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Buildings
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Research on Promoting the Social Sustainability of Urban Neighbourhoods
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Research on Promoting the Social Sustainability of Urban Neighbourhoods

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 1059

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Fanglei Zhong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Economics, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: sustainable development goals; residential energy consumption transition; natural resource management; ecological economics; biological and cultural diversity; shared socio-economic pathways scenarios; peak carbon emissions and carbon neutral pathways
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Creating sustainable cities means blending buildings and people in a balanced way. As we improve our physical infrastructure, managing it in a socially responsible way becomes key. This Special Issue, "Research on Promoting the Social Sustainability of Urban Neighbourhoods", focuses on managing human aspects of sustainability in city areas. This effort supports reaching the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by 2030.

Considering the complexity and diversity of city environments, this Special Issue covers various topics. We are looking for contributions that look into how to assess and improve social sustainability in urban areas, both broadly and in detail. Topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Methods to assess urban neighbourhood sustainability.
  • Factors like the design of spaces, energy use, carbon emissions, culture, and climate change.
  • Community involvement, community management, and the role of different organizations in enhancing social sustainability.
  • Urban resilience: what it involves, how to measure it, factors affecting it, and how to improve it.

We invite researchers, professionals, and policymakers to contribute their insights to this Special Issue.

Dr. Fanglei Zhong
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Buildings 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 2600 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

  • social sustainability
  • urban neighbourhood
  • resilience
  • sustainable development goals

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

34 pages, 6539 KiB  
Article
Sustaining Green Building Incentives: A Tripartite Evolutionary Game Analysis and the Synergistic “Technology–Reputation–Policy” Pathway
by Yuxiao Zhao, Yonghuan Ma and Fanglei Zhong
Buildings 2025, 15(9), 1537; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15091537 - 2 May 2025
Abstract
Amid global climate change and energy constraints, green building represents a critical pathway for the construction industry’s decarbonization, yet its market development mechanisms remain underexplored. This study constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model analyzing dynamic interactions among consumers, construction enterprises, and the government, [...] Read more.
Amid global climate change and energy constraints, green building represents a critical pathway for the construction industry’s decarbonization, yet its market development mechanisms remain underexplored. This study constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model analyzing dynamic interactions among consumers, construction enterprises, and the government, proposing a “Technology–Reputation–Policy” synergistic framework. The results reveal that the green building market equilibrium depends on government subsidy probabilities, subsidy amounts, stakeholder benefits, and cost reduction. While incentives significantly impact consumer behavior, their influence on enterprises is limited due to rapid strategic evolution. Government subsidy decisions balance reputational gains against expenditures, with market stability maintainable during subsidy reduction when technology-driven cost decreases reach threshold levels. Empirical calibration using Shenzhen data suggests a phased strategy: initial consumer subsidy prioritization, followed by technology cost-reduction alliances with gradual enterprise subsidy phase-outs, culminating in consumer subsidy reduction to ensure market self-sustainability. This study aims to explore “why” subsidy mechanisms effectively drive sustainable construction practices and the interaction mechanism among consumers, enterprises, and the government. These findings provide theoretical foundations and actionable policies for advancing green building markets under China’s dual carbon goals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Promoting the Social Sustainability of Urban Neighbourhoods)
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37 pages, 18622 KiB  
Article
Landscape Design and Sustainable Tourism at the Wuyistar Chinese Tea Garden, a World Heritage Site in Fujian, China
by Lei Huang, Liang Zheng, Lei Zhang, Junming Chen, Yile Chen, Jiaying Fang, Ruyi Zheng and Haoran Liu
Buildings 2025, 15(7), 1112; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15071112 - 29 Mar 2025
Viewed by 340
Abstract
Wuyi Mountain in China is listed on the World Natural and Cultural Heritage List. With the vigorous development of urban cultural tourism, the sustainable development of heritage sites has become the focus of academic and industry circles, among which the rational use and [...] Read more.
Wuyi Mountain in China is listed on the World Natural and Cultural Heritage List. With the vigorous development of urban cultural tourism, the sustainable development of heritage sites has become the focus of academic and industry circles, among which the rational use and scientific planning of natural resources have become increasingly prominent. In this context, in-depth research on resource development and protection strategies in the Wuyishan area has important practical significance and theoretical value. Therefore, this paper presents a case study of the tourist tea garden landscape design practice at the Wuyistar Chinese Tea Garden, located in Wuyishan City. This paper underscores the significance of incorporating the site’s existing natural environment resources, particularly its plant resources, into the tea garden landscape design, while adhering to principles within the framework of world heritage. The research method includes extensive field surveys combined with GIS analysis and biodiversity surveys, covering the topography and slope of the tea plantation, current natural resources, statistics on the number of tourists after completion, and the related benefits of local enterprises. These planning concepts are realized through a series of infrastructure measures, which are divided into four angles: restoring mountains and rivers, rereading cultural context, sorting out style and appearance, and improving functions. The design practice is carried out in different areas. Simultaneously, the creation of a distinctive tourist destination enables tourists to fully engage with nature and tea culture, while simultaneously fostering the growth of cultural tourism in world heritage sites. This study proposes a planning practice case, which provides a framework and ideas for designing tea gardens. From the aspects of resource protection and utilization, cultural inheritance and display, and tourism service improvement, it provides a model and method that can be used as a reference for the landscape design and planning of similar tea gardens, which will help promote the healthy development of the Chinese tea culture tourism industry. It also provides useful practical experience for the protection and development of world heritage sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Promoting the Social Sustainability of Urban Neighbourhoods)
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27 pages, 7481 KiB  
Article
Reinterpreting Privacy and Community: Social and Spatial Transformations from Traditional Arabian Neighbourhoods to Contemporary Gated Communities
by Ahmed Hammad, Mengbi Li and Zora Vrcelj
Buildings 2025, 15(7), 1111; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15071111 - 29 Mar 2025
Viewed by 279
Abstract
Gated communities have been widely examined as a contemporary urban phenomenon, yet their emergence in the Middle East reflects broader socioeconomic and cultural transformations rather than a direct continuation of historical spatial practices. Historically, Arabian cities featured compact, human-scaled urban layouts with walled [...] Read more.
Gated communities have been widely examined as a contemporary urban phenomenon, yet their emergence in the Middle East reflects broader socioeconomic and cultural transformations rather than a direct continuation of historical spatial practices. Historically, Arabian cities featured compact, human-scaled urban layouts with walled perimeters, narrow streets, and shared courtyards, fostering social cohesion, security, and communal interaction. These spatial characteristics evolved organically, balancing privacy with integration to meet communal needs. This article examines the historical evolution of enclosed neighbourhoods in Arabian cities and their sociospatial connections to modern gated communities, assessing their impact on urban sustainability. By employing historical inquiry, this study investigates how traditional principles, such as privacy, community resilience, and spatial hierarchy, have been inherited, reinterpreted, or redefined in contemporary developments. Findings indicate that historical Arabian cities reinforced internal cohesion and self-governance, whereas modern gated communities introduce deliberate spatial and social segregation, disrupting urban connectivity and weakening social sustainability. The study highlights critical implications for urban planning, suggesting that integrating historical spatial principles can create inclusive and adaptable contemporary developments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Promoting the Social Sustainability of Urban Neighbourhoods)
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