The 11th International Conference on Sustainable Development in Building and Environment (SuDBE2023) was grandly held at Alto University, Finland from 14-18th August, 2023.
The conference was jointly organized by Chongqing University and Alto University, co-hosted by School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, National Center for International Research of Low-carbon & Green Buildings, and Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings & Built Environments, and co-organized by Finnish Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (FiSIAQ), China Green Building Council of CSUS, Tsinghua University, China Academy of Building Research, University of Cambridge, University of Reading, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and Imperial College London. The conference received substantial support from the Administrative Center for China’s Agenda 21, Ministry of the Environment of Finland, and Granlund Group.
Professor Baizhan Li from Chongqing University and Professor Risto Kosonen from Aalto University were conference chairs, and the academic committees were chaired by Professor Xuhong Zhou, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and the former President of Chongqing University; Professor Alan Short from University of Cambridge; and Professor Stuart Green from University of Reading. 180 experts and scholars from 14 countries and regions attended the opening ceremony, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Romania, Japan, South Korea, and China. Among them, more than 50 were international experts.
Opening ceremony and technical sessions were held on 15-16th August. At the opening ceremony, the conference chair Professor Risto Kosonen from Aalto University warmly welcomed the experts and scholars from home and abroad. He described the research background of sustainable built environment, highlighted the significance of research in built environment, and explained the possible practical approaches to carbon reduction and temperature control from the aspects of flexible regulation of building energy, and utilization of renewable energy. Professor Baizhan Li, the conference chair from Chongqing University, narrated the ideals and the two-decade history of SuDBE International Conference. He emphasized the theme of the conference on sustainable development in built environment, and hoped that this conference would contribute to strengthening research exchanges in the field of built environment, further deepening international cooperation in the transformation of scientific research results and teaching practice experience, and promoting interdisciplinary integration.
The conference revolved around nine core themes focusing on climate responsive built environments, air quality and healthy building, thermal comfort and intelligent operation, low-carbon technology and energy systems, sustainable urban renewal, building technology and performance, sustainable solutions for affordable retrofitting of European domestic buildings, occupant targeted ventilation for sustainable buildings and smart services in sustainable buildings. These themes were addressed through 11 technical sessions, and 3 thematic workshops, including 27 invited speeches and 66 student presentations. Miimu Airaksinen, Senior Vice President of SRV Group Ltd., Minttu Vilander, Director of Communication and Sustainable Development at Sitowise, Professor Borong Lin, Associate Dean of the School of Architecture at Tsinghua University, and Professor Christopher Pain from Imperial College London were invited to deliver keynote speeches.
Technical tours were on 17-18th August. Aalto University, Ramboll Village, Halton Group and Granlund Group received 90 participants to conduct technical visits, learning and communication on the topics of sustainable energy system development on campus, sustainable design and smart operation and maintenance of commercial buildings, technologies and solutions for high-quality indoor climate conditions, and architectural design in the context of climate change.
10 international experts were invited to evaluate students’ oral and poster presentations and nominate the Best Presentation and Best Poster Awards. 12 winners were awarded with certificates at the closing ceremony. Additionally, 25 technical sessions chairs were awarded chair certificates and 21 volunteer students were awarded volunteer certificates.
Professor Runming Yao, the chair of the Organizing Committee,announced at the closing ceremony that the next SuDBE conference was planned to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the end of July 2024, and see you in South Africa next year.
