Nature-based solutions (NBS) can protect, manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems. They are a multidisciplinary, integrated approach to address societal challenges and some natural hazards effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. NBS applications can be easily noticed in circular cities, establishing an urban system that is regenerative and accessible. This paper aims to offer a review on NBS for urban water management from the literature and some relevant projects running within the COST Action ‘Implementing nature-based solutions for creating a resourceful circular city’. The method used in the study is based on a detailed tracking of specific keywords in the literature using Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, ScienceDirect and Scopus. Based on this review, three main applications were identified: (i) flood and drought protection; (ii) the water-food-energy nexus; and (iii) water purification. The paper shows that NBS provide additional benefits, such as improving water quality, increasing biodiversity, obtaining social co-benefits, improving urban microclimate, and the reduction of energy consumption by improving indoor climate. The paper concludes that a systemic change to NBS should be given a higher priority and be preferred over conventional water infrastructure.

Urban ageing is an emerging domain that deals with the population of older people living in cities. The ageing of society is a positive yet challenging phenomenon, as population ageing and urbanisation are the culmination of successful human development. One could argue whether the city environment is an ideal place for people to grow old and live at an old age compared to rural areas. This viewpoint article explores and describes the challenges that are encountered when making cities age-friendly in Europe. Such challenges include the creation of inclusive neighbourhoods and the implementation of technology for ageing-in-place. Examples from projects in two age-friendly cities in The Netherlands (The Hague) and Poland (Cracow) are shown to illustrate the potential of making cities more tuned to the needs of older people and identify important challenges for the next couple of years. Overall, the global ageing of urban populations calls for more age-friendly approaches to be implemented in our cities. It is a challenge to prepare for these developments in such a way that both current and future generations of older people can benefit from age-friendly strategies.

Laser scanning 3D technology is gaining prominence in Architecture, Engineering and Construction, aiming to organize space and shape the human environment. Main advantages of laser scanning, such as efficiency, high accuracy and precision, low time consumption, safety, and non-invasiveness, provide technological support for sustainable development goals. Obtaining a point cloud using laser scanning and creating 3D models allows producing a highly detailed computer image of a measuring facility. The resulting spatial model of the building makes it possible to prepare inventory documentation, conduct construction analyses, and widely support technical facility management. The use of detailed data about a single building is becoming possible to enrich BIM (Building Information Modelling) or GEOBIM (geospatial environment with BIM). The present paper discusses the measurement and modelling of buildings using both terrestrial laser scanning. As an auxiliary method, close-range photogrammetry was carried out from an unmanned aerial vehicle. For this purpose, models were created of three facilities located in Poland. Particular attention was drawn to analysing potential errors in mapping. Direct geometry measurements were performed, and statistical analyses, deviations of actual lengths were specified. The results obtained have indicated that the measurement accuracy of existing buildings and its digital model is better than ±1 cm.