The urban environment - buildings, cities and infrastructure - represents one of the most important contributors to climate change, while at the same time holding the key to a more sustainable way of living. The transformation from traditional to sustainable systems requires interdisciplinary knowledge of the re-design, construction, operation and maintenance of the built environment.

1. Introduction. 1.1 The built environment: problem and solution. 1.2 Analysing the urban environment: an ecosystem approach. 1.3 Analytical focus is on ecological processes. 1.4 Setting the boundaries in this book; E. van Bueren.- 2. (Eco)system thinking: ecological principles for buildings, roads, industrial and urban areas. 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 General characteristics of (eco)system thinking. 2.3 The development of system theory and ecosystem theory. 2.4 Important concepts and characteristics of ecosystems. 2.5 Classification of ecosystems on different levels of scale (from global to local level) 2.6 Examples of urban-ecosystem approaches. 2.7 Understanding urban areas as ecosystems. 2.8 Improving urban systems: ecological engineering. 2.9 The earth as a living system. 2.10 Discussion; H. van Bohemen.- 3. Urban ecology, scale and identity. 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 Ecologies. 3.3 Urban ecology including the human species and its artefacts. 3.4 Scale and size: technically, scientifically, administratively. 3.5 Identity: difference from the rest, continuity in itself. 3.6 Conclusion; T.M. De Jong.- 4. Water flows and urban planning. 4.1 Introduction. 4.2 Flow issues: cycles and cascades. 4.3 Urban Spaces and the Water Cycle. 4.4 Water Planning and Innovation: the role of actors. 4.5 Conclusions; S. Tjallingii.- 5. Energy in the built environment. 5.1 Introduction. 5.2 The energy chain: from demand to supply. 5.3 Demand side: Thermal energy demand. 5.4 Demand side: Electrical energy demand of buildings. 5.5 Energy distribution: between supply and demand. 5.6 Supply side: Energy conversion systems and primary energy use. 5.7 Operational and financial considerations; L. Itard.- 6. Material City: Towards sustainable use of resources. 6.1 Introduction. 6.2 Energy and materials. 6.3 Concepts. 6.4 Strategies. 6.5 Challenges. 6.6 The value of assessment tools. 6.7 Selecting materials; L. Icibaci, M. Haas.- 7. Air quality and human health. 7.1 Introduction. 7.2 Air pollutants. 7.3 Other indoor environmental aspects. 7.4 Health effects. 7.5 Practical guidelines. 7.6 Conclusions; A. Meijer.- 8. Liveability. 8.1. Introduction. 8.2 Methodology. 8.3 Forms of liveability. 8.4 The neighbourhood as an ecosystem. 8.5 Sustainable liveability. 8.6 Sustainable liveable neighbourhoods. 8.7 The Ecological liveability; control over social environment. 8.8 Reflection and conclusions; M. van Dorst.- 9. Urban transport and sustainability. 9.1 Introduction. 9.2 A conceptual model for the impacts of the transport system on the environment, accessibility and safety. 9.4 Policy measures and design. 9.5 Models. 9.6 Conclusions; B. van Wee.- 10. Sustainable Urban Form. 10.1 Introduction. 10.2 Typologies of urban form. 10.3 The policy relevance of urban form. 10.4 The Concept of the Compact City. 10.5 Urban form and environmental performance. 10.6 An assessment of urban form. 10.7 Concluding remarks; J. Milder.- 11. Environmental strategies and tools for integrated design. 11.1 Introduction. 11.2 Environmental strategies. 11.3 Quantitative assessment methods. 11.4 Qualitative assessment methods. 11.5 Design methods for integrated design; L. Itard.- 12. Climate Integrated Design and Closing Cycles. 12.1 Introduction. 12.2 Relevant references of a sustainable and interconnected energy and sanitation facility. 12.3 Integrated concepts: combined infrastructural, spatial and ecological functions. 12.4 Curitiba: integrating social and technical solutions. 12.5 Challenges for realizing a sustainable urban metabolism; A. van Timmeren.- 13. Governance tools. 13.1 Introduction. 13.2 Government and Governance. 13.3 Levels of Governance. 13.4 Governance tools. 13.5 Information and Communication Tools. 13.6 Governance Tools and Sustainable Built Environments.13.7 Conclusions; L. Murphy et al.- 14. Managing change. 14.1 Introduction. 14.2 Challenges in the urban environment. 14.3 Theoretical understanding of managing change. 14.4 The diffusion of environmental innovations. 14.5 Improving collaboration. 14.6 Which actors can make the change? 14.7 End-user participation. 14.8 Business opportunities: sustainability pays. 14.9 Conclusions; A. van Hal, E. van Bueren.- 15. Conclusions and solutions. 15.1 Introduction. 15.2 Improving the metabolism of urban areas. 15.3 Making areas and places more sustainable. 15.4 Promising solutions; T. Schuetze et al.- Index.