Our goal for sustainable structures and infrastructures

We recognise the transformative power of sustainable engineering, design and building practices in creating a world where our planet and its inhabitants can thrive. We are passionate about supporting researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in their efforts to minimise the environmental impact of structures and infrastructures through decarbonisation, harnessing data and technology for procurement, ethical supply chains, water, sanitisation and clean energy that promotes health, wellbeing and protects biodiversity.

Our aim is to help research influence real world change by supporting the work of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners and bridging the gap that can exist between research and practice and different disciplines.

You may be an author in sustainable engineering looking to publish your work and thinking about how to maximise the reach and impact of your research, or perhaps you are just beginning your career in engineering research and striving to make connections with stakeholders in your field. Wherever you are in your career journey or research stage, if you’re passionate about making a difference to the real world, we would love to hear from you. Let’s explore how we can support you in publishing and sharing your research and connecting to a wide and relevant audience.

Rebecca Torr, Publishing Development Manager, sustainable structures and infrastructures

Our goals: Fairer society | Healthier lives | Responsible management | Quality education for all | Sustainable structures and infrastructures

If you’d like to find out how we can help your research contribute to sustainable engineering or other ways we can work together to make a difference, please get in touch.

Our goal for sustainable structures and infrastructures

We champion engineering research that can contribute to creating a fairer and more sustainable society.

An introduction to sustainable structures and infrastructures

Discover more about why we need structures and infrastructures that are not just sustainable, but also smart and resilient, and how you can help further research and debate on this topic, in this introduction from Goal Advisor Professor Chimay Anumba.

Construction cranes
mission

Is it time for circular construction?

The traditional linear model of resource use is no longer sustainable. Enter the circular economy: a smarter way to do business that prioritises material reuse, nature regeneration and impact reduction.

More on this mission

USS cover
A fully open access journal

Introducing Urbanization, Sustainability and Society

Aligned to UN SDG 11, sustainable cities and communities, this fully open access journal addresses the sustainable development of cities across the globe. Edited by Dr Amirhosein Ghaffarianhoseini, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, the journal welcomes research that focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Find out more

Related journal articles & book chapters

A selection of our sustainable structures and infrastructures articles.

Chapter 1: Definitions and context of blue-green infrastructure
ICE Manual of Blue-Green Infrastructure
28/09/2023
Towards self-healing in water infrastructure systems
Smart Infrastructure and Construction
16/06/2022
Pandemic response in the energy sector and impacts for infrastructure resilience management
Engineering Sustainability
06/06/2022
A new behavioural approach for the sustainable design of the built environment
Civil Engineering
21/06/2023
Effects of reinforcing granular columns with fibres generated from plastic bottle waste
Geotechnical Research
01/09/2022
Numerical investigation of h-Darrieus wind turbine aerodynamics at different tip speed ratios
International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow
02/03/2023
Carbon risk real estate monitor: making decarbonisation in the real estate sector measurable
Journal of European Real Estate Research
24/07/2020
Rethinking life cycle cost drivers for sustainable office buildings in Denmark
Facilities
11/10/2018
Impact of circular economy network building: resilience strategy to climate action
International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management
04/04/2023
Greenwashing: a rapid escape from sustainability or a slow transition?
LBS Journal of Management & Research
14/02/2023
Integrating lean construction with BIM and sustainability: a comparative study of challenges, enablers, techniques, and benefits
Construction Innovation
15/08/2023
Asset Information Requirements for Blockchain-based Digital Twins: A Data-driven Predictive Analytics Perspective
Smart and Sustainable Built Environment
15/08/2023
The potential of 3D printing inbuilding pathology: rehabilitation of cultural heritage
International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation
15/08/2023

Sustainable cities open access content

About the research

Explore freely available research to read, download and share. This content focuses on how we can create resilient, sustainable, healthy and inclusive cities and communities for all.

Explore the content

Opinions & blogs

We welcome contributions from academics, policymakers and professionals about key issues in their area of work. If you have a blog you would like to share, let us know.

Sustainable structures and infrastructures

Publisher’s pick: Engineering solutions for sustainable development

Discover how civil engineering intersects with the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with our carefully curated publisher's pick of key articles.
31/05/2024
Sustainable structures and infrastructures

Why circularity matters in construction

Setting the scene on circular construction is expert Dr Patricia Kio, an Assistant Professor at the Engineering Technology Department, Fitchburg State University. Dr Kio brings clarity to circular construction, highlighting the opportunities and concerns around the subject, as well as the research questions that must be addressed.
26/04/2024
Sustainable structures and infrastructures

Towards a resource-efficient and future-proof built environment

TU Delft researchers, Mohammad Hamida, Hilde Remøy and Vincent Gruis, reflect on the circular building adaptability concept and their ongoing contribution to research, education and society.
17/04/2024
Sustainable structures and infrastructures

Implementing modular construction systems in developing countries

Abdulkabir Opeyemi Bello, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria, and Dr Ayaz Ahmad Khan, University of South Australia, examine the gradual shift to modular construction systems and the challenges that remain.
17/04/2024
Sustainable structures and infrastructures

Measuring project circularity in construction

Dr Mohamed Abadi, University of Manchester, and Dr David R Moore, Robert Gordon University, bring together their expertise in different areas to address circularity in construction.
17/04/2024
Sustainable structures and infrastructures

How can we achieve coastal resilience in Caribbean island states?

A team of researchers at The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, are on a quest for an unrivalled ‘how-to-guide’ on building coastal resilience in Caribbean Small Island Developing States. Deborah Villarroel-Lamb, Simone Ganpat, Andrew Williams and Fadia Aziz, discuss their journey so far.
27/03/2024

News & press

Below we have a collection of news articles centred around having a real impact on society.

Real impact

Emerald connecting communities at IGIC event

One year on from Emerald’s acquisition of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Publishing portfolio, Emerald sponsored the International Geotechnical Innovation Conference (IGIC).
24/05/2024
Real impact

Emerald listed in Top 50 Inspiring Workplaces

Emerald Publishing has been announced as one of the Top 50 Inspiring Workplaces in the UK and Ireland. Emerald was ranked 32nd in the Top 50 at an...
20/05/2024
Real impact

Emerald Publishing appoints Amy Jones as Chief Transformation Officer

Emerald Publishing is delighted to announce Amy Jones will be joining the company’s C-Suite as Chief Transformation Officer.
10/05/2024
Real impact

Emerald shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2024

Emerald Publishing is proud to announce that it has been shortlisted for Academic, Educational and Professional Publisher of the Year in the annual British Book Awards.
08/05/2024
Real impact

Emerald Publishing’s stance on AI tools in content creation and the peer review process

Following the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022 and the subsequent emergence of a multitude of other Large Language Models and AI tools, Emerald released a statement in February 2023 detailing its stance on the question of generative AI tools and authorship.
02/05/2024
Real impact
Fairer society

Emerald Publishing shortlisted for the IPG’s Alison Morrison Diversity Award

Emerald Publishing is delighted to announce it’s been shortlisted for the 2024 Independent Publishing Awards, Alison Morrison Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award.
19/04/2024

Other resources

Browse our other offerings below.

Case studies

Global teaching materials to engage and inspire. Students can test their assumptions and decision-making skills about real world problems.

Explore cases on Emerald Insight >

Your publishing development team

Rebecca Torr photo

Rebecca Torr

Hello! Welcome to the sustainable structures and infrastructures goal page. As the Publishing Development Manager for this goal, I work with authors and organisations in engineering subjects such as civil engineering and materials science to further the impact of research in the real world. I’m also a host on the Emerald Podcast Series, featuring experts who use research to create real impact. There are many ways we can work together to support mission-led research and advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Let’s connect and explore!

Get in touch

Professor Chimay J Anumba

Professor Chimay J Anumba – Goal Advisor

Chimay Anumba is a Professor and Dean of the College of Design, Construction and Planning at the University of Florida. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Leeds, UK; a higher doctorate – D.Sc. (Doctor of Science) – from Loughborough University, UK; and an Honorary Doctorate (Dr.h.c.) from Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands. He has over 500 scientific publications, including 22 books and over 200 archival journal papers on aspects of construction engineering and informatics. His work has received over $150M in support from a variety of sources. He has also supervised more than 56 doctoral candidates to completion and mentored over 25 postdoctoral researchers. Chimay is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, FREng, and a member of the US National Academy of Construction. He is also a past recipient of the ASCE Computing in Civil Engineering Award.