Nature-based Solutions and Circularity Perspectives in the Built Environment: Multidisciplinary Approaches

The main purpose of this book is to examine the applications of nature-based solutions (NBS) and circularity in the built environment from a multidisciplinary perspective, but with a focus on energy, civil, and environmental engineering. The book is therefore divided into three sections, energy management, hydrology and water management, and applications of sustainable natural resources in soil improvement in the built environment.

Section 1 introduces the concepts of circularity and NBS in the built environment with a focus on energy management in buildings and infrastructure through case studies of auditing, assessment, and best practice in design.

Section 2 examines NBS in the form of water management. Chapters cover urban and rural resilience in water management, the circular design of waste management and NBS in coastal contexts.

In Section 3, chapters and case studies present solutions that can be applied to improve the physical and mechanical properties of the soil. It presents viable options for sustainable reuse of construction materials from civil infrastructure projects, and industrial wastes in soil improvement.

This book is important reading for researchers and professionals in civil engineering, water engineering, coastal engineering, sustainable infrastructure design and urban planning.

Hasan Saygın is a full engineering professor specializing in applied sciences (multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies). He earned his Ph.D. from École Polytechnique de Montréal, Institut de Génie Energétique at Université de Montréal, and his M.Sc. in Nuclear Energy from Istanbul Technical University, along with a B.Sc. in Mathematical Engineering from Yildiz Technical University. He is currently the Director of the Application and Research Center for Advanced Studies at Istanbul Aydin University and the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.

Hasan Volkan Oral is a full-time researcher in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, İstanbul Aydın University, Türkiye. After earning a Ph.D. from Boğaziçi University, he completed his postdoctoral studies at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, focusing on agricultural and environmental sciences. Currently, he is engaged in environmental sustainability, nature-based solutions (Nbs), and circularity applications within environmental science and engineering. He represents Turkey as a member of the Management Committee and leads Working Groups in various COST actions related to sustainability, NbS, and circularity. Dr. Oral is also the principal investigator of a TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) and COST-funded research project that addresses circular water management applicable to nature-based solutions in the K. Menderes River Basin in Western Turkey.

Kaveh Dehghanian joined Istanbul Aydin University as a civil engineering faculty member in 2017 after earning a Ph.D. from Middle East Technical University in 2016. During his Ph.D. and master's research, he focused on “Estimation of Maximum Seismic Shear Strain in Imperforated Ground Excited by Vertically Propagating Shear Waves" and "The Equivalency Assessment of Geosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL) and Compacted Clay Liner (CCL) in an Engineered Landfill." His current research interests center on sustainable, environmentally friendly soil improvement methods, the use of materials, and the sustainable management of natural resources, as well as empirical correlations in soil mechanics and dynamics. He has participated in various COST action working groups related to sustainability and circularity.

Tevfik Denizhan MüftüoĞlu obtained his doctoral degree from the Department of Civil Engineering, Katip Celebi University of İzmir. His academic interests are mainly around the research of friction factor and pressure loss that occur in pipe flows, modeling of turbulent flows of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids in rough pipes, open-channel flows, artificial intelligence-based applications in hydraulics and hydrology, and sustainable water harvesting.