them and building actors to aid in the implementation of urban development projects. The idea is often to achieve ambitious local sustainability and to encourage a generally appreciated collaborative culture; however, processes of planners/developers interactions are challenging to manage in practice. In this study, we aim to depict and analyse a developer dialogue process used by a Swedish LPA in an on-going sustainable urban development project through the theoretical lens of organizational coordination mechanisms. Particular focus is placed on exploring how planners and develops interact while negotiating and implementing locally defined sustainability priorities. Empirical material was collected through document analysis, workshops and interviews with LPA representatives. Findings from the ongoing study indicates that the LPA manage a mixture of formal and informal interdependencies throughout in an attempt to achieve a greater fulfilment of their sustainability goals, and better outcomes in terms of product compliance. Furthermore, the use of coordination mechanisms for analysing the project seems to represent an important instrumental knowledge gap for better understanding sustainable urban development projects’ implementation and outcomes.
How youth are socially engaged in parks: a participatory-approach for understanding youth perceptions and use patterns
Authors: Ziaesaeidi Parisa , Cushing Debra Flanders , Washington Tracy , Buys Laurie
Published: November 2020

Parks are often linked to physical activity for youth provided by park equipment and amenities. Yet, urban green spaces and parks can also afford important opportunities for young people to develop a sense of community, identity and be socially engaged. Spending more time in green spaces can significantly impact the satisfaction and well-being of park users. In this respect, the attractiveness of parks to youth is an important factor to support socially cohesive behaviours. Differences in park preferences and user needs are important, particularly since research often seeks to understand where park users of all ages spend their time and with whom, rather than directly measuring their social network. Hence, parks as sustainable community facilities should promote social interactions among youth, and between youth and adults, which can lead to cohesive behaviours integrated into a social setting. In order for park settings to become favoured by youth, they must afford a range of opportunities for youth activities. This research proposes a youth-friendly participatory-approach that includes a multi-day workshop with youth to explore their social interactions in parks in greater depth. Using drawings, freehand mapping, and discussions using aerial photos of local parks can help us understand how youth use parks, and how they relate to other park users.
The relationship between eco-innovation and sustainability in the construction industry: Exploring knowledge networks from the perspective of ANT
Authors: Halicioglu F H
Published: November 2020

Growing awareness of the benefits of the green movement and rapidly increasing sustainable-oriented practices in the construction industry have point academicians and professionals out to eco-innovation and its application in building projects. Research interests in addressing the issues related to innovation have resulted in a great number of publications over the last two decades. Knowledge is considered as a vital ingredient in innovation. Hence, the problem addressed in this study is how knowledge networks having a heterogeneous body must be effectually managed in the firms for achieving the desired success in eco-innovation. In that context, the study attempts to indicate the relationship between the eco-innovations and sustainable construction practices and to explore knowledge networks. In the paper, firstly theoretical background related to eco-innovation is presented as a starting point of the study. Based on insights from the related literature, the determinants of eco-innovation are also detected to better understand the dynamic nature of the knowledge networks. Following that, as a research approach in the study, Actor-Network Theory (ANT) is used. To that end, in this paper, a case study is conducted for three firms that come to the forefront with their innovative activities in the construction industry in order to gain insights into the factors affecting their success in eco-innovation. The findings of this study point out that eco-innovation has positive impacts on sustainability solutions for buildings and also knowledge exchange and knowledge linkages can be seen as key issues in the field of eco-innovation towards the construction industry.
Modernist housing estate “revival”: a paradigm to upgrade Latin America’s slums?
Authors: Collado J R Núñez , Potangaroa R
Published: November 2020

Charles Jencks famously stated that Modern architecture died in St Louis, Missouri on July 15, 1972. While his statement has been disputed, the historical ineptness of Modern architecture to solve the housing problems of the urban poor is generally accepted. This is supported by several unsuccessful high-profile modernist housing estates in the 20th and 21st centuries. Nevertheless, there has been a recent re-engagement with modernism in theory and practice, and notably in solutions to upgrade slums in Latin America. This has happened in the background of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically goal 11—Sustainable Cities and Communities—that aims by 2030 to “ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums”. This paper analyses a recent modernist large-scale slum upgrading intervention in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The project relocated a vulnerable informal settlement of over 7000 people to a new housing estate. The paper draws on ethnographic methodologies to critically analyse the ex-ante rationale of the project and the ex-post situation of the community in terms of resident’s perception of the new housing estate. We argue that the project is revised version of modernism: contextualized to the time, culture, geography, and users. Almost four years post-intervention residents praise comfort aspects of the project, report higher sentiments of safety, and endorse the project as a model for future slum upgrading in the country. These findings align with emerging re-evaluations indicating that modernist housing estates are not as problematic as the literature has suggested and can still solve the housing issues of the vulnerable urban poor.
Applying Circular Economy Principles to Urban Housing
Authors: Marchesi M , Tweed C , Gerber D
Published: November 2020

This research seeks to develop a step change to the way housing is designed for cities in the UK. Housing demand in cities is predicted to increase. Urban centres are struggling to provide affordable housing. Moreover, cities are wasteful in terms of resource consumption, and waste generation heavily affecting the environment. The circular economy offers new ways to design, make and use houses to address these issues systemically as long as technical innovation is combined with social innovation. To date, the circular economy has mainly focused on technical innovation with limited emphasis on user social practices and behaviours. The combination of technological and social innovations through design has just appeared in emerging research and practice areas of design for sustainability. So, approaches that support the design of integrated solutions for transforming large socio-technical systems like cities are not yet well-established. To contribute to the development of integrated approaches for implementing a circular economy in urban housing, this study reviews a set of existing cases of social innovation for regenerative and restorative urban systems. Through empirical observation, we seek to integrate existing theories and concepts on circular economy and formulate theoretical insights for promoting the development of social-technical innovations.
Development of sustainability requirements for public housing construction in Germany in the sense of a model effect of the federal government
Authors: Rietz A , Kasper B , Rühle T
Published: November 2020

The scarcity of affordable housing in many German cities and agglomerations is currently one of the most pressing challenges facing politics. The challenge now is to create affordable and sustainable housing for all, because this is one of the main indicators of SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities. On the basis of the Guideline for Sustainable Building, requirements for federally owned residential buildings are to be developed. In addition to the principles of modern and affordable housing, the objectives of the Climate Protection Plan 2050 and requirements of sustainability have been taken into account. As a result, proposals for the updating and optimization of existing regulations have been developed to ensure sustainable construction of public housing. The criteria already address large parts of the sustainability and climate protection goals. Some aspects such as biodiversity at the site or the consideration of neighbourhoods have been included. Subsequently, it was examined how these different systems could be brought together in an updated evaluation system for new housing construction. Newly added aspects such as biodiversity at the location or the consideration of neighbourhoods were included. The results will be discussed with the stakeholders in order to achieve a broad application. Furthermore, new support programmes for public housing are to be developed.