Towards SDG-Aligned Built Environments: Circular Materials, Climate-Resilient Infrastructure, Policy and Green Human Capital

The built environment is responsible for nearly 40% of global energy-related carbon emissions and consumes about half of all extracted raw materials, while construction and demolition (C&D) activities generate the largest single waste stream worldwide. Rapid urbanisation, particularly across the Global South, is intensifying pressure on land, materials, energy and infrastructure services.The 2030 Agenda places the sector at the heart of several Sustainable Development Goals, notably:o SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructureo SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communitieso SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Productiono SDG 13 - Climate ActionYet progress remains fragmented: advances in low-carbon materials, circular construction and digital engineering are rarely examined together with the regulatory frameworks, procurement systems and workforce capabilities that ultimately determine whether sustainable solutions are adopted at scale.Aims and ScopeThis Research Topic seeks to consolidate interdisciplinary evidence on how the built environment can be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals through the combined lenses of materials innovation, infrastructure engineering, governance and human capital.Recent advances make this integration timely:o Recycled aggregates and industrial by-products are reaching structural-grade performance.o Machine learning and physics-informed models now support mix design, condition monitoring and life-cycle assessment.o Circular economy frameworks are reshaping C&D waste management.o Policy instruments such as green procurement, ESG-linked finance and updated building codes are redefining market incentives.o Research on green human resource management and skills development is clarifying how organisations build the capabilities required for low-carbon construction.The goal of this collection is to bring these strands together to identify scalable, context-sensitive pathways towards resource-efficient, climate-resilient and socially inclusive built environments, with particular attention to solutions implementable in developing and emerging economies where urbanisation pressures and resource constraints are most acute.ThemesContributions are welcome on themes including, but not limited to:1. Recycled and secondary construction materials, including C&D waste-derived aggregates, supplementary cementitious materials and low-carbon binders.2. Durability, performance assessment and life-cycle analysis of sustainable concrete, pavements and geomaterials.3. Artificial intelligence, machine learning and digital tools for sustainable design, structural health monitoring and asset management.4. Climate-resilient, affordable and inclusive infrastructure supporting SDGs 9 and 11.5. Policy, regulation, standards, procurement and infrastructure law enabling sustainability transitions.6. Green human capital, workforce skills and organisational practices in the construction sector.7. Circular economy strategies and governance of construction waste.Article TypesOriginal Research, Review, Mini Review, Brief Research Report, Perspective, and Policy and Practice Review articles are welcome, especially studies bridging technical and socio-institutional perspectives. Topic editors: Pradyut Anand Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84032/towards-sdg-aligned-built-environments-circular-materials-climate-resilient-infrastructure-policy-and-green-human-capital