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Environmental Studies and Sustainability in Architecture

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Research on environmental studies and sustainability in architecture plays a crucial role in advancing SDG7 by advocating the integration pf renewable energy systems into architectural designs. Moreover, it supports SDG 13 by addressing climate change through sustainable building practices, energy efficient designs, and the use of renewable resources. It directly contributes to SDG 11 by promoting the development of environmentally friendly and resilient urban spaces.

Creative Sustainable Development

Description of Subtheme:

"Environmental Studies and Sustainability in Architecture" emerges as a pivotal research subtheme within our faculty, addressing the urgent need for ecologically responsible and sustainable architectural practices. It engages with the complexities of the built environment, explores strategies that minimize environmental impact, enhances energy efficiency, and promotes resilient design. Researchers within this subtheme strive to advance the integration of sustainable principles in architectural education and practice, contributing to a paradigm-shift towards eco-conscious and socially responsible design.

Sustainable development is defined as a process of meeting human development goals while sustaining the ability of natural systems to continue to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services upon which the economy and society depends. On other hands, sustainable development is the organizing principle for sustaining finite resources necessary to provide for the needs of future generations of life on the planet. It is a process that envisions a desirable future state for human societies in which living conditions and resource-use continue to meet human needs without undermining the "integrity, stability and beauty" of natural biotic systems. Creative sustainable development is considered as an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability that combines architecture, urban planning, geography, arts and social science. Creative Sustainable Development looks at creative and participatory solutions as well as at practical ideas of how we can improve our cities and lifestyles, and will cover the fields of (Sustainability, smart materials, acoustics, lighting, green architecture., Performative Architecture., LEED, Eco-tech, zero carbon, zero energy buildings, Landscape design, healing environment, sustainable housing, smart buildings, sustainable cities, etc.).

The focus is to let staff members, researchers and students support their research and projects by environmental studies and inspire concepts from environmental approaches, based on the capability of the Environmental Lab and the weather station. In other words, it considered as a meeting-point for using severe qualitative research methods related to Creative Sustainable Development. A particular emphasis is placed on the value and importance of stakeholder partnerships on issues of creative sustainable development; establish an effective channel of communication between policymakers, governmental agencies, academics, and professionals working in the field of Creative Sustainable Development.

The most significant development challenges of sustainability are associated with climate change, global poverty, social and economic inequality, population growth as well as demographic changes and adaptation to rapid global economic changes. Global and local challenges and the complexity of future scenarios require strengthening the multidisciplinary approach and the inter-linkage of environmental, economic, socio-cultural aspects in research and education curriculums. However, creative sustainable development approach brings together researchers from different fields to work in multidisciplinary teams that increases understanding of different disciplines and enables adapting an integrated approach. This activates researchers to create new sustainable solutions for human, urban, industrial and business environments.

This subtheme is aligned with six UN-SDGs: SDG3. Good Health and Wellbeing, SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG7 Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG12 Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG13 Climate Action.    

Research Action Plan:

In alignment with Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and World Health Organisation (WHO), the Faculty endeavours mitigating the impacts of climate change. Architects should make efforts to de-carbonise the environment. Architecturally, this goal can be achieved through deepening research about sustainable treatments, friendly-environment materials, optimisation of building physics. To cover this subtheme, the Faculty, therefore, welcomes conducting research through the following tracks:

 

  • Creative sustainability in architecture
  • Architecture of mitigating the impact of climate change
  • Environmental impact of building skin on users
  • Indoor environment and sustainable interior design
  • Sustainable cities and resilient urban approaches
  • Renewable energy
  • Zero Carbon design and building physics
  • Sustainability and environmental dimensions in urban design

 

On both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, the faculty offers some courses, such as "Environmental Design", "Architecture and Environment", "Environmental Impact Assessment", "Indoor Environmental Control", "Urban Design", "Advanced Sustainable Architecture", and others concern with disseminating knowledge to students of how to create effective sustainable architecture. The Faculty provides an Environmental Laboratory, equipped with technological tools and software simulation programs, allowing students and staff to conduct research. Nevertheless, the Faculty is one of the educational facilities in BAU Debbieh Campus, which is considered a green sustainable campus, considering the criteria of safety, friendly-environment, and Low-Carbon place.   

Prominent Research:

  • Aya Hasson, Mostafa Khalifa, Eslam El-Samahy, Khaled El-Daghar & Mary Felix. (2023). Upgrading Heritage Urban Public Spaces by Using Recycling Waste Plastic Materials.  BAU Journal: Creative Sustainable Development: 4(2), Article 3, ISSN 2789-8334. Published by Elsevier - Digital Commons. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54729/2789-8334.1101
  • Berta Garcia Fernandez and Osama Omar (2023). Integrated Innovative Solar Lighting system for optimisation of daylight utilisation for the Public Library in Alexandria, Egypt. Ain Shams Engineering Journal - Q1 Journal, Vol. 14, Issue 1
  • Maya Maasrani, Ayman Afify, Hiba Mohsen, and Maged Youssef (2022). From Waste to Energy: Reuse of Landfills to create Eco-Friendly Spaces. BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development, Vol. 3, Issue 2, Published by Elsevier - Digital Commons, 2022
  • Khaled Zahra, Ayman Afify, Hiba Mohsen, and Maged Youssef (2022). Extending the Role of Architecture Intervention across the Disaster Life Cycle. BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development, Vol. 3, Issue 2, Published by Elsevier - Digital Commons.
  • Khaled El-Daghar. (2022). Reduce Environmental Impacts on Architectural Heritage – Case Study Six Sigma Technique to achieve High-Performance for Historic Buildings in Lebanon. In: Versaci, A. et al. (eds) Conservation of Architectural Heritage. 3rd Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation - (Q2 Book-Chapter): 3(#1), 301-318, ISSN 2522-8722, ISBN 978-3-030-95564-9. Springer, Cham; Switzerland. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95564-9_23
  • Samer El-Sayary and Osama Omar (2021). Designing a BIM energy-consumption template to calculate and achieve a net-zero-energy house. Solar Energy - Q1 Journal, Vol. 216, pp. 315-320.
  • Iman Ibrahim, Nadia Al-Badri, Emad Mushtaha, and Osama Omar (2021). Evaluating the impacts of Courtyards on Educational Buildings - Case Study in the University of Sharjah. Journal of Sustainability - Q2 Journal, Vol. 14, Issue 1.
  • Farouk Badr, Marwan Halabi, Hiba Mohsen, and Maged Youssef (2021). Use of Biomimicry Design Approach in constructing Sustainable Resilient Structures (Case Study: Port of Beirut). BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development, Vol. 2, Issue 2, Published by Elsevier - Digital Commons, 2021.
  • Osama Omar (2020). Near Zero-Energy Buildings in Lebanon - The Use of Emerging Technologies and Passive Architecture. Sustainability - Q2 Journal, Vol. 12, 2267.
  • Hiba Mohsen, Rokia Raslan, and Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi (2020). The Impact of changes in Beirut Urban Patterns on the Microclimate - A Review of urban policy and building regulations. Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ), Vol. 25, Issue 1, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Khaled El-Daghar. (2020). Critical Thinking and Collaborative Problem-Solving for Improving Education Performance – Case Study Thermal Retrofit to Ensure Health and Wellbeing of Historic Built Environment in Lebanon. The Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development (ESSD) Journal - (Q4 Journal): 5(#1), 37-53, ISSN 2357-0857. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21625/essd.v5i1.716
  • Kareem Galal (2020). The efficiency of rainwater harvesting systems in the Lebanese coastal zone. Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ), Vol. 26, Issue 1, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Fatima Belok, Mostafa Khalifa, Mohamed A. Hanafi, and Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi (2020). Achieving Visual Comfort in University Educational Spaces: A Design framework for responsive Kinetic Skin. Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ), Vol. 25, Issue 1, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Baher Farahat (2020). Employing Sustainable Concepts to revitilise the Historic urban Quarter of Al-Muizz Street, Cairo, Egypt. Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ), Vol. 26, Issue 1, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Louay Ghizzawy and Hiba Mohsen (2020). Assessing the impact of Green Roof on the Building Performance - A Case Study of Outpatient Clincs in Lebanon. Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ), Vol. 26, Issue 1, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Israa Fadel, Maged Youssef, Marwan Halabi, and Hiba Mohsen (2020). Guidelines for Sustainable Construction Methods to build over difficult Topographies. BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development, Vol. 1, Issue 2, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Maged Youssef and Aya Dikmak (2020). Re-interpretation of City’s Radial Expansion in The Developing Countries through Green Affordable Housing - Case Study: Greater Sour Southern Expansion Axis, Lebanon. BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development, Vol. 1, Issue 2, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons, 2020.
  • Israa Fadel, Marwan Halabi, Hiba Mohsen, and Maged Youssef (2020). Guidelines for Sustainable Construction Methods to Build Over Difficult Topographies. BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development, Vol. 1, Issue 2, Published by Elsevier - Digital Commons, 2020.

Maged Youssef and Farah Mefleh (2019). Towards A Creative Sustainable Promenade in Informal Souk Architecture - Case Study: Mar Elias Camps, In Beirut, Lebanon. BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development, Vol. 1, Issue 1, Published by Elsevier - Digital Commons, 2019.