Abstract:

Unregulated Housing (UrH) is a widespread urban phenomenon in Morocco, largely driven by rapid population growth and accelerated urbanization. It has expanded mainly on the outskirts of cities and within housing developments that already benefit from basic infrastructure and superstructure services. In response to this challenge, public authorities have adopted several urban planning instruments, particularly the Land Management Plan (LMP). According to Law No. 12-90 on urban planning, the LMP seeks to regulate urban expansion, improve the architectural and aesthetic quality of the built environment, and preserve the overall coherence of developed areas. As a legally binding planning document, the LMP establishes strict land-use regulations, and any breach of these rules constitutes an offence. Traditionally, detecting such violations requires on-site inspections by control officers, followed by the preparation of official reports submitted to the competent legal authorities. However, recent advances in aerial image acquisition and processing technologies provide powerful tools to improve and facilitate the monitoring of urban planning compliance. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that integrates artificial intelligence with urban planning regulations to enable the automatic detection of urban planning offences using RGB orthophotos covering areas subject to a Land Management Plan, relying on deep learning techniques.

Abstract: Smart city governance increasingly relies on AI-enabled planning systems, digital twins, vulnerability scoring tools, and capital investment prioritization platforms to allocate climate-resilient housing and infrastructure investments. Yet existing smart-urbanism and adaptation frameworks under-specify how such systems should encode (i) well-being, (ii) equity, and (iii) climate uncertainty in the decision logic that translates urban data into ranked projects and funded portfolios. This paper develops a governance-centered framework, Caring Urban AI, through a replicable conceptual synthesis that integrates research on (a) climate risk decision-making under deep un-certainty, (b) built-environment pathways relevant to psychosocial well-being, and (c) algorithmic accountability and fairness for public-sector decision infrastructures. The framework specifies a five-layer architecture linking (1) urban form and infrastruc-ture, (2) climate exposure and environmental resources, (3) psychosocial mediators of well-being, (4) algorithmic design choices (data, objective functions, equity constraints, uncertainty handling, documentation), and (5) institutional governance (procurement, auditing, participation, redress), with explicit feedback loops. The primary outputs are: (i) the five-layer Caring Urban AI architecture operationalized as auditable decision infrastructure; (ii) eight mechanism-based propositions that render the framework empirically testable via audits and quasi-experimental policy evaluations; and (iii) an operational specification guide illustrating objective-function forms, equity con-straints, robustness logic, and documentation artifacts for prioritization workflows. The analysis concludes that aligning Urban AI with SDG 11 requires treating well-being-supportive living conditions as a decision objective, constraining optimiza-tion with equity conditions, and institutionalizing auditability and contestability to prevent distributive and psychosocial harm in climate-resilient investment planning.

Abstract: Urban regeneration frequently encounters a critical trade-off: whether to accelerate planning and implementation of design solutions or safeguard participation. To address this challenge, the paper introduces the concept of the governance “grey zone”—an informal yet institutional interface that flexibly reconfigures the relationship between planning and design to transcend the impasse. This perspective is grounded in an analysis of the recent urban regeneration of Hsinchu City, where a weekly, mayor-led coordination forum with external consultants functioned as an informal yet institutional organizational hub. This forum broke down departmental silos, unified multiple design teams under shared principles, and expedited implementation of numerous projects—all while maintaining public scrutiny and inclusivity. The study draws on interviews with high-profile administrators, planners, and designers involved in Hsinchu’s regeneration, as well as official documents. Elaborating on this, the paper finally advances a set of implications regarding urban regeneration scholarship with attention to aspects of urban design governance.

Abstract: Sustainable housing finance has emerged as a critical tool for achieving inclusive, resilient, and environmentally responsible urbanization in developing economies, yet access to affordable, climate-resilient housing remains limited. Rapid urbanization, weak institutional frameworks, high borrowing costs, and underdeveloped mortgage markets exacerbate housing deficits, particularly for low-income populations. Recent developments in financial deepening, including the expansion of banking services, fintech innovations, and microfinance programs, provide new opportunities to address these challenges, but integration with sustainability objectives remains uneven. This review synthesizes existing literature and practical experiences to examine innovative mechanisms that can enhance sustainable housing finance, including green mortgages, ESG-linked lending, climate risk-adjusted finance, blended financial instruments, and digital financial technologies. The analysis identifies persistent gaps in the alignment of affordability, environmental sustainability, and financial viability, highlighting the need for context-specific solutions that mobilize both domestic and international capital. Policy frameworks that incentivize sustainable practices, capacity building for financial institutions and developers, and the adoption of data-driven and technology-enabled solutions are emphasized as essential for scaling impact. The review argues that sustainable housing finance should be understood as a strategic nexus of finance, social equity, and environmental resilience capable of accelerating progress toward SDG 11 while stimulating local economic growth.

Abstract: Public participation in planning, though a foundational democratic principle, faces implementation challenges across diverse planning systems worldwide. This study examines participatory planning practice in Ireland and Serbia – two contexts shaped by distinct planning traditions yet confronting similar tensions between democratic ideals and practice realities. Through comparative analysis of four local land-use planning instruments (Development Plans and Local Area Plans in Ireland; Spatial Plans and General Regulation Plans in Serbia), the research investigates how institutional design, power relations, and democratic commitments embedded within planning systems fundamentally shape participatory outcomes. Beyond external pressures such as neoliberalisation and democratic decline, the study demonstrates that the internal dynamics of participation, seen in the quality of dialogue, distribution of knowledge, strength of civic networks, and negotiation of power among stakeholders, ultimately determine whether participatory processes enable genuine democratic engagement or reproduce existing hierarchies. Methodologically, the research triangulates statutory regulations, public hearing documentation, and non-statutory participation records across multiple planning scales. Employing a four-dimensional analytical framework, including informing, consultation, collaboration, and monitoring, the analysis traces information dissemination strategies, consultation mechanisms, collaborative practices, and transparency structures. Findings reveal that, while both systems remain largely at the informing and consulting levels, critical differences emerge: Ireland demonstrates multi-channel, immersive approaches, feedback-oriented consultation, and structured collaborative experimentation, whereas Serbia exhibits statutory-minimal information provision, objection-based adversarial procedures, and exceptional rather than systematic collaboration. The study advances comparative European planning scholarship by identifying how planning cultures, legislative frameworks, and institutional responsiveness generate divergent participatory outcomes even under similar global pressures, offering practical insights for strengthening inclusive urban governance across varied institutional contexts.

Abstract: The reuse of treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation is increasingly recognized as a strategic response to the growing challenges posed by climate change and freshwater scarcity. The paper outlines the development of EU regulations on using treated wastewater for irrigation, focusing on Italy. It highlights Regulation (EU) 2020/741, which sets minimum standards and water quality classes for agricultural reuse, and discusses its integration into national law. The aim of the paper is to present a case study of the wastewater treatment plant operated by GIDA S.p.A. in the Municipality of Prato, Tuscany. A quali-quantitative survey was conducted with a sample of local agri-food producers located in proximity to the plant, aimed at assessing their irrigation needs, current water sources, and attitudes toward the use of reclaimed water. Results indicate a general willingness to adopt treated wastewater for irrigation. The case of Prato is further contextualized within two ongoing municipal frameworks: the development of a local food policy strategy and the “Prato Circular City” program, which positions cir-cular economy principles at the core of urban planning. Through the integration of policy analysis and empirical data, this study provides valuable insights into peri-urban agricultural environments in Central Italy.

Abstract: This study explores how the Fes Medina's traditional courtyard house design has influenced urban form and has developed from its roots in the Andalusian and Islamic eras to a Westernized city in the 19th century. The study analyzes privacy, climate moderation, and socialization and poses the question of how courtyard houses of the city create the structure and hierarchy of the city. It employs a multi-scalar analysis, including a historical overview of the city, micro-scale spatial arrangements of individual houses, and meso-and-macro-scale mappings of the structure of neighbourhoods. The research shows that while individual courtyard houses agglomerate into dense fabrics in the three medinas to provide a seamless continuity between the private interiors and the public realm, they are also generative elements that provide evaporative cooling and cross-ventilation to improve thermal comfort and facilitate social order. The conclusion of this study is that the urban form of the Fes Medina reflects the socio-cultural and domestic values of the city, and it advocates for a re-evaluation of contemporary applications of courtyard house designs to address issues relating to privacy and environmental sustainability.

Abstract: This article critically analyses Lisbon's Green Participatory Budget (GPB), launched in 2020 in the symbolic context of the city's designation as European Green Capital. Rather than treating the GPB as a radical democratic innovation, the article situates it as a thematic and digital reconfiguration of Lisbon's long-standing participatory budgeting process, active since 2008 and already incorporating environmental dimensions. Drawing on critical urban studies, political ecology, and literature on participatory governance, the analysis explores the democratic and justice implications of digital participatory climate governance. The article identifies several structural limitations in the design and implementation of GPB, including technocratic control, digital exclusion, restricted deliberation, private sector involvement, and limited attention to issues of distributive and climate justice. Particular attention is given to how participation is framed in procedural rather than political terms, with limited mechanisms to assess inclusion, empower disadvantaged groups, or address the risks associated with green gentrification. Beyond these internal limitations, the article argues that the most significant limitation of Lisbon's GPB lies in its lack of continuity. Despite the mobilisation of financial resources, institutional effort and public expectations, the GPB was not renewed after 2021, nor were its results systematically evaluated or incorporated into long-term governance strategies. This discontinuation compromises the potential of participatory climate governance as a learning process and raises broader questions about symbolic policy-making, institutional memory, and democratic accountability in urban climate action.

Abstract: Urban renewal, driven by investments in urban space, has transformed the urban landscape and significantly impacted changes in land use and the physical appearance of the urban environment. Incorporating GOS to change the appearance of cities is an important strategy for urban development, by utilizing them as central points of building orientation. Changes in the land use of GOS into other functions that have a negative impact on the urban environment have been widely studied by researchers, but not much research has been done on changes in land use around GOS which function as the central point of urban orientation. This research will examine changes in land use patterns around the Karebosi Field Complex GOS on a building plot unit scale using a survey research approach with descriptive analysis. The research was conducted in Makassar City, and data analysis was carried out in 2023. The GOS sample was selected through purposive sampling, the Karebosi Field Complex GOS was deliberately chosen as the research subject because of its area and optimal and dynamic activities, as a leading landmark that contributes to Makassar city branding. It was found that changes in land use based on building plot units, some of which have taken place three times, 89 percent of the land plots around GOS have changed function, all land function changes have become land with commercial functions, the two land plot units that have not changed function are Makassar District Court Office and Church Building. Centrifugal force occurs when government building land is pushed away from the city core and replaced by commercial building land as a manifestation of centripetal force which is attracted to enter the city core area and function as a central business district.

Abstract: The Air-front Smart City (ASC) concept is proposed to address the stagnation of industries in developed countries and stimulate economic growth in developing countries while maintaining a higher quality of life for people and contributing to decarbonization and overall United Nations SDGs in an existing study. However, no studies have been conducted to assess ASC policies. Therefore, this study integrates the integrated accessibility index into the quality of life (QOL) and quality of business (QOB) evaluation models to assess the startup ecosystem in Aichi, Singapore, and Munich within the ASC concept. The study uses survey data conducted in Aichi to estimate monetary values of QOL and QOB component indicators, calculates the integrated accessibility indices, and estimates QOL and QOB. Furthermore, the study sets scenarios to assess the impacts of living and business urban policies in Aichi. Additionally, the study using Aichi parameters compares the startup ecosystem in Singapore and Munich. The result shows that the key drivers of startup attraction are corporate tax rate, economic growth, and safety; enhancing these indicators directly increases startups' QOB, business partners, and residents' QOL. It was found that QOB in Singapore is comparatively higher, whereas QOL is higher in Aichi.

Abstract: Public rental housing in Aotearoa New Zealand is a safety net in a pressured housing market with often unaffordable rents. The needs and behaviours of public housing tenants may differ from more prosperous New Zealanders’. The present paper focuses on transport behaviours and preferences of this group, as part of a wider research programme (‘Public Housing and Urban Regeneration’) addressing tenant wellbeing and behaviour. Particular ways in which such tenants use transport are identified in Keall et al. [1]. To dig deeper on tenants’ transport patterns and access, and understand their willingness to reduce emissions, we surveyed 160 public housing tenants, via a mail-back questionnaire in mid-2023. The responses represented 66% of those approached. Key findings are that public housing tenants, while often using cars, especially as passengers, frequently use public transport (PT) (40% of respondents) and active transport (walking 68%; cycling 17%). However, tenants’ transport preferences are often unmet. For example, for everyday needs, 36% of respondents would prefer to use a car less; 42% said easily walkable access to shops or facilities would help in taking fewer car trips. Such findings from our survey suggest that housing providers, council planners and public transport operators should collaborate to make public rental housing as accessible as possible, locating new housing close to public and active transport facilities and shops; and recognising that tenants overwhelmingly see local easy access, including better PT, footpaths and cycle paths in their neighbourhood as making it easier to travel car-free, thereby reducing emissions.

Abstract: Territorial planning in Portugal requires the regular production of State of Territorial Planning Reports (Relatórios de Estado do Ordenamento do Território—REOT) to evaluate the implementation of planning instruments. However, these reports are traditionally produced manually as static documents, limiting their timeliness and effectiveness for decision-making. This study presents the development of an automated Planning Support System that enables the dynamic generation of REOT by integrating official spatial and statistical data. The system combines rule-based logic and artificial intelligence techniques to calculate and interpret territorial indicators, producing up-to-date reports on demand. A dashboard-based platform facilitates continuous monitoring of territorial conditions, supporting evidence-based decisions while maintaining institutional oversight and human validation. Application in the Portuguese context demonstrates that the system enhances consistency, transparency, and responsiveness in territorial planning. These results suggest a transition from episodic reporting to real-time, data-driven territorial monitoring, providing a scalable model for other national and regional planning contexts.

Abstract: The governance of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) has emerged as a critical issue for sustainable local development, particularly in cities where cultural vitality is large-ly community-driven but institutionally under-supported. This study examines the case of Kalamata, Greece, a medium-sized city with a dense network of community-based cultural associations, in order to analyse how ICH is governed in practice and how it contributes to social capital formation and sustainability outcomes. The research is based on 49 semi-structured interviews with representatives of 25 cultural associations and public or municipal bodies and employs qualitative thematic analysis. The findings demonstrate that cultural associations function as key governance actors at the com-munity level, generating strong bonding social capital through participation, informal education, and collective memory. At the same time, limited bridging and linking social capital constrain inter-organisational cooperation, institutional coordination, and the integration of ICH into long-term development strategies. The study identifies signifi-cant governance challenges, including fragmented policy frameworks, unstable fund-ing mechanisms, limited professional support, and weak participatory decision-making structures. By explicitly linking empirical findings to the Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDGs 4.7, 11.4, 16.7, and 17—the paper highlights the importance of participatory cultural governance and co-governance models for enhancing the sus-tainability of local cultural ecosystems. The article contributes to policy-oriented de-bates on cultural sustainability by providing evidence from a Mediterranean medi-um-sized city and by proposing governance-relevant directions for integrating com-munity-based ICH into sustainable local development planning.

Abstract: This article develops a typology of U.S. depopulating cities beyond the Rust Belt's iconic industrial cities, which dominate academic literature, to include a wider range of shrinking settlements in the shadows. Using population change from 1990–2020 and three explanatory dimensions—city size, industrial heritage, and peripheral location—the analysis identified 1,082 places that lost at least 10% of their population. Logistic regression showed manufacturing and mining reliance, small size, and remoteness as significant predictors of depopulation. Based on these factors, settlements are divided into seven types, from large urban centers to small peripheral towns with fewer than 5,000 people. The overwhelming predominance of small towns (97%) in the sample highlights their distinct development challenges and questions the narrative of decline focused solely on larger industrial cities. By situating American trajectories within the broader shrinking cities discourse, the findings demonstrate the value of typology as a methodological tool for identifying intra-group heterogeneity, capturing regional differences, and establishing a more reliable basis for comparative urban studies. Ultimately, the study shows that urban decline in the United States is not exclusively a Rust Belt phenomenon, but a multidimensional process encompassing different scales, sectors, and geographies.

Abstract: Municipal markets are increasingly recognized as vital infrastructures for contemporary urban challenges, rather than mere remnants of outdated cities. Within the frameworks of the circular economy and the 15-minute city, local markets facilitate daily food access, enhance neighborhood connectivity, and foster social interactions while optimizing material and organic resource flows to promote sustainable urban cycles.This article considers municipal markets as multifunctional urban infrastructure situated at the intersection of circular economy strategies, proximity-based urbanism, and governance models. Based on an extensive review of international scientific literature, it analyses how markets can support short food supply chains, waste reduction, neighbourhood accessibility and everyday sociability, while identifying important risks such as gentrification, touristification and functional decharacterisation. Special attention is given to governance arrangements, comparing public, private, community and hybrid models, and assessing their ability to balance economic viability with social and environmental objectives.The article proposes a hybrid governance structure based on public ownership but also involving participatory management, multifunctional programming, territorial integration and adaptive learning. It argues that, when properly governed, municipal markets can function as urban commons and strategic nodes within broader sustainability transition processes, contributing to more inclusive, resilient and proximity-oriented cities.

Abstract: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks are increasingly reshaping urban planning, real estate, and territorial governance. Originally conceived as corporate disclosure tools, ESG criteria are now influencing land use, regeneration strategies, and policy frameworks across Europe and beyond. This systematic review synthesizes 197 articles published between 2020 and 2025 to examine how ESG adoption translates into spatial, institutional, and governance outcomes. The findings show that ESG functions simultaneously as a financial instrument, a planning paradigm, and a governance mechanism. While it enables capital mobilization, climate resilience, and participatory innovation, it also risks reproducing socio- spatial inequities such as green gentrification, peripheral exclusion, and uneven infrastructure investment. Case studies from Florence, Cyprus, Russia, and broader European contexts demonstrate both methodological advances—such as spatiotemporal clustering, GIS-based analysis, and digital monitoring—and persistent gaps in regulatory frameworks, score reliability, and territorial integration. The paper contributes to planning scholarship by proposing an integrated framework that links ESG adoption to spatial justice, sustainable infrastructure, and multi-level governance. Policy implications emphasize the need to broaden ESG assessment to territorial indicators, embed safeguards against displacement, and align financial instruments with measurable social outcomes. Future research should advance geographic diversification, methodological innovation, and normative engagement with equity and resilience.

Abstract: Purpose This study aims to systematically analyze how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks have been integrated into the design, operation, and valuation of office buildings. In particular, it explores the interplay between green certification systems, employee well-being, governance practices, digital ESG monitoring, and the financial performance of ESG-aligned office investments. Design/methodology/approach Using the PRISMA 2020 methodology, a systematic literature review was conducted on peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2020 and 2025. A title-based query on Lens.org yielded 547 articles, of which 325 met inclusion criteria after two rounds of screening. Thematic analysis was employed to identify five major conceptual clusters Findings The review confirms that green certifications (e.g., LEED, BREEAM, WELL) are increasingly occupant-centric but often fall short of delivering consistent environmental outcomes without robust post-occupancy evaluation. Social sustainability literature underscores the role of workspace design, nature integration, and mental health strategies in supporting employee well-being. ESG reporting and governance practices remain fragmented, with limited employee voice, weak accountability mechanisms, and underdeveloped mobility reporting. Smart office studies highlight the convergence of IoT, AI, and human-centered design, while financial analyses reveal positive valuation effects and rental premiums for ESG-certified buildings, particularly in office sectors. However, methodological gaps and uneven adoption persist across contexts and disciplines. Originality/value This study provides one of the first interdisciplinary syntheses of ESG literature specifically focused on office buildings, combining insights from architecture, real estate, organizational behavior, and digital innovation.

Abstract: Open-air food markets have long functioned as key sites of food provision, social interaction, and local economic exchange in European cities. In recent decades, many of these markets have undergone significant transformation due to modernization-oriented urban regeneration. This study examines the transformation of Palilula Market in Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, from a traditional open-air market to a large, enclosed market complex, situating the analysis within the post-socialist urban context. Utilizing historical analysis, semi-structured interviews with vendors, and on-site observations, the research examines the impact of spatial reconfiguration on vendor livelihoods, economic practices, and social relations. The results demonstrate that, although the new indoor market has enhanced infrastructure, hygiene, and year-round usability, it has also led to higher rents, reduced stall capacity, increased competition, and stricter regulations. These developments have constrained small-scale vendors and diminished informal social interactions. This study expands the understanding of urban regeneration processes in post-socialist, neoliberal contexts by showing how market modernization shapes the inclusivity and socio-cultural significance of traditional urban markets.

Abstract: As a member state of ASEAN and the UN, Cambodia has adopted and implemented both regional and global urban agendas, resulting in various national urban initiatives, such as clean, green, sustainable, and smart cities. These different national initiatives confused urban researchers and stakeholders in Cambodia, including implementing agencies at the provincial and district levels. Hence, this paper explored this issue by addressing the questions: how has Cambodia defined sustainable urban development, and how have regional and global urban agendas influenced local implementations of sustainable urban planning, development, and management? For its analysis, this paper obtained data on clean, green, sustainable, and smart cities from the ministries of tourism, environment, urban planning, and interior, respectively. The findings revealed that Cambodia has defined sustainable urban development differently from time to time, as influenced by regional and global agendas. The following are the influential agendas from time to time: ASEAN ESC resulted in a clean city contest in 2012; GGGI Urban Green Growth resulted in a green city program in 2014; UN SDG11 resulted in a sustainable city framework in 2016; and ASEAN SCN resulted in a smart city network in 2018. Even though these different initiatives provided some benefits and opportunities for different sectors, this paper suggests consolidating them into one framework to reduce confusion at local implementations and linking their similar goals with budget plans or joint funding to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Abstract: Urban Green Space Per Capita (UGSPC) is one of the oldest and most widely applied indicators in urban planning, providing a measure of green areas in relation to the population size. Despite its century-long application and decades of research, no global systematic review has previously synthesized how UGSPC has been applied, interpreted, and evolved across different contexts. This study aims to fill that gap by conducting the first comprehensive systematic review, following PRISMA guidelines, examining the usage, trends, and effectiveness of UGSPC in both developed and developing countries. Thematic analysis revealed that most studies were published in journals focused on sustainability and environmental science. The results show a surge in publications following the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting a growing recognition of the importance of urban green spaces for public health and livability. Moreover, 67% of the studies were conducted in developing countries, while 30% of the publications were in developed countries. Higher UGSPC values are generally found in developed cities; however, this was not a rule. Time series studies showed a decline in UGSPC in some developed and developing countries, influenced by factors such as population density, urbanization stage, climate, and economic conditions. Although UGSPC is widely used, most municipalities typically develop their plans based on this measurement. 95% of the included research incorporated additional measurements, including accessibility, social equity, spatial patterns, ecological services, ecosystem benefits, and human health. This study suggests that UGSPC is still used as an indicator in urban planning and policy and integrating it with other indicators can serve as contemporary indicators to capture better equity, functionality, and sustainability in urban environments.