SBE27 Delft | People, Planet and the Built Environment: Governing District-Scale Transitions in an Uncertain World
How can we move from sustainable buildings to sustainable systems, communities and cities?
The transition towards a sustainable, resilient and decarbonised built environment requires more than technological innovation. It calls for new ways of connecting people, infrastructure, markets, ecosystems and institutions, and for addressing the complex challenges of governance, affordability, climate change, resource constraints and social justice.
SBE27 Delft brings the international sustainable built-environment community together to exchange research, practical experience and innovative approaches to systemic transformation.
The conference places the district at the centre of this conversation: a critical scale where buildings, infrastructures, communities and institutions interact. At the same time, we welcome contributions across buildings, neighbourhoods, cities and regions, reflecting diverse international contexts.
Six scientific tracks
- Buildings, Infrastructure and Environmental Systems
- People, Behaviour, Communities and Justice
- Governance, Institutions, Policy and Law
- Economics, Finance and Value Models
- Digitalisation, Data and AI for Transition
- Integrated, Adaptive and Resilient Transitions
Themes range from decarbonisation, energy systems and circular construction to climate adaptation, behavioural change, sufficiency, affordable housing, financing, digitalisation and just transitions.
We particularly welcome international and comparative research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and contributions that bridge science, policy and practice.
Key dates
- 20 November 2026: Special session proposal deadline
- 18 December 2026: Abstract submission deadline
Hosted at TU Delft by the 4TU.Built Environment Domain Acceleration Team Energy Transition (DAT-ET), the conference builds on SBE22 Delft and WSBE26 Melbourne. Its outcomes (peer-reviewed open-access proceedings, the SBE27 Delft Declaration and nominated best papers) will contribute to WSBE28.
Join us in Delft to exchange knowledge, challenge assumptions and help shape the next generation of sustainable built-environment transitions.
More information: https://sbe27delft.4tu.nl/