COP28 EXPECTATIONS

Read this vital series of essays providing multiple perspectives on expected and needed outcomes from COP28 »
View our peer-reviewed content: 

B&C’s peer review content is published on our Ubiquity Press website »
SUBMIT YOUR PAPER:

B&C is an independent, peer-reviewed transdisciplinary journal. 

Types of papers: Research, Synthesis, Methods, Replication, Policy Analysis, Briefing Notes
RECENT SPECIAL ISSUES:

• Social Value of the Built Environment »

• Understanding Demolition »

• Data Politics in the Built Environment »

• Urban Expansion »

• Transformational Climate Actions by Cities »

• Energy, Emerging Technologies & Gender »

 MORE »
BRIEFING NOTES:

A concise summary for practitioners of a what is known in a particular research topic and how to act on the results »

LATEST:
• Building within planetary boundaries: 
moving construction to stewardship »
LATEST COMMENTARIES:


• The Debate around Low-Carbon Heating Systems

• Daylight: A Basic Human Right?

• Climate Regulations for Buildings: International Policy Collaborations

• COP28: Set GHG Budgets for the Built Environment

• From COP28 to SDGs: Bridging the Gender Gaps
RECENT BOOK REVIEWS:

• Building Better - Less - Differently: Circular Construction & Circular Economy »

• Energy Use in Buildings: A Roadmap for Urban Transitions »

• Form and Flow: The Spatial Politics of Urban Resilience and Climate Justice »
COP28 EXPECTATIONS

Read this vital series of essays providing multiple perspectives on expected and needed outcomes from COP28 » View our peer-reviewed content: 

B&C’s peer review content is published on our Ubiquity Press website » SUBMIT YOUR PAPER:

B&C is an independent, peer-reviewed transdisciplinary journal. 

Types of papers: Research, Synthesis, Methods, Replication, Policy Analysis, Briefing Notes RECENT SPECIAL ISSUES:

• Social Value of the Built Environment »

• Understanding Demolition »

• Data Politics in the Built Environment »

• Urban Expansion »

• Transformational Climate Actions by Cities »

• Energy, Emerging Technologies & Gender »

 MORE » BRIEFING NOTES:

A concise summary for practitioners of a what is known in a particular research topic and how to act on the results »

LATEST:
• Building within planetary boundaries: 
moving construction to stewardship » LATEST COMMENTARIES:


• The Debate around Low-Carbon Heating Systems

• Daylight: A Basic Human Right?

• Climate Regulations for Buildings: International Policy Collaborations

• COP28: Set GHG Budgets for the Built Environment

• From COP28 to SDGs: Bridging the Gender Gaps RECENT BOOK REVIEWS:

• Building Better - Less - Differently: Circular Construction & Circular Economy »

• Energy Use in Buildings: A Roadmap for Urban Transitions »

• Form and Flow: The Spatial Politics of Urban Resilience and Climate Justice »
 
Amazon Prime trailers lined up outside an Amazon Fulfillment Centre in Baltimore, US. Image: © Google Maps 2023. Data from AirbusData SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO.

Have civil society and governments ceded too much power and influence to a few tech corporations? Why analysis of the smart city needs to include private sector data.

Dillon Mahmoudi (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) and Alan Wiig (University of Florida) comment on the contributions of the Buildings & Cities special issue Data Politics in the Built Environment. This commentary considers how tech corporates such as Amazon are changing urban life and creating new forms of automated surveillance.

More

Climate Urbanism: Towards a Critical Research Agenda

Edited by: Vanesa Castán Broto, Enora Robin, Aidan While. Palgrave Macmillan, 2020, ISBN: 978-3-030-53386-1

Laura Tozer reviews this novel and thought-provoking book examining how climate urbanism is being embraced, promoted and contested. The book is a must read for researchers, policymakers, students and practitioners aiming to explore how climate action can move from being reactive to being transformative and more equitable.

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Phronesis and Epistemic Justice in Data-Driven Built Environments

Why more just and democratic ways are needed for living in smart built environments.

Miguel Valdez (Open University) comments on the contributions of the Buildings & Cities special issue Data Politics in the Built Environment. This commentary considers an additional perspective and provides an additional foundation to support more progressive data politics in the built environment. The three Aristotelian virtues of ‘techne’, ‘episteme’ and ‘phronesis’ and epistemic justice provide suitable lenses to critique smart city politics.

More

Photo: Howard Lifshitz. CC BY 2.0

Both technical advancements AND human- and nature-centred solutions of culture & heritage are needed.

Lori Ferriss (Architecture 2030) reflects on her attendance at COP28. Although COP28 included many wins for the built environment, it also marked a moment of missed opportunity to include valuable indigenous and heritage knowledge and culture-based climate solutions in the built environment agenda. Recommendations are made for improving policy pathways and the role of research.

More

The Debate around Low-Carbon Heating Systems

Will space heating use hydrogen or electric heat pumps? The solution may not be that simple.

Jon Saltmarsh (Energy Systems Catapult; previously at UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) reflects on the polarised debate around how best to decarbonise homes in the UK. Lessons from the UK may have resonance for other nations in their own journey towards low carbon heating in homes.

More

Daylight at street level for both pedestrians and apartment dwellers is diminished by orders of magnitude compared to the tops of high rises.

The rationale and implications of ensuring adequate daylight provision are considered for designing cities and buildings.

The World Health Organization lists universal access to clean air, clean water, nutritious food and safe shelter as key components of public health, Lisa Heschong (author, architectural researcher & a fellow of the Illuminating Engineering Society), argues that access to ample daylight, both outdoors and indoors, should be added to that list. Evidence from many different scientific fields1 reveal that humans live healthier, happier, more productive lives with daily exposure to the natural patterns of sunlight.

More

Building Better – Less – Different: Circular Construction and Circular Economy

By Felix Heisel and Dirk E Hebel, in collaboration with Ken Webster. Birkhäuser, 2022, ISBN: 9783035621099

Matti Kuittinen reviews this outstanding book on circular construction and circular economy, which not only discusses resource aspects of construction and architecture but also covers the underlying fundamentals. This can inspire building designers, construction professionals, authorities, and policy makers. Equally, it is an effective resource for builders and demolition professionals, building inspectors, product developers, and municipal authorities who may be considering embarking in the path of circularity.

More

Energy Use in Cities: A Roadmap for Urban Transitions

By S. Pincetl, H. Gustafson, F. Federico, E.D. Fournier, R. Cudd & E. Porse. Palgrave Macmillan, 2020, ISBN: 9783030556013

Dominic Humphrey reviews this book which offers a practical approach for an equitable transition to net zero. It explains how different stakeholders can enable cities to adapt to changing climate. Thanks to its accessible language, the book will be of interest to a wide readership – from policymakers and researchers to parts of the general public.

More

The Gendered City

Why urban spaces need to be reimagined from an intersectional perspective, incorporating the voices and experiences of women

Cities are hubs of economic activity and cultural vibrancy, however, urban growth policies and city governance that fail to consider gender and poverty have exacerbated socio-economic disparities, exclusion, and segregation. Nourhan Bassan (GamingX) discusses some of key themes from her forthcoming book “The Gendered City”. She argues that it is imperative to understand the historical context of urban design, to critically examine gender disparities in cities, and to advocate for women's rights in shaping and accessing urban spaces.

More

Climate Regulations for Buildings: International Policy Collaborations

by Matti Kuittinen (Aalto University & the Nordic authority group working for climate declarations for buildings 2020–2023)

For mitigating the built environment's large carbon footprint, regulation within the next 10 years is needed in all countries. The Nordic countries have been co-developing climate policies for buildings since 2018 and are already seeing the positive outcomes from joint efforts. COP28 can apply these principles and lessons elsewhere. To prevent duplication of effort in each country, international collaboration with climatically and culturally similar countries can be beneficial.

More

Social Value of the Built Environment

How is social value created, defined and measured in both placemaking (urban design, architecture and real estate) and construction (procurement and labour) processes?

Social value has an important role to play in the delivery of the SDGs. A rebalancing of value to include social and environmental value, as well as economic and commercial value, is needed to ensure the shaping of communities and places will have wellbeing outcomes. This special issue explores current and potential approaches to defining, delivering, monitoring and evaluating social value in the built environment, its benefits and consequences and its relation to other existing policy mechanisms. 

More

COP28: Set GHG Budgets for the Built Environment

By Alexander Passer, Thomas Lützkendorf, Rolf Frischknecht (representing IEA EBC Annex 89)

The built environment contributes 40% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, is massively affected by the consequences of climate change and can itself be part of the solution. It is a cause, a victim and a solution at the same time and therefore urgently requires actions by COP28 and national governments. A specific GHG budget for national building stocks including a clearly defined reduction pathway towards net zero GHG emissions is needed, in parallel with a legal binding requirement to limit GHG emissions in the life cycle of individual buildings.

More

Endorsements

  • Ani Raiden, Nottingham Trent University, UK

    We have found the journey with Buildings & Cities very professional – no doubt the smoothest publication process we have worked through in our careers. The editor’s direction has been clear and easy to navigate and respond to.

  • Gail Brager, University of California at Berkeley, US

    I am excited about the prospects of this new journal, Buildings and Cities. Its highly respected and experienced editorial team will ensure that the journal’s focus on interdisciplinary and multi-scale approaches will push our industry forward in addressing critical issues facing the built environment.

  • David Lorenz, Lorenz Property Advisors, Germany

    The quality of editorial work and support to authors is unmatched within the landscape of property and construction journals. The editors are highly experienced and have a strong track record of working closely with each author.

  • Kathryn Janda, University College London, UK

    By crossing the scale of buildings and cities, as well as bridging the gap between social and technical research, Buildings and Cities is of vital importance to academics and practitioners working to support sustainable and socially just improvements in the built environment. The editor-in-chief has an extraordinary and well-deserved reputation for fostering new ideas as well as thoughtful and constructive critique. This journal is poised to make significant contributions to the fields its topics integrate.

  • Minna Sunikka-Blank, University of Cambridge, UK

    My experience of the review process has been extremely positive: it has always been rigorous, constructive and improved the papers considerably.

  • Lauri Koskla, University of Huddersfield, UK

    The launch of Buildings and Cities has to be warmly welcomed. The members of the editorial team have an excellent track record in actively engaging with the scholarly community for ensuring that published papers are not only rigorous but also relevant.

  • Alison Kwok, University of Oregon, US

    Featuring integrated, topical perspectives about the issues in built environment, authors will find guided support, an expert editorial team, and a superior, high quality publication with a visionary, not-for-profit journal, Buildings and Cities. Readers will see articles addressing key research and high-level discussion about accelerating and implementing strategies to address stringent climate goals.

  • Robert Lowe, University College London, UK

    I wholeheartedly commend the new Buildings and Cities journal under its Editor in Chief, Richard Lorch, together with Niklaus Kohler, Ray Cole, Fionn Stevenson and others. It was a privilege to serve on the editorial board of its predecessor, Building Research and Information for 19 years. It is my opinion that it was consistently the most interesting and impactful journal in its field – which Lorch, together with other Board members and contributors essentially defined. I have every confidence that Buildings and Cities will continue this record.

  • Susse Georg, Aalborg University Copenhagen, DK

    In light of the many challenges that cities face, we need a journal that cuts across disciplinary and professional boundaries to enhance our understanding and insights. This new transdisciplinary journal with a strong editorial team will be a great support to researchers and practitioners alike.

  • David J. Edwards, Birmingham City University, UK; KNUST, Ghana; and University of Johannesburg, ZA

    Buildings and Cities is poised to be a leading scientific peer reviewed journals. Its Editor in Chief, Richard Lorch, has an unparalleled reputation of upholding academic fairness and complete integrity. Consequently, I have no hesitation in recommending 'Buildings and Cities' to my peers.

  • Heather Chappells, University of British Columbia, CA

    Interdisciplinary insight is vital in addressing the sustainability of the built environment, which encompasses the complex intersection of resources, infrastructures, institutions, communities and citizens. In recognizing this Buildings and Cities is set to become one of the foremost journals supporting innovative research in sustainability across diverse urban settings and scales. With an experienced editorial team at the helm it offers a valuable resource for students, scholars and practitioners interested in inclusive and integrated approaches to sustainable development.

  • Sergio Altomonte, UC Louvain, Belgium

    Does built environment research and practice need a new, international, independent, authoritative and openly accessible resource? Buildings & Cities offers a timely and exceptionally relevant response to this question because it is designed to inspire dialogue, engage debate and promote robust evidence, ideas and knowledge. It is founded on principles of rigorous peer-review, relevance, integrity, and inclusiveness, and driven by the recognised competence of it editorial team.

  • Tom Spector, Oklahoma State University, US

    Not only is the evaluation of buildings’ and cities’ performance through time and across scales more possible than ever before, it is more necessary. The journal Buildings and Cities, with its experienced editorial team led by Richard Lorch, is poised to be a leader in this important role.

Ani Raiden, Nottingham Trent University, UK1 Gail Brager, University of California at Berkeley, US2 David Lorenz, Lorenz Property Advisors, Germany3 Kathryn Janda, University College London, UK4 Minna Sunikka-Blank, University of Cambridge, UK5 Lauri Koskla, University of Huddersfield, UK6 Alison Kwok, University of Oregon, US7 Robert Lowe, University College London, UK8 Susse Georg, Aalborg University Copenhagen, DK9 David J. Edwards, Birmingham City University, UK; KNUST, Ghana; and University of Johannesburg, ZA10 Heather Chappells, University of British Columbia, CA11 Sergio Altomonte, UC Louvain, Belgium12 Tom Spector, Oklahoma State University, US13

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L Cerrada Morato

Urban shrinkage as a catalyst for transformative adaptation
L Mabon, M Sato & N Mabon

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J Schubert

Ventilation regulations and occupant practices: undetectable pollution and invisible extraction
J Few, M Shipworth & C Elwell

Nature for resilience reconfigured: global- to-local translation of frames in Africa
K Rochell, H Bulkeley & H Runhaar

How hegemonic discourses of sustainability influence urban climate action
V Castán Broto, L Westman & P Huang

Fabric first: is it still the right approach?
N Eyre, T Fawcett, M Topouzi, G Killip, T Oreszczyn, K Jenkinson & J Rosenow

Gender and the heat pump transition
J Crawley, F Wade & M de Wilde

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A Karvonen & T Hargreaves

European building passports: developments, challenges and future roles
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Decision-support for selecting demolition waste management strategies
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Assessing social value in housing design: contributions of the capability approach
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Electricity consumption in commercial buildings during Covid-19
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Disruptive data: historicising the platformisation of Dublin’s taxi industry
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Impact of 2050 tree shading strategies on building cooling demands
A Czekajlo, J Alva, J Szeto, C Girling & R Kellett

Social values and social infrastructures: a multi-perspective approach to place
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Resilience of racialized segregation is an ecological factor: Baltimore case study
S T A Pickett, J M Grove, C G Boone & G L Buckley

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Latest Commentaries

Amazon Prime trailers lined up outside an Amazon Fulfillment Centre in Baltimore, US. Image: © Google Maps 2023. Data from AirbusData SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO.

Dillon Mahmoudi (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) and Alan Wiig (University of Florida) comment on the contributions of the Buildings & Cities special issue Data Politics in the Built Environment. This commentary considers how tech corporates such as Amazon are changing urban life and creating new forms of automated surveillance.

Phronesis and Epistemic Justice in Data-Driven Built Environments

Miguel Valdez (Open University) comments on the contributions of the Buildings & Cities special issue Data Politics in the Built Environment. This commentary considers an additional perspective and provides an additional foundation to support more progressive data politics in the built environment. The three Aristotelian virtues of ‘techne’, ‘episteme’ and ‘phronesis’ and epistemic justice provide suitable lenses to critique smart city politics.

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