The first edition was extremely well received, providing an introduction and insight to this important topic in a comprehensive yet easy to read form. It was chosen to be issued to the representatives of the organizations from the G8 and G20 countries attending the University Summit held in Turin in 2009 which addressed the issue of how education and research can assist sustainable development. 

The second edition, completely updated to reflect the significant advances and new insights that have been made since publication of the first edition, focuses on two main issues:

• Facilitating a dialogue between all stakeholders so that the complexity of the problem can be exposed, structured and communicated
• Understanding how to assess progress in sustainable development

It continues to provide coherent guidance on the techniques that can be used to assess sustainable development in a rigorous manner. The approach is introduced using illustrations and case studies, together with follow-up references. It remains the ideal starting point for those trying to get a handle on the subject and for those who wish to examine a structured and systematic approach to the evaluation of sustainable development in the built environment.

Peter Brandon was Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Postgraduate Studies at the University of Salford and Director of the University Think Lab. He is now Director of Strategic Programmes and Professor Emeritus in the School of the Built Environment.

Patrizia Lombardi is Associate Professor in the City and Housing Department at the Politecnico di Torino. She has coordinated or served as lead partner in several pan-European projects on topics related to sustainable urban development.