About this Research Topic
Urban scenarios are changing driven by the awareness that the living experience in urban areas relies on multi-layered factors. Outdoors, noise, air pollution and the presence of heat islands make the living experience in cities not always easy. Indoors, housing and work places in general, serving as a fundamental part of daily living, play a critical role in the formation of this awareness. Housing typologies and their distribution in the urban texture can accentuate existing differences in the living experience perception, as they can vary among different socio-economic groups due to both dwelling attributes like maintenance, energy efficiency, acoustic isolation, size, thermo-hygrometric conditions, and air quality. Transformations in the urban scenarios are heading toward the creation of a positive connection with the surrounding environment. Nature-based solutions have been pinned down as possible actions to sustainably restore, and manage the transformation of urbanized areas, while providing well-being for humans and benefits for the biodiversity.
Authors are encouraged to contribute to the following themes:
• Exploring nature-based solutions, transformation of urban textures, building design as possible drivers for addressing the quest of modifying the living experience outdoors and indoors;
• Evaluating the soundscape within the living space, how sound/noise is perceived by different socio-economic groups and exploring the inequalities across various living contexts with indoor and outdoor measurements, interviews to residents. Evaluating thermo-hygrometric and air quality influence on wellness, concentration and academic/school performance;
• Testing integrative approach by combining sound walks (ISO 12913-2) and walking interviews within the daily living experiences households;
• Developing a pilot guideline for urban sound/noise assessment that incorporates soundscapes and individuals' socio-economic characteristics;
• Finding the connection between indoor air quality and the air quality around buildings, especially when related to the health and comfort of building occupants;
• Providing guidelines for urban policymakers in the field of urban planning.
Keywords: Urban areas, Soundscape, Air quality, Outdoor/indoor living experience, Quiet areas, Green areas, Gray areas
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.