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This paper presents a systematic literature review of building-level physical vulnerability indicators in Europe, with a specific focus on the distinction between exterior and interior indicators and on the role of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in assessment workflows. This study identifies existing gaps in the literature in regard to (i) the systematic integration of interior and exterior vulnerability indicators, (ii) pragmatic interoperability between GIS and BIM in assessment workflows, and (iii) more transparent weighting and validation procedures to improve transferability and comparability across different hazards and contexts. Across 26 peer-reviewed scientific publications (2000–2025), we extracted 121 indicators and analysed their use by hazard type, indicator location (interior/exterior), digital tools (GIS/BIM), weighting, and validation process. Most assessments rely on exterior indicators (e.g., material, number of floors, roof type, openings), while only three of the included studies explicitly incorporate interior indicators. GIS is widely used for data collection, mapping, and spatial analysis of vulnerable buildings. At the same time, BIM has so far been rarely leveraged despite its potential to capture interior characteristics and component-level detail needed for robust building-level assessments. The hazards most frequently addressed are landslides, floods, and dynamic flooding, whereas heatwaves – despite their high historic mortality rates in Europe – remain underrepresented. Indicator weighting approaches vary (expert-based, statistical, multi-criteria), and empirical validation is limited. These identified gaps show potential future research directions. Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/21499613
DownloadThe European Union’s ambition to achieve a climate-neutral building stock by 2050 is hindered by persistently low rates of deep renovation. Existing instruments, such as Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), fall short in guiding the complex, phased retrofitting of inefficient buildings. In response, Building Renovation Passports (BRPs) have emerged as strategic tools offering tailored, step-by-step renovation roadmaps. However, their development and implementation remain challenging due to conceptual, technical, and policy-related issues. This paper presents a systematic literature review of BRPs and related instruments, following the PRISMA protocol. Searches in Scopus and Web of Science identi fied 116 eligible studies published up to June 2025. The review establishes a conceptual framework distinguishing BRPs from Digital Building Logbooks (DBLs), Material Passports (MPs), and Digital Product Passports (DPPs), and synthesises findings across three dominant themes: (1) conceptual and methodological proposals, (2) digital tool development, and (3) policy and regulatory analyses. Results reveal strong technological progress but limited empirical validation of BRPs in real-world contexts. Key tensions include standardisation versus customisation, technology-centric versus user-centric design, persistent issues with data quality, and energy-centred versus multi-dimensional planning. The paper concludes by outlining a research agenda prioritising longitudinal studies, socio-technical approaches, and scalable business models to bridge the gap between conceptual promise and practical adoption. The review is restricted to English-language sources, a single-reviewer screening process, and a predominantly European focus, which may omit relevant insights from other regions
DownloadClimate change, natural hazards and heat stress increasingly affect everyone, with particularly severe impacts on vulnerable populations and individuals with special needs. However, there is a research gap in integrating peoples’ needs with different levels of the built environment and spatial planning frameworks. This study analyses Žilina city, a major hub in North-Western Slovakia that is exposed to multiple natural hazards. A spatial assessment is conducted in this study, showing heat, earthquake, fire, flood, and landslide risks for the city, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Critical infrastructure exposure is mapped, and a built environment typology is developed to provide additional detail. Building exterior and interior information for the vulnerability analysis of the building and its current occupants is gathered through site visits, orthophotography, and street view photography. The results reveal hotspots of risk and special needs groups, as well as how this information can be scaled up to improve evacuation and reduce heat stress. This risk transect analysis, encompassing the individual, building, built environment, and city levels, can support more integrated and effective multi-risk assessment and management.
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