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Sustainability
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Sustainability in Cities and Campuses
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Sustainability in Cities and Campuses

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 8830

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Raffaele Zinno

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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci Cubo 44A, 87036 Rende, Italy
Interests: structural health monitoring (SHM); self-monitoring materials and structures; computational mechanics; civil infrastructures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Gianfranco Franz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Interests: sustainability policies and practices; local development; strategic spatial planning and urban creativity conducted in Italy; Brazil; Argentina; Chile; Mexico; Uruguay
Dr. Giuseppe Guido

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calabria, Via Bucci, 87036 Rende, Italy
Interests: transportation engineering; road safety; smart cities; intelligent transportation systems; smart mobility; transit systems; mobility management; mobility modelling; users’ behavior modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Pierfrancesco Celani

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
Interests: regional planning; urban design; valorization of historical and natural cultural heritage; sustainable and smart cities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

University campuses, as well as other types of campuses (industrial, research,…) and any kind of complex organizations, often have all the characteristics of a city, becoming interesting prototypes for developing innovative proposals for the improvement of urban life. This opportunity is facilitated by the presence on university campuses of many research areas which helps the search for solutions to multidisciplinary problems.

Problems related to sustainability are inherently interdisciplinary, since the early definition of sustainable development which appeared as a global concern in 1987—Brundtland Report, by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED).

Furthermore, university campuses are in close relationship with cities hosting them and, naturally, interrelationships are generated between them which can produce innovative methodologies and tools for analysis and advanced studies in several scientific sectors, also useful for the economic, social and environmental issues.

Universities play a dual role with regard to sustainability; on the one hand, they can take measures to reduce and mitigate their impact as actors, on the other hand, they have an impact on training the future ruling classes and their sustainability skills. However, the role of universities is not simply to teach and research. Recently, in Italy, the so-called third mission, through which they contribute to the growth of society, is gaining importance.

The social role of universities, within the community, can and must help to develop and promote the skills needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

This Special Issue “Sustainability in Cities and Campuses” aims at collecting high-quality works about implementations, case studies, higher education courses, researches and new trends that qualify Universities and Cities as a driver to sustainable development from a multidisciplinary perspective: cultural, technical, economic, social, environmental.

It is a matter of fact that in the last three years the COVID-19 pandemic crisis has had a huge impact on the lifestyle change of both cities and university campuses. Numerous solutions to various economic, social and environmental problems related to sustainability have arisen from this crisis. SI also intends to collect contributions relating to experiences, case studies, research, and anything else that has been done to overcome the pandemic crisis, to prevent future crises and, in any case, to make cities and campuses more resilient.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Raffaele Zinno
Prof. Dr. Gianfranco Franz
Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Guido
Dr. Pierfrancesco Celani
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 development
  • education for sustainable development in higher education
  • sustainability governance
  • transfer for sustainable development
  • implementing the sustainable development goals on campus
  • implementing best available technology on campus building stock
  • developing sustainable mobility in campus
  • campus as living lab—education, research and collaboration in campus projects
  • measuring and monitoring sustainability on our campuses and in our cities
  • challenges of post-COVID-19 world

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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14 pages, 560 KiB  
Article
Reducing Water Consumption on a Student Campus Through Communication Campaigns
by Vasile Gherheș and Mariana Cernicova-Buca
Sustainability 2025, 17(2), 680; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020680 - 16 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1563
Abstract
Water management is a significant component of ensuring the pursuit of sustainable goals in an organization. Universities are known actors committed to developing responsible behaviors in students, including water consumption. The present research investigates the changes in student water-related behaviors in campus living, [...] Read more.
Water management is a significant component of ensuring the pursuit of sustainable goals in an organization. Universities are known actors committed to developing responsible behaviors in students, including water consumption. The present research investigates the changes in student water-related behaviors in campus living, due to an information and persuasion campaign that took place in the oldest university in Western Romania. The research is based on a quantitative statistical approach highlighting the changes in students’ self-perceived importance allocated to water use and water saving, due to a communication campaign that took place on campus premises, with over 6000 residents. The pre- and post-campaign questionnaire rendered over 800 valid responses, ensuring the representativeness of the results for the given campus. The campaign described in the research targeted raising students’ awareness of sustainability issues and nudging pro-environment behaviors. The water management component of the campaign aimed at reducing water consumption in student campus living without affecting cleanness and personal hygiene, by making better use of the existing resources. Students responded positively to nudge messages for the reduction in showering time and a better use of laundry machines. The campaign led to a measurable reduction in water waste, but the results need to be reinforced through new campaigning, to maintain the water-saving behavior in the student population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Cities and Campuses)
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26 pages, 5657 KiB  
Article
Home–University Travel Plan for Sustainable Mobility: A Comparative Study Between the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the University of Calabria
by Giuseppe Guido, Dimitrios Nalmpantis, Pierfrancesco Pirri and Raffaele Zinno
Sustainability 2025, 17(1), 345; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17010345 - 5 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1401
Abstract
One of the most crucial aspects of urban planning is transport, which allows access to different land uses and mobility within the metropolitan area. However, because they are linked to sustainable development, transport networks have a detrimental impact on economic, social, and environmental [...] Read more.
One of the most crucial aspects of urban planning is transport, which allows access to different land uses and mobility within the metropolitan area. However, because they are linked to sustainable development, transport networks have a detrimental impact on economic, social, and environmental factors. To date, there are many regulatory instruments in place that promote the green economy and aim to limit the excessive use of natural resources. Many municipalities are adopting “Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans” with the aim of redesigning areas and traffic flows in cities and encouraging public transport use to reduce urban pollution and make cities more livable. In Italy, moreover, the figure of the mobility manager has been introduced for companies and public bodies whose task is to optimize the systematic travel of their organization’s employees through the drafting and adoption of the Home–University Travel Plan (HUTP), which is a document whose main objective is to incentivize the use of sustainable forms of mobility by defining specific measures that positively impact the community. Mobility management, therefore, emerges as a fundamental approach to developing and implementing strategies to ensure people’s mobility in an efficient manner in relation to social, environmental, and energy-saving purposes. Following these considerations, this paper presents the development of an HUTP for the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), Greece, based on a work already carried out for the University of Calabria (Italy), and a comparative study between these two HUTPs follows. The choice to draft such plans does not respond to regulatory requirements but to a desire to contribute to the paradigm shift required by the new forms of mobility in the university campuses, which represent an attractive pole of considerable importance on the urban and regional territory. The initiatives to foster sustainable forms of mobility described in this document are also identified considering the Sustainable Development Goals, approved by the United Nations and outlined in Agenda 2030, with the aim also of promoting actions to improve the livability of the territory, ensure inclusion, increase collective well-being and increase the sensitivity of the entire academic community to the issue of sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Cities and Campuses)
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19 pages, 7196 KiB  
Article
Blended Learning: What Changes?
by Cristian Cannaos, Giuseppe Onni and Alessandra Casu
Sustainability 2024, 16(20), 8988; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16208988 - 17 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2666
Abstract
This article questions the changes brought about in the teaching system of university courses after the COVID-19 pandemic. Online learning, once considered an experimental and emergency tool, is increasingly becoming a standard practice integrated into teaching delivery systems. This article examines the impact [...] Read more.
This article questions the changes brought about in the teaching system of university courses after the COVID-19 pandemic. Online learning, once considered an experimental and emergency tool, is increasingly becoming a standard practice integrated into teaching delivery systems. This article examines the impact that blended learning has on the host city and how it is perceived and experienced by the key stakeholders. Focusing on two degree courses that employ a blended learning model, the article proposes a survey for teachers and students to investigate the problems and advantages of blended courses. In both groups, there is no consensus of opinion or a clear trend on any issue. This fragmentation of responses should be understood as stemming from the individual motivations, unique characteristics, and personal experiences of each participant, intertwined with their university careers. It also reflects the level of adaptation to blended teaching achieved by each individual. It becomes clear that blended teaching encompasses all the challenges of online teaching but also expands access to university education and offers the possibility of exploring the educational potential offered by technology. Blended learning encourages students to be more independent and to develop their capacity for self-directed learning, though not all students are prepared for this shift. For teachers, blended learning also demands a methodological shift, differentiating between online and in-person lessons. However, while challenges remain, the progress made so far appears promising for the future. To ensure continued success, it is essential to focus on improving internet access, strengthening students’ self-learning abilities, and simultaneously enhancing teachers’ competencies in using digital tools and facilitating remote teaching. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Cities and Campuses)
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16 pages, 8706 KiB  
Article
The Role of Campus Green Space for Residents: Based on Supply–Demand of Recreation Services
by Zhengkai Zhang, Manyuan Hao, Yuyang Mao and Siwei Chen
Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 6997; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166997 - 15 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1797
Abstract
The campus is an important place for recreational activities among surrounding residents, which can alleviate the shortage of urban public green space (PGS). However, evidence is lacking on how much campus green space is complementary to the supply and demand of PGS. For [...] Read more.
The campus is an important place for recreational activities among surrounding residents, which can alleviate the shortage of urban public green space (PGS). However, evidence is lacking on how much campus green space is complementary to the supply and demand of PGS. For this purpose, we chose Yangling, a university town in western China, as the study area. We compared perceived accessibility and the coupling coordination degree (CCD) of the supply and demand of PGSs for residents with different purposes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, when the campuses were closed or reopened. After the campus reopened, the number of blocks that were able to reach their most frequently visited green spaces within 5 min had increased from zero to one (walking) and two to four (by bicycle). The proportion of blocks with a high level of CCD had increased from 28.6% to 42.9%. The reopening of campuses can significantly increase the perceived accessibility of PGSs within 5 min and 15 min by walking and bicycle, respectively, in central urban communities, but it was not significant in suburban communities. It also effectively improved the PGS supply of the block where it is located. For residents who aim to exercise, walk, go sightseeing, and communicate, its role was similar overall. For residents who aim to play with children, the campus green spaces could not bring significant improvements. In order to enhance the complementary role of green space on campus, it is important to improve its accessibility for adjacent blocks, increase inside footpath density, and add child-friendly facilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Cities and Campuses)
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