By the end of the 20th century, the influence of economic globalization had impacted many aspects of society, including in particular cultural heritage. Additionally, economic globalization has brought a ‘compression’ of the cultures of different ethnic groups and regions around the world. Due to the loss of cultural confidence and economic benefits, many historical areas with cultural and social significance are no longer protected and valued. If this deficit is to be addressed, then the evaluation of heritage value is an important step in establishing effective conservation policies. China’s Grand Canal is a case in point. The loss of historical culture in the past 30 years, often due to the increasing numbers of both large and small developments, has given rise to the forfeit and distortion of many historically significant areas of China’s Grand Canal towns and cities. This research proposes a qualitative and quantitative methodology to develop a comprehensive assessment model of social value with respect to heritage value. The methodology selected conceptual framework, and questionnaire surveys as major approaches to the development of the research and is applied to the Grand Canal towns of Nanyang, Wuzhen, Tongli and Nanxun. The conceptual framework is used to establish the indicators and hypotheses for the evaluation of social value in order to develop a comprehensive assessment model for sustainable heritage management.

As climate change intensifies, urban populations face growing threats from frequent and severe heatwaves, underscoring the urgent need for advanced risk assessment frameworks to inform adaptation strategies. This systematic review synthesizes methodological innovations in urban heatwave risk assessment (2007–2024), analyzing 259 studies through bibliometric analysis (CiteSpace 6.4.R1) and multi-criteria evaluation. We propose the hazard–exposure–vulnerability–adaptability (HEVA) framework, an extension of Crichton’s risk triangle that integrates dynamic adaptability metrics and supports high-resolution spatial analysis for urban heatwave risk assessment. Our systematic review reveals three key methodological gaps: (1) Inconsistent indicator selection across studies; (2) limited analysis of microclimatic variations; (3) sparse integration of IoT- or satellite-based monitoring. The study offers practical solutions for enhancing assessment accuracy, including refined weighting methodologies and high-resolution spatial analysis techniques. We conclude by proposing a research agenda that prioritizes interdisciplinary approaches—bridging urban planning, climate science, and public health—while advocating for policy tools that address spatial inequities in heat risk exposure. These insights advance the development of more precise, actionable assessment systems to support climate-resilient urban development.

Road infrastructure is a vital constituent element in the transportation network; however, roadway surface ice and snow accumulation leads to huge traffic accidents in winter. Geothermal roadway energy systems (GRES) and solar roadway energy systems (SRES) can increase or decrease roadway surface temperature for the de-icing and removal of snow in winter, or mitigation of heat in summer. Technology performance and economic evaluation of the GRES and SRES are reviewed in this paper based on numerical and economic models, and experimental analyses. Three crucial aspects of the technology performance assessment, i.e., roadway surface temperature, energy consumption and key factors, are explored in different regions and countries. Economic evaluation approaches for net present values and payback periods of the GRES and SRES are investigated. The recommendations and potential future developments on the two technologies are deliberated; it is demonstrated that the GRES and SRES could increase roadway surface temperature by around 5 °C in winter and decrease it by about 6 °C in summer, with the payback periods of 4 to 8 years and 2.3 to 5 years, respectively.

With the continuous progress of urbanization, contemporary scholars are increasingly focusing their attention on the study of urban microclimates. This research aims to investigate the relationship between urban morphology and microclimates in regions characterized by hot summers and cold winters. Environmental meteorological data, including temperature, solar radiation, and wind speed during the spring and summer seasons, were collected through on-site monitoring in a specific area of Shanghai. Various methods, such as on-site surveys and drone photography, were employed to obtain and analyze a range of urban morphological parameters, including floor area ratio (FAR) and greenery ratio (GnPR). The sky view factor (SVF) was determined using a fisheye lens technique. Subsequently, the collected datasets were analyzed to assess the varying impact of distinct urban morphological factors on microclimates. The findings indicate a significant correlation between different building morphology factors and temperature and solar radiation during spring, while their associations with wind speed become more prominent in summer. Notably, greenery and pavement demonstrate stronger correlations with temperature and radiation in summer, aligning with the seasonal growth patterns of plants. These research findings provide both a theoretical foundation and practical guidelines for the urban design of environmental microclimates.

The Qingdao Exchange Building, built in the 1920s, is the largest products and stock exchange building in modern Shandong. In addition to being a historical witness to the economic development of Qingdao over the last 100 years, it has also been a historical scene of cultural exchanges between China and the West after the opening up of China in the early 20th century. After several changes in the building’s property rights, the building was out of use for a long period of time, with a large number of materials and structures being damaged. The present authors participated in a feasibility study project on the conservation and restoration of the Qingdao Exchange Building. The objective of the present study was achieved through several qualitative methods, including the collection and analysis of historical files, analysis of historical maps and photos, investigation and research of historical information, comparative analysis, and others. Through the value research and technical analysis of the Qingdao Exchange Building, the historical, artistic, and scientific values of architectural heritage were investigated in the present study, and rehabilitation strategies and methods were explored. Additionally, the spread of certain characteristics of Western architectural culture in China in the early modern times was investigated based on the present case.

Solar photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) technology is the main strategy for harvesting solar energy due to its non-polluting, stability, good visibility and security features. The aim of the project is to develop a mathematical model of a PV/T module integrated with optical filtration and MXene-enhanced PCM. In this system, a single MXene-enhanced PCM layer is attached between the PV panel and absorber pipe with solid MXene-PCM for storage and cooling purposes. Additionally, the thermal fluid is utilized in the copper absorber pipe and connected to the heat pump system for enhancing system thermal and electrical efficiency. Furthermore, the influences of the optical filtration channel height, concentration of the nanoparticles on PV surface temperature and overall system efficiency are also discussed. This study demonstrates that the annual thermal and electrical energy output can reach 5370 kWh per annum with 74.92% of thermal efficiency and 5620 kWh with 14.65% of electrical efficiency, respectively, compared to the traditional PV/T module. Meanwhile, when the optical filtration channel height and volume concentration are enhanced, they exert a negative influence on the PV surface temperature, but the overall thermal efficiency is enhanced due to low thermal resistance to heat losses and low radiation-shielding layers.