Cultural heritage organizations worldwide face daunting challenges, grappling with workforce shortages and financial constraints that often result in service closures, postponements, or cancellations. In response to these difficulties, we delved into the evolving interaction between cultural heritage sites and society, especially considering the profound socio-economic repercussions of the global pandemic at these sites. We scrutinized the dynamic heritage of community engagement, with a particular focus on pioneering methods to augment the participation and awareness of younger individuals. We focused on innovative methods to enhance the involvement and awareness of young individuals. Employing a comprehensive content analysis through a multiple case study approach, cultural heritage initiatives in Taiwan were investigated, emphasizing the pivotal role of technology and digital platforms in engaging young audiences. Using a comprehensive content analysis approach within a multiple case study framework, we examined various cultural heritage initiatives in Taiwan. Notably, we accentuated the crucial role played by technology and digital platforms in captivating younger audiences. Through theoretical sampling and triangulation methods, including semi-structured interviews, secondary sources, and participant observation, we sought to obtain a holistic understanding of the subject matter. The research findings underscore the pivotal importance of digital experiences as supplements to physical presence, providing a gateway to cultural heritage exploration. Moreover, we advocate for heritage sites to harness digital platforms effectively, encouraging collaborations with external partners to enrich visitor experiences. We also offer valuable recommendations aimed at enhancing customer engagement and communication with the younger demographic, thus making significant contributions to the cultural heritage sector in Asia. Furthermore, this research signifies a notable transition from traditional physical service design to online platforms, leveraging technology to inspire and engage diverse generations. By embracing digital tools, cultural heritage sites not only attract new visitors but also retain the interest of existing ones amidst an ever-evolving societal landscape. Ultimately, this study sheds light on the imperative nature of cultural heritage preservation and adaptation in the face of contemporary challenges, emphasizing the need for innovation and resilience in this vital sector.

Relocating disaster-prone villages serves both as a strategy and a method for the Beijing Municipal Government to address the life and work challenges faced by these communities. This approach ensures the safety and security of villagers’ lives and property, reduces community and resident vulnerability to disaster risks, enhances resilience, and promotes sustainable development. Using a questionnaire research and disaster sociology perspectives, this study explored the perceptions of the well-being of 360 relocated villagers from ten disaster-prone villages in rural Beijing. Findings show that follow-up support projects, CCP branch secretaries, and community services in these relocated villages significantly improved villagers’ well-being. Therefore, we suggest that relocation, the role of the CPC branch, and the development of a diversified social security and service network focused on livelihoods and production are effective in enhancing villagers’ well-being.

Architectural concrete provides diverse patterns, colors, and forms, offering extensive structural and aesthetic possibilities. In China, advanced techniques such as prefabricated and precast concrete structures are increasingly utilized, delivering benefits like faster construction, reduced resource use, and improved quality control. Recent studies in China have highlighted the environmental benefits and practical considerations of incorporating recycled materials and moderate- heat Portland cement into concrete, which offer promising sustainability advantages. This study, through a case analysis in China, explored the usability, durability, manufacturing costs, and economic implications of architectural concrete. It emphasizes the critical role of architectural concrete in modern structural engineering, financial planning, and design, aiming to reduce variability in strength and uniformity between concrete batches, ensure consistent material quality, and lower maintenance costs while accelerating production. Focusing on quality control in concrete construction in Heqing, Pudong, Shanghai, this research identified unique challenges and provided insights. In Shanghai’s architectural context, continuous monitoring of concrete quality is essential for structural stability and durability. This study also addressed the resilience of concrete structures in saltwater and freeze-thaw conditions, underscoring the need to consider environmental factors in quality assurance. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that composite members and deep beams of steel and concrete exhibit notable deformation and shear resistance, highlighting the importance of meticulous material selection and structural design for effective quality control.

We report on the findings of a qualitative research study exploring the benefits to mental, physical, and social well-being of regular interaction with the city’s green and blue spaces using a walking interview method to gauge the views of fifty frequent visitors to the city’s parks. This was followed by a second phase of research consisting of four focus groups exploring the experiences of those whose access to the city’s green and blue spaces is restricted, noting the effects of these limitations on their general well-being. Despite government-backed urban sustainable redesign initiatives to promote greater access to the city’s biodiversity, its elderly, disabled, and poorer socio-economic communities continue to encounter restrictions regarding their access to its green and blue spaces. By highlighting these issues, our aim is to show how a partial membership of the city’s sustainable development plan is enacted (i.e., a simultaneous inclusion of all community members rhetorically and an exclusion of the needs of many in practice) and reinforced in ways that reproduce socially embedded patterns of inequality. It calls for a more sociologically grounded analysis of the persistence of such inequalities as an important appendage to current discourse on the restorative benefits of the ‘15-minute city’ and as a corrective to current public participation measures that fail to incorporate lived experiences of unequal access to the city’s nature. It proposes a framework that addresses more effectively the distributive, recognition, and procedural dimensions of inclusive, sustainable city living.

Equitable access to electricity is a critical challenge confronting urban communities. We investigated this problem empirically and explored the feasibility of leveraging novel distributed energy systems as a potential solution in three steps. First, using historical data, the associations between citizens’ socioeconomic attributes and their access to electricity were statistically analyzed to empirically evaluate whether the existing grid systems serve all citizens fairly. Second, a systematic scoping review was conducted to synthesize and analyze the existing knowledge on the design and development of distributed systems to promote equitable access to electricity. Third, a series of semi-structured interviews was conducted to collect subject-matter experts’ insights on potential opportunities and challenges for large-scale implementation of distributed energy systems as a solution to the problem of inequitable access to electricity. Finally, using the outcomes of the statistical analysis, systematic scoping review, and interviews, a set of potential research directions are outlined. We set the groundwork for future research and investigations focused on designing novel solutions to overcome the problem of inequitable access to electricity in urban areas. The outcomes of this study will help decision-makers identify potential opportunities and challenges for implementing distributed solutions to create more equitable electricity infrastructure systems.