Urban flooding is an increasingly common phenomenon around the world. The reasons are usually attributed to the insufficient capacity of the combined sewer system and its inability to adapt to the changing dynamics of rainfall. This is also the case in Warsaw (the capital of Poland), where the sewage system was designed in the 1960s. The aim of the article is to highlight possible hydrological solutions that would significantly improve Warsaw’s situation in terms of rainfall runoff. The article looks at some solutions that were previously mentioned in the literature and presents an assessment of the possible changes in land use/land cover on the hydrological processes and improvements in the general hydrological situation of Warsaw. In addition, the article points out the need to update the programme and spatial approach to the discharge of water from specific watersheds in Warsaw, as well as to establish a single manager for stormwater drainage in the city of Warsaw. An important issue is the restoration of natural retention basins in the city and the construction of artificial basins in places with frequent local flooding. The article emphasises the importance of building individual detention basins (as well as low-impact developments) for newly planned investments. Other important aspects are as follows: the construction of suitable underground or open channels, the need to disconnect Ursynów’s stormwater runoff from the catchment area of the Służewiecki Stream and to channel it along the southern bypass for Warsaw (S-2) to the dry lakes and ponds in Wilanów. Finally, the article discusses the application of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and Real-Time Control (RTC) in urban drainage systems as a possible solution to improve wastewater management in urban areas.

The deteriorating housing situation of young adults in many countries has become a subject of global interest. Researchers point to a number of factors that influence young adults’ decisions to own or rent a home. This paper examines the relationship between young adults’ inclination to own their own home and a range of different socio-economic factors. The study is of a quantitative-qualitative nature and was based on the results of a computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) questionnaire. The survey was conducted among young Poles aged 18–45 (n = 983). To analyse the results of the questionnaires, a logistic regression was used in which 24 different dichotomous and categorical variables were considered. Taking into account a number of individual characteristics (e.g., gender, education, hometown population size, etc.), the results show, for example, that single individuals and those with a higher level of tolerance for mortgage interest rates are more likely to own a home than to rent. This result highlights the desirability of easier access to mortgage credit. At the other end of the spectrum are those living with parents and those with dependents. The results imply that they are less interested in buying a home. Interestingly, declarations of a lack of funds for an own contribution when buying a new house/dwelling, or reluctance to expose oneself to financial difficulties throughout one’s life, do not discourage young adults from striving for their own dwelling, which further demonstrates the need to create appropriate mechanisms/instruments to facilitate the purchase of a dwelling for young adults.

The worsening housing problems of young adults in many countries have become a worldwide problem. Researchers point to a number of factors that influence young people’s decisions to own or rent their own apartments or houses. The term generation of renters or the lost generation has appeared in the literature in relation to the young adult generation. This article offers insights into the housing preferences of young adults aged 18 to 45 in Poland, with a particular focus on the renter cohort. Conclusions are drawn about whether young adults who are already renting prefer to buy an apartment or house rather than maintain their status quo, and what determines their decisions in this regard. The study identifies a number of socioeconomic factors that influence the housing decisions of young renters in Poland. It addresses some of the problems and challenges of today’s housing market and, in particular, examines what leads young Polish renters to switch from renting to buying their first home or, alternatively, to live in a rented apartment for years (thus showing indifference to homeownership). Some of the reasons for the change in attitude toward this issue are highlighted. The study is quantitative in nature, relying on an online survey and a mediation analysis that is particularly well suited to explaining the relationship between many different variables. Of the eight hypotheses tested in the study (using mediation analysis), only three could be proven, namely that the amount of rent payments and other costs for economic reasons influences the willingness to buy an apartment or a house, and also that the length of the rental period has a negative influence on the willingness to buy a house. Finally, the mediation model provides evidence that the higher a young renter’s tolerance threshold for mortgage interest compared to “rent payments”, the more inclined they are to buy an apartment or house. The study suggests that the housing finance subsystem has some shortcomings as far as financing young people is concerned. Strategically, there are two complementary solutions that could be implemented: (1) a long-term home savings plan or program and (2) innovative housing loan options tailored to the financial situation of young people.

Sustainable development is a concept that is already established in our consciousness. It can be assumed that, in relation to the city, it means the implementation of 4 principles (goals) that such a city and its inhabitants should strive to achieve (Szelągowska, Bryx 2015), namely: 1. Aspire to be close to the ecosystem, obtaining spatial order with the least possible interference in this ecosystem. 2. Produce no more waste than the city can assimilate, while consuming no more resources than it can recreate. 3. To promote and consolidate a lifestyle consistent with the above principles, which all residents create by their daily conduct, not just the city authorities. 4. Comply with the principles of honesty and justice. This definition, a little too detailed, aims to highlight two aspects of sustainable development: human proximity to the environment and ethics in human behaviour towards the natural and social environment. The university campus is part of the city, intellectually radiating, forging and disseminating new concepts. By disseminating the idea of a sustainable city, the campus should be an example of implementing these principles in a community constituting an urban enclave. Answering the questions: is this happening? and is it possible at universities that were created before the emergence of the idea of sustainable development ? is the purpose of this article. The author, considering these issues, uses the experience of the campus of the Warsaw School of Economics, designed 100 years ago, constructed in stages and seeking its path of development.

No abstract