Sweden’s average temperature has increased by 1.9 °C since the late 19th century and is projected to rise by another 3–5 °C by the end of the century. As urbanisation amplifies heat stress, there is an urgent need to assess Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) risks, especially in high-latitude regions like Sweden, where such studies are limited. This study maps SUHI hazards, exposure, and vulnerability across Sweden to identify high-risk municipalities, focusing on residents in Single-Family Houses (SFHs). MODIS-derived land surface temperature (LST) data (2015–2022) were used to estimate SUHI intensity (hazard). Population density and building footprint data informed exposure, while vulnerability was measured using a Composite Vulnerability Index (CVI) based on social and physical indicators, including population demographics and building-related characteristics. All indicators and risk components were normalised, weighted using entropy and PCA, and integrated through geospatial analysis to produce a 1 km resolution national SUHI risk map, validated using heat-related mortality data. Results indicate that high-risk areas are concentrated in major cities. 12 high-risk municipalities contain 14 % of all SFHs built before 1975, and 18 medium-risk municipalities contain 8 %, together accounting for 22 % of the national pre-1975 SFH stock. Residents of these SFHs represent nearly half of those living in pre-1975 SFHs nationwide. These findings highlight the urgent need for climate-smart renovations with strategies like reflective roofing, increased greenery, and soft financing for urban adaptation planning in northern climates.

Urban Building Energy Modelling (UBEM) has become an essential tool for analysis and planning renovation strategies as well as predicting future energy use patterns both at building and district levels. To aid urban planning effectively, digital solutions such as UBEM should support informed urban planning decisions by analysing various renovation scenarios, including energy use, occupant comfort, and climate resilience, while ensuring accuracy without excessive complexity. A critical input for physics-based UBEM tools is building geometry, which can be represented at different levels of detail (LoD). Striking a balance between accuracy and the costs and time required for data generation necessitates examining the influence of LoD in building geometry. This research aims to investigate the extent to which the LoD in building geometry can influence the accuracy of results. To achieve this, four LoD of building geometry were defined for 9 different detached single-family houses in Sweden, and their effect on model performance was assessed with and without calibration using the Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) algorithm. The calibration used simulated heating demand and utility bill data, optimising for Coefficient of Variation of the Root Mean Square Error (CVRMSE) and Normalised Mean Bias Error (NMBE) indices. The results indicate that, without calibration, models with differing geometric LoDs can exhibit significant performance discrepancies, with variations of up to 19.7% in the CVRMSE and 22.5% in NMBE observed between high and low geometric detail levels. However with calibration, the differences between models with varying geometric LoDs were substantially reduced, with average CVRMSE and NMBE decreasing to 2.9% and 0.9%, respectively, well within ASHRAE Guideline thresholds. The findings offer useful guidance for academic and societal stakeholders working to improve energy modeling in urban planning. By identifying effective LoDs and calibration methods, this research enables cost-efficient UBEM applications, supporting better decisions for sustainable urban development.

Energy poverty has evolved into a topic of global concern affecting both developing and developed countries. Energy poverty deprives the potential of numerous women to participate in family, communal, and economic activities. While energy poverty is a commonly studied subject, the existing literature often overlooks its gender dimension, specifically the effects on women. This systematic review aims to fill the current research lacuna by shedding light on the multifaceted consequences faced by women due to energy poverty. To this end, numerous articles from Scopus and Web of Science are fully analysed. The findings demonstrate the impacts on multiple aspects of women’s lives, such as health, emotional well-being, income, increased workload, and the perpetuation of inequality. Though the challenges seem a bit different in the Global South and North from a boarder perspective, coherent policies that enhance women’s empowerment with economic opportunities could minimize the potential risk of energy poverty. The review underlines the urgency of integrating a gender perspective, emphasising the necessity of interdisciplinary methods that connect energy and gender studies differently in both the Global North and South. The finding also highlights the role of socio-economic conditions, cultural norms, and the division of labour in increasing women’s vulnerability. This review highlights the crucial significance of gender-inclusive approaches in understanding and tackling energy poverty.

This study aims to assess the factors influencing homeowner behaviour regarding climate-adaptive renovations. This study extends the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) by integrating additional factors such as inherent homeowner qualities (IHQs) and building attributes (BAs) to better capture climate-adaptive renovation decisions. Different configurations for the impacts of these additional factors were tested, and their correlation to homeowner attitudes (ATs) and homeowner intentions (INTs) was studied. The results indicate that attitudes related to beliefs about climate change impacts are the strongest predictors of climate-adaptive behaviour. It was also found that IHQ was a strong determinant of homeowner attitudes and had a strong indirect impact on homeowner intentions to perform climate-adaptive renovations. Given the significant role of cognitive attitudes in shaping climate-adaptive behaviours, policy interventions should focus on fostering more climate-conscious attitudes. Targeted public campaigns can highlight localised climate risks and the benefits of adaptive renovations. Sharing narratives from regions affected by severe climate events, potentially in the form of targeted workshop sessions, could make climate risks more tangible, especially for those without direct exposure, fostering greater public engagement and adaptive actions.

With climate-driven disasters escalating in frequency and cost, advancingintegrated resilience frameworks is urgently needed to safeguard the built environment. Thisstudy conducts a systematic literature review to identify and consolidate 31 building-levelresilience indicators across five domains of climate-related risk and performance: flood, fire,wind, thermal, and energy. Pairwise interactions among indicators were assessed using aCross-Impact Matrix (CIM), distinguishing synergies, trade-offs, neutral interdependencies,and unrelated connections. A network analysis was then applied, using out-degree andbetweenness centrality to evaluate indicator influence and bridging capacity. Results showthat building envelope- and structure-related measures, such as roof assembly resistance, roofpitch, roof geometry, and exterior door resistance, occupy central network positions, actingas core indicators with strong co-benefits. Gateways such as wall assembly and insulation linkdomains, while influencers like energy use for heating and cooling exert directional effectsbut may introduce trade-offs. Isolates, including backup power autonomy and stormwater–sewer separation, remain hazard-specific with limited systemic influence. By integratingmatrix- and network-based approaches, this study provides an evidence-based framework formulti-hazard resilience planning, supporting more strategic building design and retrofitting.

Nepal's rapid urbanization, rural-to-urban transition, and economic growth have driven a major shift in building construction, moving from traditional methods using brick, stone, mud, and wood to contemporary Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) buildings. This transition in building construction practice raises critical questions about changes in the building life cycle energy use and emission. So, the study aimed to assess the life cycle energy consumption and carbon emissions (CO2-eq.) of the typical traditional building types in Nepal namely: attached brick houses (ABH), isolated brick houses (IBH), and isolated stone houses (ISH). The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Nepalese traditional building shows that the life cycle energy use of traditional buildings ranges from 3573 to 5864 MJ/m2, with emissions between 438 and 681 kgCO2-eq/ m2-substantially lower than RCC counterparts. A crucial factor is the use of biogenic materials in traditional buildings, which can sequester-126 to-185.5 kgCO2-eq/m2 during their lifecycle, offering a natural mechanism for reducing carbon emissions. In Nepal, where the energy mix is predominantly hydropower and residential buildings have minimal operational energy demands due to limited space heating and cooling provision, embodied carbon becomes a decisive factor in evaluating the environmental impact of construction. Traditional building practices present a compelling strategy for reducing embodied energy and emissions, thereby supporting sustainable development. The study highlights the importance of leveraging traditional building methods to create a low-carbon future, particularly in contexts like Nepal where renewable energy resources and low operational energy needs align with the advantages of biogenic materials.

Buildings have a significant impact on environmental sustainability and resource consumption, highlighting theurgent need for holistic and sustainable approaches within the built environment. This study employs a mixed methods approach, combining focus groups and online surveys to examine the willingness of Single-Family Housing (SFH) owners in Sweden’s Kronoberg Region to adopt space sufficiency interventions during energy renovations and using the Attitude-Behavior-Context (ABC) theoretical framework to identify the factors influencing these decisions. The interventions studied include downsizing, optimizing space use, and converting underutilized areas into smaller living units, aiming to reduce per-capita energy consumption, and decrease both operational and embodied carbon emissions.The findings reveal a low interest among SFH owners in adopting these measures, primarily due to concerns about lifestyle changes, reduced comfort, privacy, status, and property value depreciation. While personal and psychological factors affect adoption, external factors—such as regulatory policies, economic incentives, socialnorms, and technical solutions—create the broader landscape that can either facilitate or hinder the implementation of sufficiency measures. The study also highlights that homeowners with larger, child-free properties are more receptive to sufficiency interventions, suggesting that life stage significantly influences readiness for change.The study calls for a systemic approach that promotes behavioral, normative, and cultural shifts through comprehensive regulations, policies, and incentives, creating the necessary conditions for broad adoption. Tailored design proposals and support structures, such as One-Stop Shop (OSS) models, are crucial in guiding homeowners through the transition. Government involvement is essential in establishing the frameworks needed to drive sufficiency, transforming homes from static to dynamic structures that evolve with changing householdneeds. Promoting flexible design, innovative policies, and financial incentives is vital for increasing adoption,with early adopters playing a pivotal role in accelerating market acceptance.

This chapter seeks to examine the challenges and opportunities for waste management and circular economy innovation in the context of sustainable development in the Zanzibar islands, located in Africa. The primary goals of this study are to propose some strategies for overcoming significant obstacles and capitalising on favourable circumstances to enhance the waste management system. Additionally, it aims to demonstrate the significance of youth circular entrepreneurship in promoting and enhancing circularity in the islands. In order to achieve this objective, a PEST and SWOT analysis were conducted using data gathered from literature sources, as well as through online interviews with key stakeholders, such as experts, young entrepreneurs, policymakers, and relevant practitioners. The findings indicate that in order to shift from a linear “take-make-dispose” approach to a circular waste management system in Zanzibar, it is crucial to tackle gaps in collaboration, enhance funding prospects, reinforce policy frameworks, advance education, and investigate emerging areas of waste management research, such as e-waste management. In addition, it was discovered that the potential for beneficial transformation could only be achieved via the combined endeavours of different parties involved in order to establish sustainable and efficient waste management procedures in the area under investigation. While this study offers valuable insights, further research is required to gather more on-site data in order to formulate effective and practical strategies for advancing circularity in the waste management industry and attaining sustainability objectives in Zanzibar and Africa as a whole.

The increasing urbanization and influx of people into cities urge the need for sustainable living solutions, pressing on natural resources and environmental sustainability. This study explores how integrating principles of sufficiency and adaptability to varying occupant needs can enhance the adequacy and optimization of space and resource consumption. Building upon an integrative review of existing literature, it investigates these concepts' interconnectedness within the built environment, aiming to clarify adaptability's potential in facilitating space-sufficiency interventions.

A synergetic linkage of the principles of adaptability and sufficiency in buildings is needed to adapt to evolving needs and reduce environmental impacts. Such an approach stresses a user-focused strategy and views buildings as dynamic systems capable of adapting to technological changes, environment, and society. This manuscript leverages an integrative literature review to propose a conceptual framework to enhance building space utilization.

Drawing inspiration from the 5R Hierarchy, traditionally applied to waste management, it reimagines underutilized space as a form of waste, suggesting intervention steps such as rethinking, reducing, reusing, and repurposing. These steps target spatial rearrangements to tackle the complexities of space optimization.

Aligned with the "Intervention Steps," a series of Key "Intervention Parameters" are outlined to boost the effectiveness of interventions across Shearing Layers, considering the immediate and future needs of occupants. This framework provides a strategic approach to managing space and promoting environmental sustainability and occupant well-being effectively, with the potential to yield economic and social advantages in built environments. The proposed “Intervention” Framework is based on an extensive literature review, but real-world applications are needed to refine and validate this approach. Further exploration is necessary to identify regulatory and policy frameworks to facilitate and incentivize its implementation.

Climate change is inevitable, making it crucial to predict its impact on energy demands in buildings, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly. Anticipating the energy needs for heating and cooling systems in elderly housing is vital for effective climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. This study examines how climate change affects thermal comfort of elderly in newly built elderly housing in Baerum Municipality, Norway. Urban Building Energy Modeling was used to simulate energy demand in two housing complexes under IPCC AR5 climate scenarios for 2030, 2040, 2050, and 2060. The study revealed that the RCP8.5 scenario is predicted to achieve a maximum heating energy reduction of 24% by 2060, while the RCP 2.6 scenario predicts a modest reduction of 16%. Peak cooling energy demand is forecasted to increase 53% by 2060 due to rising cooling loads, emphasizing the urgent need for infrastructure enhancements to address changes in energy demand. Understanding these shifts in energy demand is crucial for the preparedness to ensure the well-being and thermal comfort of elderly populations.