Iranian Sustainable Building Scientific AssociationInternational Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability2538-162870120260501Explanation of the Impact Assessment Process for Energy Consumption Optimization Interventions in Historic Buildings11373480310.22034/ijumes.2026.2085983.1357ENMozhdehSoroushDepartment of Architecture, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran0009-0009-0356-2379VahidGhobadianDepartment of Architecture, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran0000-0002-5040-0382ShervinMirshahzadehDepartment of Architecture, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran0000-0003-4862-3664Journal Article20250204Improving energy performance in historic buildings has become a critical challenge due to the need to balance environmental sustainability with the conservation of heritage values. Although numerous guidelines and decision-support tools have been developed, many existing approaches rely on qualitative judgments and lack transparent, quantitative procedures for evaluating the impacts of energy optimization interventions. This gap often leads to uncertainty in prioritizing measures and achieving consensus among multidisciplinary stakeholders. The present study aims to develop a structured Impact Assessment Process that enables integrated evaluation of energy consumption optimization interventions in historic buildings while safeguarding heritage significance. The research adopts a qualitative methodology based on comprehensive literature review, content analysis, and logical–analytical reasoning. Drawing upon Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) principles and Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) frameworks, a three-stage process is proposed, including baseline condition assessment, identification of intervention strategies, and impact evaluation relative to baseline conditions. The framework integrates five assessment criteria: heritage value conservation, energy performance, CO₂ emission reduction, indoor thermal comfort, and economic efficiency. Findings indicate that applying a structured scoring system and a multi-criteria evaluation approach improves transparency in decision-making and allows systematic comparison of alternative interventions. Furthermore, prioritizing heritage impact assessment at early stages helps eliminate incompatible measures before detailed energy analysis, reducing potential risks to historic fabric. The study concludes that the proposed framework provides a comprehensive and adaptable methodological structure for researchers and practitioners, facilitating more balanced, evidence-based, and sustainable energy retrofit decisions in historic buildings, particularly in contexts where standardized assessment protocols are limited.https://www.ijumes.com/article_734803_09a7ad060b78d714105a2d1e410821a9.pdfIranian Sustainable Building Scientific AssociationInternational Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability2538-162870120260510Challenges and Gaps in Parametric Architecture Methodology143073469110.22034/ijumes.2026.2085758.1355ENMasoomeMoradiPh.D. Candidate, Department of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran0009-0002-7280-7754HamidrezaSharifAssociate Professor, Department of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran0000-0002-9248-3569Journal Article20260224With the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, their increasing incorporation into architectural practice and particularly into the architectural design process has precipitated the emergence of novel design methodologies shaped by digital paradigms. Accordingly, parametric architecture, as a salient manifestation of digitally mediated design, has been selected as the focal lens through which to investigate the epistemological and procedural impacts of digital technology on architectural design thinking. The present research seeks to develop a comprehensive framework aimed at advancing methodological studies in parametric architecture. It endeavors to identify, categorize, and critically analyze the transformations, shifts, and epistemic gaps that distinguish parametric design research from the established corpus of pre-digital architectural design studies. In doing so, the study aspires to provide a strategic foundation for understanding and further cultivating design practices in the digital era. The research adopts a qualitative methodology grounded in the principles of Grounded Theory. Through a systematic review and comparative analysis of canonical architectural design research conducted prior to the advent of digital technologies, alongside contemporary scholarship on parametric architecture, the study identifies conceptual constructs that signify digitally induced transformations within the parametric design process. These emergent concepts were subsequently coded, classified, and analytically synthesized to construct a structured interpretive framework. The findings indicate that the integration of digital technologies into the architectural design process has fundamentally reconfigured its foundational concepts and facilitated the emergence of new design paradigms. The categorization of these newly identified concepts reveals the breadth and multidimensionality of transformations across various domains of the design process under digital influence. Furthermore, the study delineates areas within parametric architecture that require further scholarly investigation and proposes strategic recommendations for the informed and critical integration of artificial intelligence in intelligent design methodologies.https://www.ijumes.com/article_734691_5a837970c11b00124bcde5e78330717c.pdfIranian Sustainable Building Scientific AssociationInternational Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability2538-162870120260501Investigation of the Physical Aspects of Openings on Interior Daylight Quality and Exterior Visibility314973484010.22034/ijumes.2026.2085179.1354ENAlirezaGoodarzi ArdakaniDepartment of Architecture and Urban Planning, Yas.,C., Islamic Azad University, Yasuj, Iran0009-0006-9430-1788YaghowbPeyvastehgarDepartment of Architecture and Urban Planning, Yas.,C., Islamic Azad University, Yasuj, Iran0009-0006-9430-1788AliakbarHeidariDepartment of Architecture, Faculty of Technical and Engineering, Yasouj University, Yasouj ,Iran0000-0002-9077-2308AliMehboodiDepartment of Architecture and Urban Planning, Yas.,C., Islamic Azad University, Yasuj, Iran0000-0002-7261-9051Journal Article20260102Daylight and visual connection to the exterior are critical factors in architectural design, directly influencing occupants’ comfort, well-being, and energy performance. However, contemporary window design often lacks a systematic understanding of how opening geometry simultaneously affects daylight quality and exterior visibility. This study aims to investigate the combined impact of opening position and elongation on indoor daylight performance and view quality. The research asks how variations in window location and geometric elongation influence daylight metrics and the extent of visual access to the outside. A parametric simulation approach was employed using Honeybee and Ladybug, analyzing 22 scenarios of a reference room model (5×3×3 m) through daylight factor, horizontal illuminance, glare probability, and view analysis indices. The results show that centrally positioned openings with horizontal elongation improved daylight uniformity by approximately [10%] and increased exterior visibility by [36%] compared to vertically elongated configurations. Qualitatively, the findings suggest that balanced horizontal window proportions enhance both visual comfort and spatial perception without excessive glare. Future research should extend the model to multiple climatic contexts and diverse room geometries to improve the generalizability of the conclusions. Future research may extend this framework by incorporating different room proportions, façade orientations, glazing properties, shading devices, and diverse climatic contexts to enhance the robustness and applicability of the results.https://www.ijumes.com/article_734840_e1a7af13b41d6cfb257b8513800343db.pdfIranian Sustainable Building Scientific AssociationInternational Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability2538-162870120260501A Participatory Framework for Land Re-Adjustment in Inefficient Urban Fabrics: A Fuzzy-Delphi Approach to Physical Development Modelling (Case Study: Eastern Zone of Zanjan City)506873568810.22034/ijumes.2026.2086768.1359ENAkbarNorouziDepartment of Urban Planning, Qa.C., Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran0009-0009-2495-0848DaryoushArdalanDepartment of Urban Planning, Qa.C., Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran0000-0002-7705-0108Seyed MohammadrezaKhatibiDepartment of Urban Planning, Qa.C., Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran0000-0002-1904-7541Journal Article20260226Inefficient urban fabrics, characterised by structural decay, fragmented land tenure, inadequate infrastructure, and socio-economic marginalisation, represent one of the most pressing urban governance challenges of the twenty-first century. In Iran, more than 166,000 hectares of urban land equivalent to 23 per cent of the national urban area are classified as Inefficient , rendering conventional, top-down redevelopment strategies both financially unsustainable and institutionally inadequate. This study proposes an operational model for land re-adjustment (LRA) within Inefficient urban fabrics in eastern zone of Zanjan city, grounded in the principles of physical development and validated through a participatory Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM). The research adopts an analytical–applied design; data were gathered through documentary and library methods and assessed qualitatively. Drawing on a systematic review of theoretical layers, twenty-one initial factors were extracted and subjected to four sequential Fuzzy Delphi rounds with a fifteen-member expert panel. Successive rounds applied escalating consensus thresholds (2.5, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 on a five-point Likert scale), reducing the factor set from 21 to 18, 15, 13, and finally confirming 13 indicators as the proposed model. Consensus was verified by Kendall's coefficient of concordance, which reached 0.792 in the final round. Findings indicate that spatial organisation (4.17), urban fabric connectivity (4.15), street permeability (4.25), and ownership rate (4.25) exert the highest influence on the proposed LRA model. The study concludes that the integration of physical development principles with participatory land management instruments constitutes a strategically viable path toward sustainable urban regeneration in Iranian mid-size cities.https://www.ijumes.com/article_735688_661637b58815246627fe35e3a559704a.pdfIranian Sustainable Building Scientific AssociationInternational Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability2538-162870120260501Model of Climate Adaptability Indicators Considering Energy Consumption Optimization in Architecture of High-Rise Buildings in Tabriz City8210173608810.22034/ijumes.2026.2086773.1360ENFatemehRostamiDepartment of Architecture and Urban Planning, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Technical and Vocational University (TVU), Tehran, Iran0000-0002-4693-9131SeyedmahmoodMoeiniDepartment of Architecture, Mal.C., Islamic Azad University, Malayer, Iran0009-0007-8957-9918KosarYadegarDepartment of Architecture,Tab.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran0009-0007-6885-9419FatemeMoradiDepartment of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, IHES, Iran.0009-0002-4991-6514Journal Article20260226High-rise buildings in cold semi-arid continental climates present one of the most demanding energy performance challenges in contemporary architecture: they must simultaneously resist severe winter conductive heat loss and prevent summer solar overheating two thermally opposing objectives that require careful integration across envelope, form, and mechanical systems. Tabriz, the capital of East Azerbaijan Province in north-western Iran. This study addresses that gap by developing and validating a structured indicator model for climate-adaptive, energy-optimised high-rise building design in Tabriz, using the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) applied across four iterative rounds to a panel of fifteen domain experts in architecture, building physics, and environmental engineering. Beginning from twenty-one candidate indicators drawn from five conceptual domains opaque envelope thermal performance, transparent envelope and solar management, building form and orientation, active mechanical systems, and contextual passive strategies the iterative consensus process reduced the set to thirteen validated indicators, with Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (W) stabilising at 0.786 in the final round, confirming statistically significant and stable expert agreement. The four highest-priority indicators identified were wall thermal insulation compliance (mean 4.28), external shading device effectiveness (4.25), mechanical HVAC system efficiency (4.22), and glazing thermal performance (4.22), reflecting the dual-season energy imperative of Tabriz’s climate. The resulting thirteen-indicator model provides a coherent, empirically grounded, and operationally actionable framework for guiding the design of new high-rise buildings, the energy-based assessment of the existing stock, and the development of Tabriz-specific regulatory performance thresholds for tall building construction.https://www.ijumes.com/article_736088_28b0804d4afe477fd906164c0795a197.pdfIranian Sustainable Building Scientific AssociationInternational Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability2538-162870120260501Modeling Psychological Interactions in Virtual Architecture: A Mediating Analysis of Sensory-Visual Perception Using PLS-SEM10211173568910.22034/ijumes.2026.2078230.1345ENAliModaberianDepartment of Architecture, Ta. C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran0009-0000-7277-3895SaharToofanDepartment of Architecture, Ta. C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran0000-0002-1298-513XNimaValizadehDepartment of Architecture, Ta. C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran0000-0001-9711-460XJournal Article20251118This study was conducted with the aim of modeling the psychological interactions between the designer and the user in virtual architectural space and examining the role of these interactions in the formation of sensory–visual perception. Despite the expansion of the use of virtual reality technologies, augmented reality, and interactive environments in architecture, understanding how environmental features are transformed into the user’s perceptual experience still faces conceptual and analytical gaps. Accordingly, the present research explains this process by presenting a structural model based on three constructs: “virtual architecture,” “psychological interactions,” and “sensory–visual perception.” The research method is based on a quantitative approach and the use of structural equation modeling with the partial least squares method (PLS-SEM). Data were collected through a questionnaire with the participation of 250 students and individuals familiar with virtual architectural environments. The results showed that virtual architecture has a positive and significant effect on psychological interactions, and these interactions also have a direct and strong effect on sensory–visual perception. In contrast, the direct effect of virtual architecture on perception, in the presence of the mediating variable, was weaker and reported with a negative direction, while the total effect remained positive. These findings indicate that spatial perception in virtual environments is not formed directly, but rather through the user’s active cognitive, behavioral–social, and educational engagement with the environment. The framework presented in this study can serve as a basis for designing interactive virtual environments, especially in architectural education.https://www.ijumes.com/article_735689_c682b1621b1d0c07f82fa1ed55c40f63.pdfIranian Sustainable Building Scientific AssociationInternational Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability2538-162870120260501The Influence of Physical Architectural Components on the Mental Health of Healthcare Staff: A Case Study of 22 Bahman Hospital, Mashhad City698173621810.22034/ijumes.2026.2077407.1344ENMahdiKeyvaniDepartment of Art and Architecture, Bi.C., Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran0009-0007-5745-2306RezaMirzaeiDepartment of Art and Architecture, Bi.C., Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran0000-0001-8769-0275AhmadHeidariDepartment of Art and Architecture, Bi.C., Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran0000-0002-7072-2098AtaTehranchiDepartment of psychology, Imamreza International University, Mashhad, Iran0000-0001-8249-9359Journal Article20251111Mental health is fundamental to healthcare staff wellbeing, particularly in high-stress hospital environments where poor workplace design contributes to burnout and adverse patient outcomes. This study investigates the influence of physical architectural components on the mental health of medical staff at 22 Bahman Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. A correlational cross-sectional design was employed, identifying five architectural dimensions (access and movement, visual perception, geometry and dimensions, spatial complexity and diversity, and spatial hierarchy) and five mental health dimensions (feelings of peace, personal security, happiness, sense of belonging, and social interaction) through a theoretical review. A five-point Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to 130 healthcare staff (nurses and physicians) selected from a population of 198 via Cochran’s formula (95% confidence level), and data were analysed using PLS-SEM via SmartPLS. Visual perception exerted the strongest architectural influence (β = 0.862, T = 33.84, p < 0.001), followed by geometry and dimensions (β = 0.819), access and movement and spatial hierarchy (β = 0.776 each), and spatial complexity and diversity (β = 0.574). Among mental health dimensions, personal security ranked highest (β = 0.886, T = 41.97, p < 0.001), followed by happiness (β = 0.818), sense of belonging (β = 0.728), social interaction (β = 0.688), and feelings of peace (β = 0.675). All constructs confirmed acceptable reliability (α > 0.7; CR > 0.8) and convergent validity (AVE > 0.5). These findings demonstrate that strategic architectural interventions prioritising visual quality, spatial organisation, and perceived safety can meaningfully enhance healthcare staff mental health, offering evidence-based guidance for hospital architects and administrators.https://www.ijumes.com/article_736218_b465b7de7754b64f4b89e710c264ef98.pdf