As the climate changes globally and locally, the built environment will be subject to different climatic exposure than in the past. Adaptation measures are required to ensure the long-term integrity and successful operation of the built environment. This study examines literature on climate adaptation measures for buildings through a scoping literature review. It is centered around the main journals in the field of climate adaptation of the built environment, then expanded to map the extent of scientific publications about climate adaptation in general. Studies that regard future climate scenarios have been of particular interest. The majority of the identified literature concerns climate change impacts on buildings in warm climates, with overheating being seen as the greatest challenge. Additionally, few empirical studies are found; most identified research is based on computer simulations or literature reviews. The volume of research on the consequences of climate change on buildings in cold regions is surprisingly small, considering the pecuniary stakes involved. The predictions of climate scenarios suggest regulatory/policy measures on climate adaptation should be taken as quickly as possible to avoid greater costs in the future. However, further research into future scenarios is also essential.

Green and blue-green roofs are emerging as an increasingly popular feature of rooftops, particularly in urban areas. Particular problematic conditions render their usage complex in the Nordic countries. In order to ensure that green roofs are built durable and with the service life expected of them, it is important to know all the relevant factors surrounding their construction and operation. A scoping study was conducted in order to gain an overview on green roof research and available scientific literature. One hundred articles of particular interest for Nordic climates were retrieved and their findings summarized. It is found that the vast majority of green roof research has been conducted on a theoretical basis, or with practical measurements on green roof test beds or isolated components. There is scarcely any literature on the operation of full-scale, building-implemented green roofs, and no articles were found on the building technical performance of aged green roofs. These knowledge gaps indicate a major risk factor in green roof operation, as their performance and integrity over time has not been documented. This despite the fact that green roofs have been implemented and in operation worldwide for decades.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe how the concepts of business models and project governance can enhance value creation in building projects.Design/methodology/approach: Based on theory derived from management literature, the authors outline a framework combining a project’s business case and governance functions with the business model of the design team. This was tested in two major projects and evaluated in three expert workshops.Findings: The research reveals that the business model of the design team focus on efficiency rather than on the client’s strategic objectives. This entails a need for project governance functions. The framework presented shows promising capability of aligning the project with client strategy. The authors believe there is significant value in transferring these ideas and knowledge across national boundaries.Practical implications: The research identifies a gap between business objectives and outcome. The value creation approach in the client organisation diminishes into the way project governance is implemented in some projects. The conceptual framework provides the industry with a new tool for improving its knowledge and practice.Originality/value: First governance model derived from strategy theory that combines strategy and governance in one holistic model.

Trust is a prerequisite in all endeavours concerning uncertainty and interdependencies. By studying the development of a sustainable, high performing building this paper report on such an endeavour. The client implemented a collaborative project delivery method where key actors were brought together to collaboratively develop the project in the design phase. For the participants to collaborate, and thus work as a high-performance team, there was a need for trust. Therefore, this study addresses the following research questions: what was perceived as the key elements for building trust in this project? and, how did the key elements impact the trust-building in this project? The study is based on observations of weekly design meetings (so-called Big-Room sessions), as well as secondary data from a document study, and a supplementary questionnaire. Trust was essential as the participants were able to rely on each other’s expertise and work interdependently towards a common goal. The most prominent elements that affected trust were the start-up seminar, team composition, shared interest, support from management, joint problem solving, and the use of integrated concurrent engineering. These elements built and sustained trust due to their ability to create or positively impact the experiences, problem-solving, shared goals, reciprocity, and reasonable behaviour of the project team. The insight into how the collaborative project delivery method build trust may be valuable for practitioners and researchers alike.

This paper provides an overview of the current state of research on the evaluation methods of participatory processes in smart cities. Specifically, it aims to identify and analyze existing evaluation methods and frameworks for public participation (PP) in smart city development. The study focuses on the evaluation of participatory processes to find key indicators and enable an assessment of PP from multiple perspectives. A scoping literature review was conducted to analyze the past ten years of scientific literature on the topic. Relevant literature was retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, and articles were selected based on a set of criteria to ensure quality and relevance. We found that digital participation, also known as “e-participation”, is the most used method either exclusively or mixed with in-person methods. The level of participation achieved was mostly limited to the first two degrees of PP (i.e., information and consultation), and only a few papers addressed the highest degrees (i.e., agenda-setting and co-management). The impact on participants was mostly related to knowledge and skills, awareness raising, and satisfaction with the process and method. This paper highlights the potential to upskill citizens and enhance their understanding of sustainable urban development, fostering their commitment to achieving the United Nations’ sustainability goals for climate change mitigation in the urban context.