Insights

Experiential Design Schemas

By Mark DeKay and Gail Brager. Oro Editions, 2023, ISBN: 9781957183732

Dean Hawkes (Emeritus Professor, Welsh School of Architecture and Emeritus Fellow, Darwin College, Cambridge) welcomes this valuable resource for thinking about the many experiential dimensions of architecture.

Time to Question Demolition!

Demolition has far-reaching consequences for people, nature and the climate. What can be done to slow its rate?

André Thomsen (Delft University of Technology) comments on the recent Buildings & Cities special issue ‘Understanding Demolition’ and explains why this phenomenon is only beginning to be understood more fully as a social and behavioural set of issues. Do we need an epidemiology of different demolition rates?

Where are Women of Colour in Urban Planning?

Why urban planning needs to become more diverse and inclusive.

Safaa Charafi asks: is it possible to decolonialise the planning profession to create more inclusive and egalitarian urban settings? It is widely accepted that cities are built by men for other men. This male domination in urban planning results in cities that often do not adequately address challenges encountered by women or ethnic and social minorities. Although efforts are being taken to include women in urban planning, women of colour are still under-represented in many countries, resulting in cities that often overlook their needs.

The Debate around Low-Carbon Heating Systems: Part 2

Governments need to provide a clear policy and strategy for low-carbon heating so implementation can gather momentum.

Engineer Chris Twinn (Twinn Sustainability Innovation and LETI member) argues that the urgency of decarbonisation means that UK (and other countries) must make clear decisions about a heating system strategy and its implementation. Prevaricating will make the transition slower and risk missing important climate commitments.

Social Value: An Architect’s Perspective

How can research assist architects & others to substantiate the intended social benefits in an architectural project?

Edward Ng (Chinese University of Hong Kong) provides an architect’s perspective on the Buildings & Cities special issue ‘Social Value of the Built Environment’.

2023 Reviewers

Buildings & Cities gratefully acknowledges and thanks our reviewers.

The Editors of Buildings & Cities would like to thank all our reviewers for their contribution and support during 2023. High-quality peer review is essential to the success of the journal and we greatly appreciate the dedication of all those who have contributed to this. An enormous THANK YOU to this diverse community of scholars who help to maintain the highest standards for both the journal and the wider community.

The Data Politics of Tech Corporations

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.

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.

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.

COP28: Bridging Technical & Cultural Climate Solutions

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.

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.

Daylight: A Basic Human Right?

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.

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.

Vernacular Lessons for Mitigating Overheating

Important lessons for keeping cool in summer can be adapted from cities with hot climates

Samantha Organ (University of the West of England), Stephanie Organ (science communicator) and Quentin Deronzier (NTN Europe) respond to the Buildings & Cities special issue ‘Alternatives to Air Conditioning: Policies, Design, Technologies, Behaviours’ by considering how vernacular architecture and modern technology could provide solutions for the increasingly severe problem of summer overheating in European cities.

Sustainable Homes in Nigeria

Can vernacular design features make Nigerian housing more sustainable?

Cordelia Osasona (Obafemi Awolowo University) considers whether and how traditional architecture can be harnessed and combined with modern approaches in southwestern Nigeria to improve environmental, cultural and technological sustainability.

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.

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.

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.

COP28 Expectations

Read this vital series of essays providing multiple perspectives on expected and needed outcomes from COP28.

For COP28, Buildings & Cities presents a series of short, learned commentaries from the built environment community that are primarily aimed at policy makers. These essays reveal the diversity of issues that need to be embraced and, most importantly, point to constructive approaches to climate action.

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.