Urban areas result in a series of environmental challenges varying from the consumption of natural resources and the subsequent generation of waste and pollution, contributing to the development of social and economic imbalances. As cities continue to grow all over the world, these problems tend to become more acute and require the development of new solutions. The challenge of planning sustainable contemporary cities lies in considering the dynamics of urban systems, exchange of energy and matter, and the function and maintenance of ordered structures directly or indirectly supplied and maintained by natural systems. The task of researchers, aware of the complexity of the contemporary city, is to improve the capacity to manage human activities, pursuing welfare and prosperity in the urban environment. Any investigation or planning for a city ought to consider the relationships between the parts and their connections with the living world. The dynamics of its networks (flows of energy-matter, people, goods, information and other resources) are fundamental for an understanding of the evolving nature of today’s cities. Large cities are probably the most complex mechanisms to manage. They represent a fertile ground for architects, engineers, city planners, social and political scientists, and other professionals able to conceive new ideas and time them according to technological advances and human requirements. Papers presented at the 14th International Conference on Urban Regeneration and Sustainability address the multidisciplinary components of urban planning, the challenges presented by the increasing size of cities, the number of resources required and the complexity of modern society. Various aspects of the urban environment are covered and a focus is placed on providing solutions that lead towards sustainability.

It is important to continue to update the use of advanced systems by promoting general awareness throughout the management, design, manufacture and operation of railways and other emerging passenger, freight and transit systems. Originating from presentations at the 17th International Conference on Railway Engineering Design and Operation, this volume contains selected research works on the topic. The included papers help to facilitate the use of advanced systems and place a key focus on the applications of computer systems in advanced railway engineering. These research studies will be of interest to all those involved in the development of railways, including managers, consultants, railway engineers, designers of advanced train control systems and computer specialists.

Better urban transport systems are needed to achieve a healthier environment and as a result, a wide range of research has originated from many different countries. These studies highlight the importance of innovative systems, new approaches and original ideas, which need to be thoroughly tested and critically evaluated before they can be implemented in practice. To address the need to solve important pollution problems the papers included in this book focus on the relationship with urban transport. There is also a growing need for integration with telecommunications systems and IT applications in order to improve safety, security and efficiency. The variety of topics covered in this volume reflects the complex interaction of the urban transport systems with their environment and the need to establish integrated strategies. The aim is to arrive at optimal socio-economic solutions while reducing the negative environmental impacts of current transportation systems.

This volume encompasses latest research presented on the 6th edition of the Disaster Management Conference. The research published in this book is contributed by academics and experts on public health, security and disaster management in order to assess the potential risk from various disasters and discuss ways to prevent or alleviate damage. As the human population has continued to concentrate in urban areas the number of people and the value of property affected by both natural and man-produced disasters has also grown. Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, cyclones, tornadoes and forest fires have all taken their toll, as have man-made catastrophes such as industrial spillages and terrorist attacks. It is important to understand the nature of these global risks to be able to develop strategies to prepare for these events and plan effective responses in terms of disaster management and the associated human health impacts. The included paper cover various subject areas, including: Disaster analysis; Disaster monitoring and mitigation; Emergency preparedness; Risk mitigation; Risk and security; Resilience; Socio-economic issues; Health risk; Human factors; Multi-hazard risk assessment; Case studies; Learning from disasters and man-made disasters.

In its 8th edition the SAFE conference continues to publish important research contributing to the development of the field. The papers included in this volume are the work of engineers, scientists, field researchers, managers and other specialists involved in one or more of the theoretical and practical aspects of safety and security. Safety and Security Engineering, due to its special nature, is an interdisciplinary area of research and application that brings together in a systematic way, many disciplines of engineering, from the traditional to the most technologically advanced. This volume covers topics such as crisis management, security engineering, natural and man-made disasters and emergencies, risk management, and control, protection and mitigation issues. Specific themes include: Risk analysis, assessment and management; System safety engineering; Incident monitoring; Information and communication security; Disaster management; Emergency response; Critical infrastructure protection; Counter terrorism issues; Human factors; Transportation safety and security; Modelling and experiments; Security surveillance systems; Loss prevention; BIM in Safety and Security.

Originating from the 3rd Conference on Coastal Cities, the papers contained in this volume presents important research covering the integrated management and sustainable development of coastal cities. An increased world population and the preference for living in coastal regions increases the need for improved resources, infrastructure and services. Coastal cities should be considered as dynamic complex systems which need energy, water, food and other resources in order to work and produce diverse activities, with the aim of offering a socioeconomic climate and improved quality of life. Consequently the integrated management and sustainable development of coastal cities is essential with science, technology, architecture, socio-economics and planning all collaborating to support decision makers. Planners need to explore various options and models to forecast future services, plans and solutions. Included papers examine some of these possible models and potential solutions with emphasis in the areas of: Landscape and urban planning; Infrastructures and eco-architecture; City heritage and regeneration; Urban transport and communications; Commercial ports; Fishing and sports harbours; City-Waterfront interaction; Marine industries; Water resources management; Quality of life and city leisure; Tourism and the city; Water pollution; Air pollution; City waste management; Acoustical and thermal pollution; Coastal risk assessment; Coastal flooding; Coastal processes; Landslides; Socio-economic issues.

Maritime transport faces multiple challenges, therefore it requires an interdisciplinary approach in order to respond efficiently to the interaction between diverse agents. This book presents interdisciplinary research, as well as operational experiences, which contribute towards the development of the field. The substantial growth of maritime shipping has resulted in large quantities of good and products being transported around the world, creating a demand for innovative solutions for infrastructure and fleets. A further increase in the scale and the size of container carriers and passenger cruisers also requires special facilities. These developments have presented a challenge for different types of technologies, as well as operational systems. Maritime transportation ought to be integrated with other services such as railways, roadways and airports and, in some cases, river and canal traffic in order to achieve maximum efficiency. It also needs to respond rapidly to the economic and political circumstances in different parts of the world. These challenges often require extreme performances in terms of capacity, speed of delivery, energy consumption, environmental sustainability, as well as social and economic aspects. A range of topics are covered, including: Ports and their operation; Routing and automatic control of marine ships; Responsible and sustainable port innovation and development along the 21st century Maritime Silk Road; Ports of the future - Sustainable intelligent ports for smart and autonomous ships and logistics; Pollution and the protection of the marine environment; Maritime education and training; Planning and management.

Containing research from the 25th edition of the Urban Transport conference, the papers included in this book address the need to solve important pollution problems associated with urban transport. There is also a growing need for integration with telecommunications systems and IT applications in order to improve safety, security and efficiency. The need for better urban transport systems and for a healthier environment has resulted in a wide range of research originating from many different countries. These studies highlight the importance of innovative systems, new approaches and original ideas, which need to be thoroughly tested and critically evaluated before they can be implemented in practice. The variety of topics covered in this volume reflects the complex interaction of the urban transport systems with their environment and the need to establish integrated strategies. The aim is to arrive at optimal socio-economic solutions while reducing the negative environmental impacts of current transportation systems.

In its 27th edition the conference on Air Pollution continues to produce valuable research on issues related to the modelling, monitoring and management of air pollution. The papers included in this book continue a wide ranging collection of high quality research works that develop the fundamental science of air pollution. Air pollution issues remain one of the most challenging problems facing society. The scientific knowledge derived from well-designed studies needs to be allied with further technical and economic studies in order to ensure cost effective and efficient mitigation. Increasingly, it is being recognised that the outcome of such research needs to be contextualised within well formulated communication strategies that help policy makers and citizens to understand and appreciate the risks and rewards arising from air pollution management. Details of the wide spread nature of the air pollution phenomena and in depth explorations of their impacts on human health and the environment are covered in this book. Topics covered include: Air pollution modelling; Aerosols and particles; Air pollutant emission studies; Air quality health effects; Indoor air pollution; Air data quality; Air pollution control technologies; Industrial air pollution; Climate change effects; Emerging pollutants; Air pollution management, policy and legislation.

This volume contains research from the 10th International Conference on Sustainable Development and Planning. The papers included in this volume form a collection of research from academics, policy makers, practitioners and other stakeholders from across the globe who discuss the latest advances in the field. Problems related to development and planning, which affect rural and urban areas, are present in all regions of the world. Accelerated urbanisation has resulted in deterioration of the environment and loss of quality of life. Urban development can also aggravate problems faced by rural areas such as forests, mountain regions and coastal areas, amongst many others. Taking into consideration the interaction between different regions and developing new methodologies for monitoring, planning and implementation of novel strategies can offer solutions for mitigating environmental pollution and non-sustainable use of available resources. Energy saving and eco-friendly building approaches have become an important part of modern development, which places special emphasis on resource optimisation. Planning has a key role to play in ensuring that these solutions as well as new materials and processes are incorporated in the most efficient manner. The application of new academic findings to planning and development strategies, assessment tools and decision-making processes are all covered in this book.

Forming the 16th volume from this successful series, this book contains papers from the 16th International Conference on Railway Engineering Design and Operation. The included papers are a collection of works from researchers, academics and practitioners involved in railway engineering. There is a continuing need to update the use of advanced systems, promoting their general awareness throughout the management, design, manufacture and operation of railways and other emerging passenger, freight and transit systems. By emphasising the use of computer systems in advanced railway engineering, this book contributes to this goal. These research studies will be of interest to all those involved in the development of railways, including managers, consultants, railway engineers, designers of advanced train control systems and computer specialists.

Dealing with issues related to the modelling, monitoring and management of air pollution, this book includes papers presented at the 26th International Conference on Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Air Pollution. The papers from this conference continue a wide ranging collection of high quality research works that develop the fundamental science of air pollution. Air pollution issues remain one of the most challenging problems facing society. The scientific knowledge derived from well-designed studies needs to be allied with further technical and economic studies in order to ensure cost effective and efficient mitigation. Increasingly, it is being recognised that the outcome of such research needs to be contextualised within well formulated communication strategies that help policy makers and citizens to understand and appreciate the risks and rewards arising from air pollution management. Details of the wide spread nature of the air pollution phenomena and in depth explorations of their impacts on human health and the environment are covered in this book.

This book contains papers presented at the 2nd International Conference on Environmental and Economic Impacts on Sustainable Development incorporating Environmental Economics, Toxicology and Brownfields. Following the success of the first meeting held in the New Forest, home of the Wessex Institute of Technology, in 2012, it considers the pressing issues related to environmental impacts in order to provide complete solutions. The included papers discuss how to assess the impact of economic constraints on the environment, considering the social aspects as well as any resulting environmental damage. The overuse of natural resources and the resulting pollution of the environment need to be better understood in financial terms. Uncontrolled development can result in damage to the environment in terms of the release of toxic substances and hazardous waste. The increasing number of new chemical compounds poses a major challenge to the environment as it is difficult in many cases to predict their effects and take appropriate decisions. Their economic impact can be particularly challenging.The book examines issues related to whether some forms of development are compatible with environmental protection, particularly in cases of possible serious contamination and toxicity. Topics covered include: Environmental Assessment; Economic Impact; Energy and the Environment; Sustainable Cities; Environmental Health Risk; Food and the Environment; Environmental Policies; Natural Resources Management; Brownfields Rehabilitation; Water Resources Management; Air Quality.