This is the Pre-Published Version. A REVIEW OF RECENT STUDIES ON SUSTAINABLE URBAN RENEWAL Helen Wei Zheng,zheng.wei@connect.polyu.hk,Department of Building and Real Estate,the Hong Kong Polytechnic University,Kowloon,Hong Kong Geoffrey Qiping Shen,geoffrey.shen@polyu.edu.hk,Department of Building and Real Estate,the Hong Kong Polytechnic University,Kowloon,Hong Kong Hao Wang,holy.wong@connect.polyu.hk,Department of Building and Real Estate, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University,Kowloon,Hong Kong ABSTRACT Urban renewal and sustainable development are two popular issues in both policy agenda and academia.Although their importance has been increasingly recognized,an integrated review covering sustainability,planning,and urban renewal has yet to be produced.Based on 81 journal papers,this paper presents a critical review of recent studies on sustainable urban renewal over the period 1990 to 2012.The review focuses on the planning sub-system and the social sub-system of urban renewal in terms of the evaluation of sustainability.The complexity of achieving sustainable urban renewal is emphasized and discussed. To better clarify the mechanism behind the urban renewal process and improve urban sustainability,recommendations of future research directions are also provided. 1.INTRODUCTION Urban renewal has been regarded as a sound approach to promoting land values and improving environmental quality (Adams Hastings,2001);rectifying the urban decay problem and meeting various socioeconomic objectives(Lee Chan, 2008a);and enhancing existing social networks,improving inclusion of vulnerable groups,and changing adverse impacts on the living environment (Chan Yung,2004).In order to help tackle these issues,many studies have been conducted in this field.As sustainable development corresponds to urban renewal in terms of social,economic and environmental sustainability,it has been recognized that urban renewal and sustainability should be combined together.The urban renewal process involves various planning issues and different stakeholders,the relationship between which complicates the process. In order to achieve effective and efficient sustainable urban renewal practice,it is first necessary to understand the mechanism behind it.Discussions by other researchers on these issues are scattered in different areas with an integrated review covering sustainability,planning,and urban renewal yet to be produced.A REVIEW OF RECENT STUDIES ON SUSTAINABLE URBAN RENEWAL Helen Wei Zheng, zheng.wei@connect.polyu.hk, Department of Building and Real Estate, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Geoffrey Qiping Shen, geoffrey.shen@polyu.edu.hk, Department of Building and Real Estate, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Hao Wang, holy.wong@connect.polyu.hk, Department of Building and Real Estate, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong ABSTRACT Urban renewal and sustainable development are two popular issues in both policy agenda and academia. Although their importance has been increasingly recognized, an integrated review covering sustainability, planning, and urban renewal has yet to be produced. Based on 81 journal papers, this paper presents a critical review of recent studies on sustainable urban renewal over the period 1990 to 2012. The review focuses on the planning sub-system and the social sub-system of urban renewal in terms of the evaluation of sustainability. The complexity of achieving sustainable urban renewal is emphasized and discussed. To better clarify the mechanism behind the urban renewal process and improve urban sustainability, recommendations of future research directions are also provided. 1. INTRODUCTION Urban renewal has been regarded as a sound approach to promoting land values and improving environmental quality (Adams & Hastings, 2001); rectifying the urban decay problem and meeting various socioeconomic objectives (Lee & Chan, 2008a); and enhancing existing social networks, improving inclusion of vulnerable groups, and changing adverse impacts on the living environment (Chan & Yung, 2004). In order to help tackle these issues, many studies have been conducted in this field. As sustainable development corresponds to urban renewal in terms of social, economic and environmental sustainability, it has been recognized that urban renewal and sustainability should be combined together. The urban renewal process involves various planning issues and different stakeholders, the relationship between which complicates the process. In order to achieve effective and efficient sustainable urban renewal practice, it is first necessary to understand the mechanism behind it. Discussions by other researchers on these issues are scattered in different areas with an integrated review covering sustainability, planning, and urban renewal yet to be produced. This is the Pre-Published Version