In response to the challenge of atmospheric pollution posed by growing environmental problems, this study reviews and analyzes the research status and development trends of green infrastructure (GI) in improving air pollution from 2014 to 2024. Using the CiteSpace tool, we explore research hotspots, disciplinary developments, significant contributors, and influential literature in this field, identifying current research gaps and predicting future trends. The findings indicate that GI significantly impacts the reduction of air pollution, the regulation of urban microclimates, and the enhancement of ecosystem services. However, existing studies often focus on isolated aspects and lack comprehensive assessments. Moreover, the research trajectory in this field shows a declining trend. Future research should emphasize interdisciplinary integration, combining ecology, urban planning, meteorology, and public health. By utilizing advanced technologies, such as drones, remote sensing, AI, and big data analysis, we can improve data accuracy and the generalizability of research findings. Additionally, it is crucial to consider the performance of GI under different climatic conditions and socio-economic contexts to comprehensively quantify its overall benefits in terms of air quality, urban thermal comfort, public health, and economic impact. This comprehensive approach will provide a scientific basis for policy-making and urban planning.

Building information modeling (BIM) is acknowledged for enhancing efficiency and collaboration in the construction industry. However, its application in the construction phase of railway projects faces challenges. This study, utilizing quantitative and qualitative analyses, explores the advantage of BIM consulting services in the railway infrastructure projects. A comparative analysis of similar-scale projects shows that BIM significantly boosts construction efficiency, yielding a 197.6% economic benefit in pilot projects. This study also delves into the BIM application environment in railway construction. Our findings provide valuable insights into BIM’s advantages and challenges, emphasizing the need for further research. The results will contribute to advancing railway infrastructure and promoting BIM’s application, aiding decision makers and practitioners in understanding its potential contributions to a more efficient and sustainable industry.

Challenges caused by the care of the ageing population in many countries are becoming increasingly severe. However, high expenditures on healthcare services and the cost of infrastructure construction will be an unbearable burden for both the government and individuals. Due to its security, convenience, and lower prices compared with traditional medical care, smart home technology, which includes information and communication technologies (ICTs), artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT), can reduce the care burden. While smart home studies targeting older adults have increased, systematic analysis of these studies is lacking. CiteSpace enables rapid clustering and visualisation of the literature using scientific diagrams, exhibiting the results more comprehensibly. This analysis of academic research published within the last decade (from 2012 to 2023) through a scientometric approach can help to understand the historical variations, the latest technologies and emerging trends, and the research clusters that have emerged related to the study of smart homes for the elderly (SHFTE). The study results showed that recent research mainly centres on IoT for home automation and home-based healthcare, including wearable device applications and information security analysis. Research trends regarding SHFTE have focused primarily on developing and updating smart technologies based on the IoT, sensors, and related home monitoring. Therefore, greater emphasis must be placed on connecting smart homes and intelligent buildings with communities and societies, developing the potential of smart communities, and investigating the application of smart integration to the home and community in cities.

Place-making is recognized for its significant role in enhancing community cohesion, preserving cultural heritage, and promoting environmental sustainability. In recent years, place-making has garnered increasing attention as a multidisciplinary research topic from scholars in various fields. However, despite the increasing amount of research, systematic reviews and analyses of existing studies remain relatively scarce. Therefore, this study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric overview of the field of place-making through bibliometric and visualization analyses. We used CiteSpace for data analysis and visualization, focusing on the most influential articles, journals, countries, research categories, keywords, and themes in this field. The results indicate a significant increase in publications on placemaking since 2013. Major research institutions are concentrated in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Research hotspots are centered around “city”, “politics”, and “place-making”, among others. Current research is primarily categorized into four core themes: Urban Design and Public Space, Social Participation and Cultural Identity, Economic Development and Environmental Sustainability, and Governance, Policy, and Community Development. The research trajectory in this field shows trends of diversification and integration. Future research should emphasize interdisciplinary integration, combining urban planning, digital technology, and sociology.

The evolution of university libraries from traditional knowledge bases to dynamic, multifunctional learning environments has attracted widespread attention in higher education research. This study, as a scientometric review, focuses on the combination of library space design and informal learning space, making up for the fragmented status of existing research and proposing specific design recommendations for university library space design from the perspective of informal learning space. The study used CiteSpace6.2r7 software to analyze 1434 articles from 1973 to 2024 in the Web of Science Core Collection. The analysis identified key research trends, keyword clusters, and thematic connections, confirming the importance of studying university library space design from the perspective of informal learning space. The review also explored how libraries should promote structured academic work and autonomous collaborative learning through space design by proposing design strategies by studying the symbiotic relationship between library space design and informal learning. This study provides a structured framework for the development of future library spaces and provides important reference information for optimizing learning environments to meet the changing needs of students and educators.

As railway infrastructure projects become increasingly complex, the potential of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology to enhance project efficiency and management has garnered significant attention. This paper analyzes the quantitative and qualitative benefits of BIM in the design and construction stages of railway development projects through case studies and compares its effectiveness in these two phases. The results indicate that BIM primarily benefits the design stage by reducing design errors and optimizing processes to save costs and time, averaging cost savings of USD 41,000 and a reduction of 49 days in project duration. In the construction stage, the impact of BIM is even more pronounced, reflected in reduced rework, dynamic resource management, and shortened project timelines, leading to savings of USD 710,795 and a reduction of 89 to 104.5 days in project duration. The 3D modeling and real-time information-sharing capabilities of BIM significantly enhance cross-departmental collaboration efficiency and information transparency, minimizing rework caused by communication issues and greatly optimizing project management and execution. This study shows that BIM can lay the groundwork for construction during the design phase and further improve project management efficiency during the construction phase.