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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

If you are a PhD candidate doing research on built environment or land use topics, check out the 2026 Video Awards. Make a short 2-minute video telling the world about the significance of your research. Deadline: 13 October (noon GMT) Full details: www.buildingsandcities.org/phd-video-aw...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

What do other people think about the PhD Video Awards? Here's a previous winner, Suzy Li, reflecting on her positive experience and benefits... She's encouraging others to enter this year. DEADLINE for entries is 13 October noon (GMT) DETAILS: www.buildingsandcities.org/phd-video-aw...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

New! Commentary by Dimitri Schuurman addresses key questions from a special issue entitled "Living Labs: Agents for Change" to consider how LLs can flourish in the future. www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/com... #LivingLabs @BCeditors.bsky.social

buildingsandcities.org

Living Labs: Maturity, Impact and the Role of Researchers

Feedback and reflections on the research in "Living Labs: Agents for Change"

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Why should a PhD candidate create a 2-minute video about their research & enter the 2026 PhD Video Awards? Testimony from one of last year's winners Zhuo Pang explains what participating meant for her. Full details: www.buildingsandcities.org/phd-video-aw...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

CALLING ALL PhD students! Curious about entering the 2026 PhD Video Awards? Listen to one of last year's winners Menatalla Kasem talk about the positive impacts that participating had for her. DEADLINE for 2026: 13 Oct (noon, GMT). Full details: www.buildingsandcities.org/phd-video-aw...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

CALLING ALL built environment PhD candidates. The 2026 VIDEO AWARDS is a great opportunity (cash prizes! kudos! profile!) to create a 2-minute video to tell the world about the significance of your research. It's free to enter DEADLINE: 13 OCT Full info: www.buildingsandcities.org/phd-video-aw...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

In "Creating the Evidence for Adaptive Comfort" Richard de Dear reflects on a breakthrough in his research journey that helped to develop the evidence base for “adaptive comfort”. Key insights into into a research career www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/res... @bceditors.bsky.social

buildingsandcities.org

Creating the Evidence for Adaptive Comfort

RESEARCH PATHWAY: personal reflections on a career in research

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

This work provides robust evidence and busts the many myths exist about the building stock —its composition, representation, age, total floor area, activity classification and energy use. Significant lessons for other countries... doi.org/10.5334/bc.787

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

RECOMMENDED: RESEARCH PATHWAYS are a series of 21 essays by senior built environment researchers reflecting on their research career: key intellectual questions that inspired them & lessons about difficulties, barriers, breakthroughs, achievements www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/res...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

NEW RESEARCH: Personal comfort systems for adults with intellectual disabilities doi.org/10.5334/bc.695 This shows how personal comfort systems (PCS) can support thermal adaptation among adults with intellectual disabilities living in energy-poor households.

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

RESEARCH PATHWAY: Larry Vale (MIT) reflects on his intellectual journey exploring how politics & design interact at different scales: design & politics are co-constitutive. Critical question: who benefits & who loses from development? @bceditors.bsky.social www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/res...

buildingsandcities.org

Design-Politics: A Long Search to Justify a Hyphen

RESEARCH PATHWAY: personal reflections on a career in research

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

NEW: Frank Duffy: An Appreciation Frank Duffy’s achievements & relevance to the wider research and practice communities. His career had a far-reaching, permanent impact on architecture, design, & real estate #workplace #officedesign #DEGW #PPRIBA www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/new...

buildingsandcities.org

Frank Duffy: Researcher and Practitioner

Rob Harris (Ramidus Consulting) reflects on Frank Duffy’s achievements and relevance to the wider research and practice communities.

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: BUILDING PERFORMANCE EVALUATION: ACHIEVING BETTER OUTCOMES Special issue of Buildings & Cities Abstracts due: 23 March 2026 Guest editors: Bill Bordass, Paul Ruyssevelt, Fionn Stevenson Full details: www.buildingsandcities.org/calls-for-pa... #POE #BPE #buildingperformance

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

"Organ-tuning books in English churches provide notes on a warming climate" Pleased to see the Guardian has written about novel research in Buildings & Cities: Church pipe organs: historical tuning records as indoor environmental evidence doi.org/10.5334/bc.671 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

Watch the 2-minute videos that won the 2025 PhD Video Challenge. These explain the significance of built environment research to the public Congratulations to: Menatalla KASEM, Otis SLOAN WOOD, Ali Rıza BAYRAK, Zhuo PANG, Swati SINHA. www.buildingsandcities.org/video-challe... #doctoral #PhD #ECR

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

New research demonstrates how co-creation with hospital staff, patients & other key stakeholders can generate novel, context-specific interventions to reduce mosquito- borne disease risks in health care environments journal-buildingscities.org/articles/10.... #VectorBorneDiseases #HospitalDesign

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

READ THIS! Why #COP30 must create explicit sector-specific roadmaps and targets. Goals & roadmaps are needed for the built environment in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions #NDC @bceditors.bsky.social #decarbonisation #buildingsector www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/com...

buildingsandcities.org

Will NDC 3.0 Drive a Buildings Breakthrough?

Why policymakers should create mitigation roadmaps for construction and real estate

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

CFP - MMC and the Future of Housing DEADLINE for abstracts: Friday 14 November Special issue of Buildings & Cities, guest editors: Rachel Macrorie & Andrew Karvonen Full details: www.buildingsandcities.org/calls-for-pa...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

Next Built Conference: Call for Abstracts Deadline for abstracts: 05 December 2025 Main conference focus is on #HOUSING www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/new...

buildingsandcities.org

Next Built Conference: Call for Abstracts

Deadline for abstracts: 05 December 2025

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

The regulation of the built environment should depend upon a combination of governmental regulation, robust professional practice & market forces. Simon Foxell explains why neoliberalism has failured. A more positive approach is outlined. journal-buildingscities.org/articles/10....

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

2025 PhD Video Challenge - People’s Vote is open It’s time to cast your vote! Watch the videos and help decide who will win the People’s Award & a €400 prize This year’s theme is “Why It Matters” - explain the significance of their research in 2 minutes www.buildingsandcities.org/video-challe...

buildingsandcities.org

2025 PhD Video Challenge - People's Vote

Cast Your Vote! Watch the videos of the 2025 PhD Video Challenge and help decide which one will receive the People's Award prize. The winner of the People's Vote will receive a prize of €400.

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: MMC & the Future of Housing Special issue of Buildings & Cities Abstracts due 14.11.25 This SI examines the claims, processes, dynamics, outcomes associated w MMC for housing Full details: buildingsandcities.org/calls-for-pa... #MMC #housing #offsite @rachelmacrorie.bsky.social

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

New research: A framework of criteria for defining and assessing effective #buildingsector commitments in Nationall Determined Contributions #NDCs. Very useful for the UNFCCC #COP30 preparations & negotiations. @bceditors.bsky.social #decarbonisation journal-buildingscities.org/articles/518...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

2025 VIDEO CHALLENGE: Calling all built environment PhD students www.buildingsandcities.org/video-challe... You are invited to create a 2-minute video that tells the world about the significance of your research. The theme is “WHY IT MATTERS”. DEADLINE: 14.10.2025 noon GMT. #PhD #doctoral

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

New! Commentary by Ray Cole on building-related research: "A prerequisite [for researchers] therefore would be an understanding of the ways that the construction industry functions and the sway of government policy." www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/com...

buildingsandcities.org

Overview and reflections on key built environment research challenges raised in B&C's anniversary essays

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Calling all built environment PhD students: Enter the "2025 Video Challenge": create a 2-minute video to tell the world about the significance of your PhD research. Kudos, recognition, cash prizes. @bceditors.bsky.social @ARL_Hannover www.buildingsandcities.org/video-challe...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Can Nationally Determined Contributions #NDCs drive a buildings breakthrough at COP30? Thomas Lützkendorf, Greg Foliente & Alexander Passer argue why specific GHG targets for building, construction & real estate are needed in the next round of NDCs www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/com...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Embodied climate impacts in urban development: a neighbourhood case study Most emissions in urban developments occur upfront & are from to new construction. Implications: Planning models need to prioritise existing building inventories & limit permissible building rights doi.org/10.5334/bc.478

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

NEW!! "Self-Organised Knowledge Space as a Living Lab" Self-organised knowledge spaces can function as #LivingLabs by fostering situated learning, collective agency & community resilience. Insights from Dhaka, Bangladesh. #participation bit.ly/4ku0ZoT @bceditors.bsky.social

buildingsandcities.org

Self-Organised Knowledge Space as a Living Lab

How can a self-organised initiative in an informal settlement foster community engagement and confront social issues?

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Is gentrification a crime? Ian Cooper argues that greater protection needs to be provided to built environment and to the people who live there to avoid their displacement. Important commentary in @bceditors.bsky.social #BuildingsCities www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/com...

buildingsandcities.org

Is Gentrification a Crime?

The destruction of cultural heritage is a war crime. Should peacetime destruction or displacement be a crime too?

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

Authors' papers in Buildings & Cities journal are widely read. In 2024 our peer-reviewed articles were viewed & downloaded 523,612 times from the journal's website. #journalmetrics All content is open-access #OA www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/new... journal-buildingscities.org

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

Why the built environment research community is vital for #climatepolicy and strategy implementation: #Research provides clear evidence for carbon budgets and targets for the buildings and the built environment. @bceditors.bsky.social www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/com...

buildingsandcities.org

Climate Mitigation & Carbon Budgets: Research Challenges

Why the built environment research community is vital for policy and strategy implementation

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

NEW! Climate Mitigation & Carbon Budgets: Research Challenges Commentary by Thomas Lützkendorf Why the built environment research community is vital for climate policy and strategy implementation. www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/com...

buildingsandcities.org

Climate Mitigation & Carbon Budgets: Research Challenges

Why the built environment research community is vital for policy and strategy implementation

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

New CFP! "Climate Change Risk and Decision-Making" Special issue of Buildings & Cities How should we respond to the increasing risks resulting from climate change? Who owns those risks and responsibilities? Abstracts due 09 June 2025 Full details: www.buildingsandcities.org/calls-for-pa...

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Special issue! Health Inequalities & Indoor Environments There is compelling evidence that aspects of indoor environments can adversely affect health, but the role of indoor environments in health inequalities is less understood. buff.ly/4fKv6Xh #publichealth #equity #healthpolicy #IEQ #buildings

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Richard Lorch @richardlorch.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Call for papers! THE COMPLEXITY OF DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION Abstracts due: 24 MARCH 2025 How can the challenges of physical reconstruction across diverse disciplines, stakeholders & governance be better organised? Buildings & Cities special issue: www.buildingsandcities.org/calls-for-pa...

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