Innovative Design Strategies for High-Energy Efficiency in Urban Environments

The field of urban energy design has seen a significant evolution in recent years, driven by growing concerns about climate change and the urgent need for more sustainable and energy-efficient urban environments. While advances in technology and materials have enabled improved building performance, current urban systems still fall short of realizing the vision of net zero and positive energy districts (PEDs). Ongoing debates examine not just the technical, but also the social and organizational aspects necessary for achieving high energy efficiency at scale. Recent studies emphasize the importance of moving beyond individual buildings to the scale of energy communities, where collaborative approaches, integrated infrastructure, and informed social practices interact with innovative architectural and urban design. Despite growing evidence from demonstration projects and real-world pilots, significant gaps remain concerning the scalability, governance, and true social impact of these integrated strategies. Questions about policy frameworks, participatory design approaches, and interoperability of new technologies still require thorough investigation.This Research Topic aims to explore and critically assess innovative design strategies that enable high energy efficiency within urban environments. By focusing on the interplay of architectural design, urban planning, community engagement, and emerging technologies, the objective is to uncover pathways that move cities toward energy communities and positive energy districts. Key questions include: How can design interventions foster both technological and social innovation for meaningful energy reductions? What are best practices for integrating buildings, communities, and broader urban infrastructure? And, what role can participatory processes and local governance play in sustaining energy-efficient urban transitions?The scope of this Research Topic is focused on strategies, frameworks, and demonstrative case studies that realize high energy efficiency at district, neighborhood, or community level in urban areas. It does not cover rural or isolated building scenarios, nor purely technical analyses without social, urban, or community context. To gather further insights in urban energy transformation, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Design and implementation of energy communities within cities• Architectural and urban planning for positive energy districts (PEDs)• Social innovation and participatory approaches in energy design• Integration of renewable energy systems in dense urban environments• Policy and governance models supporting energy-efficient urban areas• Case studies of successful high-efficiency urban districts• Digitalization, smart grids, and platform solutions for integrated urban energy management Topic editors: Sesil KOUTRA, Paolo Civiero, Han Vandevyvere, Daniele Vettorato Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85986/innovative-design-strategies-for-high-energy-efficiency-in-urban-environments