Abstracts and papers may be submitted under the following topics.

01- URBAN ECOLOGIES
Under this topic authors are invited to discuss how cities can contribute for the preservation of urban ecosystems, water lines, green and forestry spaces, using these approaches to reduce air pollutants and improve inhabitants’ quality of life. Case studies on green façades and green roofs, urban recovery of slum and brownfields are examples of the subjects that could be addressed

02- CLIMATE CHANGE AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Under this topic authors are invited to discuss urban sapces and buildings may contribute to mitigate climate change effects. The goals are focused on energy efficiency, but other approaches are also important, such as resources consumption, urban development strategies and mobility.

03- EFFICIENT SOLUTIONS ON CITIES AND BUILDINGS OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
Questions on efficient operation of cities and buildings can be addressed under this topic, namely strategies and solutions related to mobiility, water efficiency, energy efficiency, mitigation of airborne pollutants, and mitigation of heat island effect.

04- CLOSING RESOURCES LIFE CYCLE IN BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTION
Materials and components life cycle is one of the main challenges to reduce the use of non-renewable resources. However, solutions to reclaim these materials in a way that they can be easily reused or recycled also depends on how buildings are designed and how the reclaimed materials can be part of a resources supply chain. Studies on reuse and recycling of construction and demolition waste (DCDW) as well on Design for deconstruction fit on this topic.

05- CITIES AND BUILDINGS TOWARDS HUMAN COMFORT, HEALTH AND INCLUSION
Built environment affects human well-being and human health. Green urban public spaces may improve social interaction and promote physical activities. Indoor air quality, high humidity levels that allows mold to grow, carcinogenic materials such as asbestos or materials that use VOC in their manufacturing may induce human diseases such as asthma and cancer due to long time exposition of the immunity system. Taking in attention the inclusive approach that benefits social inclusion of children, ageing people and handicap people is also essential to achive equity among all citizens. Therefore, being aware of the relationship between the built environment and human health and social inclusion is fundamental to assure comfort, equity and safety.

06- ADVANCES ON CITIES AND BUILDINGS SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT METHODS AND TOOLS
Measuring sustainability of the built environment has lead to several approaches, methods and tools. Certify a building or a city is nowadays a current practice but sometimes also a marketing strategy. To analyse, compare and discuss the several approaches and tools such as LEED, BREEAM, SB-Tool, Green Star and many others, is fundamental to understand their practical use, strengthnesses and weaknesses. 

07- SUSTAINABILITY LESSONS FROM VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
Many building solutions are now understood as lessons from vernacular architecture, such as principles of passive buildings and local resources management. However, ideas of comfort had changed, but in many cases vernacular typologies can be studied to better understand humans had adpated their constructions to climate and materials availability, leading to different architectural expressions and typologies.

08- SMART MATERIALS AND NANOMATERIALS IN CONSTRUCTION AND THEIR SUSTAINABILITY
Smarts materials and nanomaterials are among the most advanced materials used in building construction. These new type of materials had open a unrevealed world until now that is also modifying the buildings design and thw construction industry. It is a new field of study and application that was opened to researchers and how such new construction materials can contribute for more sustainable and efficient buildings in the future is still unknown.

09- SPECIAL CHAPTER: INNOVATIVE BIOMIMETICS CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS
Natural systems and species are highly adapted to their environment and life cycle. Many examples can be given on how nature had influenced new materials development as well fabrication in many fields of industry. We may look to a sunflower and see how solar energy is captured, to a baobab tree and see how water is stored, to a termite nest and understand how the specie developed a passive cooling system or look to a polar bear and understand how his skin keeps him warm and dry. Therefore, this approach opens an interesting field on research that brings closer the built and the natural environments.