A call for papers has been issued for a special issue of BEPAM on Beyond Net-Zero: Advancing Net-Positive, Circular, and Resilient Built Environments through Socio-Technological Innovations. The deadline for submissions is 24th November 2025.
Special Issue aim
This Special Issue seeks to advance knowledge on how socio-technological innovation can support resilient, net-positive, and circular built environments. In light of growing environmental and social challenges, the need for integrated approaches that combine digital tools, inclusive governance, and systemic thinking has become imperative. Submissions should offer original insights or practical solutions that help operationalize net-positive transformation, resilience, and circularity in the built environment by leveraging socio-technological systems.
The objectives below outline key thematic areas for contributions:
- To explore and develop integrated socio-technological frameworks that enable optimal net-positive, resilient, and circular outcomes in the built environment, with a focus on the dynamic interplay between digital innovation, governance mechanisms, and community engagement.
- To investigate the potential of Digital Twins, n-dimensional Building Information Modeling (n-D BIM), and Digital Product Passports in advancing lifecycle optimization, material traceability, and circularity across building and infrastructure systems, thereby supporting data-driven and resilient design practices.
- To examine the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies in enabling adaptive design strategies that enhance resilience, circularity, and net-positive performance in the built environment, particularly under conditions of environmental uncertainty and socio-economic complexity.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of innovative decision-support platforms and participatory sensing tools in fostering inclusive governance, empowering communities, and co-creating resilient, circular, and net-positive solutions for the built environment.
- To identify and analyze enabling policy instruments, business models, and cross-sectoral partnerships that facilitate the implementation and scaling of resilient, net-positive, and circular practices across the built environment value chain.
Anticipated Themes
The following is an indicative, hence a non-exhaustive, list of anticipated themes that could be explored in different papers in this Special Issue:
- Integrated socio-technological frameworks linking digital innovation, governance, and community engagement.
- Applications of Digital Twins, n-dimensional Building Information Modeling (n-D BIM), and Digital Product Passports for lifecycle optimization and material traceability.
- AI-driven adaptive design strategies for resilience, circularity, and net-positive performance.
- Participatory sensing and community-driven approaches to inclusive governance.
- Innovative decision-support platforms for scenario analysis and sustainability assessment.
- Enabling policies, business models, and cross-sectoral partnerships that support systemic transformation.
- Real-world case studies and best practices demonstrating socio-technological innovation in the built environment.
- Development of metrics, indicators, and evaluation frameworks for assessing circular, resilient, and net-positive outcomes.
We also welcome submissions on any related topics in the context of the above sub-themes.
Full details on the Beyond Net-Zero call can be viewed here.
