Introduction

The Sustainable City 2025 conference follows a series of very successful meetings that started in Rio (2000), followed by Segovia (2002), Siena (2004), Tallinn (2006), Skiathos (2008), A Coruña (2010), Ancona (2012), Kuala Lumpur (2013), Siena (2014), Medellin (2015), Alicante (2016), Seville (2017), Valencia (2019) and online in 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting always attracts a substantial number of contributions from participants from different backgrounds and countries. The variety of topics and experiences is one of the main reasons behind the success of the series.

Since 1993 all published papers are archived in the Wessex Institute eLibrary (www.witpress.com/elibrary), where they are easily and permanently available in Open Access format to the international community.

The 17th International Conference on Urban Regeneration and Sustainability addresses all aspects of the urban environment and aims to provide solutions leading towards sustainability.

Urban areas result in a series of environmental challenges varying from the consumption of natural resources and the subsequent generation of waste and pollution, contributing to the development of social and economic imbalances. According to current trends, the population is concentrating in urban areas that continue to grow all over the world. Old and new problems tend to become more acute and require the development of innovative solutions to create liveable urban areas without endangering our common future.

The task of researchers is to improve the capacity to manage human activities, pursuing welfare and prosperity in the urban environment. Any investigation or planning in a city ought to consider the relationships between the parts and their connections with the living world. The dynamics of its networks (flows of energy-matter, people, goods, information and other resources) are fundamental for an understanding of the evolving nature of today’s cities.

Coastal areas and coastal cities will be an important issue at the conference as they have some specific features. Their strategic location facilitates transportation and the development of related activities, but this requires the existence of large ports, with the corresponding increase in maritime and road traffic and all of the inherent negative effects, and can be directly affected by the rise in sea level. This requires the development of well-planned and managed urban environments, not only for reasons of efficiency and economics but also to avoid inflicting environmental degradation that causes the deterioration of natural resources, quality of life and human health.

Urban agriculture and food sovereignty are also crucial themes that have been included in the conference due to their impact on city life. The scale of modern food production has created and exacerbated many vulnerabilities and the feeding of cities is now infinitely more complex. In the last few years, there has been a rapid expansion in initiatives and projects exploring innovative methods and processes for sustainable food production. The majority of these projects are focused on providing alternative models that shift the power back from the global food system to communities and farmers improving social cohesion, health and wellbeing. These initiatives have demonstrated that urban agriculture has the potential to transform our living environment towards ecologically sustainable and healthy cities.

Large cities constitute a fertile ground for architects, engineers, city planners, social and political scientists, and other professionals able to conceive new ideas and time them according to technological advances and human requirements. Their works are essential in order to help public policies progress and become more committed to environmental challenges.

Conference Topics

The following list covers some of the topics to be presented at Sustainable City 2025. Papers on other subjects related to the objectives of the conference are also welcome.

 

  • Urban strategies
  • Urban logistics
  • Urban metabolism
  • Circular economy
  • The coastal city and its environments
  • City/Waterfront interaction
  • Planning, development and management
  • Waterfront development
  • The S3 city: smart, sustainable and safe
  • Eco-cities, Eco-towns and Eco-villaging
  • Spatial conflicts in the city
  • The community and the city
  • Tourism and the city
  • Coastal city beaches
  • Coastal processes
  • Coastal flooding
  • Urban transportation and planning
  • Ports accessibility
  • Architectural issues
  • Cultural heritage sites
  • Urban conservation and regeneration
  • Environmental management
  • Waste management
  • Urban air pollution
  • Health issues
  • Water resources
  • Landscape planning and design
  • Urbanization of rural areas
  • Urban and peri-urban agriculture
  • Sustainable land use
  • Green infrastructures and sustainable urbanism
  • City food chains
  • Urban agriculture and food sovereignty
  • Sustainable urban drainage
  • Urban farms
  • Roof top farms and green roofs
  • Waste food recovery and recycling
  • Planning for risk, climate change and natural hazards
  • Case studies

 

Benefits of Attending

USB Drive

Delegates will receive a USB drive at the conference containing the presented papers.

Publication

Papers presented at Sustainable City 2025 are to be published in a volume of WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment (Electronic ISSN: 1743-3541). The publication will be available in both electronic and hard copy.

Indexing

The WIT Transactions are DOI registered with CrossRef and are currently listed in indexing services such as Scopus and Google Scholar, as well as being submitted to the Web of Science. All conference books are listed in the British Library and American Library of Congress.

Open Access and Digital Archive

All conference papers are archived permanently on our electronic library where they can be downloaded for free (www.witpress.com/elibrary).

Peer review

To ensure the quality of our publications, abstracts and papers are double peer-reviewed by members of the International Scientific Advisory Committee and other experts, with manuscripts processed through CrossRef Similarity Check to screen for plagiarism.

Reduced Fee for PhD Students

The Wessex Institute believes in the importance of encouraging PhD students to present and publish innovative research at its conferences. As a result, the Institute offers PhD students a much-reduced conference fee.

Networking

Participants can present their research and interact with experts from around the world, as part of a unique community.

Publication of Papers

Peer review

To ensure the quality of our publications, abstracts and papers are double peer-reviewed by members of the International Scientific Advisory Committee and other experts, with manuscripts processed through CrossRef Similarity Check to screen for plagiarism.

Publication

Papers presented at the conference are to be published in a volume of WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment (Electronic ISSN: 1743-3541). The publication will be available in both electronic and hard copy.

Indexing

The WIT Transactions are DOI registered with CrossRef and are currently listed in indexing services such as Scopus and Google Scholar, as well as being submitted to the Web of Science. All conference books are listed in the British Library and American Library of Congress.

Open Access and Digital Archive

All conference papers are archived permanently on our electronic library where they can be downloaded for free (www.witpress.com/elibrary).

Location

Sheltered by the hills Monte Conero, Astago and Guasco, the port city of Ancona lies midway along the Adriatic Coast of Italy. Founded by the Greeks more than two thousand years ago, the city retains a huge Roman archway, the Arch of Trajan, at the entrance to the main harbour. Ancona’s cathedral, which offers excellent coastal views from its position atop Monte Guasco, is built on the visible remains of a Roman Temple, and the nearby Archaeological Museum of La Marche region describes in detail the city’s illustrious past. Elsewhere, the city is home to several renaissance Palazzos and churches, a renowned 19th century opera house, with sandy beaches and a National Park only a short distance away. Ancona is connected by direct trains to Rome, Bologna, Milan, Venice and several other Italian cities, by direct flights to several European cities, and by ferries to Croatia, Albania, and Greece.

 Ancona Cathedral  Ancona Town

 

Conference Venue

The conference will take place at the “Caserma Villarey”, originally a barrack which today houses the Faculty of Economics of Marche Polytechnic University. Caserma Villarey is situated in the heart of Ancona and its architecture follows an eclectic neo-fourteenth century plan that was used in most Piedmontese military buildings. Caserma Villarey constitutes a prototype in respect to similar constructions. The centre of Ancona hosts several hotels, restaurants, and museums, all within walking distance and it is served by a train station, a nearby airport connected by bus, train and taxi whilst Ancona Port is as close as 300m from the location.

Conference Venue address:

Piazzale R. Martelli 8, 60121 Ancona, Italy

 

Accommodation

The conference will be held at the Faculty of Economics at Marche Polytechnic University (Piazzale Martelli Raffaele, 8, 60121 Ancona AN, Italy). Accommodation options, including nearby hotels and B&Bs, are available. We have compiled a list of convenient places to stay close to the conference venue for your convenience.

The City Hotel ***
112 Via Giacomo Matteotti, 60121 Ancona, Italy (5 minutes’ walk from the conference venue: Università Politecnica delle Marche - Facoltà di Economia, Piazzale R. Martelli 8)

Metropolitan Suites (apart-hotel)
156 Corso Giuseppe Mazzini, 60121 Ancona, Italy (5 minutes’ walk from the conference venue)

Hotel Milano ***
Via Montebello 1A, 60122 Ancona, Italy (10 minutes walks from the conference venue)

Grand Hotel Palace ****
Lungomare Vanvitelli 24, 60121 Ancona, Italy, (12 minutes’ walk from the conference venue)

SEEPORT HOTEL ****
Via Rupi di via XXIX Settembre, 60122, Ancona, (15 minutes’ walk from the conference venue)

NH Ancona ****
Via Rupi di via XXIX Settembre, 60122, Ancona (AN) – Italia, (15 minutes’ walk from the conference venue)

Variety of B&B are also available to rent in Ancona

Travel Information

By Air

Ancona Falconara Airport (AOI): The main airport serving Ancona. You can book flights to Ancona from various locations, including London, with airlines like Ryanair from £19.99 - Ryanair - From the Airport: Once you arrive, you can take the Aerobus Raffaello service to connect to the city center or the train station. The cost of a taxi from Ancona Falconara Airport to Ancona city center is approximately €35.

By Train

Trenitalia: Operates train routes to Ancona. You can catch a train from major cities like Rome or Milan. The journey from Rome takes about 3 hours and 35 minutes, while from Milan it takes around 4 hours and 45 minutes. - Train Stations: Ancona Stazione Centrale is the main station, located about 1 mile from the city center.

By Car

Renting a Car: You can rent a car from nearby cities like Rome and drive to Ancona. The drive from Rome is approximately 127 miles. - Driving: Ancona is connected to the motorway with exits like Ancona Nord and Ancona Sud.

By Bus

FlixBus: Offers bus routes to Ancona from various cities. For example, from Florence, the bus ride takes around 240 miles and costs about £23.

Additional Information

Please use the links below to access additional information related to the conference. All links open in a new window.

Author Instructions
Previous Conference Proceedings 
 
Previous Conference Report 

Here's what our delegates have to say...

"Thank you for a fantastic conference, it was a great opportunity to network with other academics with interests in Energy and Sustainability. I will recommend to my colleagues for future events."
(attendee Energy and Sustainability 2023)

"Thank you for organising the excellent conference"
Dr Siyabulela, South Africa  (attended Energy and Sustainability 2023)

"Interesting format and location for the presentation of research and papers, with a varied attendance from all over the world and diverse backgrounds. I am very pleased to have attended."
Richard Valdivia Sisniegas, Peru (attended Energy and Sustainability 2023)

"I want to thank you for the excellent organization of the event. It was a great opportunity to learn from varied topics and international speakers, and to receive valuable feedback. I am especially grateful for the attention of Marta Graczyk, whose support was very helpful for the conference. She was always attentive and guided me at every stage, even on the breaks between sessions.
(Attendee Energy and Sustainability 2023)

"The RISK/SAFE 2022 conference was impeccable and so was the helpfulness of the organisers and in particular Dr Graczyk. The experience with the Wessex Institute was an extraordinary opportunity for the contamination of ideas and the comparison of different realities and approaches. The scientific community brought together created a resonance of extraordinary importance for research.
(Attendee RISK/SAFE 2022)

"The conference was interesting and intellectually rewarding, as the topics involved help strengthen our scientific knowledge to project local opportunities. I recommend scientists related to the area to integrate their work in this conference."
Carlos Mora, Ecuador (attended Energy Production and Management 2022)

"The conference organised by the Wessex Institute was very good and their instructions on how to participate were very helpful. The whole process of submitting the abstract, the acceptance of the paper and the guidelines to write the paper were very clear and everything worked perfectly and in a professional manner. The overall experience was positive and I would like to be involved again.
(Attendee RISK/SAFE 2022)

"It was a wonderful conference and all programs were well arranged. The organizing committee was punctual and really helpful. It was an amazing and memorable experience."
Thusitha Dilshan, Japan (attended Sustainable Tourism 2022)

"The experience in the conference was very good. Organising these kind of conferences takes a lot of effort. I am immensely pleased and acknowledge Ms Marta Graczyk for her immediate responses and help throughout the conference. "
Amit Passi, India (attended Air Pollution 2021)

"It was the first time that I, A. Silva, attended a conference, and the experience couldn't be better. Very well organised, structured, and interesting. It was a great opportunity to know what it has been done so far concerning air quality, and to understand what can be done in the future."
Ana Silva, Portugal (attended Air Pollution 2021)

"The online conference was perfectly organized."
André Buchau, Germany (attended BEM/MRM 44 2021)

"In July 2000, I attended the Urban Transport Conference which was held in Cambridge UK. It was the first international conference in which I presented one of my research works. After that, I regularly attended the annual Urban Transport Conference [...] until Pisa 2011, where I had the honor of receiving the WIT Eminent Scientist Medal [...] Finally, after over twenty-one years I am still happy and proud to publish and collaborate with the Wessex Institute."
Antonio Pratelli, Italy (attended Urban and Maritime Transport 2021)

"This is my first experience in a conference of this type at the international level. I loved the openness and the welcome, they give you confidence to keep moving forward. We are going to continue participating, I congratulate you."
Bethy Merchan, Ecuador (attended Water and Society 2021)

"The review of this conference was fast and very formative and organized. The topics were different and there was a well-organized program and presentation. I would like to share in the up-coming conference. "
Deena El-Mahdy, Egypt (attended Materials Characterisation 2021)

"Wessex Institute of Technology (WIT) and its' staff are very professional and mindful toward participants and their needs before, during and after conferences. It is a great pleasure when working with with WIT."
Deena Govender, South Africa (attended Sustainable City 2021)

"Very good space to share experiences."
Jhon Chahua, Peru (attended Disaster Management 2021)

"These conferences are a good opportunity to get to know and to share research, as well as to meet other researchers in the field."
Jone Belausteguigoitia, Spain (attended Sustainable City 2021)

"Organization is perfect, namely the assistance of Marta Graczyk."
Jorge Ribeiro, Portugal (attended Sustainable City 2021)

"My experience at the SAFE conference was, as on previous occasions, excellent: you have the opportunity to present your work with the appropriate level of detail and in front of an interested, competent and international audience."
Marco Bietresato, Italy (attended SAFE 2021)

"I was more than happy to attend the Materials Characterization 2021. I was benefitted by the entire experience of it, starting from writing the paper and finally attending it online. I learnt a lot from other delegates. The Chief Academic Officer of WIT, Prof. Santiago, was very friendly and welcoming. The conference coordinator, Ms. Marta was highly cooperative and prompt in resolving any queries and overall conduct of the conference."
Pushpa Jha, India (attended Materials Characterisation 2021)

"Overall, very good. [The Conference Coordinator] did a marvelous job with helping me when needed. "
Tor Stålhane, Norway (attended SAFE 2021)

"It was a precious and unforgettable academic journey for me. The organizers of the conference are enthusiastic and thoughtful, and the scholars are talented. This conference brought me inspiration and thinking that I could not get by publishing articles in journals alone."
Zhongliang Chen, China (attended AFM/MPF 2021)