Sustainable Approaches on Urban Space in Mediterranean Cities: From XS Design to XL Planning

A special issue of Urban Science (ISSN 2413-8851).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 897

Special Issue Editors

Department of Interior Architecture, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
Interests: zero-energy buildings; sustainable design of interior spaces; autonomous buildings; sustainable refurbishment of historic buildings; sustainable design of urban spaces; small and very small urban spaces

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Guest Editor
Faculty of the Built Environment, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Interests: innovative materials; urban climate change and heat mitigation technologies; energy-efficient buildings; sustainable energy technologies and energy saving technologies in buildings and settlements
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Guest Editor
Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
Interests: urban air pollution dispersion modeling; urban heat island studies and modelling model performance evaluation; thermofluid dynamics of the urban environment (mass and heat transfer); buoyancy-driven flows in industrial and environmental applications

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Guest Editor
Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics Engineering, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
Interests: early warning systems; sustainable and resilient cities; management of digital cultural content
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Guest Editor
Dept. of Surveying Engineering & Geoinformatics, Department of Interior Architecture, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
Interests: sustainable design of buildings and urban spaces; regional planning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue, entitled “Sustainable Approaches on Urban Space in Mediterranean Cities: From XS Design to XL Planning”, focuses on the multifunctional role of public spaces in Mediterranean cities. In hot Mediterranean urban city centers, the presence of well-landscaped outdoor spaces not only provide shelters of thermal comfort but also offer room for socio-cultural interaction. Moreover, the presence of efficiently designed outdoor spaces affects property values and the quality of urban life. Covering a wide range of planning and design scales, this Special Issue offers a venue for publishing interdisciplinary papers presenting empirical findings, case studies, review articles, methodologies and methods. Acknowledging synergies among various planning and design factors, this Special Issue emphasizes on environmental, socio-cultural, economic and cultural aspects of urban space.

Submissions are encouraged but not limited to the following general areas:

  • Theories on the interaction of natural and man-made environments in cities: sustainable policies and management of urban space;
  • Blue–green infrastructures;
  • Art and public space as a mean of reinforcing city sustainability or urban collective memory;
  • Urban space design (various scales);
  • Urban Planning- Critiques of existing urban interventions in Mediterranean cities;
  • City branding for sustainability;
  • Emerging technologies for city cultural sustainability (IoT, AR, VR);
  • Innovative materials for urban space use;
  • Placemaking;
  • Collaborative urban design;
  • Sensorial perception of urban space;
  • Urban space and well-being.

Dr. Maro Sinou
Dr. Afroditi Synnefa
Prof. Dr. Marina Neophytou
Dr. George Hloupis
Dr. Evgenia Tousi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Urban Science is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1600 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

  • sensorial design
  • energy efficiency
  • sustainable urban design
  • sustainable urban planning
  • city branding
  • cultural sustainability
  • emerging technologies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

25 pages, 15616 KiB  
Article
Thermal Stress in Outdoor Spaces During Mediterranean Heatwaves: A PET and UTCI Analysis of Different Demographics
by Tousi Evgenia, Athina Mela and Areti Tseliou
Urban Sci. 2024, 8(4), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8040193 - 31 Oct 2024
Viewed by 488
Abstract
Urban public space comfort is essential for improving quality of life, particularly as climate change affects outdoor thermal environments. This study utilizes ENVI-met, a 3D microclimate simulation tool, to assess thermal comfort concerning demographic factors such as age and gender. The findings indicate [...] Read more.
Urban public space comfort is essential for improving quality of life, particularly as climate change affects outdoor thermal environments. This study utilizes ENVI-met, a 3D microclimate simulation tool, to assess thermal comfort concerning demographic factors such as age and gender. The findings indicate significant disparities in thermal stress vulnerability among demographic groups. On the hottest day of July 2023, at 10 a.m., children’s PET values were approximately 2 °C higher than those of other groups. By 3 p.m., females experienced slightly higher upper-range thermal stress than males. Elderly individuals aged 80 exhibited a broad range of PET values, from 38.14 °C to 62.39 °C, with prevailing values above 56.9 °C, indicating greater vulnerability to extreme heat. Children aged 8 showed PET values ranging from 40.20 °C to 59.34 °C, with prevailing estimates between 54.2 °C and 55.7 °C. Minimum PET values for children were significantly higher than those for adults, suggesting a greater baseline level of thermal stress. Despite cooling effects in the evening, children remained exposed to more pronounced stress than elderly individuals, males, and females. The UTCI values recorded indicate a period of extreme heat stress for all demographic groups assessed. While individuals aged 35 may encounter considerable discomfort, the severity of the impact is notably more pronounced for both older adults and children. This study underscores the need for tailored management strategies and advocates for expanding ENVI-met’s capabilities to enhance urban resilience and well-being amid rising temperatures. Full article
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