Future Cities and Environment
type: channel
publisher: Cerebration Science Publishing Co., Limited
language: en
publication name: Future Cities and Environment
issn: 2363-9075
items: Mechanical Performance and Compressive Behaviour of Plastic Waste–Based Brick under Horizontal and Vertical Loading Orientations
items: Energy plus concept application on Stadia: Simulation based research on International Olympic stadium Challenges in Egypt
items: BIM in Construction: A Bibliometric Analysis About BIM and Digital Twin
items: Toward Low-Carbon Cement: Comparative Assessment of Industrial and Plant-Based SCMs for Cleaner Cement Production
items: The New Urban Paradigm (Synergistic Antifragility): The Role of Complex Systems Theory and Network Theory in Enhancing Urban Synergy and Mitigating Fragility
items: Cross Ventilation Enhancement in Small Dwelling Units with Double-loaded Corridor: A CFD and Field Study in Bangkok
items: Ultimate Bending Capacity of Wind Turbine Tower Structures: A New Empirical Formulation Based on the Geometric and Material Factors
items: Single-Family Wooden House That Chases the Sun and Saved Energy
items: Harnessing Oman's Basalt Resources for Economic Diversification: A Strategic Roadmap for High-Value Manufacturing and Clean Energy Applications
items: Low-Cost Solutions for Concrete Enhancement: Assessing Steel Clamp Efficacy
items: Comprehensive Energy and Decarbonisation Audit of a Multi-Unit Residential Building in Toronto: Methods, Findings, and Recommendations
items: Current Milestone and Emerging Trend of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Technology: Bibliometric Analysis and Review of Risk-Hazard, Economic, and Numerical Assessments
items: Extreme Value Theory for Climate-Related Environmental Disaster Risk Analysis: A Review of Urban Impacts and Vulnerabilities
items: Integrating Historic Areas with the Urban Fabric for Sustainable Development: The Case of Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
items: Field-Validated Digital Twin–Enabled Structural Health Monitoring for Offshore High-Pile Wharves
items: Intelligent Structural Health Monitoring of Jack-Up Platform Legs Using High-Density Sensor Networks, Real-Time Digital Twins, and Machine Learning-Based Damage Detection
items: Blue-Green Infrastructure and Cleaner Air: A Systematic Literature Review for the UK
items: Performance Analysis of Salt-In-Pumice Composites Under Varying Air Velocities for Thermochemical Heat Storage
items: Performance Investigation on the Heat Transfer of Composite rGO-SiO₂ Nanofluid in a Radiator
items: Multi-Level Simulation for Dynamic Analysis of A Domestic Electric oven in Forced Convective Heating—Evaluation and Optimization of Energy Consumption Using the Brick Test
items: Renewable Energy Integration throughSemi-Transparent Photovoltaic Windows: A Framework for Sustainable UrbanDevelopment in Hot Climates
items: Sustainability Assessment of Farming in Northeast India Using PSR Model
items: Conserving Urban Heritage for Tourism Development: Addressing the Constraints Affecting Urban Heritage Sites Conservation Using FAHP Approach
items: Assessing Indoor and Outdoor Particulate Matter Dynamics in Daycare Center: A Case Study in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
items: A Study of Changes in User Satisfaction in Metro Stations in Dubai
items: Augmented Reality Methodology for Virtual Georeferenced Reconstruction
items: Energy-Saving of the Garuda Palace Building: Shaping the New Capital City of Nusantara
items: Assessing the Efficiency of Smart Cities of COVID-19 Response Measures from a Comparative Perspective
items: Calculation of Average Global Accessibility Conditions for Bicycles Considering the Longitudinal Road Slope: Case Study Ibagué – Colombia
items: An Analysis of the Workplace Environment and Its Impact on Employee Health, Satisfaction, and Productivity in Jordan

Mechanical Performance and Compressive Behaviour of Plastic Waste–Based Brick under Horizontal and Vertical Loading Orientations
type: item
description: Plastic waste–based bricks (PW-Bricks) offer a promising pathway for plastic waste valorisation in the construction sector; however, their mechanical performance is commonly evaluated using a single compressive strength metric that does not reflect actual masonry loading conditions. This study investigates the compressive behaviour of PW-Bricks under horizontal and vertical loading and proposes an orientation-sensitive evaluation framework for mix optimization. PW-Bricks incorporating 20–50% plastic waste were fabricated alongside conventional cement–sand bricks as control specimens and tested at curing ages of 3, 7, and 10 days following ASTM C109/C109M-21. The results demonstrate a pronounced orientation-dependent response. Under horizontal loading, compressive strength increased with plastic waste content and curing age, reaching 30.15 MPa for PW-Bricks containing 50% plastic waste at 10 days, compared with 22.74 MPa for conventional bricks. In contrast, under vertical loading, PW-Bricks exhibited relatively low and nearly constant compressive strengths ranging from 1.08 to 1.22 MPa, whereas conventional bricks achieved 2.48 MPa at 10 days. To evaluate this trade-off, normalized horizontal and vertical strength indices were integrated into a composite performance index balancing enhanced horizontal resistance with minimum vertical stability requirements. Based on this evaluation, PW-Bricks containing 40% plastic waste were identified as the optimal mix, providing the most favourable balance between mechanical performance, material homogeneity, and sustainability. The proposed framework offers a transferable methodology for evaluating heterogeneous waste-based masonry materials and supports application-oriented mix design for non-load-bearing and semi-structural masonry systems.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Plastic waste–based bricks
  topic: keywords
subject: Orientation-dependent compressive behaviour
  topic: keywords
subject: Horizontal and vertical loading
  topic: keywords
subject: Composite performance index
  topic: keywords
subject: Sustainable masonry materials
  topic: keywords
creator: Nicco Plamonia
creator: Agung Riyadi
creator: Sarjono Sarjono
creator: Hadi Supratikta
creator: Gani Soehadi
creator: Maria Holly Herawati
creator: Sutrisno Hutagalung
creator: Budi Kurniawan
creator: Muhamad Komarudin
creator: Ignatius Subagjo
creator: Etty Sisdiana
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-07-13
publication date: 2026-07-13
starting page: 20
ending page: 20
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-015

Energy plus concept application on Stadia: Simulation based research on International Olympic stadium Challenges in Egypt
type: item
description: Large-scale sports infrastructure represents one of the most energy-intensive building typologies, posing significant challenges to national climate strategies especially the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and enhance the integration of renewable energy systems within the built environment. This research proposes a decision-support framework to transition sports stadia from high-demand consumers to Net Plus-Energy (NPE) hubs within decentralized Energy Communities, supplying the main grid with excess energy within the surrounding community. Using TRNSYS simulation software, the study evaluates the renewable energy potential of the International Olympic Stadium in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital. The methodology integrates environmental data analysis with smart storage management to develop various energy autonomy scenarios. Results indicate that the optimized configuration not only meets the stadium’s total annual demand but generates a significant surplus represent 46% excess energy of the stadium renewable sources generation, validating the feasibility of the stadium as a primary energy node. This study provides a quantitative framework for evaluating energy autonomy in mega-scale buildings and offers strategic recommendations for the Egyptian Building Code to enhance renewable technology integration and opens up for a new section within the Code regarding new building types, directly supporting Egypt Vision 2030 and global energy transition goals.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Energy plus
  topic: keywords
subject: Sustainable architecture
  topic: keywords
subject: Energy management
  topic: keywords
subject: Renewable energy
  topic: keywords
subject: TRNSYS simulation
  topic: keywords
creator: Ahmed Moharam
creator: Yasser Farghaly
creator: Amr Atef Elhamy
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-05-27
publication date: 2026-05-27
starting page: 16
ending page: 16
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-013

BIM in Construction: A Bibliometric Analysis About BIM and Digital Twin
type: item
description: Even though the integration of BIM and digital twin technologies is still relatively new, it has rapidly become a key research focus due to the urgent need for a technologically advanced and sustainable built environment. This research paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric literature analysis of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Digital Twins in the construction sector. By exploring a global dataset of 239 publications, the study dives into co-citation, co-authorship, and keyword patterns to pinpoint influential authors, emerging research clusters, and key trends. The findings show a rapid surge in BIM research, peaking in 2023, with international collaborations driven by countries like the United Kingdom, China, and Australia. The thematic clusters emphasize sustainability, Industry 4.0, construction 4.0, and smart city development, highlighting how artificial intelligence, blockchain, and automation are changing construction management. This analysis paper shines a light on future opportunities for seamlessly integrating BIM and Digital Twins into construction and smart infrastructure projects, serving as a strategic roadmap for researchers and practitioners to understand the evolving BIM and Digital Twin research area.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: BIM
  topic: keywords
subject: digital twin
  topic: keywords
subject: industry 4.0
  topic: keywords
subject: industry 5.0
  topic: keywords
subject: AEC industry
  topic: keywords
subject: bibliometric review
  topic: keywords
creator: Malak Juan Abdalla
creator: Menatallah Aly
creator: Aseel Hussien
creator: Shouib Ma'bdeh
creator: Aref Maksoud
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-05-09
publication date: 2026-05-09
starting page: 20
ending page: 20
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-012

Toward Low-Carbon Cement: Comparative Assessment of Industrial and Plant-Based SCMs for Cleaner Cement Production
type: item
description: The environmental impact of cement production has to be lowered since normal Portland cement generates approximately 0.8 kg CO2 per kilogram and produces approximately 10% of all emissions worldwide. This paper explores the effect of partial replacement of cement by addition of cementitious materials (SCM) which are fly ash, bagasse, silica fume, quartz powder and calcium carbonate on performance as well as sustainability. Water to binder ratios of 0.30 and 0.40 were used to prepare cement pastes with dosage of 5% to 25% by mass of SCM. Indirect tensile strength were conducted and estimated CO2 savings. The dominance patterns globally are indicated by the slope graphs of the winners at each W/C. The global dominance patterns are captured by the heatmaps with isocontours. The findings indicate that when quartz and bagasse ash content in low to moderate amounts (10–15percent) were replaced, tensile strength rose by 23–88 percent than in controls and clinker demand was minimized by as much as 15 percent. Silica fume showed the greatest uplift of +58% at 5–10 per cent mixes of high water-to-cement but showed no improvement at low W/C. Calcium carbonate showed more modest and broader, with maxims of 15–20 per cent replacement. Fly ash has always had a low performance on early age controls because of the slow pozzolanic reaction. The calculated sustainability indices showed that a 15 percent cement replacement will reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 0.12 per tonne of binder, which depicts significant environmental advantages. Results show that quartz powder (10–15%) and bagasse ash (10–15 %) significantly enhance early age tensile strength (up to 88%), while a 15% cement replacement reduces embodied CO₂ by approximately 0.12 t per tonne of binder, demonstrating a direct performance sustainability synergy. This work shows that the direct correlation of mechanical performance with embodied CO2 reductions can be used to generate cleaner and sustainable binders through opt…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Fly ash
  topic: keywords
subject: Bagasse ash
  topic: keywords
subject: Silica fume
  topic: keywords
subject: Quartz powder
  topic: keywords
subject: Calcium carbonate
  topic: keywords
subject: Sustainability
  topic: keywords
subject: Mechanical properties
  topic: keywords
subject: Cement paste
  topic: keywords
creator: Ameer Murad Khan
creator: Adnan Nawaz
creator: Qudeer Hussain
creator: Hisham Mohamad
creator: Preeda Chaimahawan
creator: Phromphat Thansirichaisree
creator: Amornthep Jirasakjamroonsri
creator: Saharat Buddhawanna
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-04-03
publication date: 2026-04-03
starting page: 22
ending page: 22
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-008

The New Urban Paradigm (Synergistic Antifragility): The Role of Complex Systems Theory and Network Theory in Enhancing Urban Synergy and Mitigating Fragility
type: item
description: Cities today are under increasing systemic stressors that expose the limitations of conventional resilience discourses. In answer, this paper proposes an ambitious dual urban model in Synergistic – Antifragile Urbanism that moves beyond mere survival, to enable cities to grow and thrive under uncertainty. Based on Network Theory and Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS), the model represents an integrated schema incorporating six dimensions: interactive-structural, dynamic-functional, transformative-social, inclusive-environmental, participatory-institutional and enabling-digital—by means of three core mechanisms, integration, cooperation and effective interaction. The paradigm envisages urban form as an organic and mobile entity as opposed to a static form, and capable of emerge forces of collective worth (synergy) and growth through disorder (antifragility). The model is applied as an evaluative framework to the public space of Bab al-Sharqi area in Baghdad, historically significant as the location of the Tahrir Square and Al-Umma Park. A structured Likert-scale questionnaire was issued to 41 urban specialists who are simultaneously the users of the site To obtain assessments based on both experience and expertise. The study used SPSS v.26 and Microsoft Excel for the data analysis of the results from the questionnaire and from which the mean, To arrive at descriptive and quantitative statistical analyses. In review, the results show a moderate all-embracing performance, with significant strengths to be found in its physical connectivity, functional multiplicity and social interaction—the results show critical weaknesses also in institutional participation and digital responsiveness. Overall, the results indicate that this particular spatial location displays the prodromal conditions of potential synergies, but has not yet emerged through the complete integrated system dynamics with feedback system of potential antifragility. The research offers An urban diagnostic tool w…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Dual urban model
  topic: keywords
subject: Antifragility
  topic: keywords
subject: Urban synergy
  topic: keywords
subject: Network Theory (NT)
  topic: keywords
subject: Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS)
  topic: keywords
creator: Zainab A. Jabiry
creator: Shaimaa Hammed Hussien
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-03-13
publication date: 2026-03-13
starting page: 22
ending page: 22
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-005

Cross Ventilation Enhancement in Small Dwelling Units with Double-loaded Corridor: A CFD and Field Study in Bangkok
type: item
description: Small dwelling units in urban multi-storey buildings often suffer from inadequate ventilation due to single-sided openings, which negatively impacts thermal comfort and indoor air quality. This study investigated solutions to enhance cross ventilation, adopting a typical studio-unit layout of a Bangkok apartment as a case study. CFD simulations were conducted for 48 scenarios, varying by the internal opening design, wind direction, and unit location. Each scenario was evaluated using the average indoor velocity coefficient at occupied level (Cvi) and the product of the velocity coefficient at openings and inlet area (Cvo × A). It was found that the base case unit (BC) provided the poorest performance (mean Cvi = 0.01; Cvo × A = 0.02). The improved unit with a transom window (C1) exhibited higher mean Cvi and Cvo × A values (0.09 and 0.26, respectively), while the unit improved with a louvre door (C2) achieved the highest values (0.20 and 0.76, respectively). The most significant parameter for improving mean Cvi and Cvo × A was found to be the opening design, followed by wind direction in relation to building orientation, and unit location, respectively. Further analysis based on Bangkok’s climate indicated that the ventilation rate of most BC unit scenarios failed to meet the recommended criterion (5.0 ACH). In comparison, the C1 unit and C2 unit achieved ACH ranging from 12.6 to 173.7, consistently meeting the recommended criterion throughout the year across all building orientations and unit locations. Moreover, several scenarios of the C2 unit can provide occupied-level air velocities that pass the recommended criterion for thermal comfort throughout the year. The findings revealed both the potential and limitations of using internal openings for cross ventilation in compact units to improve indoor air quality and thermal comfort, providing practical solutions for architects and policymakers to enhance sustainable residential design.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Natural ventilation
  topic: keywords
subject: Multi-family Residential Buildings
  topic: keywords
subject: Indoor air quality (IAQ)
  topic: keywords
subject: Thermal comfort
  topic: keywords
subject: Wind direction
  topic: keywords
subject: Unit location
  topic: keywords
creator: Natthaumporn Inprom
creator: Chalermwat Tantasavasdi
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-03-16
publication date: 2026-03-16
starting page: 22
ending page: 22
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-006

Ultimate Bending Capacity of Wind Turbine Tower Structures: A New Empirical Formulation Based on the Geometric and Material Factors
type: item
description: Wind energy is emerging as the most promising sustainable energy source due to its abundant resources and environmental benefits. One of the most essential parts of a wind turbine system is the tower, as it is responsible for supporting the weight of the tower top and the loads given by its environment. The preliminary design of the tower section of the wind turbine system is crucial to ensure the system's safety, and a simplified formula is needed to make it more practical. A comprehensive series of ultimate strength analyses on tapered pipes was performed to optimize the tower design, involving the variation and cross-combination of numerous geometric and material parameters. A total of 900 tapered pipe configurations were assessed using finite element method (FEM) analysis via the ABAQUS/CAE program. In the case of tapered cylindrical shells length variations, there was an increase in bending moment from the plastic deformation phase to the critical phase of 29%, 31%, and 39% for pipes measuring 50 m, 30 m, and 10 m, respectively, with the highest ultimate moment of 278.7 kN·m achieved at a pipe length of 50 m. The ultimate bending moment values were then formulated through regression analysis, resulting in a derived formula to predict the ultimate bending capacity of tapered pipes for wind turbine structures. The findings revealed that varying multiple parameters significantly impacted the ultimate strength and critical failure modes of the tapered pipe. The newly developed formula showed good accuracy, providing a reliable tool for design predictions
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Tapered tower pipe
  topic: keywords
subject: Ultimate strength
  topic: keywords
subject: Bending moment
  topic: keywords
subject: Non-linear regression
  topic: keywords
subject: Derived formula
  topic: keywords
creator: Raden Althaaf Ulwandaffa Dhaneswara
creator: Alfido Marchandi Faizatama
creator: Hensa Akbar Al Kautsar
creator: Ristiyanto Adiputra
creator: Aditya Rio Prabowo
creator: Sören Ehlers
creator: Moritz Braun
creator: Bambang Kusharjanta
creator: Eko Prasetya Budiana
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-03-16
publication date: 2026-03-16
starting page: 45
ending page: 45
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-007

Single-Family Wooden House That Chases the Sun and Saved Energy
type: item
description: For several decades now, the energy problem has been a matter of vital importance, both for the very existence of human beings and for that of our planet. Real solutions are based on energy savings and energy production through renewable energy sources (RES). The building industry, with consumption corresponding to about 40% of global energy needs, is a sector of great interest for which to develop such solutions. This article aims to present a study relating to the actual energy gains that can be obtained from the construction of solar-tracking buildings. The study was conducted by taking into consideration a standard single-family timber building, with a rectangular geometry and a flat roof, and making calculations in correspondence for 21 Italian locations. This article presents the results of the 11 sites that best represent the different climatic conditions present in Italy. Starting from astrophysics and heat transfer studies, it has been demonstrated that the rotation of a building with a speed equal to the apparent speed of the Sun, characterized by appropriate angles of incidence of the rays depending on the different climatic conditions encountered during the year, makes it possible to obtain energy gains of great interest, both in the autumn-winter heating phase and in the spring-summer cooling phase, without compromising the conventional techniques used in the energy-saving sector. In addition, further energy increases are obtained by photovoltaic and solar-thermal systems, located on the roof of the structure.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: energy saving
  topic: keywords
subject: energy efficiency
  topic: keywords
subject: solar tracking buildings
  topic: keywords
subject: wooden house
  topic: keywords
subject: building orientation
  topic: keywords
creator: Gianfranco Castrovinci
creator: Mercedes Galiana
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-03-13
publication date: 2026-03-13
starting page: 19
ending page: 19
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-004

Harnessing Oman's Basalt Resources for Economic Diversification: A Strategic Roadmap for High-Value Manufacturing and Clean Energy Applications
type: item
description: In line with its Vision 2040 goals for economic diversification, the Sultanate of Oman holds extensive but largely untapped basalt reserves. This study presents a screening-level techno-economic analysis and strategic roadmap for transforming this indigenous resource from a low-value commodity into a cornerstone of a high-value and sustainable industrial ecosystem. The research methodology integrates a quantitative analysis of Oman's current basalt sector with a formal comparative economic model to quantify the potential for value addition. The study highlights a stark economic contrast: exporting raw basalt earns only about $7.30 per tonne, while converting it into Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) rebar can generate over $2,500 per tonne. The analysis shows a conservative value increase of more than 300 times, with a preliminary Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) demonstrating that BFRP significantly outperforms traditional steel economically in infrastructure projects. It also confirms that Omani basalt from the Samail Ophiolite is exceptionally well-suited for producing advanced fibers. Furthermore, this paper identifies and discusses a parallel strategic opportunity for Oman to leverage these same geological formations for large-scale, permanent carbon sequestration with the potential for clean hydrogen co-generation. The paper concludes by proposing a phased strategic roadmap for Oman, recommending the prioritized development of an integrated BFRP rebar value chain while initiating research into basalt-based climate technologies, thereby positioning the Sultanate as a future regional leader in both advanced green materials and the global energy transition.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Mohammed Javeed Siddique
creator: Talal Al Wahaibi
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-04-07
publication date: 2026-04-07
starting page: 25
ending page: 25
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-009

Low-Cost Solutions for Concrete Enhancement: Assessing Steel Clamp Efficacy
type: item
description: This study evaluates the effectiveness of steel clamps as a low-cost passive confinement system for reinforced concrete (RC) under axial compression. Cylindrical RC specimens with different unconfined strengths, reinforcement types, and numbers of steel clamps (3, 5, and 11) were experimentally tested to investigate their influence on failure modes, compressive strength, strain capacity, and energy dissipation. The results show that steel clamp confinement significantly delayed cracking, improved ductility, and enhanced compressive performance. Peak compressive strength increased by up to 77%, while strain at peak strength and ultimate strain improved by up to 268% and 900%, respectively. Energy dissipation increased by nearly 2000% in highly confined specimens. Based on the experimental data, nonlinear regression-based expressions were developed to predict peak strength, peak strain, and post-peak degradation behavior, enabling accurate simulation of the full stress–strain response. The proposed analytical model follows the ACI 440 formulation style and provides a practical design-oriented tool for applying steel clamp confinement in RC elements.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: reinforced concrete
  topic: keywords
subject: steel clamps
  topic: keywords
subject: passive confinement
  topic: keywords
subject: compressive response
  topic: keywords
subject: analytical modeling
  topic: keywords
creator: Kittipoom Rodsin
creator: Chichaya Boonmee
creator: Ali Ejaz
creator: Burachat Chatveera
creator: Gritsada Sua-Iam
creator: Tahir Mehmood
creator: Qudeer Hussain
creator: Preeda Chaimahawan
creator: Chisanuphong Suthumma
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-05-08
publication date: 2026-05-08
starting page: 21
ending page: 21
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-011

Comprehensive Energy and Decarbonisation Audit of a Multi-Unit Residential Building in Toronto: Methods, Findings, and Recommendations
type: item
description: This research investigates a structured energy audit methodology to support the decarbonisation of multi-residential buildings, with a primary focus on operational energy performance. The objective is to develop and apply a systematic framework that integrates audit levels, detailed data collection, and software-based energy modelling to quantify energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The methodology combines site inspections, thermographic analysis, benchmarking, and eQuest simulation to evaluate baseline conditions and retrofit scenarios. Results identify space heating and electricity consumption as dominant energy and emissions drivers. Targeted retrofit measures demonstrate substantial potential to reduce energy demand and carbon intensity when expressed in kg CO₂e. Importantly, the correlation analysis does not capture retrofit interactions, system efficiencies, or behavioural adaptations following upgrades, nor the compounding effects of bundled measures. Carbon-counting results show these combined effects to be significant, with the full retrofit package achieving an overall emissions reduction of approximately 25%, equivalent to more than 1,100 t CO₂e annually. Overall, separating results from interpretation strengthens decision-making and confirms the value of operationally focused audits for prioritising decarbonisation strategies in existing multi-residential building stock.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Energy audit
  topic: keywords
subject: Multi-unit residential building (MURB)
  topic: keywords
subject: Energy efficiency
  topic: keywords
subject: Thermographic analysis
  topic: keywords
subject: Energy modeling
  topic: keywords
subject: Decarbonisation
  topic: keywords
subject: Retrofit strategies
  topic: keywords
subject: Toronto
  topic: keywords
subject: Net-zero buildings
  topic: keywords
creator: Ali Taileb
creator: Mohammed Fareed Sherzad
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-07-13
publication date: 2026-07-13
starting page: 18
ending page: 18
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-014

Current Milestone and Emerging Trend of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Technology: Bibliometric Analysis and Review of Risk-Hazard, Economic, and Numerical Assessments
type: item
description: Background: Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is emerging as a potential solution to reduce CO2 emissions. This technology captures CO2 for reuse or stores it safely underground, preventing pollution of the atmosphere. CCS is the best technology to control climate change and global warming. Purpose: This review aims to map the achievements that have been made and future research trends. Methods: This bibliometric review analyzes CCS-related research from 2010 to 2024 using the Scopus database. VOSviewer and Bibliometrix software are used for data processing and visualization. Findings: Significant advances have been made in CCS technology research. The growth of the number of publications, collaboration networks, the most influential contributors, and research trends has been mapped, which can be used as a reference for future research. Conclusions: The methodology used can still be refined to eliminate the potential bias in data interpretation. However, certain conclusions can be drawn from this bibliometric analysis. The research trend began to shift toward efforts to utilize CO2 in useful products, improve safety, and reduce implementation costs. Originality: This bibliometric review provides an in-depth examination of the scientific literature on CCS, with a particular emphasis on risk assessment, economic perspectives, and numerical modeling. In contrast to previous bibliometric research, it stands out by integrating these three central themes while also highlighting the limitations and gaps in existing knowledge
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: carbon capture and storage
  topic: keywords
subject: CCS risk-hazard assessment
  topic: keywords
subject: CCS economic approaches
  topic: keywords
subject: CCS numerical assessment
  topic: keywords
subject: Bibliometric Analysis
  topic: keywords
creator: Aprianur Fajri
creator: Aditya Rio Prabowo
creator: Nurul Muhayat
creator: Ristiyanto Adiputra
creator: Sören Ehlers
creator: Moritz Braun
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-03-09
publication date: 2026-03-09
starting page: 24
ending page: 24
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-002

Extreme Value Theory for Climate-Related Environmental Disaster Risk Analysis: A Review of Urban Impacts and Vulnerabilities
type: item
description: Climate change is a major contributing factor to environmental disasters, frequently increase the risk and vulnerability of urban areas to various hazards. Appropriate methods for analysing climate change indicators are essential for developing risk management strategies in urban areas. Extreme Value Theory (EVT) provides a robust statistical framework for modelling and predicting rare, high impact events, making it essential for assessing climate-related risks. This review examines the application of EVT in analysing environmental disasters triggered by climate change, focusing on the Block Maxima (BM) method and Peak Over Threshold (POT) approaches, with an emphasis on assessing urban impacts and vulnerabilities. Through a comprehensive literature review, this paper highlights EVT’s growing importance in predicting extreme climate events in cities, underscoring its value for researchers, policymakers, and disaster risk managers that are important for urban adaptation strategies. The findings confirm the effectiveness of EVT in reliably modelling and predicting extreme environmental events, indicating its competence to obtain accurate risk estimates that reflect observed extreme events through its return period calculations. The BM is beneficial for determining absolute extremes, while POT provides more detail about threshold-exceeding extreme events. EVT describes an essential framework for modelling extreme environmental disasters exacerbated by climate change, enabling the development of adaptive strategies to reduce urban impacts and vulnerabilities.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: climate change
  topic: keywords
subject: environmental disaster
  topic: keywords
subject: extreme value theory
  topic: keywords
subject: risk analysis
  topic: keywords
subject: urban impacts
  topic: keywords
subject: vulnerability
  topic: keywords
creator: Pratnya Paramitha Oktaviana
creator: Arie Dipareza Syafei
creator: Heri Kuswanto
creator: Joni Hermana
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-03-10
publication date: 2026-03-10
starting page: 19
ending page: 19
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-003

Integrating Historic Areas with the Urban Fabric for Sustainable Development: The Case of Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
type: item
description: This research investigates the integration of heritage centers into the urban fabric to achieve sustainable development, with Diriyah in Saudi Arabia as a case study. The study emphasizes the dual objective of conserving cultural identity while promoting socio-economic vitality. The novelty of the research lies in combining Space Syntax analysis with a comprehensive literature review, offering a framework that links spatial configuration with heritage conservation. The methodology compares pre- and post-development scenarios of Diriyah, where global integration values increased by 27% and local connectivity improved by 19%, reflecting enhanced accessibility and potential social interaction. These findings provide evidence-based insights into how heritage preservation can be aligned with contemporary urban planning strategies, contributing to a broader model for sustainable revitalization in historic cities.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: cultural heritage
  topic: keywords
subject: heritage and historical centers
  topic: keywords
subject: sustainable development
  topic: keywords
subject: integration; diriyah
  topic: keywords
creator: Mohammed Fareed Sherzad
creator: Shahad Abdulabbas Hammoodi
creator: Wahda Shuker Al-Hinkawi
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-02-28
publication date: 2026-02-28
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-043

Field-Validated Digital Twin–Enabled Structural Health Monitoring for Offshore High-Pile Wharves
type: item
description: Offshore high-pile wharves operate under harsh, variable loads that can mask the earliest signs of deterioration. We present a closed-loop structural health monitoring (SHM) framework that couples multimodal machine/deep learning with a physics-based digital twin (DT). A year-long field deployment at an operating high-pile wharf in Western Asia instrumented six piles with triaxial accelerometers and strain gauges (GPS-synchronized, 100 Hz). After quality control and environmental/operational variability normalization, an unsupervised VAE produces an anomaly score that is fused with a CNN–GNN classifier to yield window-level damage probabilities and pile-by-elevation localization. The DT assimilates these diagnostics through weighted least squares and an EKF, with measurement covariance derived from model uncertainty; “what-if” simulations quantify the structural consequence of candidate repairs. Under chronological splits with leave-one-pile-out, the framework achieves F1 = 0.95 and AUC-ROC = 0.98, with false-alarm rate ≈ 2–5 % and median detection latency ≈ 45 s. Spatial heatmaps consistently pinpoint the affected elevation, while online updating reduces mean frequency bias from ≈ 4.8 % to ≈ 0.9 % and increases mode-shape MAC from ≈ 0.81 to ≥ 0.92. First-mode shifts of ≈ 3–4 % observed in the field are reproduced by DT “stiffness-restoration” scenarios, enabling risk-informed maintenance planning. Compared on identical normalized windows, the proposed method outperforms classical vibration-based indices in both discrimination and false-alarm control. The results demonstrate a scalable, explainable pathway to predictive asset management for critical maritime infrastructure. Beyond structural safety, the proposed framework contributes to sustainable port operation by enabling condition-based maintenance, reducing unnecessary inspections, extending asset service life, and lowering the embodied carbon associated with premature repair or replacement.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Structural health monitoring (SHM)
  topic: keywords
subject: high-pile wharf; digital twin
  topic: keywords
subject: variational autoencoder (VAE)
  topic: keywords
subject: CNN–GNN classifier
  topic: keywords
subject: damage localization; environmental/operational variability (EOV)
  topic: keywords
subject: extended Kalman filter (EKF)
  topic: keywords
subject: modal updating; uncertainty quantification
  topic: keywords
creator: Seyed Reza Samaei
creator: James Riffat
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-05-08
publication date: 2026-05-08
starting page: 22
ending page: 22
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-010

Intelligent Structural Health Monitoring of Jack-Up Platform Legs Using High-Density Sensor Networks, Real-Time Digital Twins, and Machine Learning-Based Damage Detection
type: item
description: Offshore jack-up platforms operate in harsh marine environments, where undetected structural degradation can quickly escalate into catastrophic failure. To address this challenge, this study presents an intelligent Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) framework specifically designed for jack-up platform legs. Unlike previous offshore SHM approaches that often rely on single-modality vibration analysis or lack field-validated digital twins, the proposed system integrates high-density wireless sensor networks, a real-time physics-based digital twin, and advanced machine learning to enable accurate and timely damage detection under real operating conditions. The architecture deploys 128 marinized sensor nodes in a mesh network, continuously feeding data into a high-fidelity finite element digital twin updated via extended Kalman filtering. A hybrid learning pipeline—combining variational autoencoders for anomaly detection with graph neural networks for spatial localization—enables high-resolution damage assessment without extensive labeled field data. Laboratory-scale validation on a 1:22 physical model and preliminary offshore deployment demonstrated the system’s ability to detect stiffness losses as small as 2.5%, with localization errors within ±0.8 m and a classification accuracy of 94.2%. Edge computing at the sensor level reduced communication loads by 65% while maintaining an end-to-end inference latency of 850–1100 ms. Field deployment over six months achieved 94.7% uptime, with maintenance costs reduced by 23% and unplanned downtime by 41%. An extended 18-month trial further achieved 99.2% availability, a 34% cost reduction, and a 67% reduction in downtime. This integrated, field-proven framework offers a scalable solution for continuous monitoring, early damage detection, and maintenance optimization in critical offshore assets.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Marine Engineering
  topic: keywords
subject: Offshore Engineering
  topic: keywords
subject: Structural Health Monitoring
  topic: keywords
subject: Offshore Structures
  topic: keywords
subject: Digital Twin
  topic: keywords
subject: Graph Neural Network
  topic: keywords
subject: Damage Detection
  topic: keywords
subject: Edge Computing
  topic: keywords
subject: Sensor Network
  topic: keywords
creator: Seyed Reza Samaei
creator: James Riffat
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-08-14
publication date: 2025-08-14
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-031

Blue-Green Infrastructure and Cleaner Air: A Systematic Literature Review for the UK
type: item
description: Air pollution is a widespread problem that impacts both indoor and outdoor spaces, posing serious risks to human health and well-being. Both short-term and long-term exposure to air pollution have detrimental effects on human health and the climate, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disorders, respiratory illnesses, and global warming. Many cities throughout the world, including those in the UK, have explored the potential of blue-green infrastructure (BGI) as a strategy in addressing air quality. BGI is a nature-friendly strategy of working with green spaces - such as street trees, parks or gardens; and blue elements such as rivers, wetlands, canals or lakes to address climate change and environmental degradation while promoting the creation of resilient and liveable cities. However, BGI’s efficacy varies depending on design, scale, and location; therefore, customised strategies are needed for various urban settings. According to this systematic review of the latest research (years 2015 to 2025) on BGI and air pollution; road-side trees, green walls, and wetlands as a blue infrastructure help in filtering outdoor pollutants. By reducing pollutant concentrations and fostering sustainable urban environments, green infrastructure may have a great potential to enhance outdoor air quality in comparison to indoor air quality. The systematic review also points out the need for policy frameworks to include evidence-based strategies into urban planning, ensuring that outdoor BGI is accessible, equitable, and effective in addressing air pollution and climate challenges. Trans-disciplinary research is necessary to optimise BGI deployment to develop future British cities that prioritise sustainability, clean air, and public health.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: air pollution mitigation
  topic: keywords
subject: air quality
  topic: keywords
subject: blue-green infrastructure
  topic: keywords
subject: nature-based solutions
  topic: keywords
creator: Nikhil Ravindra
creator: Amin Al-Habaibeh
creator: Francesco Luke Siena
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-03-02
publication date: 2026-03-02
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-044

Performance Analysis of Salt-In-Pumice Composites Under Varying Air Velocities for Thermochemical Heat Storage
type: item
description: Thermochemical energy storage (TCES) offers significant potential for reducing reliance on fossil fuels while enhancing the utilization of renewable energy sources. The performance of TCES systems is critically influenced by the properties of thermochemical heat storage materials (TCMs), which directly affect both energy efficiency and storage capacity. In this study, a laboratory-scale experimental investigation was conducted to assess the performance of three pumice-based composite TCMs (P/LiCl-CaCl₂, P/CaCl₂, and CS-P/CaCl₂) under varying air velocities. Pumice particles with diameters of 1–3 mm were employed for P/LiCl-CaCl₂ and P/CaCl₂, whereas coarse size (CS) (4–6 mm) pumice was used for CS-P/CaCl₂. The primary objective was to evaluate the effects of particle size and LiCl incorporation on the thermal performance of composite TCMs. Key performance indicators, including energy efficiency (ηI), exergy efficiency (ηII), energy storage density (Ed), and outlet peak temperature (To,p), were determined. For P/LiCl-CaCl₂, average energy efficiencies of 64.0% and 76.6% were recorded at air velocities of 2.1 m/s and 3.7 m/s, respectively, with corresponding exergy efficiencies of 10.5% and 11.2%, and Tₒ,p values of 46.4 °C and 47.7 °C. The P/CaCl₂ composite achieved lower performance, with energy efficiencies of 44.7% and 48.4%, exergy efficiencies of 4.9% and 5.2%, and Tₒ,p values of 42.5 °C and 39.0 °C. For CS-P/CaCl₂, energy efficiencies were 64.2% and 72.2%, exergy efficiencies were 5.8% and 5.4%, and Tₒ,p values were 40.9 °C and 39.0 °C, respectively. The maximum Ed of approximately 181 kWh/m³ was observed for P/LiCl-CaCl₂ at 3.7 m/s. Across all composite materials, both energy efficiency and Ed increased with higher air velocity. Furthermore, the exergy efficiency of P/LiCl-CaCl₂ was nearly double that of the other two composites, indicating a clear advantage of LiCl incorporation combined with smaller pumice particle sizes.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: thermochemical energy storage
  topic: keywords
subject: composite sorbent
  topic: keywords
subject: energy and exergy
  topic: keywords
creator: Asli Akyol Inada
creator: Devrim Aydin
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-08-18
publication date: 2025-08-18
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-032

Performance Investigation on the Heat Transfer of Composite rGO-SiO₂ Nanofluid in a Radiator
type: item
description: High-performing cooling fluids are increasingly gaining prominence in thermal applications due to their superior heat transfer (HT) features compared to conventional coolants. This is attributed to the sub-optimal cooling and heat transfer limitations by conventional coolants. Reports reveal that HT enhancement includes different modifications to the radiator for effective heat dissipation, engineered suspensions of nanoparticles in base fluids ensures the direct deployment of existing radiators. In this study, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoparticle was prepared by modified Hummer’s technique via reduction process, with graphite powder as starting material, while silicon dioxide (SiO₂) was commercially sought. A comparative study was conducted to investigate the heat transfer of de-ionised (DI) water-based rGO-SiO₂ against its individual make-ups (rGO and SiO₂). At different volumetric concentrations (0.1%–0.3%) and temperature (20-60°C), SiO₂-rGO|0.3 composite nanofluid achieved a thermal conductivity (TC) enhancement of 16.8%, 9.4%, 7.1%, and 1.8% over the DI-Water, SiO₂|0.1, rGO|0.1, and SiO₂|0.3, which suggest a quick temperature equalization and better heat dissipation potential via Brownian motion, but 0.6% lower Tc compared to rGO|0.3 nanofluid. The viscosities of SiO₂|0.1, rGO|0.1, SiO₂|0.3, rGO|0.3 and SiO₂-rGO|0.3 nanofluids increased by 4.5%, 8.8%, 12.2%, 17.0%, and 14.0%, respectively, which may lead to an increase in pumping power demand, however, the positive figure of merit (TCR>1.0) justifies the nanofluids as better alternative to the basefluid. Furthermore, the Nu values of DI-Water/rGO SiO₂|0.3 was enhanced by 27.4%, 11.6%, 13.2%, 7.6% and 3.9% over the basefluid, SiO₂|0.1, rGO|0.1, SiO₂|0.3 and rGO|0.3 nanofluids, with an observable Nu increment of 3.71% and 8.87% of SiO|0.3 and rGO|0.3 compared to SiO|0.1 and rGO|0.1, respectively. In conclusion, TC ratio of the nanofluids were above unity, indicating enhanced heat transfer capability of the …
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: modified hummer’s technique
  topic: keywords
subject: hybrid nanofluid
  topic: keywords
subject: heat transfer
  topic: keywords
subject: thermal conductivity ratio
  topic: keywords
subject: nusselt number correlation
  topic: keywords
creator: Luke Ajuka
creator: Christopher Enweremadu
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-10-09
publication date: 2025-10-09
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-036

Multi-Level Simulation for Dynamic Analysis of A Domestic Electric oven in Forced Convective Heating—Evaluation and Optimization of Energy Consumption Using the Brick Test
type: item
description: The study proposes a novel method aimed at the optimization of the energy consumption of a domestic electric oven. The goal is to achieve the best trade-off between the oven energy consumption and its performance in terms of thermal distribution. The method revolves around a multi-level analysis that couples detailed, steady-state CFD results with the transient evaluation of the associated lumped parameters. In particular, the distribution of the heat transfer coefficients (convective and radiative) is computed through the CFD analysis and used as the input for the dynamic analysis to get the time evolution of the oven energy consumption. The tested oven has a volume of 68L and is equipped with three heating elements. The numerical model has been validated through measurement data on the temperature distribution, showing high accuracy in predicting the thermal behaviour and energy fluxes of the cavity. Moreover, experimental validation of the energy consumption has been performed following the EN 60350 standard, which involves a wet brick initially cooled to 5 ± 2 °C and then heated until its core temperature rises by 55 °C. Results suggest that this approach can lead to a substantial reduction of the oven energy consumption while maintaining high performance standards.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: oven
  topic: keywords
subject: energy consumption
  topic: keywords
subject: CFD
  topic: keywords
creator: Simona Rustico
creator: Beatrice Pulvirenti
creator: Giorgia Useli
creator: Marco Reguzzoni
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-08-08
publication date: 2025-08-08
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-030

Renewable Energy Integration throughSemi-Transparent Photovoltaic Windows: A Framework for Sustainable UrbanDevelopment in Hot Climates
type: item
description: As cities in hot climate regions face escalating challenges from rapid urbanization and climate change, there is a pressing need for innovative strategies that reduce building energy demands while ensuring occupant comfort and environmental quality. Semi-transparent photovoltaic (STPV) windows present a promising solution by enabling on-site renewable energy generation through building façades, without compromising daylight access or architectural integrity. This study proposes a practical framework for integrating STPV technologies to support urban sustainability in hot climates, based on a multi-dimensional analysis of energy performance, thermal behaviour, and visual comfort under intense solar exposure. Critical design and operational challenges—such as overheating, glare, and dust accumulation—are examined to inform climate-responsive integration strategies. Insights from the Msheireb Smart City case study in Qatar illustrate how mixed-use developments can leverage STPV technologies to enhance energy efficiency, align with climate adaptation goals, and maintain cohesive architectural aesthetics. Findings suggest that STPV systems have the potential to reduce cooling loads by up to 25% and provide on-site electricity generation that could meet 10–20% of a building’s energy needs, depending on factors such as glazing type, orientation, and integration method. This study also highlights the potential of STPV to contribute to policy recommendations on sustainable energy practices in hot climates. By positioning STPV systems at the intersection of renewable energy innovation and urban climate resilience, this research offers actionable guidance for advancing sustainability in hot-climate cities through integrated building design, energy strategy, and urban planning.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: renewable energy strategies
  topic: keywords
subject: sustainable urban development
  topic: keywords
subject: building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV)
  topic: keywords
subject: semi-transparent photovoltaic (STPV)
  topic: keywords
subject: hot climate architecture
  topic: keywords
subject: smart cities
  topic: keywords
creator: Haneen Nsair
creator: Abdulla Alnuaimi
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-31
publication date: 2025-12-31
doi: 10.70917/fce-2026-001

Sustainability Assessment of Farming in Northeast India Using PSR Model
type: item
description: Agricultural sustainability in India’s North Eastern Region (NER) is challenging due to mounting environmental degradation, socio-economic inequalities, and institutional gaps. The region faces challenges such as land degradation, limited irrigation, and inadequate rural infrastructure despite its rich agroecological diversity and traditional practices. This study assesses the sustainability of agriculture in the eight Northeastern states using the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model to generate a composite Agricultural Sustainability Index (ASI). A total of 16 indicators across environmental, economic, and social dimensions are selected. These indicators are normalized using the Min-Max method, and objective weights are assigned using the entropy method. The PSR framework was applied to analyze human-induced pressures, the current state of resources, and institutional responses across the states. Findings show significant spatial disparities. Tripura ranks highest in sustainability (ASI = 0.543), owing to better productivity, irrigation, and strong social indicators. Assam (ASI = 0.481) and Meghalaya (ASI = 0.430) follow, while Nagaland (ASI = 0.278) and Sikkim (ASI = 0.313) perform poorly due to ecological stress, low economic security, and weak institutional support. There is a trade-off between environmental conservation and increasing agricultural output. This requires socially inclusive and flexible policies without affecting the local realities of NER. Originality/Value: This study advances a standard PSR application through implementation-level rigor and decision relevance. First, the study provides a fully auditable indicator pipeline—explicit selection rules, polarity checks, and PSR tagging—so readers can reproduce each step. Second, the study report formal robustness of the composite to common researcher degrees of freedom (normalization, outlier handling, imputation, and weighting choices), described transparently in Methods, with qualitative results su…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: agricultural sustainability
  topic: keywords
subject: composite sustainability index
  topic: keywords
subject: northeast region
  topic: keywords
subject: pressure-state-respons framework
  topic: keywords
subject: sustainable farming
  topic: keywords
creator: Nandita Debnath
creator: Giribabu M
creator: Bondita Saikia
creator: James Riffat
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-11-17
publication date: 2025-11-17
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-041

Conserving Urban Heritage for Tourism Development: Addressing the Constraints Affecting Urban Heritage Sites Conservation Using FAHP Approach
type: item
description: This study aims to identify, analyze, and prioritize the key constraints affecting the conservation and management of urban heritage sites in Saudi Arabia while evaluating viable solutions to address these challenges. Although previous research has acknowledged these constraints, comprehensive prioritization of their impact and systematic evaluation of alternative strategies remain limited. To address this gap, the study adopts an expert-driven approach and employs the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to assess the relative importance of seven critical constraints and five potential solutions. The findings reveal that lack of awareness and appreciation (LAA) (27%) is the most significant constraint, followed by an inadequate legal framework (ILF) (23%) and a lack of professional expertise (LPE) (20%). Rapid development and urbanization (RDU) (4%) and insufficient funding and resources (IFR) (2%) rank lowest. Among the proposed solutions, improving legislation and enforcement (ILE) (37.7%) emerged as the most effective strategy, followed by raising public awareness (RPA) (24.1%) and fostering partnerships (FP) (19.6%), while allocating adequate resources (AAR) (3.5%) was deemed least influential. Based on these results, the study proposes a final FAHP-based decision-making framework for enhancing heritage conservation in Saudi Arabia. This framework integrates expert judgment with fuzzy logic to systematically prioritize challenges and align them with the most impactful interventions. It provides policymakers, planners, and heritage professionals with a structured tool for developing targeted, data-informed strategies that promote the sustainable preservation and revitalization of urban heritage sites. In doing so, the framework also supports heritage tourism and aligns with national development goals.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: alternative solutions
  topic: keywords
subject: conservation
  topic: keywords
subject: constraints
  topic: keywords
subject: F-AHP
  topic: keywords
subject: heritage sites
  topic: keywords
subject: management
  topic: keywords
subject: protection
  topic: keywords
subject: Saudi Arabia
  topic: keywords
creator: Umar Lawal Dano
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-10-09
publication date: 2025-10-09
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-037

Assessing Indoor and Outdoor Particulate Matter Dynamics in Daycare Center: A Case Study in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
type: item
description: This study examines the dynamics of indoor and outdoor particulate matter concentrations in childcare facilities in Dubai, UAE, with a focus on particle size-specific behavior under varying occupancy conditions. Measurements were conducted in a daycare room for three-year-olds over five consecutive days, capturing realworld activity scenarios. The study employed an Optical Particle Counter to measure particulate matter concentrations for six particle sizes (0.3 µm, 0.5 µm, 1 µm, 3 µm, 5 µm, and 10 µm), along with indoor carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels as an indicator of source intensity. The findings reveal a strong correlation between indoor and outdoor concentrations for smaller particles (0.3 µm, 0.5 µm, and 1 µm), regardless of occupancy, indicating the dominance of outdoor sources. Conversely, larger particles (3 µm, 5 µm, and 10 µm) displayed significant variability in Indoor/Outdoor (I/O) ratios, with indoor activities such as movement and bedding preparation contributing to elevated concentrations during occupancy. For particles measuring 10 µm, no correlation with outdoor sources was observed under either condition, emphasizing the predominance of indoor factors. Additionally, the positive correlation between CO₂ levels and concentrations of larger particles (3 µm, 5 µm, and 10 µm) confirms that occupant activities significantly contribute to their generation and resuspension. These results underscore the importance of targeted strategies for air quality management, including the implementation of enhanced filtration systems for smaller particles and design interventions to minimize resuspension for larger particles. This research provides actionable insights for creating healthier childcare environments, addressing the unique challenges posed by Dubai’s environmental conditions.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
  topic: keywords
subject: Particulate Matter Particles
  topic: keywords
subject: Childcare Facilities
  topic: keywords
subject: Indoor/Outdoor Correlation
  topic: keywords
subject: Occupancy and Airborne Pollutants
  topic: keywords
creator: Chuloh Jung
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-11-17
publication date: 2025-11-17
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-040

A Study of Changes in User Satisfaction in Metro Stations in Dubai
type: item
description: Over the past twenty years, rapid urbanization in Dubai has fundamentally changed land use. This has necessitated significant infrastructure development to meet the needs of the growing urban population. Therefore, this study examines changes in public satisfaction with the Dubai Metro between 2010 and 2018. Surveys were conducted at eight strategically selected metro stations, with 400 respondents at each time point, to evaluate six core factors, which are usage, cost, facilities, challenges, contextual integration, and walkability. Statistical analysis, including Chi-square tests, revealed significant shifts across all factors. Daily metro usage increased by over 10%, indicating growing reliance on the system, while perceptions of affordability declined, with twice as many users finding fares expensive in 2018. Satisfaction with station facilities and contextual integration improved substantially, reflecting successful investments in infrastructure and urban planning. However, accessibility and external walkability emerged as growing concerns, underscoring the need for enhanced pedestrian connectivity and inclusive design. The findings offer actionable insights for transport policy and urban development for Dubai and underscore the importance of continuous feedback in shaping public infrastructure.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Dubai Metro
  topic: keywords
subject: user satisfaction
  topic: keywords
subject: public transportation
  topic: keywords
subject: accessibility
  topic: keywords
subject: walkability
  topic: keywords
subject: urban infrastructure
  topic: keywords
subject: transit policy
  topic: keywords
subject: repeated cross-sectional analysis
  topic: keywords
creator: Mohammad S. Arar
creator: Emad Mushtaha
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-10-09
publication date: 2025-10-09
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-035

Augmented Reality Methodology for Virtual Georeferenced Reconstruction
type: item
description: This paper proposes new methodologies for virtual reconstruction and comprehensive treatment of the resulting historical landscapes: (1) The introduction begins by considering relationship that already exists between heritage, virtual reconstruction and mixed reality; (2) The main aim of this research is to develop a digital methodological tool based on geo-referenced and augmented reality, which allow visualization, analyze and interpret the evolution in the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage; (3) Throughout the process of virtual reconstruction of a trench of the Spanish Civil War, difficulties have arisen that have allowed us to reflect on the effectiveness and usefulness of this type of process in the field of cultural and historical heritage; (4) The methodology and action presented have been designed to offer an innovative tool that can be integrated into previous and subsequent strategies to improve conservation and disseminate heritage.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: cultural heritage
  topic: keywords
subject: virtual reconstruction
  topic: keywords
subject: augmented reality
  topic: keywords
subject: geo-referenced
  topic: keywords
subject: digital methodologies
  topic: keywords
subject: historical landscapes
  topic: keywords
creator: Diego Martín
creator: de la Fuente Julián
creator: Enrique Castaño
creator: Juan Luis Bermúdez
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-07-30
publication date: 2025-07-30
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-028

Energy-Saving of the Garuda Palace Building: Shaping the New Capital City of Nusantara
type: item
description: This research examines the Garuda Palace building of the Presidential Office in the New Capital City of Indonesia, Nusantara. Taking into account the new city regulations, the aim of this study is how to find out the Garuda Palace design could respond to the new Capital City of Indonesia’s concepts: smart, sustainable, and resilient city in line with latest city regulations by being associated with a sustainable design consisting of three fundamental dimensions: environmental, economic, and socio-cultural. The research employs a qualitative method, combining descriptive-interpretative with face-to-face interviews with the sculptor artist and team, alongside direct observation to gather comprehensive data documentary analysis such; as sketch ideas, design concepts, drawing designs, simulated modelling, and copies of videos. The Garuda Palace building is composed of a metal brass louver patterned by abstracting the realist expression of the mythical bird gesture into a geometrical shape and upscaled into superlative dimensions. To meet the smart city concept of the New Capital City, Nusantara, the building must show an energy-saving design procedure. As result, the Garuda Palace design meets energy-saving design by applying a building design model simulations supported by IES-VE software; (a) simulation models of the passive design by adding the louvers, and (b) simulation models to ensures the metal brass louvre does not have a significant impact on the thermal conditions of the external environment. Furthermore, the Garuda Palace architecture design has a dual role, as a symbol of the Indonesian national identity and, as the double skin façade of the presidential building office. Due to the case study approach chosen, the results of the study may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test propositions in further research. The discourse of architects, art sculptors, engineers, and students interested in energy-saving during the composition o…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: energy-saving
  topic: keywords
subject: Garuda Palace
  topic: keywords
subject: IKN Nusantara
  topic: keywords
subject: metal brass louver
  topic: keywords
subject: new future city
  topic: keywords
creator: Yuke Ardhiati
creator: Asikin Hasan
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-10-20
publication date: 2025-10-20
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-039

Assessing the Efficiency of Smart Cities of COVID-19 Response Measures from a Comparative Perspective
type: item
description: Most cities worldwide have witnessed major disruptions and imbalances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2020, and its effects are still present now. This research aims to assess smart cities' response levels when exposed to a major health pandemic such as COVID-19 by following a methodology that focuses on qualitative research to identify the areas in which smart cities respond to the Pandemic. The research assumes that smart cities respond better to Pandemics, acknowledge their ability to sustain urban functions, and achieve the well-being of their residents. The research applied these domains to two cities in different development levels, Amman in Jordan, a developing country, and Chicago in the USA, a developed country, as two case studies and compared their response to COVID-19. The research interviewed 12 experts to validate the literature review assessment domains. This research aims to assess smart cities and identify the flexibility of responding to the Coronavirus pandemic that has stormed the world for three difficult years using mixed methodologies. The research used the descriptive analytical approach, using qualitative methods, such as interviews with experts, decision-makers, and those responsible for managing the crisis. Additionally, the research collects and analyzes statistics, data, and technical reports from different agencies for both cities. The researcher concludes that smart cities can respond effectively once significant cities are exposed to such a pandemic of spread and contagion. There are consequences related to the extreme use of technologies in smart cities, especially regarding violating privacy and increasing the digital divide between sectors of society, especially senior residents. More academic debate and research are needed on how smart cities are becoming moral and equitable for their citizens. Finally, the research developed recommendations based on the results concerning municipalities, government agencies, …
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: smart cities
  topic: keywords
subject: COVID-19
  topic: keywords
subject: epidemics
  topic: keywords
subject: urban planning
  topic: keywords
subject: pandemics responds
  topic: keywords
subject: resilience
  topic: keywords
creator: Rania J. Qutieshat
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Future Cities and Environment https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-07-14
publication date: 2025-07-14
doi: 10.70917/fce-2025-026

Calculation of Average Global Accessibility Conditions for Bicycles Considering the Longitudinal Road Slope: Case Study Ibagué – Colombia
type: item
description: Territorial accessibility conditions are a relevant concept for the continuous development of cities; hence, it is necessary to accurately determine their characteristics and how population or physical factors influence them when interacting with transportation. In the present study, a mathematical model is developed using transport supply models to evaluate the average global accessibility of bicycle infrastructure, considering factors such as the longitudinal slope of the road and the socioeconomic stratum. The methodology focuses on six main stages: starting with the collection of population census data and GPX traces of trips made in the mode; second, analyzing the relationship between slope and speed using linear regressions for different categories of roads with data from the previous stage; third, conditioning geographic information layers with and without slope; fourth, evaluating geographic accessibility using Dijkstra’s shortest path algorithm; fifth, calculating the average global accessibility and generating isochronous curve maps using the ordinary Kriging geostatistical algorithm; sixth, estimating the relationship between travel times considering the slope of the road and a base scenario without slope. The results indicate that steeper slopes significantly reduce the average speed of cyclists, which in turn increases travel times and negatively affects accessibility conditions. Additionally, it shows how topographical features, and the city sector influence the mobility of the cycling community. These findings reveal the importance of considering road slope in urban planning to generate strategies that develop efficient road infrastructure and promote the use of bicycles as a means of transport, fostering sustainable mobility.
subject: Case Studies
  topic: section
rights: Copyright (c) 2025
date: 2024-11-13
publication date: 2024-11-13
starting page: 13
ending page: 13
doi: 10.5334/fce.309

An Analysis of the Workplace Environment and Its Impact on Employee Health, Satisfaction, and Productivity in Jordan
type: item
description: The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of indoor environmental quality, behavioral, and functional factors on employee productivity and satisfaction in both open and closed office designs, as well as their relationship with building features and indoor environmental parameters. Literature review, questionnaire survey, and measurement of the indoor environment, were all used to collect data for this study. Statistical analysis was carried out using the SAS JMP program. It was found that employees in closed offices have higher levels of satisfaction with their indoor environment and behavioral aspects of their workplace, whereas employees in open workplaces have higher levels of satisfaction with their functional components and indoor air quality. As the study further reveals, Jordanian employees generally prefer working in closed offices since they provide privacy, which directly affects their satisfaction and productivity. Overall, the study emphasizes how occupant health, satisfaction, well-being, and productivity are affected by their office environment. When designing and selecting office spaces that prioritize employee satisfaction and productivity, architects and business owners can gain valuable insights from this study.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
rights: Copyright (c) 2025
date: 2024-10-28
publication date: 2024-10-28
starting page: 18
ending page: 18
doi: 10.5334/fce.259