New socio-economic and environmental realities are forcing a search for innovative solutions in the built environment. All indications are that people will house themselves differently in the coming decades regardless of their place of living. From a demographic perspective, the make-up of society in many nations is much more diverse than in past decades. Designs proposed by architects and constructed by builders must be flexible and regard a wider range of users’ compositions, ages and living habits such as live-work and multi-generational arrangements.

Economic fluctuations also have taken their toll on society, affecting world markets and the lives of individuals to make secure employment less common. In addition, an “affordability gap” has emerged, where the rate of increase in building prices has surpassed the rate of increase of household income. This has made it highly difficult for first-time homebuyers to purchase a dwelling in most urban centers.

The need to rethink design and construction practices and align them with contemporary environmental constraints has taken centre stage in recent years. Sustainable development strives to meet present social and economic needs without risk of exhausting the resources of future generations. It requires a reduction of the impact of housing on natural resources, including materials and energy. Net-Zero and solar-powered homes, innovative ventilation technologies, green roofs, healthy indoor materials, recycled products and water efficient systems have increased their share of the housing market.

Designers and researchers are also exploring new means of housing production. It is becoming increasingly apparent that prefabrication is key to reconciling functional design needs with financial constraints. New technologies such as 3-D printing facilitate production of new components at a reduced cost and improve their appearance. Homebuyers are also paying more attention to well-designed homes and are likely choose them over other units. In addition, the need to make buildings less costly has initiated creativity in interior concepts whose aim is to make small spaces highly efficient.

Journal of Sustainability Research (JSR) aims to address issues related to all facets of sustainability. The four pillars of sustainability: Environmental, economic, social and cultural are the guiding principles. We will welcome article related to environmental, economic, social and cultural sustainability.

Editor-in-Chief of JSR

Avi Friedman

Professor of Architecture

How to Cite This Article

Friedman A. A Letter from the New Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Sustainability Research. J Sustain Res. 2022;4(2):e220005. https://doi.org/10.20900/jsr20220005