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A growing body of research is examining how nature-based solutions (NBS) are offering planners, politicians and engineers options to promote responses to a wide range of biophysical and socio-economic problems. However, despite the increasing popularity of NBS, there is limited analysis available on how these 'solutions' align with urban problems, at what scale they are most effective and what costs are associated with investment in urban nature. This paper analyses current approaches to urban sustainability through an examination of the EU Horizon 2020-funded project Urban GreenUP, in Liverpool (UK), to deconstruct how rhetoric translates to practical applications of NBS interventions. It interrogates the interactions of projects, policies and political buy-in for NBS and argues that an integrated understanding of scale, function and location is needed to successfully address issues of urban climate change vulnerability. This is contextualised against the wider discussions of NBS associated with other EU-funded projects. It concludes that although investment in NBS offers a useful approach to development, they cannot overcome existing barriers to investment in environmental improvements without attention to the same barriers that have always existed. Moreover, the paper argues that the promotion of NBS as solutions to problems is effective only when the problems are transparently and collaboratively defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a part of the drive to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, embodied energy figures are under consideration for construction materials. One aspect that needs to be included is the loss of embodied energy associated with corrosion and degradation throughout the life of a structure. This paper presents a review of corrosion and protection methods from the point of view of whole-life embodied carbon. This paper presents the examples that provide the lowest embodied carbon option for different environments for steel and reinforced concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geotechnical constructions involve consumption of a vast amount of non-renewable natural resources and energy- and carbon dioxide-intensive materials (e.g. cement and steel) that contribute significantly to global warming and climate change. This paper uses drilled shafts as an example to illustrate the importance of environmental impact assessment in the design phase of foundations. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is used to quantify the environmental impacts of construction of single drilled shafts and groups embedded in sandy soil profiles. Parametric studies are conducted to investigate the effects of soil properties, design parameters and hauling distances of construction materials and equipment on the environmental impacts of single drilled shafts. For pile groups, different configurations, applied load, centre-to-centre spacing and thickness of pile cap are considered in the parametric study. The global warming impact and human toxicity of a typical drilled shaft are found to be 39 and 486% of annual world impact per person, respectively. Based on the study, charts and tables are developed that may be used for quick estimation of the global warming impact of drilled shafts without the use of specialised LCA software programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is crucial to economic and social development and improves quality of life. However, fossil fuel energy produces greenhouse gases (GHGs) and cannot be sustained for a long time. It is essential to tackle these problems by moving towards renewable and sustainable energy. Some countries, including those in the Arabian Gulf region, are still in the appraisal stage of adopting different forms of renewable energy. This paper reviews the business potential and likely GHG reductions associated with adopting renewable energy in Oman. It is revealed that 1·9 Mt of annual carbon dioxide emissions could be cut by producing 10% of the country's electricity from renewables. The paper further discusses the global sustainable energy commitment under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and reviews the 2030 targets of some countries that are high producers of GHGs. It is anticipated that if all these planned targets are achieved, the total sustainable energy contribution could grow by nearly 11 000 TWh by 2030. These plans provide guidance for those countries still preparing to submit their plans to the UN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, the UN member countries, on mutual understanding, identified 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to be achieved by 2030. According to several reports, some countries are reflecting good progress, but overall, no country is on track towards achieving all the UN SDGs. This paper aims to show the progress and commitment of the UAE towards UN SDGs. A qualitative research approach using a systematic literature review complying with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses and a semi-structured interview was adapted to achieve the aim of this research. The results reflect that the Emirates has achieved only one goal. Most of the remaining goals are not on track to be achieved by 2030. In fact, some of the goals related to energy and climate are becoming riskier. The country under its different initiatives aims to invest a total of US$163·35 billion in different projects that target to achieve 50% clean energy by 2050. It is, however, not clear from the government strategy how these targets will be achieved. Similarly, the government needs to ensure a close relationship between organisations so that the action of one unit does not derail the plans of other organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the sustainability of civil infrastructure is critical to professionals, project owners, regulators, funding agencies and the public, little is done to link individual project sustainability to the UN's 17 global sustainable development goals for 2030. This paper not only provides some answers, but also exposes many questions that need resolution by the infrastructure sector. Using empirical evidence, the authors have identified a 'golden thread' between best-practice sustainability-reporting frameworks at the project level and those at the organisational level. In doing so, they have found that there is sufficient linkage to embed sustainable-development-goal impact targets into the design stage of an infrastructure project. This would provide a more robust investment appraisal at the project design phase, helping define project success more widely across the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental outcomes and associated impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a review of geophysical and climatic trends associated with extreme weather events and natural hazards, their implications for urban areas and the effects of continued environmental modification due to urban expansion. It discusses how urban design, technological development and societal behaviour can either ameliorate or worsen climate-induced hazards in urban areas. Pressures – ranging from excessive rainfall causing urban flooding to urban temperature extremes driving air pollution – require more attention to understand, model and predict changes in hazards in urban areas. It concludes that involving different techniques for data analysis and system modelling is more appropriate for practical decision-making than a purely reductionist approach. Successfully determining the future environment of megacities will, however, require joint action with societally informed decision makers, grounded in sound scientific achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal slope instability poses a risk to life and material properties and is of great concern in times of climate change, posing challenges as communities seek to adapt and ensure resilience. This paper presents two case studies of coastal slope stabilisation efforts from Scotland and reflects the growing difficultly faced by coastal communities who value intervention but are limited by uncertain ownership, funding and access to expertise. In both cases, the slopes are owned by private charities with no power of authorisation or means of procuring stabilisation works to protect the adjacent communities. The engineering solutions included an innovative eco-engineering component where vegetation was used to perform an engineering function. Based on the experience with these projects, the authors advocate this sustainable technique supported by the evidence from monitoring and testing. The case studies emphasise the importance of engaging with the community as a means of achieving acceptance of a workable solution as well as participation in its long-term development. Another significant observation was the contribution played by establishment of a learning culture that is supported through inter- and intraproject knowledge transfer deemed necessary to promote the necessary double-loop learning evident in these projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the significance and importance of urban sustainability in China and China's history of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, this paper aims to incorporate the investigation of climate change and air pollution in urban sustainability research in China through a driver-pressure-state-impact-response model. The model has 12 indices: population, enterprise, registered vehicles, energy consumption, emissions and concentrations of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, land use change, annual temperature, tropical nights and reforestation were selected. It was used in the analysis of 14 cities in the Liaoning Province. The results show that the model is an effective tool for urban sustainability research, allowing for the investigation of interactions of climate change and air pollution and contributing to the body of knowledge by aiding generation of realistic and practical measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change seems to have had a notable effect on the environment. Natural disasters such as flooding are occurring more frequently but the human effect on the built environment and transportation is the greatest single cause of greenhouse gas emissions. The construction industry consumes a large amount of energy and natural resources, especially in construction materials. Hence, action is needed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, increase recycling and the reuse of materials and reduce water consumption. In this paper, the negative effect of the construction industry on climate is examined and remedial actions are proposed. A review of construction-related effects on climate change and sustainable construction is followed by a presentation of the authors' research on low-carbon dioxide concrete. Some examples of actions taken in Algeria to mimimise the effects of the industry on climate through research and practice are given. This mainly includes the use of cement replacement materials, recycling and efficient utilisation of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civil infrastructure, including the highway maintenance sector, is under increasing pressure to deliver 'low-carbon' services. Reducing this sector's 'carbon footprint' can help to meet targets set under the Kyoto Protocol. Carbon dioxide emissions reduction is now a legal requirement under the UK's Climate Change Act; infrastructure clients therefore require their supply chains to provide carbon footprint information. A new, more holistic, project-specific carbon footprinting approach is urgently needed to account for carbon in an integrated manner, identifying areas of carbon hot spots and developing a reduction hierarchy to support business decision making. In this paper a process-based carbon footprinting framework based on the PAS2050:2011 protocol is adopted. Results of case studies (focusing on the carbon footprint) of 'typical' UK highway maintenance processes are provided, namely pavement resurfacing, pavement marking, bulk lamp changing and grass cutting. These processes were selected across urban, semi-urban and rural site locations to investigate the significance of these locations on the carbon footprint. The results indicate the robustness of the PAS2050-compliant framework for highway maintenance carbon footprinting; areas of carbon hotspots and related reduction opportunities can be identified to inform the reduction hierarchy across the processes value chain. The research presented can be used as a framework to plan, evaluate and manage highway maintenance programmes and carbon budgets over the maintenance processes value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-occupancy evaluation of buildings has been developing as a distinctive discipline for over 40 years, but has been traditionally more concerned with energy, social and architectural concerns in relation to the user rather than other issues of sustainability such as transportation, waste and resource use. This paper outlines the challenges of implementing post-occupancy evaluation in relation to rapidly developing UK government policy on climate change and other sustainability issues. It reviews developing methodologies and the progress to date in relation to key building typologies: offices, healthcare, education and housing. The methods are discussed in terms of their qualitative and quantitative aspects, as well as the degree of detail actually necessary to evaluate building performance effectively. A diagnostic approach that avoids any unnecessary and costly monitoring is advocated. Various barriers preventing the widespread implementation of post-occupancy evaluation are identified, including lack of legislation, threats of litigation, cost and the perception that the work of the design and building team is finished at the point of handover. The review concludes that it is not desirable to have one single method for evaluation, as each typology requires its own set of criteria. While a lack of education in professional programmes is an underlying barrier to implementation, there are positive signs that routine feedback is beginning to take hold in policy development and design office practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]