Modern environmental protection standards have a direct impact on the construction and shaping of public space. Designers are increasingly reaching for materials produced via recycling technologies. Waste materials are more readily adopted and used in urban planning and architecture. Current projects in this area are being increasingly designed to meet the requirements of the circular economy, which is facilitated by the reuse of once-used components. The aim of the study is to review research papers in the Scopus database (bibliometric analysis) and other selected materials applied in construction, which are recycled and used again in various ways in the construction of subsequent buildings. The results show various application possibilities of recycled materials in construction. The study draws attention to the fact that the use of recycled materials in modern construction is becoming more and more effective, which may contribute to increasing the share of the circular economy in the implementation process related to this subject.

A Carbon Footprint (CF) is defined as the total emissions of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, and is a specific type of Environmental Footprint that measures human impact on the environment. Carbon dioxide emissions are a major contributor to anthropogenic greenhouse gases driving climate change. Wood, as a renewable and ecological material, has relatively low carbon emissions. The study aimed to review and analyze the criteria influencing the feasibility of constructing modern zero-carbon wooden buildings. The review was conducted in two phases: (i) a literature review and (ii) an assessment of existing buildings. The preliminary research led to (i) narrowing the focus to the years 2020–2024 and (ii) identifying key criteria for analysis: sustainable material sourcing, carbon sequestration, energy efficiency, life cycle assessment (LCA), and innovative construction practices. The study’s findings indicate that all these criteria play a vital role in the design and construction of new zero-carbon wooden buildings. They highlight the significant potential of wood as a renewable material in achieving zero-carbon buildings (ZCBs), positioning it as a compelling alternative to traditional construction materials. However, the research also underscores that despite wood’s numerous potential benefits, its implementation in ZCBs faces several challenges, including social, regulatory, and financial barriers.

When designing public spaces in large cities, a number of functional, communication, compositional, infrastructural, environmental and compositional factors should be taken into account, most of which relate to water elements. The appropriate location and form of water elements significantly affect the attractiveness and strengthening of the identity of places in cities. Fountains, artificial and natural urbanized watercourses, artistic installations and sculptures, as well as nature-based solutions that utilize water designed in public spaces significantly increase the social and aesthetic value of public spaces. The main aim of the presented research is to present a spectrum of solutions for water elements in public spaces of cities. The summary part describes guidelines and recommendations regarding the principles of designing the locations of fountains, watercourses and artistic objects that utilize water in public spaces in cities.

The Erasmus+ AESOP4Food (2021-2024), aimed to develop future leadership in sustainable food planning, to contribute to food security, food jus-tice, and healthier environments. During the summer 2022 an Intensive Program took place in Madrid. International and multidisciplinary teams had to explore options to reduce the vulnerability of the food system and to ensure accessibility to healthy and sustainable food for everyone, regardless of their purchasing power. This book explains the pedagogical methodology applied and the results achieved. The workshop focused on the po-tential for improving the sustainability of the local food system: addressing the governance and spatial implications of sustainable production and the cross-relations to nature protection and envi-ronmental/landscape quality in urban fringe areas.