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Sustainable Urban Regeneration: Issues and Challenges for Buildings and Cities

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 34624

Special Issue Editor

Department of Architecture, Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna BO, Italy
Interests: Sustainable building design; energy renovation; safety in existing buildings; urban regeneration; carbon neutral cities; energy positive buildings; new horizons in urban morphology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,  

Cities and citizens of the whole world have been increasingly confronted with rapid alterations in their physical and social environment by profound natural and human hazards like climate change, hi-tech innovation, pandemic events, and economic recessions. As a consequence, cities cannot survive and prosper if buildings and urban spaces are not reconsidered and reshaped according to climatic-response procedures and sustainable strategies.

In the attempt to respond to these challenges, scholars and practitioners in architecture and urban planning have produced an immense body of literature and various aspirant models of sustainable buildings, along with a series of policy measures to empower local communities. However, there is still a generalized inertia towards the adoption of such sustainable practices and community-based models.

The scope of this Special Issue in Sustainability is twofold: on the one side, it aims to provide a systematic review of practices and models in the current background of building design and urban planning; on the other side, it is intended to illustrate, discuss, and detect the major challenges in the adoption of sustainable practices and community-based models in the urban regeneration of our cities.

An inter-scalar, multidisciplinary approach is welcome, as buildings and open spaces have to be considered as a whole when it comes to urban sustainable regeneration.

Prof. Annarita Ferrante
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Sustainable building design
  • energy renovation at the building scale
  • safety in existing buildings
  • urban regeneration
  • carbon neutral cities and neighborhoods
  • energy positive buildings
  • new horizons in sustainable urban morphology and urban communities

Published Papers (15 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 11532 KiB  
Article
Environmental Urban Morphology: A Multidisciplinary Methodology for the Analysis of Public Spaces in Dense Urban Fabrics
by Marco Maretto, Barbara Gherri, Daniela Maiullari, Chiara Vernizzi, Greta Pitanti, Chiara Finizza and Alice Monacelli
Sustainability 2023, 15(23), 16493; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316493 - 01 Dec 2023
Viewed by 707
Abstract
A city is an organism made of social, economic, cultural, and environmental fabrics, the interactions of which determine the form and functioning of city life. Different disciplines are then involved in analyzing the complex processes of the 21st-century city. The aim of this [...] Read more.
A city is an organism made of social, economic, cultural, and environmental fabrics, the interactions of which determine the form and functioning of city life. Different disciplines are then involved in analyzing the complex processes of the 21st-century city. The aim of this study was to explore the use of an analytical method that can act as a catalyst for the main players involved in the environmental urban morphology (EUM). This multidisciplinary methodology focuses on the study of public space in dense urban fabrics as a key context for understanding a city. Operationally, the work shows the potential of integrating morphological analysis, pedestrian flow analysis, and environmental analysis and applying them in dense and compact urban fabrics. The first of these analyses methods was carried out using urban survey tools and the geographic information system (GIS) in order to detect the physical forms of the city and develop a number of morphological maps. The second, using the global positioning system (GPS) and on-site detectors, maps pedestrian movement within public spaces. The latter mainly focuses on the microclimatic analysis of public spaces and outdoor comfort, carried out using environmental software such as ENVI-met (4.4 version). The ultimate goal of this study was to achieve the definition of a dynamic, multidisciplinary, and multilayer methodology for the analysis of dense urban fabrics which we believe could be very useful for addressing the regenerative processes of the contemporary city. Full article
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20 pages, 5310 KiB  
Article
Demolishing or Renovating? Life Cycle Analysis in the Design Process for Building Renovation: The ProGETonE Case
by Marco A. Bragadin, Luca Guardigli, Mattia Calistri and Annarita Ferrante
Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8614; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118614 - 25 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1310
Abstract
It is well known that a large part of the existing European building stock needs to be renovated to increase structural and energy performance. Unfortunately, deep renovations come with high initial costs, and therefore, owners and real estate developers often prefer complete demolition [...] Read more.
It is well known that a large part of the existing European building stock needs to be renovated to increase structural and energy performance. Unfortunately, deep renovations come with high initial costs, and therefore, owners and real estate developers often prefer complete demolition and reconstruction. Both options depend on specific factors, and to select which option could be the closest to the optimal scenario, it is necessary to evaluate all environmental, social, and economic indicators. Life Cycle Analysis is of great significance to evaluate building sustainability, in particular through the comparison between different design alternatives. However, the life cycle impacts of the construction stage depend on selected materials and technologies that can be subject to change during the subsequent stages of the design process, i.e., moving from preliminary design to detailed design and execution plans. With the aim of understanding the role of LCA during the design process, the case study of “ProGETonE—Proactive Synergy of Integrated Efficient Technologies on Buildings’ Envelopes” has been addressed, leading to the observation that the impacts, in particular the global warming potential (GWP), raised significantly. Building Information Modelling (BIM) helped the information sharing and management of this project, which consists of the deep renovation and architectural reshaping of an existing student residence through the construction of integrated façade systems. Full article
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14 pages, 743 KiB  
Article
Classification of Lighting Design Aspects in Relation to Employees’ Productivity in Saudi Arabia
by Ghada Abdulrahman Najjar, Khaled Akkad and Ahdab Hashim Almahdaly
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3614; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043614 - 16 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2101
Abstract
Though the average employee spends a third of their day inside an office, designing a productive workspace can be challenging for designers. However, lighting design is a critical factor for the wellbeing of the employee. With the increasing number of local and international [...] Read more.
Though the average employee spends a third of their day inside an office, designing a productive workspace can be challenging for designers. However, lighting design is a critical factor for the wellbeing of the employee. With the increasing number of local and international companies opening in Saudi Arabia, it is important to study the effect of natural and artificial lighting on the productivity of employees in the office environment. It is essential to consider that employee productivity leads to economic productivity. A questionnaire was shared with the employees of the head office of Ensan Charity for Orphans Care to collect data on the preferences of staff on the current lighting design in their offices. Office design is one of the most important aspects in need of special attention, since employees spend more than eight hours daily at their offices. Lighting design is one of the key aspects of office design that has a direct impact on employees’ satisfaction and productivity. The aim of this study was to discover employees’ preferences for office design in Saudi Arabia. The collected data are analyzed to uncover employee preferences as well as to predict two key design aspects using machine-learning techniques. The two design aspects of concern are direct sunlight in the office environment and manual control of light intensity. This research aimed to help improve the design of the office environment according to employees’ preferences and international standards through investigating sustainable lighting design elements. A further challenge to be overcome was the need for further data collection as it relates to the two design aspects mentioned above. This paper demonstrates relatively high prediction accuracies of the mentioned design considerations using a variety of machine-learning algorithms. Full article
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28 pages, 2200 KiB  
Article
Multi-Criteria Analysis and Decision-Making Approach for the Urban Regeneration: The Application to the Rimini Canal Port (Italy)
by Margherita Pazzini, Rachele Corticelli, Claudio Lantieri and Cecilia Mazzoli
Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 772; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010772 - 31 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1813
Abstract
In recent decades, urban settlements have been greatly affected by globalisation, climate change, and economic uncertainty. When designing cities, these factors should be taken into account and adapted to the different contexts involved. The redevelopment of degraded urban areas is the first step [...] Read more.
In recent decades, urban settlements have been greatly affected by globalisation, climate change, and economic uncertainty. When designing cities, these factors should be taken into account and adapted to the different contexts involved. The redevelopment of degraded urban areas is the first step toward achieving the sustainability aims set out in the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, evaluation methods are required in the decision-making process, considering different social, economic, and environmental aspects to define the correct policies and actions for city redevelopment. In this paper, an evaluation methodology is proposed in order to obtain a priority scale of interventions for urban regeneration. Starting from on-site inspections to better know the current scenario, a set of indicators is established to evaluate the urban quality. Criticalities and potentials emerge through SWOT analysis and, with the ANP-BOCR method, the priority scale of the identified scenarios is defined. This decision-making approach was applied to the case study of the Rimini Canal Port, in the northeast of Italy, which is a degraded area of the city. This methodology is a tool that can be used in the future by decision makers (DMs) for the redevelopment of small port areas within similar urban contexts. Full article
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26 pages, 3482 KiB  
Article
Culture-Led Regeneration of Industrial Brownfield Hosting Temporary Uses: A Post-Socialist Context–Case Study from Novi Sad, Serbia
by Dejana Nedučin and Milena Krklješ
Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 16150; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316150 - 02 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1575
Abstract
Utilizing culture as a tool for the regeneration of industrial brownfields represents a fairly new trend in post-socialist Europe. This topic has garnered some academic attention; however, studies primarily originate from EU member states, whereas the examples from non-EU cities remains largely unexplored. [...] Read more.
Utilizing culture as a tool for the regeneration of industrial brownfields represents a fairly new trend in post-socialist Europe. This topic has garnered some academic attention; however, studies primarily originate from EU member states, whereas the examples from non-EU cities remains largely unexplored. In addition, the literature dealing with the temporary creative use of derelict industrial sites in post-socialist cities is scarce. The case study-based paper contributes to filling these voids by investigating the creativity-driven informal activation of the Kineska Quarter in Novi Sad, the second largest city in Serbia and the European Capital of Culture for 2022, and its planned transformation into a creative district. The research aims are to examine the capacity of temporary uses to act as a hard infrastructure of the culture-led regeneration, identify the policy framework that shaped the project and highlight its shortcomings, detect potential sustainability issues, and examine how soft factors affect the use of hard infrastructure. The findings suggest that the redevelopment of a creative brownfield based on the simulation of bottom-up decision-making and hastily developed and blurry regeneration policies lead to uncertainty about its sustainability. They also suggest that post-socialist cities lacking experience in this field necessitate a context-perceptive, socially responsible, and locale-conscious approach to the (then sustainable) culture-led regeneration of spontaneously activated brownfields sites, which requires meaningful and not just pro forma involvement of non-institutional actors in the policy- and decision-making process. Full article
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26 pages, 7468 KiB  
Article
The Process of Digitalization of the Urban Environment for the Development of Sustainable and Circular Cities: A Case Study of Bologna, Italy
by Anna Chiara Benedetti, Carlo Costantino, Riccardo Gulli and Giorgia Predari
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13740; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113740 - 24 Oct 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2334
Abstract
The residential heritage that was built during the great expansion of real estate after the Second World War has severe deficiencies in structural safety, fire resistance, energy efficiency, and accessibility and these cannot be solved with sustainable renovation measures. This study focuses on [...] Read more.
The residential heritage that was built during the great expansion of real estate after the Second World War has severe deficiencies in structural safety, fire resistance, energy efficiency, and accessibility and these cannot be solved with sustainable renovation measures. This study focuses on replacement interventions and promotes a management model that addresses three areas (technical, social, and economic) and it refers to the application of the circularity principle to the construction sector for the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. The final objective is to define a protocol—namely, the guidelines—to reference in a decision-making process that promotes urban regeneration by comparing demolition with reconstruction and renovation. The proposed methodology allows for the determination of suitable areas in Bologna for replacement and the joining of the municipal geodatabase with data from archival research on building permits in 1949–1965 by using GIS software. This digital archive can be implemented in a digital twin for an urban block, which can become a predictive tool for urban planning and the management of the whole life of a building. The main result is the characterization of urban blocks by identifying typical features belonging to specific building libraries that are validated with density analyses. These urban clusters and building archetypes can be used to assess targeted intervention measures by using specific tools, such as predictive maps and 3D city models. Full article
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33 pages, 7053 KiB  
Article
Assessing and Developing Circular Deep Renovation Interventions towards Decarbonisation: The Italian Pilot Case of “Corte Palazzo” in Argelato
by Cecilia Mazzoli, Rachele Corticelli, Lorna Dragonetti, Annarita Ferrante, Johannes Van Oorschot and Michiel Ritzen
Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13150; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013150 - 13 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1658
Abstract
Decarbonisation in the construction sector, consisting of a process based on the abandonment of fossil resources and the achievement of greater resource efficiency, is increasing in both new construction and renovation. The concept of circularity is seen as a strategy to reach this [...] Read more.
Decarbonisation in the construction sector, consisting of a process based on the abandonment of fossil resources and the achievement of greater resource efficiency, is increasing in both new construction and renovation. The concept of circularity is seen as a strategy to reach this goal. The direct environmental impact of building designs can be quantitatively evaluated by assessing total mass, embodied energy, and embodied CO2 in combination with circularity criteria, such as design for disassembly, materials and product origin, as well as recovering potential. This paper presents a method for easily assessing these parameters, thus obtaining a Building Circularity Indicator. To validate the method, its application in a pilot case of a manor villa located in Argelato (Bologna, Italy) is provided in the framework of the European Horizon 2020 project “DRIVE 0—Driving decarbonization of the EU building stock by enhancing a consumer-centred and locally based circular renovation process”. The deep renovation intervention developed is aimed at increasing energy performance by pursuing a circular approach that has rarely been tackled in protected heritage. Furthermore, the benefits of a circular versus a linear strategy are demonstrated through an LCA as well as LCC analyses assessing the environmental and economic impact of the intervention. The research results validate the proposed method as a tool to support operators in the construction sector. Full article
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29 pages, 4330 KiB  
Article
Management Assessment and Future Projections of Construction and Demolition Waste Generation in Hai Phong City, Vietnam
by Kien Ton Tong, Ngoc Tan Nguyen, Giang Hoang Nguyen, Tomonori Ishigaki and Ken Kawamoto
Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9628; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159628 - 05 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2540
Abstract
Along with economic development, urbanization will generate a large amount of solid waste and put pressure on the waste management systems in developing countries. Face-to-face interview methods were used to investigate the current status of construction and demolition waste (CDW) management (collection, transportation, [...] Read more.
Along with economic development, urbanization will generate a large amount of solid waste and put pressure on the waste management systems in developing countries. Face-to-face interview methods were used to investigate the current status of construction and demolition waste (CDW) management (collection, transportation, treatment, and storage) as well as reveal attitudes of governmental agencies and enterprises towards CDW recycling and recycled material products in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Waste generation rates (WGRs) of the works were also determined by site surveys and as-built drawings method of typical old buildings to be demolished and two licensed new construction works. WGRs of 34.5 kg/m2 and 758 kg/m2 were identified during the construction and demolition of small private houses, respectively, while WGRs at public house demolition sites were 1053 kg/m2. To effectively manage the CDW, the gross floor area of new construction work was estimated by a multiple regression equation with the population and gross region domestic product growth. Based on this model combining the investigation results, the amount of CDW increase in 5–30 years is also predicted. This data set will help management agencies plan storage yards as well as select the appropriate CDW treatment and recycling methods, contributing to building a sustainable and effective CDW management model for Hai Phong City as well as Vietnam in the future. Full article
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17 pages, 2830 KiB  
Article
Financial Support for Neighborhood Regeneration: A Case Study of Korea
by Doil Kim and Kabsung Kim
Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8582; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148582 - 13 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1363
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between financial support and neighborhood regeneration in Korea. A questionnaire about neighborhood regeneration projects was administered to 175 Korean respondents in the regeneration field. Results found that the housing revitalization project needed more public funds than private funds [...] Read more.
This study examined the relationship between financial support and neighborhood regeneration in Korea. A questionnaire about neighborhood regeneration projects was administered to 175 Korean respondents in the regeneration field. Results found that the housing revitalization project needed more public funds than private funds for successful outcomes. The private sector participation project required public-private cooperation. The local economy vitalization project needed public funds to build infrastructure. The local living improvement project needed public funds for infrastructure. The local living network project could be led by public funds including the facility fund. The local economy operation project required public and private funds for local programs and facility support. The results offer the optimization of financial support efficiency by providing customized support funds for neighborhood regeneration projects. Full article
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22 pages, 9548 KiB  
Article
Multi-Objective Optimization for Cooling and Interior Natural Lighting in Buildings for Sustainable Renovation
by Silvia Ruggiero, Marco Iannantuono, Anastasia Fotopoulou, Dimitra Papadaki, Margarita Niki Assimakopoulos, Rosa Francesca De Masi, Giuseppe Peter Vanoli and Annarita Ferrante
Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 8001; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138001 - 30 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1967
Abstract
In order to achieve the ‘nearly zero-energy’ target and a comfortable indoor environment, an important aspect is related to the correct design of the transparent elements of the building envelope. For improving indoor daylight penetration, architectural solutions such as light shelves are nowadays [...] Read more.
In order to achieve the ‘nearly zero-energy’ target and a comfortable indoor environment, an important aspect is related to the correct design of the transparent elements of the building envelope. For improving indoor daylight penetration, architectural solutions such as light shelves are nowadays commercially available. These are defined as horizontal or inclined surfaces, fixed or mobile, placed on the inner and/or the outer side of windows, with surface features such to reflect the sunlight to the interior. Given the fact that these elements can influence different domains (i.e., energy need, daylighting, thermal comfort, etc.), the aim of this paper is to apply a multi-objective optimization method within the design of this kind of technology. The case study is a student house in the University of Athens Campus, subject to a deep energy renovation towards nZEB, under the frame of H2020 European project Pro-GET-onE (G.A No 723747). Starting from the numerical model of the building, developed in EnergyPlus, the multi-objective optimization based on a genetic algorithm is implemented. The variables used are various light shelves configurations by differing materials and geometry, as well as different window types and interior context scenarios. Finally, illuminance studies of the pre- and post-retrofit building are also provided through Revit illuminance rendering. Full article
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29 pages, 16111 KiB  
Article
Energy, Environmental Impact and Indoor Environmental Quality of Add-Ons in Buildings
by Margherita Mastellone, Silvia Ruggiero, Dimitra Papadaki, Nikolaos Barmparesos, Anastasia Fotopoulou, Annarita Ferrante and Margarita Niki Assimakopoulos
Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7605; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137605 - 22 Jun 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1871
Abstract
On a European scale, the existing building stock has poor energy performance and particularly vulnerable structures. Indeed, most of the existing buildings were built before the introduction of energy standards and under structural safety criteria different from those currently required. It is therefore [...] Read more.
On a European scale, the existing building stock has poor energy performance and particularly vulnerable structures. Indeed, most of the existing buildings were built before the introduction of energy standards and under structural safety criteria different from those currently required. It is therefore necessary the intervention in existing buildings according to an integrated approach that contemplates both the structural safety and the energy efficiency of buildings. This study, consistently with the objectives of the European research project “Proactive synergy of integrated Efficient Technologies on buildings’ Envelopes (Pro-GET-OnE)”, proposes a retrofit intervention for a student dormitory of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The scope of the evaluation is to understand how an integrated intervention, that implies a structural and energy retrofit, as well as a spatial redistribution, leads to an improvement of the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). In detail, the structural retrofit was performed through exoskeleton that leads to the addition of new living spaces and to a remodeling of the building facades. The energy retrofit regarded all three levers of energy efficiency, and thus the building envelope, the microclimatic control systems, and the systems from renewable sources. The integrated intervention, in addition to a reduction of energy demand, has led to advantages in terms of IEQ. Thermal comfort, both during summer and winter, is improved and the hours of suitable CO2 concentration pass from 34% in the pre-retrofit stage up to 100% in the post retrofit stage. Full article
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21 pages, 5036 KiB  
Article
Circular Environmental Impact of Recycled Building Materials and Residential Renewable Energy
by Dimitra Papadaki, Dimitrios A. Nikolaou and Margarita N. Assimakopoulos
Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4039; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074039 - 29 Mar 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4060
Abstract
Building materials, due to their mass and energy-consuming production processes, drastically increase the embodied energy of construction. This study assesses circularity processes for the construction industry with a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a case study located in a large cosmopolitan city. The [...] Read more.
Building materials, due to their mass and energy-consuming production processes, drastically increase the embodied energy of construction. This study assesses circularity processes for the construction industry with a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a case study located in a large cosmopolitan city. The research concludes that a significant decrease in environmental impacts results from a shift to recycled materials in the construction phase, as well as from changing the landfill disposal method to recycling. In particular, it was found that the use of recycled building materials (such as recycled cement, metal, concrete, or glass) during the construction phase and recycling disposal methods lead to an overall decrease of impact up to 65%. This work also underlines the importance of circularity in renewable energy production systems. In both wind and solar systems, most of the environmental impact caused during the production phase are paid back during the second year of their life due to the energy gains of the renewable energy system. However, the recovery of metal depletion requires 667 years. This result provides evidence of the emerging need for integrating circular processes regarding recycling and reusing materials in construction and also in the energy-generating sector. Full article
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17 pages, 3847 KiB  
Article
The Transformation of Healthcare Buildings: The Challenges of the University of Pavia for Urban Regeneration
by Alessandro Greco, Daniela Besana, Valentina Giacometti, Mauro Mericco, Silvia Lombardi, Andrea Borlini, Roberto Turino and Cristiana Ruggeri
Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1517; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031517 - 28 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1716
Abstract
The theme of urban regeneration is currently one of the main actions of transformation policies. It presents an opportunity for cities’ design, in particular historical centers, through joint actions aimed at creating synergies and connections between social, political, economic, and environmental aspects. It [...] Read more.
The theme of urban regeneration is currently one of the main actions of transformation policies. It presents an opportunity for cities’ design, in particular historical centers, through joint actions aimed at creating synergies and connections between social, political, economic, and environmental aspects. It also becomes an opportunity to enhance the huge and complex Cultural Heritage, full of architectural values, memory, and history. At the same time, it appears increasingly inadequate and obsolete compared to the new needs of a changing society, of regulatory aspects, and of a general compatible approach to intervention to the more general policies of sustainable development, as required by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A total of two case studies of the reuse and enhancement of hospital buildings of the University of Pavia are presented, which has a large building heritage spread throughout the city. In recent years, owing to the opportunities offered by funding, it has started transformation policies on some abandoned buildings through projects based on an interdisciplinary approach and a participatory design strategy. The article testifies to a potential method of intervention that can be exported to other contexts, after a previous test of the compatibility on the existing and on the urban context. Full article
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25 pages, 4177 KiB  
Article
Urban Public Policy and the Formation of Dilapidated Abandoned Buildings in Historic Cities: Causes, Impacts and Recommendations
by Hamed Tavakoli and Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6178; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116178 - 31 May 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3272
Abstract
The contradictory and inefficient nature of urban public policy in Iranian historic cities has been subject to long debates in recent years, and has even led to disorganisation in the formation of dilapidated abandoned buildings (DABs). Under the current policies, three government agencies [...] Read more.
The contradictory and inefficient nature of urban public policy in Iranian historic cities has been subject to long debates in recent years, and has even led to disorganisation in the formation of dilapidated abandoned buildings (DABs). Under the current policies, three government agencies oversee the urban management in historic cities. The projects and processes that have yet to be implemented by these agencies are crucial for solving the problems associated with DABs. This research aims to investigate the current public policies of the essential key players and stakeholders in order to ameliorate the problem of DABs, which in the literature has been proven to be associated with socio-spatial disadvantage. A qualitative semi-structured enquiry was conducted, and urban public policies were evaluated on the basis of 19 in-depth interviews regarding the three historic cities of Yazd, Kashan and Isfahan. The results were analysed using cutting and sorting techniques, and thematic and critical narrative analysis. Several inadequacies in the current urban public policy were specified. This research could help decision-makers to create efficient management plans with respect to the reduction of DABs, an approach that can be considered efficient for the regeneration of life in historic cities. Full article
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Review

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24 pages, 1404 KiB  
Review
Barriers to, and Enablers for, Stakeholder Collaboration in Risk-Sensitive Urban Planning: A Systematised Literature Review
by Pavithra Ganeshu, Terrence Fernando and Kaushal Keraminiyage
Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4600; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054600 - 04 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3054
Abstract
The lack of stakeholder collaboration has been recognised as a prominent hindrance in implementing risk-sensitive urban planning for creating resilient environments for communities against climate-induced risks. This study presents the outcome of a systematised literature review that was conducted to identify the barriers [...] Read more.
The lack of stakeholder collaboration has been recognised as a prominent hindrance in implementing risk-sensitive urban planning for creating resilient environments for communities against climate-induced risks. This study presents the outcome of a systematised literature review that was conducted to identify the barriers to stakeholder collaboration, as well as the enablers that assist stakeholder collaboration in risk-sensitive urban planning. The study identified thirty-three barriers which were classified under thirteen themes and four major categories (external barriers, inter-organisational barriers, intra-organisational barriers, and personal barriers). The review also identified forty-five enablers which can be used in surmounting the identified barriers. The dependency analysis of the barriers, conducted by adopting the interpretive structural modelling approach, shows that the barriers with a high driving power are external barriers, which are political barriers, policies and legislation-related barriers, and governance-related barriers that are beyond the organisational boundary and control. The research found that the enablers to overcome those high driving barriers are gaining political support for implementing inter-organisational collaboration or adapting the apolitical approach for the collaboration process, strengthening the laws and forming adaptive policies to support collaboration, and establishing transparent and accountable collaborative governance. Full article
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