Towards a framework for driving sustainable urban regeneration with ecosystem services

Rapid urbanization has caused significant challenges for environmental protection and historical conservation, leading to severe problems in sustaining healthy built and natural environments. Adopting new approaches to sustainable urban regeneration (SUR) is essential and could provide effective and efficient solutions to these problems. In this study, the critical concepts of SUR were investigated, and a conceptual framework was developed to implement SUR by leveraging different types of ecosystem services (ESs). Delphic hierarchy process was used to identify and measure the dimensions, sub-dimensions, and criteria of SUR that were identified from the literature and categorized into ES types. Next, these items were validated and assessed by 21 international scholars to be included in the proposed conceptual framework of ES types. The three main dimensions of SUR in this framework are quality of place, quality of life, and good governance. Also, the five types of ESs include regulating, provisioning, supporting, cultural, and economic services. The findings of this study can help local authorities as well as urban planners and designers to gain a better understanding of the significance of ES capabilities in the implementation of SUR in urban areas. •A new framework for sustainable urban regeneration is introduced.•The constituent elements of the framework are determined using a Delphic Hierarchy Process.•Sustainable urban regeneration dimensions are quality of place, quality of life, and good governance.•The framework links these dimensions to the regulating, provisioning, supporting, cultural, and economic ecosystem services.•The framework can be used for integrating ecosystem services into urban regeneration.