The research interests of SDRU members cover a wide range of spatial planning and sustainable development issues at all levels from the local to the European. On the basis of their existing research experience and scientific publications, the research orientation and expertise of SDRU is summarized under the following thematic headings:
Spatial Development Planning
Analysis of local and regional productive systems (e.g. economic sectors and branches and labour markets) at the local, regional, national and international level for the social and economic growth of various regions. Spatial development trends. Theories of location of economic activities. Policies and programs of spatial development on all geographical scales.
Spatial Impact of Policies
Ιmpact of European and national policies with spatial dimension as among others are the following: spatial planning, regional development, environmental, infrastructure networks. Special emphasis was given to issues of co-ordination, complementarity and synergy of policies at European, national, regional and local level.
Strategic Spatial Planning
Context, vision, ideas and proposals of strategic spatial planning. Integration of spatial planning and forms of governance, degree of participation and commitment of the involved stakeholders in the process of strategic decision making. Balance among the three pillars of sustainable spatial development: economic competitiveness, quality of the environment and social cohesion of urban areas.
Spatial Planning and climate change
The role of spatial planning, at every scale, in the adaptation to and the mitigation of climate change. Interrelations between vulnerability and resilience of urban areas and urban form. Particular emphasis on the study of appropriate spatial strategies as well as regulatory tools (characteristics and forms of urban development, coordination of policies, land use planning, control of urban development). Regional resilience to climate change and the role of regional spatial planning in preventing and addressing the impacts of climate change.
Urban regeneration policies
Characteristics and specificities of urban regeneration policies and projects of integrated urban interventions. Forms and tools of urban regeneration. Interrelations between urban regeneration policies and property development. Agents and stakeholders in urban regeneration projects. Sustainable urban development and urban regeneration. European policies on integrated urban interventions.
Spatial Planning Systems
Characteristics of spatial planning systems in relation to the respective theoretical framework and socio-economic model. Important planning reforms. Crucial differences, common elements and typology of spatial planning systems in Europe. Study of the urban and regional spatial planning system in Greece.
Land Use and Transport
Investigation of the interaction between land use and transport systems as major structural element of spatial form in urban and metropolitan scale. Understand the dynamic relation between urban form and sustainability of cities. Assessment of the impacts of urban form (urban sprawl, compact city etc.) in quality of life and resource consumption. Tools and quantitative methods for spatial analysis, urban models, and integrated land use transport models.
