New Approaches for Sustainable & Resilient Processes and Products of Social Housing Development in the Arabian Gulf Countries, Volume III

Social housing has long been a central subject of research on the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental determinants of residential development. In the Arabian Gulf Countries, social housing has followed a distinctive trajectory, characterised by generous plot areas and low-density, sprawl-oriented urban forms. In recent years, these countries have undergone a profound transformation of their housing and social paradigms, driven by national sustainability agendas. Scholarly documentation and critical analysis of the processes and products of these transformed paradigms nevertheless remain limited and fragmented.This third volume builds on the two preceding volumes of this Research Topic. Their sustained readership and strong author response show a continuing demand for rigorous, region-specific evidence. Volume II alone brought together 17 published articles across a broad range of social housing themes. Volume III extends this body of work by consolidating the findings so far, testing them empirically, and addressing the gaps that remain.This Research Topic investigates the decision-making processes and the architectural and urban products used to deliver sustainable and resilient social housing in the cities of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar. Contributions are expected to analyse critically the strengths and limitations of different social housing experiences in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the sustainable development and housing agendas adopted in each national context. Comparative studies, post-occupancy evidence and transferable lessons for sustainable and resilient social housing, both regionally and globally, are particularly welcome.Building on Volume I (https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/43477/new-approaches-for-sustainable-resilient-processes-and-products-of-social-housing-development-in-the-arabian-gulf-countries/magazine) and Volume II (https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/69688/new-approaches-for-sustainable-resilient-processes-and-products-of-social-housing-development-in-the-arabian-gulf-countries-volume-ii/magazine), this volume welcomes rigorous research on the environmental, socio-cultural, and economic dimensions of social housing development, including but not limited to the following themes:• The social housing unit as a mixed-use facility• From low-rise to vertical social housing• Urban farm integration in neighbourhood design• VR, MR and AR tools for resident engagement in social housing design• Performance of BIPV and other renewable energy systems in social housing• Deep thermal retrofitting of existing social housing• Smart systems and materials for net-zero energy and carbon-neutral social housing• Resilient, adaptive and inclusive design of social housing• Advanced construction systems, methods and management processes• Outdoor thermal comfort strategies for social housing neighbourhoods in extreme climates• Micro- and meso-mobility for non-motorised and personal transport• Walkability and accessibility in social housing neighbourhoods• Urban morphology and sustainability in social housing neighbourhoods• Form-based codes versus land use planning in social housing neighbourhoods• Regenerative and adaptive design techniques• Densification and mixed use as urban regeneration strategies• Post-occupancy evaluation of completed social housing schemes• Low-carbon and circular construction materials for social housing• Artificial intelligence and digital twins in housing planning and management• Housing affordability, policy instruments and governance models Topic editors: Khaled Galal Ahmed, Mohamed H Elnabawi Mahgoub, Lindita Bande, Martin Scoppa Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86969/new-approaches-for-sustainable-resilient-processes-and-products-of-social-housing-development-in-the-arabian-gulf-countries-volume-iii