The global rapid urbanization intensifies environmental challenges related to climate change, such as air pollution and the urban heat island (UHI) effect in built environments. The need to optimize nature-based solutions (NBSs) is imperative to mitigate climate change and adapt to extreme weather phenomena. Against this background, this review offers an analysis regarding the integration of vertical greenery systems (VGSs) into urban environments so as to capitalize on their environmental, social, and economic benefits. Key aspects of the review include the positive role of VGSs in UHI mitigation, air quality improvement, stormwater management, and biodiversity enhancement, while examining social aspects (i.e., improved well-being and mental health, noise reduction, and urban built aesthetics). Finally, parameters related to economic benefits and energy efficiency are assessed. The submission further analyses the significant challenges that VGSs face, such as high maintenance costs, structural risks, plant health issues, fire hazards, and other limitations (legislative and technical). The crucial need for interdisciplinary collaborations among urban planners, architects, environmental engineers, and stakeholders is highlighted, in order to successfully integrate VGSs into urban buildings. Thus, this paper aims to identify key strategies for optimizing VGSs’ implementation and provide valuable insights for policymakers and researchers aiming to enhance urban sustainability through vertical greening.

The European building stock is aging and needs renovation. Holistic renovation approaches, including Vertical Forest (VF) systems, are emerging as sustainable alternatives to demolition and reconstruction. This paper reviews and defines missing reliable damage and hazard intensity measures for the holistic renovation of existing reinforced concrete (RC) buildings with VF systems. Based on an extensive literature review and preliminary studies, including empirical multiparametric system evaluation assessments, Monte Carlo simulations, and System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA), combined structural, non-structural, vegetation, and human comfort components are examined. Key damage indicators are identified, including interstory drift ratio, residual deformation, concrete and reinforcement strains/stresses, and energy dissipation, and their applicability to VF-integrated structures are evaluated. Green modifications are found to have higher risk profiles than traditional RC buildings (mean scores from Monte Carlo method: 9.72/15–11.41/15 vs. 9.47/15), with moisture management and structural integrity as critical concerns. The paper advances the understanding of hazard intensity measures for seismic, wind, and rainfall impacts. The importance of AI-driven vegetation monitoring systems with 80–99% detection accuracy is highlighted. It is concluded that successful VF renovation requires specialized design codes, integrated monitoring systems, standardized maintenance protocols, and enhanced control systems to ensure structural stability, environmental efficiency, and occupant safety.

This study investigates how future climate change will influence urban microclimates in Athens, Greece, focusing on two representative districts classified as Local Climate Zones (LCZ2 and LCZ3). Using the ENVI-met model, microclimate simulations were conducted to assess projected air temperature variations under moderate (Representative Concentration Pathways RCP4.5) and high (RCP8.5) emission scenarios for mid- and late-century conditions. The analysis reveals a consistent warming trend across both districts, with average air temperature increases of approximately 2–3 °C by mid-century and up to 4.5 °C by the end of the century. Morphological characteristics were found to significantly affect thermal behavior: areas with wider street canyons exhibited higher temperatures due to increased solar exposure, whereas shaded inner courtyards remained relatively cooler. The study’s novelty lies in its integration of high-resolution urban microclimate modeling with climate scenario analysis for a Mediterranean metropolis, a combination seldom explored in previous research. The findings underline the importance of incorporating urban morphology into climate adaptation planning, supporting the design of low-carbon and thermally resilient urban forms in densely built environments.

Heading towards sustainability and nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs), the main obstacle that needs to be overcome is the energy consumption of the existing building stock accounting for 40% of the global energy consumption. Therefore, the main target of the European Union is the reduction of the buildings’ energy consumption, achieved by efficient and clean energy consumption for heating and cooling as well as by designing smarter buildings, with improved appliances and insulation materials. In this line of approach, new construction typologies are being developed focusing on decreased energy consumption. As part of the IF-ZEB research project, a family of intelligent facades are being established, based on innovative coating materials and the integration of ventilated facades in existing and new buildings, towards the vision of nZEBs. Scope of this paper is the detailed presentation of the constructed ventilated facades with innovative final coating materials along with their implementation to the Conservatory of Thessaloniki.

Climate change is expected to intensify heat stress in the following years, especially in Mediterranean cities. This paper assesses the microclimatic conditions prevailing in two urban districts of Athens under different climate change scenarios and evaluates the effects of street trees as a nature-based solution. Two study areas, representing Local Climate Zones LCZ2 and LCZ3, are modelled with ENVI-met V5 under three time periods, historical baseline (1980–2000) and two future periods (2040–2060 and 2080–2099) and in view of two climate change scenarios, RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. Climate data derived from dynamically downscaling high-resolution RegCM4 outputs for both LCZ areas. Typical winter and summer days are simulated and air temperature (Tair) is studied on the pedestrian level. Both LCZs show significant warming, with RCP 8.5 being the most critical scenario and Tair rising by up to 4.5 °C, during summer midday, towards the end of the century. As a subsequent step, tree planting scenarios, derived from urban geometry, shading and sidewalk constraints, were tested. The densest tree pattern results in mean Tair reduction by up to 0.79 °C. The study suggests that morphology-based street greening in different LCZ typologies can alleviate future heat stress and reduce thermal peaks in summer to support climate-resilient design in dense Mediterranean urban districts.