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.

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mission

Can smart cities address the challenges of ageing infrastructure?

In this mission, we'll look at how smart city technology, renewable energy, and advanced materials can improve the management and maintenance of infrastructure, making it more efficient, sustainable and resilient.

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: Our top 10 ICE Publishing articles of 2024

Dive into our top 10 civil and environmental engineering and materials science key articles. Each peer-reviewed article addresses pressing issues such as public health, urban resilience and safety, and environmental sustainability.
19/12/2024
Sustainable structures and infrastructures

Reimagining infrastructure for a smarter, sustainable, and resilient future

Michael A Salvato, Managing Partner of InfraRe Partners, LLC, envisions a future where digital technology transforms infrastructure into adaptive, intelligent systems. This advancement requires visionary leadership and a shift in how we value and invest in infrastructure.
16/10/2024
Sustainable structures and infrastructures

Smart cities for a sustainable future

Professor Ravi Shankar Srinivasan, Associate Dean for Research and Strategic Initiatives, University of Florida, introduces our Smart Cities and Ageing Infrastructure mission by exploring the transformative potential of smart cities. He illustrates how advanced technologies like the Internet of Things and Digital Twins can help manage both new and ageing infrastructure, improving urban sustainability and resilience.
16/10/2024
Sustainable structures and infrastructures

How to achieve the ‘S’ in ESG

Eric Sandelands, Director at Ingenium Training and Consulting, explores how well curated urban and rural development can generate significant social value, enhancing community well-being and resilience.
16/10/2024
Sustainable structures and infrastructures

Could advances in timber help us build stronger and greener?

With natural disasters on the rise, resilient and sustainable infrastructure is more crucial than ever. Dr Haoyu Huang of Newcastle University and Prof Wen-Shao Chang of the University of Lincoln introduce cutting-edge methods to strengthen timber structures. Their pioneering research not only aims to safeguard historic buildings but also sets the stage for innovative, eco-friendly construction practices.
16/10/2024
Fairer society
Real impact

A publisher’s view: three years later

With Peer Review Week upon us once again, we embrace the chance to look more closely at what peer review looks like at Emerald Publishing.
20/09/2024

News & press

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

Real impact

Emerald announces partnership with Silverchair

Emerald is today announcing a new partnership with Silverchair, a leader in innovative technology solutions, to deliver the best possible user experience when accessing our content.
09/01/2025
Real impact

Emerald Publishing acquires Information Age Publishing

Emerald Publishing Limited has today acquired Information Age Publishing (IAP).
22/11/2024
Real impact
Quality education for all

Emerald and Masader announce partnership to expand academic resource access in Oman

Under the esteemed patronage of the Oman Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MOHERI), Emerald Publishing has partnered with Masader, Oman’s National Electronic Library for Research.
19/11/2024
Real impact
Quality education for all

Emerald Publishing partners with Chapter One

Colleagues from across the business will volunteer to help provide reading support to children in Keighley and Bradford schools.
07/11/2024
Real impact

Emerald’s 'Data Dan' running an ultra-marathon every day for the BookTrust

Daniel Molesworth, Director of Data at Emerald Publishing, is set to run an ultra-marathon each day for five days.
25/09/2024
Real impact
Quality education for all

Emerald announces winners of its 31st annual Literati Awards for Excellence

The awards are one of the largest, independent award schemes led by a publisher. For more than 30 years, Emerald Publishing has rewarded outstanding and impactful contributions to scholarly research through the prestigious Emerald Literati Awards.
06/09/2024

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.