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EDITORIAL article

Front. Built Environ., 19 October 2023
Sec. Earthquake Engineering
This article is part of the Research Topic Seismic Resilience, Vulnerability and Energy Efficiency in respect of Climate Change View all 5 articles

Editorial: Seismic resilience, vulnerability and energy efficiency in respect of climate change

  • 1Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • 2Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • 3Faculty of Civil Engineering, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
  • 4Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, Polytechnic and Basic Sciences School, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
  • 5Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, ISISE, Guimarães, Portugal

The unfolding narrative of climate change is leaving indelible impacts worldwide, challenging the very fabric of urban infrastructure. As the environment undergoes swift and profound transformations—marked by soaring temperatures, recurrent flooding, and landslides—side by side with cataclysmic earthquakes, the vulnerabilities of our constructed landscapes emerge starkly. No longer can we remain mere spectators; the exigency now is to engage with solutions that encompass durability, sustainability, and resilience.

In this backdrop, this Research Topic (RT) titled Seismic resilience, vulnerability and energy efficiency in respect of climate change centers on the vital intersection of seismic safety and energy efficiency. Traditionally viewed through distinct lenses, the zeitgeist now mandates a harmonized approach, embedding both these elements cohesively in architectural and structural strategies. The assemblage of contributions in this RT showcases a spectrum of critical reviews, insightful overviews, innovative methodologies, and empirical analyses, all charting a course through the intricate terrains of seismic resilience in a climate-altered world.

One of the standout papers named: “Seismic and energy integrated retrofit of buildings: A critical review” (Ademovic et al.) offers a nuanced review of the seismic and energy-integrated retrofit of buildings, with a particular focus on the European context. The piece underscores the prevailing gap—a tangible absence of a comprehensive strategy that effectively melds these two critical aspects. Though strides have been made, the paper’s insights signal the urgent need for forward-looking research and groundbreaking solutions.

The preservation of heritage—a treasured legacy that cities worldwide cherish—emerges as a recurrent theme. Another compelling contribution entitled: “An overview on seismic analysis of masonry building aggregates” (Formisano and Ademovic) illuminates the seismic analysis of masonry building aggregates, emblematic of Mediterranean countries. This RT weaves a rich tapestry of diverse analytical scales, culminating in a cogent argument for tailored vulnerability assessment instruments and robust mitigation stratagems.

Our understanding of climate dynamics is perpetually evolving. Adapting to this fluidity, another remarkable paper “On the use of climate models for estimating the non-stationary characteristic values of climatic actions in civil engineering practice” (Abrahamczyk and Uzair) navigates the intricacies of estimating the evolving characteristic values of climatic actions, rooted in cutting-edge climate model projections. This timely narrative underscores the primacy of continually recalibrating our design codes to resonate with the ever-shifting climate contours.

Lastly, a thought-provoking piece “Decision-making approaches for optimal seismic/energy integrated retrofitting of existing buildings” (Caruso et al.) delves deep into the decision-making matrix, championing the dual imperatives of seismic safety and energy efficiency in retrofitting endeavors. Through the prism of multi-criteria decision-making paradigms, the paper unfurls a holistic perspective on discerning the optimal pathways for retrofitting.

To encapsulate, this RT resounds with a clarion call, urging the civil engineering and architectural community to reimagine our structural legacy. Our collective mandate crystalizes: to conceptualize and retrofit edifices that not only withstand the earth’s tremors but also embody our unwavering commitment to sustainability and energy conservation. As we embark on this pivotal journey, may these scholarly contributions illuminate our path, guiding our endeavors, and sparking further explorations. Embracing this transformative trajectory, we aspire for a future that’s resilient, sustainable, and harmonious.

Author contributions

NA: Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing. EF: Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing. MH-N: Writing–review and editing. AF: Writing–review and editing. DO: Writing–review and editing.

Funding

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Keywords: seismic resilience, vulnerability, climate change, energy efficiency, buildings

Citation: Ademovic N, Farsangi EN, Hadzima-Nyarko M, Formisano A and Oliveira DV (2023) Editorial: Seismic resilience, vulnerability and energy efficiency in respect of climate change. Front. Built Environ. 9:1320150. doi: 10.3389/fbuil.2023.1320150

Received: 11 October 2023; Accepted: 13 October 2023;
Published: 19 October 2023.

Edited and reviewed by:

Izuru Takewaki, Kyoto Arts and Crafts University, Japan

Copyright © 2023 Ademovic, Farsangi, Hadzima-Nyarko, Formisano and Oliveira. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Naida Ademovic, naidadem@gmail.com

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.