Green Building Certification Systems, Indoor Environmental Quality and Post-Occupancy Evaluation Methods: a Critical Review

This paper presents a critical review and a comprehensive analysis of existing methods and tools for the post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of indoor environmental qualities in buildings, with specific reference to the criteria embedded in the credit requirements of the most popular green building certification schemes. POE procedures allow the quantitative and qualitative analysis of buildings’ and occupants’ performance in new and existing buildings (e.g. offices, schools, and universities, residential, commercial, hotels, libraries and mixed-use) based on the collection of objective and subjective data

Investigating, Implementing and Funding Regenerative Urban Design in a Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Built Environment: A Reading Through Selected UN Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal

Before the world was impacted by COVID-19, progress towards the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was already uneven, and a more focused attention was needed in most SDGs target areas. The pandemic abruptly disrupted plans and efforts towards urban transition, in some cases reverting decades of progress. The concept of resilience changed in 2020 and having to face severe health issues combined with increased socio-economic challenges in a climate change scenario, cities must urgently explore how to best combine environmental goals with economic recovery and social justice, modifying on-going plans and initiatives, while re-arranging priorities. Acknowledging the impact that the pandemic will produce, for the years to come, on processes and initiatives towards a regenerative economy, this contribution describes most recent strategies aimed at urban transition in Europe, and critically discusses available options with respect to implementation and funding, within the framework of selected UN SDGs. Our conclusions challenge the ability of our modern society to put in practice the needed urgent actions, and call for a paradigm shift to prepare Europe to deal with climate disruptions, activate transition to a healthy and prosperous future within the planetary boundaries, and scale up solutions that will trigger transformations for the benefit of people and the environment

Linking future energy systems with heritage requalification in Smart Cities. On-going research and experimentation in the city of Trento (IT)

Future Energy Systems in midsized Italian Smart Cities are highly dependent upon the pursuit of a smarter grid based on active end-user engagement, the use of distributed energy resources and real-time demand response. In Trento, due to its climatic conditions, the issue of smart energy systems is particularly relevant and its future smart electric grid is expected to produce energy efficiency improvements to the city’s historic municipal buildings, as well as to private residences and businesses. With the contribution of Trento’s Smart City Municipal Office, latest evidence of current approach to urban smart energy systems is presented, highlighting strategies and innovative solutions, benefitting the whol

Exploring tools and indicators to support collaborative planning, design, implementation, operation, and evaluation of Positive Energy Districts

The study defines an integrated parametric workflow to support PED collaborative design and implementation. Through a preliminary detailed analysis, existing tools for urban building performance simulation and microclimatic analysis were identified, tested, and selected, aiming at maximising their interoperability potential and overall support to collaborative PED planning practices. Subsequently, it is illustrated how to conduct an ex-post simulation analysis of medium and long-term interventions, with specific projections of different scenarios considering climate change impacts on energy demand. The evaluation of the proposed climateadaptive interventions takes place using tools for the optimization of systems and technical solutions at the basis of the energy surplus and decarbonization of districts and neighbourhoods. The aim of this research is twofold: i) shading light on the absence of data management, especially at the initial stages of the PED project, resulting in uncertainty and slow-down of the whole implementation process, as well as associated difficulties to trigger virtuous replicability processes towards inclusive urban energy transitions; and ii) promoting the adoption of tools and integrated climate adaptation and mitigation frameworks to support collaborative planning and evaluation of Positive Energy Districts

Sustainable Urban Areas for 2030 in a Post-Covid-19 Scenario: Focus on Innovative Research and Funding Frameworks to Boost Transition towards 100 Positive Energy Districts and 100 Climate-Neutral Cities

Cities generate about 85% of the EU’s GDP. As such, they are key players in shaping and providing technological and social innovations but also environmental impact. Thus, they must urgently engage in unprecedented systemic transformational and bold transitions towards sustainability and climate neutrality. The contribution—taking into account that the concepts of community resilience and urban transition have changed as a consequence of COVID-19—critically discusses innovative frameworks and funding opportunities that Horizon Europe will put in place to boost sustainable urban areas in Europe, driving a transition to 100 Positive Energy Districts and 100 climate-neutral cities by 2030

Raising Healthy Children: Promoting the Multiple Benefits of Green Open Spaces through Biophilic Design

Several studies have indicated that children who grow up in green environments enjoy beneficial impacts on their development. However, to date, very little attention has been paid to the types and characteristics of dedicated public open green space for children. In addition, studies on biophilic design that could help landscape architects to design open spaces for children are limited. In order to fill this gap, this perspective examines the scientific literature on the relationship between open spaces and children. The authors specifically discuss and analyze the following points: (1) pathways to and effects on children’s health and well-being; (2) types and characteristics of open spaces for child-dedicated facilities (e.g., schools, hospitals, fitness camps, playgrounds, etc.), as well as for child-friendly urban open spaces. Finally, the authors provide inspiring examples and case studies of biophilic design for children’s health and well-being. Conclusions from this perspective show that biophilic design could benefit both the physical and mental health of children, as well as improve children’s overall resilience to pandemics and other diseases. This perspective provides, for the first time, new insights for designing biophilic and child-friendly cities, and explores areas of future research

Rethinking Sustainability Towards a Regenerative Economy

This open access book is based on work from the COST Action “RESTORE - REthinking Sustainability TOwards a Regenerative Economy'', and highlights how sustainability in buildings, facilities and urban governance is crucial for a future that is socially just, ecologically restorative, and economically viable, for Europe and the whole planet. In light of the search for fair solutions to the climate crisis, the authors outline the urgency for the built environment sector to implement adaptation and mitigation strategies, as well as a just transition. As shown in the chapters, this can be done by applying a broader framework that enriches places, people, ecology, culture, and climate, at the core of the design task - with a particular emphasis on the benefits towards health and resilient business practices. This book is one step on the way to a paradigm shift towards restorative sustainability for new and existing buildings. The authors want to promote forward thinking and multidisciplinary knowledge, leading to solutions that celebrate the richness of design creativity. In this vision, cities of the future will enhance users’ experience, health and wellbeing inside and outside of buildings, while reconciling anthropic ecosystems and nature. A valuable resource for scientists and students in environmental sciences and architecture, as well as policy makers, practitioners and investors in urban and regional development

Exploring Challenges and Opportunities of Biophilic Urban Design: Evidence from Research and Experimentation

Global health emergencies such as Covid-19 have highlighted the importance of access to nature and open spaces in our cities for social, physical, and mental health. However, there continues to be a disconnect between our need for nature and our daily lived experience. Recent research indicates that our connectedness and relationship with nature, and in particular biophilic design, may be key for improving both health and quality of life. Rather than relying on abstract universal ideas of “nature”, using evidence-based biophilic design and policy at a building, neighborhood, and city scale, to link our daily lives with biodiversity, may encourage sense of place and make environmental action more meaningful. Then, improving our natural capital in the urban built environment might help address the current climate and disease crisis, as well as improving our physical and mental health. Drawing from emerging research and innovative practice, the paper describes key research and design paradigms that influence the way we understand the benefits of nature for different environments, including the workplace, neighborhood, and city, and explains where biophilic design theory sits in this field. Examples from recent research carried out in London and Chicago are provided, aiming at demonstrating what kind of research can be functional to what context, followed by a detailed analysis of its application supporting both human and ecological health. The study concludes indicating key policy and design lessons learned around regenerative design and biophilia as well as new directions for action, particularly with regard to climate change, sense of place, and well-being

Exploring Regenerative Co-benefits of Biophilic Design for People and the Environment

There is an increasing awareness of the role that buildings, districts and neighbourhoods play on health in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that coincides with pressing climate concerns. This has renewed attention to the benefits of nature for both human and climate health. Buildings, cities, and regions are attempting to align regenerative design principles with human health goals but often lack the tools and knowledge to do so. This is partly rooted in a failure to understand how to apply research and policy for different contexts as well as at different scales. It is also still uncertain exactly what types of nature can lead to which types of benefit, and for whom, despite long-standing research within the environmental psychology, sustainability, and design fields. This chapter outlines key research paradigms that influence the way we understand the benefits of nature, where biophilic design theory sits in this field, and how it can be and has been applied at different scales through two case studies at the building and city scale. The chapter ends with the proposal of new directions for integrating biophilic design into regenerative design and policy

Designing Urban Green Blue Infrastructure for Mental Health and Elderly Wellbeing

The main objective of this essay is to illustrate the state-of-the-art on ‘mental health-sensitive’ open space design in the built environment. Urban Green Blue Infrastructure can contribute to urbanites’ mental health and wellbeing as well as healthy aging, while providing co-benefits balancing the negative impacts of climate change, through the provision of integrated ecosystem services. There are a number of ways that exposure to and affiliation with Nature have shown to support mental health, but we are still missing the necessary evidence of the actual benefits achieved, as well as the key performance indicators and metrics to monitor and adapt our open space to the growing urban challenges. After introducing the key concepts of degenerative mental disorders as they are growing in the urban environment, and the emerging green blue infrastructure design approach, the authors present international case studies describing how evidence-based design and Nature-based Solutions have been found to be beneficial, especially to those diagnosed with mental disorders. Subsequently, in a comparative critical analysis, the authors look closer at a number of design solutions capable, at different scales, to support healthy aging through exposure to, and affiliation with, biodiversity