The growing need to mitigate the environmental impact of human activities has underscored the importance of biomaterials in sustainable architecture and construction. In this systematic review, advancements in bio-composite materials are consolidated and critically evaluated, emphasizing their thermal insulation properties and broader applications in sustainable building practices. Key aspects analyzed included morphology, internal structure, and thermal performance, along with supplementary insights into mechanical properties when available. The review focused on studies published between January and October 2024, sourced from the Scopus database and adhering to PRISMA guidelines. A keyword meta-analysis using VOSviewer (version 1.6.20) illustrated keyword co-occurrence trends. Methods for assessing bias included evaluating study design, data collection processes, and potential conflicts of interest, aligned with PRISMA standards. Significant findings revealed bio-composites achieving thermal conductivity values as low as 0.016 W/m·K, surpassing many traditional materials in insulation performance. Data from 48 studies, analysing 50 bio-composite materials, showed that 44% were optimized for thermal insulation and 40% for sub-structural applications. These materials also exhibit biodegradability and recyclability, critical attributes for sustainable construction. However, challenges such as scalability and durability remain as the key barriers to widespread adoption. In this review, the viability of bio-composites as sustainable alternatives to traditional materials is highlighted and research priorities are identified, particularly in scaling production technologies and enhancing durability testing methods, to advance their application in sustainable building practices.

Do scaling relations always provide the means to anticipate the relationships between the size of cities, costs of maintenance, and the socio-economic benefits resulting from their growth? Scaling laws are considered a universal principle that describes the development of complex systems such as cities. It seems that regardless of their location or history, the growth of cities is associated with the super-linear or sublinear scaling of features such as the amount of space required, infrastructure, or human activities. However, the results of our research, based on grouping by Self-Organizing Maps, reveal some limitations in the application of scaling laws: the trends of urban growth behave in a different manner when we consider both a large and diverse collection of cities and a subset of cities alike. This finding complements the existing body of knowledge on the growth of cities and allows for a more accurate prediction of their future.

The building industry contributes to the global environmental challenges; however, sustainable solutions provide opportunities for a relevant architectural response. It is the architect’s role to design with consideration of those issues and potential solutions. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the extent to which architecture graduates demonstrate their knowledge about sustainability principles. A total of 346 Bachelor’s and Master’s theses, defended at the Faculty of Architecture, Wrocław University of Science and Technology in 2023, were analysed in terms of Frequency of Occurrence of Sustainable Priority Areas distinguished based on key contemporary policies. In order to validate and compare the results, a baseline from projects submitted to a sustainable competition was prepared. The analysis revealed that only 40% of the examined theses addressed priority areas. An average difference of 56.6% in the Frequency of Occurrence of priority areas was noted between theses and competitions abstracts. Furthermore, tendencies within Frequency of Occurrence of sustainability priorities, as well as formal requirements of the Polish higher education system, were identified and reviewed. Based on all findings, preliminary diagnoses and respective recommendations were proposed. This study is a foundation for further research on architecture graduates’ readiness to tackle environmental challenges within architecture.

The building industry contributes to the global environmental challenges, however sustainable solutions provide opportunities for a relevant architectural response. It’s the architect’s role to design with consideration of those issues and potential solutions. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the extent to which architecture graduates demonstrate their knowledge about sustainability principles. 346 Bachelor's and Master's theses, defended at the Faculty of Architecture, Wrocław University of Science and Technology in 2023, were analysed in terms of frequency of occurrence of sustainable priority areas distinguished based on key contemporary policies. In order to validate and compare the results, a baseline from projects submitted to sustainable competition was prepared. The analysis revealed that only 40% of the examined theses addressed priority areas. An average difference of 56.6% in the frequency of occurrence of priority areas was noted between theses and competitions abstracts. Furthermore, tendencies within frequency of occurrence of sustainability priorities, as well as formal requirements of the Polish higher education system, were identified and reviewed. Based on all findings, preliminary diagnoses and respective recommendations were proposed. This study is a foundation for further research on architecture graduates’ readiness to tackle environmental challenges within architecture.

Building performance simulations often rely on standardised meteorological datasets, which may not accurately reflect urban microclimates. This study highlights the complexity of temperature dynamics near buildings influenced by multiple factors. A static correction factor is unfeasible for adjusting meteorological data from suburban stations to city centres. To address this, air temperature variability in different urban locations was analysed using data from a city-centre weather station, 32 facade-mounted sensors and thermographic imaging. The selected locations for analysis are representative of approximately 25% of the housing stock in Wrocław, Poland. This was compared with standard meteorological data from Wrocław II, located at an airport. These analyses formed the basis for developing a predictive machine-learning model to account for thermal variability based on building type, location, facade orientation and facade materials. Focusing on the summer period to assess nocturnal cooling potential, the model achieved high accuracy, with R2 > 0.93 in training and 0.92 in validation. These findings underscore the need for microclimate-informed meteorological adjustments in building simulations. Practice relevance Implementing corrections to outdoor temperature in urban environments can significantly enhance the accuracy of energy modelling, particularly for natural ventilation strategies addressing urban overheating. However, due to the complexity of temperature dynamics near buildings, defining a single static correction factor for climate parameters such as temperature is unlikely to be effective. Analysis indicates that even multiple regression approaches result in correction factors that are difficult to apply in practice. Adjustments must be determined separately for facade orientation, building height, external wall structure and urban location. The proposed method enables the generation of dynamic, high-spatial-resolution temperature data, incorporating facade orientation and specific building floor heights. These refined datasets can be used to adjust meteorological station measurements, improving the accuracy of simulations. When applied to a typical meteorological year dataset, this approach may offer a way to better represent thermal variability in urban environments, supporting more context-sensitive building-energy modelling.