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Article

Adaptive Biophilic Infrastructure and Resource Governance in Post-War Ukrainian Cities

1
Scientific and Educational Institute of Multidisciplinary Research “Smart City” of Economics, Uzhhorod National University, 88000 Uzhhorod, Ukraine
2
Department of Urban Buildings Construction and Maintenance, Uzhhorod National University, 88000 Uzhhorod, Ukraine
3
Faculty of Economics, University of Gdansk, 81-824 Sopot, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2026, 18(13), 6484; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18136484 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 29 May 2026 / Revised: 23 June 2026 / Accepted: 24 June 2026 / Published: 25 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cities and Resource Governance in the Age of Sustainability)

Abstract

Contemporary post-war cities increasingly require adaptive urban systems capable of addressing climate vulnerability, infrastructural instability, environmental degradation, and human well-being simultaneously. This study develops an interdisciplinary framework for adaptive biophilic infrastructure and resource governance within the context of sustainable post-war reconstruction in Ukraine. The research combines literature analysis, comparative urban assessment, and experimental evaluation of eco-modified construction materials. Particular attention is given to vertical greening systems, adaptive underground infrastructure, daylight-integrated public environments, multifunctional urban systems, and environmentally responsive concrete composites incorporating porous minerals and plant-based biomass. Comparative examples from Montreal, New York, Seoul, and Singapore are examined alongside differentiated Ukrainian urban contexts, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Kherson, Lviv, and Uzhhorod. The findings demonstrate that adaptive biophilic infrastructure may improve urban microclimates, strengthen thermal and acoustic regulation, enhance infrastructural adaptability, and support psycho-emotional comfort within dense and post-conflict urban environments. The study further indicates that underground and layered urban systems increasingly function as multifunctional socio-ecological infrastructures integrating mobility continuity, environmental regulation, public accessibility, emergency protection, and human-centered spatial resilience. The experimental assessment demonstrates that eco-modified materials contribute to moisture stabilization, thermal buffering, acoustic moderation, and passive environmental regulation within adaptive urban systems. The incorporation of porous mineral additives and plant biomass improved the environmental responsiveness of the investigated composites while supporting more resource-efficient construction approaches. The study concludes that sustainable post-war reconstruction requires a transition from fragmented technological interventions toward integrated socio-ecological urban frameworks capable of combining environmental regulation, infrastructural resilience, resource efficiency, adaptive governance, and human-centered spatial design within long-term urban sustainability strategies.
Keywords: ecological urbanism; eco-materials; environmental adaptation; human-centered design; resilient reconstruction; socio-ecological systems; sustainability transitions; underground urbanism; urban resilience; vertical greening ecological urbanism; eco-materials; environmental adaptation; human-centered design; resilient reconstruction; socio-ecological systems; sustainability transitions; underground urbanism; urban resilience; vertical greening

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kaynts, D.; Mykaylo, O.; Cirella, G.T. Adaptive Biophilic Infrastructure and Resource Governance in Post-War Ukrainian Cities. Sustainability 2026, 18, 6484. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18136484

AMA Style

Kaynts D, Mykaylo O, Cirella GT. Adaptive Biophilic Infrastructure and Resource Governance in Post-War Ukrainian Cities. Sustainability. 2026; 18(13):6484. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18136484

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kaynts, Diana, Oksana Mykaylo, and Giuseppe T. Cirella. 2026. "Adaptive Biophilic Infrastructure and Resource Governance in Post-War Ukrainian Cities" Sustainability 18, no. 13: 6484. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18136484

APA Style

Kaynts, D., Mykaylo, O., & Cirella, G. T. (2026). Adaptive Biophilic Infrastructure and Resource Governance in Post-War Ukrainian Cities. Sustainability, 18(13), 6484. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18136484

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