From July 29 to August 2, 2024, The 12th International Conference on Sustainable Development in Building and Environment (SuDBE2024) & the 12th West Africa Built Environment Research Conference (WABER) were held at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. The conference was co-organized by the University of Witwatersrand and Chongqing University, and co-hosted by the School of Civil Engineering of Chongqing University, the National Center for International Research of Low-carbon & Green Buildings, and the Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings & Built Environments. The conference was attended by 180 international experts and scholars from 22 countries and regions. The conference is centered on eight core topics, including the built environments in response to climate change, air quality, healthy buildings, thermal comfort, intelligent operation, etc. with a total of 32 sub-topics covering 21 thematic forums, 7 keynote reports, and 2 thematic workshops. This was followed by technical tours in Pretoria and Johannesburg.
The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor Sam Laryea at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Prof. Sam Laryea delivered a welcoming speech and warmly welcomed the leaders, guests, experts, and scholars. Prof. Sam Laryea talked about the goals of SuDBE and WABER to address global challenges and promote sustainable development of building and environment worldwide. He emphasized the importance of face-to-face interaction with internationally renowned experts and scholars to promote research, improve research skills, educate researchers, and expand the network of partners. Prof. Sam Laryea wished the 12th SuDBE & 12th WABER Conference a successful outcome.
Prof. Baizhan Li, Chairman of the conference, delivered a welcome speech, in which he thanked and warmly welcomed all the leaders, guests, and participating experts, talked about the history and purpose of the SuDBE on Sustainable Development in the Building and Environment. He emphasized the importance of sustainable development of the built environment in response to global climate change in order to achieve the goals of energy saving and carbon emission reduction. Prof. Baizhan Li put forward the idea of cooperation between China's research related to the built environment in response to the "Belt and Road" scientific and technological innovation. The collaboration can enhance the understanding with counterparts in African countries, promote multilateral international scientific and technological cooperation, jointly respond to global challenges, and promote the sustainable development of the built environment around the world.
Subsequently, Dr. Rakesh Singh of the University of Witwatersrand hosted the keynote speech of the conference. An invited keynote presentation entitled "Resilient and Sustainable Futures - Opportunities to Leverage Emerging Technologies" was made by Professor Chimay Anumba from University of Florida. Professor Chimay Anumba is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering of the United Kingdom. An invited keynote presentation entitled "Role Of The Client in Achieving Sustainable Built Environments" was given by Prof. Ron Watermeyer of the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Prof. Kathy Michell of the University of Cape Town, South Africa, delivered an invited keynote speech entitled "Sustainable Urban Development and Management". Prof. Humphrey Danso from AAMUSTED University, Ghana, delivered an invited keynote address entitled "Sustainability through Construction Materials". An invited keynote presentation entitled "Sustainability through Smart Infrastructures" was made by Professor Jeremy Gibberd of the University of Witwatersrand. A 20-minute Q&A session with guests followed. On the 31st, Tim Broyd, a Member of the Royal Academy of Engineering, gave an invited keynote speech entitled "The Use of Digital Techniques to Improve the Sustainability of Buildings". Prof. Borong Lin of Tsinghua University gave an invited keynote speech entitled "Artificial Intelligence and Carbon Neutrality: Several Case Studies".
One of the sub-forums of the conference, "Low Carbon Cities and Carbon Neutral Development in Urban Areas", was successfully co-organized by China Academy of Building Research and Chongqing University. Principal investigators of China's 14th Five-Year Plan projects “Joint Research and Demonstration of Key Technologies for Carbon Reduction in Urban Areas and Neighborhoods” and “Demonstration of Key Technologies for Carbon Neutral Low Carbon Cities” discussed the sustainable development of low-carbon cities with international experts. The international experts came from South Africa, Ghana and other "Belt and Road" regions, and they jointly explored low-carbon city development and cooperation towards the goal of carbon neutrality.
The conference also organized technical visits to the Digital Mining Laboratory of the University of Witwatersrand, the Constitution Hill and the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg as well as the Union Building in Pretoria. They also visited the Green 5 Star Buildings including the Anglo American Head Office Building and the Discovery Building in Johannesburg.
At the closing ceremony of the conference, Prof. Baizhan Li, President of the conference, made a closing speech and expressed his sincere thanks to the delegates. Prof. Sam Laryea and Prof. Runming Yao presented certificates to the chairs of the conference. Prof. Chimay Anumba and Prof. Tim Broyd presented certificates to the three students who won the best poster awards. Prof. Baizhan Li presented certificates to 17 volunteers of the conference. Finally, the Secretary General of the conference, Prof. Runming Yao of Chongqing University, announced that the next SuDBE conference will be planned to be held in the UK in 2025.
Since 2003, SuDBE Conference has gained the full support of many famous universities, enterprises and government departments. The conference has been organized in the UK, South Africa, Finland, and China. The conference has become a high-level international academic conferences in the field of sustainable development of buildings. This year's SuDBE conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, responds positively to the national "Belt and Road" Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Action Plan, enhances the understanding with counterparts in African countries. The conference promotes multilateral international scientific and technological exchanges, the sustainable development of building and environment, and jointly responding to global challenges.
