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Highlights • A mixed methods research approach for sustainability assessment is proposed. • A real case concerning the regeneration of an urban area in Hong Kong is considered. • Alternative design strategies are compared through a multi-methodological evaluation. • Questionnaires for collecting the opinions of experts and stakeholders are developed. • Guidelines and recommendations for a shared solution are suggested. Abstract Large-scale urban regeneration is usually characterized by a complex decision environment in which several different stakeholders are expected to agree on a shared strategy. Contrasting interests, different values and diverse objectives make the issue particularly appropriate to be inquired throughout multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). This paper elects the Asian context as a case study to apply a multi-methodological evaluation approach aimed at defining a regeneration strategy with respect to actors' preferences. The Kwun Tong area (earlier industrial site in Hong Kong) represents the focus of the research where a combination of the following techniques has been used: context investigation, stakeholders analysis, scenario building, social multicriteria analysis through the Novel Approach to Imprecise Assessment and Decision Environments (NAIADE) method and Multi-Attribute Value Theory (MAVT). The aim is to demonstrate the complex role played by evaluation activities within a design process aimed at finding balanced regeneration scenarios with respect to the needs of most of the parties involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • An extended CBA to compare energy retrofit strategies for NZED is proposed. • The study considers energy performance, life cycle costs and extra-economic impacts. • The SROI outcomes the best performing strategy. • The proposed approach is validated through its application to a real case study. • Sensitivity analyses to test the decision-making process reliability are performed. Abstract The European Union issued several directives in the field of energy efficiency which impact on the building sector in order to avoid a further increase of energy consumption and to mitigate climate change. In particular, the recast of the European Energy Performance of Buildings supports the improvement of buildings energy performance and introduces a new target, the Nearly Zero-Energy Building (NZEB) concept. Nowadays, the European Commission is shifting attention towards the district level and post-carbon cities and Net Zero-Energy District (NZED) targets are emerging. In order to evaluate alternative strategies for the construction of NZED, according to a socio-economic point of view, different aspects and impacts have to be considered. This paper studies the NZED concept and proposes an evaluation method developed from the Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) in order to include extra-economic benefits generated by the project. The proposed approach is applied on a real case concerning the energy requalification of a NZED in Turin (Italy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When dealing with cultural built heritage, the enhancement strategies are generally rooted on the history and based on the embedded values of cultural goods themselves, rather than on the multiplicity of their tangible and intangible values. Furthermore, the current state of the art in cultural heritage management lacks of an appropriate legislation and adequate instruments to be used by decision makers in order to achieve a holistic vision of the problem. Traditionally, decisions are made just by allocating resources case by case and by adopting policies based on simplifications of reality. In addition to dissipation of resources and unsuccessful results, this approach highlights the need of using an evaluative framework starting from the early stages of the decision-making processes. In the above perspective, the paper explores the use of multicriteria-spatial decision support systems (MC-SDSS) in order to define enhancement strategies for cultural built heritage. The integration among different evaluation methodologies (SWOT analysis and analytic network process) and tools with spatial analysis strengthens the explorative role of this kind of approaches. In this research the MC-SDSS has been applied to a system of thirteen castles in a mountainous region in the North of Italy. The study has been carried out with a special attention to the mutual relationship among this system of goods and the surroundings, according to a multidimensional structure of analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Multicriteria analyses (MCAs) are used to make comparative assessments of alternative projects or heterogeneous measures and allow several criteria to be taken into account simultaneously in a complex situation. The paper shows the application of different MCA techniques to a real decision problem concerning the choice of the most sustainable wastewater treatment (WWT) technology, namely Anaerobic digestion, Phytoremediation and Composting, for small cheese factories. Particularly, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and its recent implementation, the Analytic Network Process (ANP), have been considered for prioritizing the different technologies. The models enable all the elements of the decision process to be considered, namely environmental aspects, technological factors and economic costs, and to compare them to find the best alternative. The AHP and ANP techniques are applied through specific software packages with user-friendly interfaces called Expertchoice and Superdecision, respectively. A comparison of the merits obtained from the different models shows that Phytoremediation results as the most sustainable WWT technology for small cheese factories and that the use of the ANP method, which allows more sophisticated analysis to be made, succeeds in offering better results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• An integrated framework is developed to envision future sustainable scenarios of transformation. • Quali-quantitative methods are combined into an overall evaluation methodology. • The multi-level methodology is performed for a downgrounded area. • The evaluation framework supports the design process in a structured way. Smart cities and sustainable neighbourhoods are increasingly gaining more attention within policy decisions on urban transformations. In this context, Decision-Makers (DMs) need evaluation methodologies able to support the definition of policies and actions for the future of cities, that focus on a higher degree of life quality and new needs. In this paper, an integrated framework is proposed which combines the Stakeholder Analysis, the STEEP and SWOT analyses (STEEP + SWOT), the Scenario Building and the Multicriteria Decision Analysis approach (MCDA) which can be used to envision sustainable future scenarios for an underdeveloped area in Northern Italy. The adoption of integrated methodologies facilitates the analysis of each phase of the decision problem, from its early stage to the selection of the most suitable scenario according to the context and the stakeholders engaged. With this perspective, the present research is a guiding tool for DMs for the design of transformation/regeneration scenarios with a long-term perspective of sustainable cities and neighbourhoods. From the results obtained, it is possible to build new and unexpected scenarios by combining the main opportunities and strengths of most suitable alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MC-SDSS is suitable for site selection and complex decision-making processes. • AHP and FAHP comparison shows their differences in supporting site selection. • Sensitivity analysis is performed to test the robustness of the evaluation. • The development of suitability maps supports the concertation among stakeholders. Integrated evaluation methods have started to gain more and more importance for supporting the decision-making process in the field of urban and territorial planning, contributing to the consideration of the multidimensionality of the elements involved and the multiple feedback of stakeholders. In the context of infrastructure location in cities, spatial multicriteria analysis is becoming increasingly relevant, thanks to its ability to synthesize the full range of aspects, through Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), and for the consideration of the spatial dimension, thanks to its integration of GIS data. The case study selected to test this mixed method is the new healthcare project for the metropolitan city of Turin (Italy). The decision where to locate a new healthcare facility is highly complex since many aspects have to be considered, spanning from technical to social factors, and from locational to environmental elements. This choice case study aims at highlighting the role of spatial multicriteria analysis to support Decision Makers (DMs) in the identification of suitable locations for urban facilities and shows the potential of the approach for increasing the participation of different stakeholders thanks to a simple visual representation of data and results. In particular, the research makes use of Analytic Hierarchic Process (AHP) and Fuzzy AHP (FAHP). The comparison of the two approaches shows that they can both be used for identifying suitable locations for urban infrastructures. However, this research demonstrates that AHP should be preferred in the case of the high relevance of all the criteria considered, whereas FAHP introduces more uncertainty in criteria weights assignment and reduces the burden of many spatial analyses with GIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper proposes a Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding model for improving the energy efficiency of public building stock. • The proposed model takes into account energy efficiency, financial feasibility and environmental protection criteria. • The ELECTRE TRI-nC approach is suitable for sorting energy retrofitting actions into categories of overall performance. • The model is applied to a real case study of 210 actions for a stock of 36 public buildings located in Southern Italy. • Sorting the energy retrofitting actions into categories allows the DM to select directly those to be financed as a priority. The challenge of promoting sustainable cities and reaching the objectives developed by the European Green Deal includes the renovation of the building sector, as it is responsible for 40% of energy consumption in Europe. Regional or local public administrations have to allocate their financial resources for improving the energy performances of their building stock and to face a multidimensional problem, where different aspects – such as energy efficiency, financial-economic feasibility and environmental protection – have to be harmonized. The present study proposes a Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding model, which includes the ELECTRE TRI-nC method, for supporting the public decision process of sorting alternative energy retrofitting actions into various categories, each of them expresses different levels of overall performance. The model is applied to an Italian real case study. An experts' panel has been involved for structuring the decision problem and discussing the results. The results show that opaque envelope insulation actions are often classified in best categories to be implemented and funded instead the upgrade of the lighting system falls in the worst category. These results are useful for local or regional public administrations to select those energy retrofitting actions that have to be financed as a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A risk analysis interface is developed to assess unmovable cultural heritage. • It includes the asset risk evaluation cards, factsheets, and multicriteria model. • The results are integrated to obtain a risk index for fire, earthquake, and flood. • A comparative assessment of two unmovable cultural assets is performed. • The interface can support the implementation of actions pre and post-events. The present article illustrates the application of the Risk Analysis Interface (RAI), which was developed within the European project ResCult. This assessment model is focused on the risk evaluation of immovable cultural assets and their different components, that need to be preserved and managed in case of extreme events. In detail, this article describes the application of this risk assessment model to the two selected pilot case studies of the project, the Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli in Venice and the Convent of San Nicola in Tolentino (Italy). This article highlights the application procedure and the results obtained by its implementation in the two pilot case studies. The focus of this article is underlying and explaining in-depth the functioning of the specific evaluation tools, to underline their suitability to be applied in ex-ante, in-itinere, and ex-post phase of a disaster occurrence. The outcome of this article is providing information about how applying the RAI developed within the ResCult project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]