Multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary collaboration (TDC) continue to address complex societal problems such as sustainable development, global environmental change, and public health challenges. Nature-based design (NBD) methods including biomimicry, biomorphism, biophilia, bio-utilization and zoomorphism are essential for the design of the sustainable built environment (SBE). Currently, there is no transdisciplinary collaboration framework (TCF) to support the NBD of the SBE. The first step to fill this gap is through systematically exploring the applications of multidisciplinary research (MDR) in building design and by conducting a case study on the challenges to the MDR in the application of NBD methods for the SBE in the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Science at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. The systematic literature review and the survey results of academics on MDR collaboration showed a lack of transdisciplinary research (TDR) due to limited communication between disciplines. The research findings showed a lack of communication between academia and the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry to advance NBD innovations for the SBE. The findings indicated that a TCF for research on NBD is needed to support knowledge exchange within academia and with industry for reducing the negative impacts of the building industry. Findings from the current research and future research will be used to develop and test a general TCF and then to develop a TCF for the NBD of the SBE aligned with the RIBA Plan of Work.

Complex societal problems cannot be resolved without transdisciplinary research (TDR). Currently, there is no focused communication platform or commonly shared research framework for conducting TDR. The current study is a continuation of the exploration of collaborations in multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and TDR to identify ideas that could contribute to developing and testing a general framework for conducting TDR. The systematic literature review in this study discovered three main themes (TDR initiation, TDR management, and transdisciplinary knowledge exchange). These themes formed three phases of a general framework for conducting TDR. The novelty of the presented phased general framework for conducting TDR relates to the type of learning and outputs that are required at the end of each related action of all associated stages of the three phases to enable all participants to participate in TDR. The logical sequence of these actions and associated stages and phases were verified through a survey of academics and industry professionals internationally. The findings evidenced that improved communication between academics and industry professionals can respond to complex societal problems such as sustainable development, global environmental change, and environmental crises. The findings of the current research will enable the development of a transdisciplinary collaboration framework (TCF) for the nature-based design (NBD) of sustainable buildings aligned with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Plan of Work.

Urbanisation in the context of climate change and rapid population growth presents an urgent need for innovative and sustainable urban planning. This study introduces the Green Blueprint, an original, spatially grounded, and evidence-informed conceptual framework designed to systematically embed ecosystem services into the planning, governance, and design of resilient and equitable cities in the United Kingdom. Unlike existing research that typically treats Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) as a discrete intervention or evaluates its benefits in isolation, the Green Blueprint integrates cross-sectoral governance, multifunctional land use, and participatory planning into a coherent, scalable model for urban resilience. Developed through a qualitative, interpretivist methodology and critical documentary analysis of secondary data including policy documents, academic literature, and case studies from London, Manchester, and Sheffield, this framework highlights how embedding ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, stormwater management, biodiversity enhancement, and public health into the urban fabric can support long-term climate adaptation and social equity. Rather than serving as a review, this paper advances a novel theoretical contribution through empirical synthesis and thematic cross-case comparison. It further identifies enabling governance structures and implementation pathways to support policy innovation and practical application. This study contributes a transferable planning template for cities aiming to achieve systemic UGI integration, offering clear value for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers engaged in sustainable urban development in the Anthropocene.

Climate change, urbanization, and socio-economic inequality are increasing the severity of urban challenges, emphasizing the imperative for a resilient built environment. Yet, architectural education has lagged in adopting resilience principles into its central curricula. This paper critiques dominant pedagogical paradigms and identifies shortcomings in interdisciplinary collaboration, digital tool adoption, and practical problem-solving. Moving its focus from local to international best practices for resilience, the study extracts key dimensions for learning architecture and explores case studies in leading schools that reflect pioneering, resilience-centric pedagogies. The findings highlight the importance of scenario-based learning, participatory design, and the use of technologies like AI, GIS, and digital twins to strengthen resilience. The article also explores how policy reformulation, accreditation mandates, and cross-sector collaborations can enforce the institutionalization of resilience education. It demands a pedagogical shift toward climate adaptation design studios, inter/transdisciplinary methods, and technological skills. The study ends with action guidelines for teachers, policymakers, and industry professionals who want to ensure that architectural education becomes responsive to resilient urban futures.

The paper aims to understand the combination of biomimicry and the BREEAM category of energy to identify innovative solutions for sustainable architecture and sustainable urbanism. It purposes to find similarities between biomimicry and the BREEAM category of energy by selecting and analyzing literature. The study aims to indicate potential applications of biomimicry, and the BREEAM category of energy focused on building design. The main question of this research is to discover how biomimicry and the BREEAM category of energy could combine to identify innovative solutions to address sustainable architecture and sustainable urbanism? The research required a systematic literature review for identifying, collecting, and analyzing relevant studies. JSTOR, Science Direct, and Microsoft Academic were used as repositories and led to the identification of 3855 studies. After screening, eligibility, and inclusion, 39 studies were included in the systematic literature review. More studies discussed sustainable architecture and required classification through subthemes: biomimetic design and associated principles; building skin; integrated framework; designing with BREEAM. The paper provides insight into biomimetic design approaches and energy management combining to ensure sustainability ranging from a building to an urban environment. The chosen research method causes the research results to lack generalizability since it does not associate with other BREEAM categories such as health and wellbeing, innovation, land use, materials, management, pollution, transport, waste, and water. The research fulfills the need to study the combination of biomimicry and one of the BREEAM categories to identify innovative solutions for sustainable architecture and sustainable urbanism.

Architectural education has increasingly engaged with the Circular Economy (CE); however, integration remains largely material-centric, emphasising life-cycle accounting, efficiency, and design for disassembly, while social, cultural, and governance dimensions are underrepresented. This study introduces the Circular Commons Framework, which repositions circularity as a collective, participatory, and socio-spatial practice. Using a qualitative comparative case study methodology, five international cases were analysed through eight dimensions spanning technical CE strategies and pedagogical approaches. Cross-case synthesis reveals convergent patterns around multi-scalar systems thinking, transdisciplinary collaboration, and stakeholder engagement. Nonetheless, persistent gaps emerged across cases, including those related to elective-based delivery, weak assessment infrastructure, and underdeveloped social equity dimensions. The Circular Commons Framework comprises four empirically grounded components: Circular Design Practices, Local Knowledge and Cultural Practices, Collaborative Governance, and Circular Synergy Workshops. Operationalisation guidance addresses curricular design, pedagogical methods, assessment mechanisms, and institutional enablers. Mainstreaming the framework requires systemic institutional support, including accreditation reform, supportive policy environments, and effective resource allocation, which are currently constraining even well-designed pedagogical initiatives. The framework positions architects as equity-minded stewards facilitating socially just and culturally resonant circular transitions. Limitations, including scalability tensions, indicate that the framework requires validation through longitudinal research and deeper engagement with non-Western knowledge systems.