Special Issue "Urban and Buildings Regeneration Strategy to Climatic Change Mitigation, Energy, and Social Poverty after a World Health and Economic Global Crisis"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Hazards and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2021.

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Pilar Mercader-Moyano
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla
Interests: sustainable renovation of buildings; neighborhood regeneration; circular economy; decarbonization of the construction sector; sustainable construction; eco-efficient constructive solutions; resource efficiency in architecture, engineering, and urbanism
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent months, we have suffered the effects of an unexpected global health crisis that has led to an even worse global economic crisis, with GDPs plummeting to unprecedented levels. While our health workers struggle to find a vaccine to protect our health, we have had to live through situations hitherto unimagined, and we have spent even more time in our homes while our streets remained empty, which has brought to light the weaknesses and strengths of our system and our way of building and designing.

Our aim is to publish research projects and papers that contribute to reactivate the Construction Sector from within, in the context of this world economic crisis. Such an effort will focus especially on solutions that improve the quality of indoor air in buildings, strengthening the circular economy in an eco-efficient rehabilitation of buildings and neighborhoods in our cities.

Prof. Dr. Pilar Mercader-Moyano
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 papers will be 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 1900 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

  • economic crisis
  • circular economy
  • decarbonization of the construction sector
  • refurbishment of buildings
  • neighborhood regeneration
  • eco-efficient construction solutions
  • construction and waste management
  • indoor environmental quality
  • resource efficiency

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

Article
A Research Methodology for Mitigating Climate Change in the Restoration of Buildings: Rehabilitation Strategies and Low-Impact Prefabrication in the “El Rodezno” Water Mill
Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8869; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168869 - 08 Aug 2021
Viewed by 385
Abstract
New environmental challenges, coupled with the fact that 80% of the residential buildings that will exist in Europe in the year 2050 have already been built, mean that rehabilitation and restoration must be prioritised over new buildings. Construction is one of the largest [...] Read more.
New environmental challenges, coupled with the fact that 80% of the residential buildings that will exist in Europe in the year 2050 have already been built, mean that rehabilitation and restoration must be prioritised over new buildings. Construction is one of the largest generators of CO2. Using prefabricated and industrialised products and systems can help to mitigate its harmful effects thanks to the greater control and environmental evaluation that can be carried out on these products from their manufacture until the end of their useful life (LCA). In the county of the Sierra de Cádiz (Andalusia, Spain), there are 85 water mills, many of which are derelict and in disuse, which, due to their location, size, and characteristics, are ideal for rehabilitation and restoration for residential use. Taking the “El Rodezno” mill as a case study, this paper proposes rehabilitation strategies using prefabricated industrialised elements that have a low environmental impact. The methodological discussion takes as its starting point the process of design and testing that Alvar Aalto applied in 1940 and from subsequent studies that have confirmed a research structure based on the project design and the built project with the appropriate field of study and confirmation of the applicable strategies and solutions. To this end, this article is written on the basis of the two main phases of Alvar Aalto’s method, using the same terms that the Danish architect defined: Scientific Observation, for the study of preceding works and projects in light prefabrication and for the analysis of certain construction products and systems that, based on other research, have evaluated their LCA, and Construction Period, for the rehabilitation strategies of the “El Rodezno” mill, considering the studies and analyses of Scientific Observation. For the roof solution, we took as an example the rehabilitation of the roof carried out with the same methodology, construction criteria, and prefabricated products analysed in this article and used in the intervention strategies in “El Rodezno”. The paper concludes with the validity of the methodology applied to test the starting hypotheses that lead to intervention strategies that confirm the environmental and economic advantages of industrialised prefabrication, the importance of the design and synergy that results from combining different construction systems, and technologies that improve the acceptance of prefabrication by the inhabitant and boost the circular economy. Full article
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Article
An Inclusive Model for Assessing Age-Friendly Urban Environments in Vulnerable Areas
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8352; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158352 - 27 Jul 2021
Viewed by 328
Abstract
Population aging is becoming a major challenge in many countries. This paper deals with the elderly’s specific needs in the public open space as it can play a significant role in their social inclusion and could be especially relevant in deprived areas. The [...] Read more.
Population aging is becoming a major challenge in many countries. This paper deals with the elderly’s specific needs in the public open space as it can play a significant role in their social inclusion and could be especially relevant in deprived areas. The main goal is to build a model to evaluate the vulnerability of the public space by focusing on the elderly’s needs, using indicators. A previous analysis of the scientific and policy-oriented literature and of the technical standards and regulations linked with accessibility and social aspects that affect the elderly in urban areas was performed to identify the main dimensions for evaluation. The interjudge agreement technique was applied to validate the indicators with a panel of experts in technical and social disciplines. The model was applied to a vulnerable area in Castellón (East Spain), based on indicators adapted to the specific context features. The agreement level reached by experts was used to weight the indicators. The application of the model permitted the vulnerability in the suggested dimensions to be estimated and a global integrated index of vulnerability in the area to be calculated. It could assist in urban planning decision making toward age-friendly and, therefore, inclusive cities. Full article
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Article
Present and Future Energy Poverty, a Holistic Approach: A Case Study in Seville, Spain
Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7866; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147866 - 14 Jul 2021
Viewed by 370
Abstract
Energy poverty is a social problem that is accentuated in a climate change future scenario where families become increasingly vulnerable. This problem has been studied in cold weather, but it also takes place in warm climates such as those of Mediterranean countries, and [...] Read more.
Energy poverty is a social problem that is accentuated in a climate change future scenario where families become increasingly vulnerable. This problem has been studied in cold weather, but it also takes place in warm climates such as those of Mediterranean countries, and it has not been widely targeted. In these countries, approximately 70% of its building stock was built during 1960–1980, its renovation being an opportunity to reduce its energy demand, improve tenants’ quality of life, and make it more resilient to climate change. In the retrofitting process, it is also important to consider tenants’ adaptability and regional scenarios. In this sense, the present work proposes an assessment model of retrofitting projects that takes into consideration energy consumption, comfort, tenants’ health, and monetary poverty. For this, the Index of Vulnerable Homes was implemented in this research to consider adaptive comfort in the energy calculation as well as the adaptability to climate change. A case study of 40 social housings in Seville, Spain, was analyzed in 2050 and 2080 future scenarios, defining the impact in energy poverty of the building retrofitting projects. Full article
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Article
Key Elements for a New Spanish Legal and Architectural Design of Adequate Housing for Seniors in a Pandemic Time
Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7838; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147838 - 13 Jul 2021
Viewed by 510
Abstract
The provision of housing for the elderly in Spain has been approached from a public policy perspective to understand social housing and the allocation of specialized social services. The lockdowns in cities and the need to remain at home with social isolation and [...] Read more.
The provision of housing for the elderly in Spain has been approached from a public policy perspective to understand social housing and the allocation of specialized social services. The lockdowns in cities and the need to remain at home with social isolation and social distance has especially affected the most vulnerable groups, creating situations that widen the gap in the provision of adequate housing. Research is being carried out by a team of researchers at the University of Málaga, funded by European FEDER funds awarded by the Andalusian Regional Government (VIDA project), to analyze the main characteristics connected with “ideal” adequate housing for a vulnerable senior person living alone or in social isolation due to the quarantine period. In this study, we draw a line between the need for adequate housing, the chance to remodel, and the opportunity to propose new Spanish legal approaches from an architectural perspective within the scope of alternative typologies of housing. This article deals with the preliminary findings of the research connected to the architectural review, exploring key elements for senior housing design, and highlighting the need to approach the issue by proposing a new regulation. Full article
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Article
Tools for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Design of an Urban Environmental and Healthy Proposal. A Case Study
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6431; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116431 - 05 Jun 2021
Viewed by 587
Abstract
This article presents a methodological proposal to address the urban issue from the perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Different tools have been developed for this purpose: the Aura Method and the Aura Matrix. The Aura Matrix of relationships built from the [...] Read more.
This article presents a methodological proposal to address the urban issue from the perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Different tools have been developed for this purpose: the Aura Method and the Aura Matrix. The Aura Matrix of relationships built from the SDGs, along with the conceptual proposals to which the project must respond, allows for the definition of a methodological framework of action, defined as the Aura Method, applicable to any project that aims to respond to the urban scale from a more sustainable and healthy approach and within the framework of the above-mentioned goals. Two proposals for the Solar Decathlon Latin America of the Aura Team from the University of Seville (2015 and 2019) in Cali, Colombia, and their comparison, are presented as case studies. The scope of the 2019 proposal based on the use of these tools is more rigorous and bold with respect to the requirements defined by the SDGs than the 2015 proposal, based on the millennium goals. This reinforces to a great extent the resilience of the urban scope under study and its capacity to face serious situations in terms of citizens’ health, such as the pandemic we are currently suffering, and improves life quality. The main findings lay on the defined Aura Matrix and Aura Method tools as pragmatic opportunities to translate conceptual approaches such as G3: ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’ into practical decisions and urban design proposals to improve the quality of life and health of citizens. Full article
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Article
Contribution of Roof Refurbishment to Urban Sustainability
Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 8111; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198111 - 01 Oct 2020
Viewed by 513
Abstract
Achieving sustainable urban environments is a challenging goal—especially in existing cities with high percentages of old and obsolete buildings. This work analyzes the contribution of roof refurbishment to sustainability, considering that most roofs are currently underused. Many potential benefits of refurbishment can be [...] Read more.
Achieving sustainable urban environments is a challenging goal—especially in existing cities with high percentages of old and obsolete buildings. This work analyzes the contribution of roof refurbishment to sustainability, considering that most roofs are currently underused. Many potential benefits of refurbishment can be achieved, such as the improvement of the energy performance of the buildings and the use of a wasted space for increasing green areas or for social purposes. In order to estimate the degree of the improvement, a vulnerable area in Castellón (east Spain) was selected as a case study. A thorough analysis of the residential building stock was undertaken. Using georeferenced information from the Cadastral Office we classified them according to typology, year of construction and roof type. Some refurbishment solutions were proposed and their applicability to the actual buildings was analyzed under different criteria. The theoretical benefits obtained in the neighborhood such as energy and carbon emissions savings were evaluated, together with the increase of green areas. Moreover, other social uses were suggested for neglected urban spaces in the area. Finally, a more accurate analysis was performed combining different solutions in a specific building, according to its particular characteristics. Full article
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Article
An Approach to Environmental Criteria in Public Procurement for the Renovation of Buildings in Spain
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7590; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187590 - 15 Sep 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 690
Abstract
In order to contribute to climate neutrality within the EU in 2050, it is necessary for administrations to play a driving role through green public procurement for building renovation (GPPBR). Among the main barriers that slow down the GPPBR, a lack of knowledge [...] Read more.
In order to contribute to climate neutrality within the EU in 2050, it is necessary for administrations to play a driving role through green public procurement for building renovation (GPPBR). Among the main barriers that slow down the GPPBR, a lack of knowledge of the parties involved can be highlighted. Faced with this scenario, the aim of this article is to provide a compilation, as a preliminary state of the art, of the most important environmental measures to bring to the GPPBR specifications. The methodology used for this compilation and critical analysis consisted of a systematic search for laws, regulations and guides prepared by Spanish public administrations, as well as looking into other international information sources, mainly collected from the EU. Despite the fact that related technical information is abundant, it is scattered and at times impractical. This study can be useful as a basis for both drafting specifications and highlighting the need to develop other specific and advanced technical procedures to assist GPPBR professionals. Full article
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Article
The Church Tower of Santiago Apóstol in Montilla: An Eco-Sustainable Rehabilitation Proposal
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 7104; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12177104 - 31 Aug 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 742
Abstract
Is it possible to carry out eco-sustainable rehabilitations on specially protected buildings? This is the main question and starting point for this research. We will use the tower of the Church of “Santiago Apóstol” in Montilla as a case study; with its most [...] Read more.
Is it possible to carry out eco-sustainable rehabilitations on specially protected buildings? This is the main question and starting point for this research. We will use the tower of the Church of “Santiago Apóstol” in Montilla as a case study; with its most remote antecedents in the 15th century, it is an emblematic building of one of the most important cities in the Cordovan countryside and is listed as an Asset of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural or BIC) as of 2001. The application of eco-efficiency criteria in the rehabilitation of this type of building might stimulate the reactivation of the construction sector in the rural area, positively impacting the promotion of a circular economy. To this end, a general methodology has been established for carrying out eco-sustainable renovations on this type of building, which defines indicators for evaluating the eco-sustainability of such interventions. This methodology is applied to the case study of this important building in Montilla to ensure that a feasible intervention has been proposed, aligned with three basic pillars of sustainability that considers its environmental, economic, and social impact. Full article
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