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Sustainable Urban Planning and Design in the Context of Climate Change

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 4866

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Deepak Kumar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Atmospheric Sciences Group, Department of Geosciences, College of Arts & Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2500 Broadway, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
Interests: remote sensing and GIS; urban remote sensing; renewable energy; smart cities and sustainable urban environment; spatiotemporal data analytics; microwave/radar image processing and analysis; infrastructure and climate change management
Prof. Dr. Sulochana Shekhar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geography, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, India
Interests: urban geography and the application of remote sensing and geospatial techniques in solving problems of urban environments
Dr. Maya Kumari

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Amity School of Natural Resources & Sustainable Development, Amity University, Noida, India
Interests: application of remote sensing; geoinformatics in environment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable urban planning and design integrate environmental, social, and economic considerations to create resilient, livable cities. In the context of climate change, this approach emphasizes reducing carbon footprints through energy-efficient buildings, renewable energy, and sustainable transportation systems. Green infrastructure, such as parks and green roofs, mitigates urban heat islands and enhances biodiversity. Water management strategies, like permeable surfaces and rain gardens, address flooding risks. Public spaces are designed for inclusivity and adaptability, promoting social cohesion and community resilience. By prioritizing sustainability, cities can better withstand climate impacts while improving quality of life and environmental health for their inhabitants.

The scope of this Special Issue on “Sustainable Urban Planning and Design in the Context of Climate Change” encompasses research, case studies, and theoretical analyses that address the integration of sustainability principles into urban development. This includes examining strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing energy efficiency, and promoting renewable energy use. It also covers the design and implementation of green infrastructure, sustainable transportation, and water management systems to mitigate climate change impacts.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive platform for sharing innovative solutions, best practices, and policy recommendations that advance sustainable urban planning and design. It aims to foster interdisciplinary dialog among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to create resilient, adaptable cities that can effectively respond to climate change challenges. By highlighting successful examples and critical insights, this Special Issue seeks to inspire transformative actions and inform future urban development projects.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. This topical collection of sustainability provides a platform for researchers to publish high-quality original research papers and reviews that focus on remote sensing and GIS, urban remote sensing, renewable energy, smart cities, and sustainable urban environment, spatiotemporal data analytics, microwave/radar image processing and analysis, infrastructure and climate change management, urban climate services, urban climate services assessment, urban climate ecosystem service relationships, tradeoffs, and synergy mechanisms, relationship-driven mechanisms, and human well-being for environmental sustainability. It is important to analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics, inter-relationships, and driving mechanisms of urban climate, which contributes to the sustainable development of the environment.

We look forward to receiving insightful contributions.

Dr. Deepak Kumar
Prof. Dr. Sulochana Shekhar
Dr. Maya Kumari
Guest Editors

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. Sustainability 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 2400 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

  • sustainable urban planning
  • climate change adaptation
  • resilient cities
  • green infrastructure
  • renewable energy
  • energy efficiency
  • sustainable transportation
  • urban heat island mitigation
  • water management
  • carbon footprint reduction
  • biodiversity enhancement
  • inclusive public spaces
  • community resilience
  • environmental health
  • climate-smart urban design

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

41 pages, 8829 KB  
Article
Synergistic Effects of Bioclimatic Strategies on Microclimate Improvement: A Numerical–Experimental Study at University Campus Scale
by Daniel Austin, Thasnee Solano and Miguel Chen Austin
Sustainability 2025, 17(19), 8867; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17198867 - 4 Oct 2025
Viewed by 601
Abstract
Outdoor thermal comfort in tropical cities is increasingly threatened by rapid urbanization, high humidity, and insufficient climate-sensitive planning. Despite numerous studies on urban heat mitigation, there is a lack of empirical and numerical research that evaluates the synergistic application of bioclimatic strategies under [...] Read more.
Outdoor thermal comfort in tropical cities is increasingly threatened by rapid urbanization, high humidity, and insufficient climate-sensitive planning. Despite numerous studies on urban heat mitigation, there is a lack of empirical and numerical research that evaluates the synergistic application of bioclimatic strategies under humid tropical conditions. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing the combined effect of arborization, dry mist systems, water bodies, and sprinklers on outdoor thermal comfort at the Víctor Levi Sasso Campus of the Technological University of Panama. We hypothesized that synergistic application of these strategies provides greater thermal comfort improvements than isolated interventions. The central research question guiding this study was: To what extent can combined bioclimatic strategies enhance outdoor thermal comfort compared to individual strategies in humid tropical environments? To answer this, a hybrid methodology was employed, integrating ENVI-met dynamic simulations with in situ measurements and thermal comfort surveys based on the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) index and subjective comfort scales. The results demonstrate that combined strategies achieve superior reductions in mean radiant and surface temperatures while improving subjective comfort perceptions, highlighting their potential for context-sensitive urban design in tropical regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Planning and Design in the Context of Climate Change)
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32 pages, 17874 KB  
Article
Are Ecological Design Principles Becoming the Norm in Contemporary Landscape Design? A Comparative Analysis of Realized Park Projects (2015–2025)
by Iva Rechner Dika
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6620; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146620 - 20 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1539
Abstract
This paper investigates the extent to which ecological design principles are integrated into contemporary park design and whether they represent a new landscape design paradigm. It also presents a theoretical literature review and a selection of key ecological principles that form the basis [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the extent to which ecological design principles are integrated into contemporary park design and whether they represent a new landscape design paradigm. It also presents a theoretical literature review and a selection of key ecological principles that form the basis for the subsequent analysis. Based on comparative analysis of 224 realized projects (2015–225) sourced from the Landezine online platform, the research examines the frequency, typology and spatial impact of declared ecological design principles. Although relatively few principles are explicitly mentioned in individual projects, their spatial impact is constantly evident, ranging from minimal to paradigmatic. The frequently declared principles include habitat preservation, stormwater management and reuse of structures on site, with new priorities such as community involvement, innovation, and resilience are also emerging. The design composition analysis confirms that ecological design principles are embedded across both brownfield and non-brownfield contexts, reflecting their widespread application. These findings suggest that EDPs have become essential to shaping resilient and adaptive landscapes. However, further advancement of ecological design depends on deeper integration of theory and practice, interdisciplinary collaboration and context-sensitive application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Planning and Design in the Context of Climate Change)
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26 pages, 6860 KB  
Article
Built Heritage Preservation and Climate Change Adaptation in Historic Cities: Facing Challenges Posed by Nature-Based Solutions
by Riccardo Privitera and Giulia Jelo
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 5693; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135693 - 20 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1375
Abstract
Historic centres are extremely complex parts of contemporary cities, particularly from morphological, architectural, and cultural points of view, where a significant proportion of the land area may be occupied by built heritage sites that require protection and conservation. These urban contexts are also [...] Read more.
Historic centres are extremely complex parts of contemporary cities, particularly from morphological, architectural, and cultural points of view, where a significant proportion of the land area may be occupied by built heritage sites that require protection and conservation. These urban contexts are also characterised by scarce green and public open spaces endowment, a high proportion of private property, and high levels of natural risk exposure. From a climate change adaptation perspective, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have emerged as measures to manage urban ecosystems to address environmental and societal challenges. To overcome the conflicting objectives of climate change adaptation and built heritage preservation, this study proposes a three-step methodology applied to the historic centre of Catania (Italy): (i) Land-Use/Landownership and Land Cover/Maintenance and Quality analyses; (ii) Land Transformability Assessment; (iii) Land Transformation Scenarios Assessment. According to this methodology, five Land Transformation Scenarios have been drawn up: (1) NbS full installation; (2) NbS installation with some limitations; (3) NbS installation after re-arrangement; (4) NbS installation strongly limited; (5) NbS installation not viable. This approach allowed us to identify the most feasible and suitable buildings and open spaces, while distinguishing public and private properties, to implement a more comprehensive integration of NbS and built heritage preservation in historic cities for mutual benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Planning and Design in the Context of Climate Change)
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