Current Organizations / Institutes

The organizations/institutes from the scholar's latest article


Nikmatul Adha Nordin has a total of 25 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:


Latest Publications

  • Open Access

    Developing an environmental adaptation framework for older migrants in Guangzhou, China

    by Qian Tang, Nikmatul Adha Nordin, Muhammad Azzam Ismail

    Introduction: The sharp rise in older migrants presents significant challenges to social integration in urban areas, particularly in major migration hubs like Guangzhou. Research on older migrants has typically been addressed within the broader contexts of aging and migration studies, but it remains underexplored as a distinct and focused area of study. This research aims to identify the contributing factors of the perceived living environment that influence the life satisfaction of rural–urban older migrants, and to explore the impact pathways through environmental adaptation in the Chinese context, using Guangzhou as a case study. Methods: The Perceived Living Environment Scale was used to assess the physical and social conditions of the environment, while the Environmental Adaptation Scale was developed to evaluate perceived fit among urban migrants across eight dimensions. A total of 385 older migrants participated in this survey. Results: The study proposes an environmental adaptation framework that outlines the pathways through which the living environment affects the life satisfaction of older migrants in Guangzhou. Discussion: This framework offers theoretical insights into the relationships between housing, urban infrastructure, social integration, and well-being, while also serves as a practical guide for policymakers in creating age-inclusive environments that improve the quality of life for older migrants.

  • Open Access

    Symbiotic Intelligence for Sustainable Cities: A Decadal Review of Generative AI, Ethical Algorithms, and Global South Innovations in Urban Green Space Research

    by Tianrong Xu, Ainoriza Mohd Aini, Nikmatul Adha Nordin, Qi Shen, Liyan Huang, Wenbo Xu

    Urban Green Spaces (UGS) are integral components of the built environment, significantly contributing to its ecological, social, and performance dimensions, including microclimate regulation, occupant well-being, and energy efficiency. This decadal review (2015–2025) systematically analyzes 70 high-impact studies to propose a “Symbiotic Intelligence” framework. This framework integrates Generative AI, ethical algorithms, and innovations from the Global South to revolutionize the planning, design, and management of UGS within building landscapes and urban fabrics. Our analysis reveals that Generative AI can optimize participatory design processes and generate efficient planning schemes, increasing public satisfaction by 41% and achieving fivefold efficiency gains. Metaverse digital twins enable high-fidelity simulation of UGS performance with a mere 3.2% error rate, providing robust tools for building environment analysis. Ethical algorithms, employing fairness metrics and SHAP values, are pivotal for equitable resource distribution, having been shown to reduce UGS allocation disparities in low-income communities by 67%. Meanwhile, innovations from the Global South, such as lightweight federated learning and low-cost sensors, offer scalable solutions for building-environment monitoring under resource constraints, reducing model generalization error by 18% and decreasing data acquisition costs by 90%. However, persistent challenges-including data heterogeneity, algorithmic opacity (with only 23% of studies adopting interpretability tools), and significant data gaps in the Global South (coverage < 15%)-hinder equitable progress. Future research should prioritize developing UGS-climate-building coupling models, decentralized federated frameworks for building management systems, and blockchain-based participatory planning to establish a more robust foundation for sustainable built environments. This study provides an interdisciplinary roadmap for integrating intelligent UGS into building practices, contributing to the advancement of green buildings, occupant-centric design, and the overall sustainability and resilience of our built environment.


  • Mendepani Cabaran Negara Menua Dan Warga Emas Aktif : Satu Alternatif

    by Siti Nor Awang, Nikmatul Adha Nordin, Rosilawati Zainol, Faizah Ahmad

    Malaysia kini berhadapan dengan peningkatan populasinya yang mencapai usia emas pada kadar yang semakin tinggi, dan dijangka akan mencapai status negara menua pada 2030. Ini menunjukan kurang dari satu dekad Malaysia akan mencapai status negara menua, dan apakah persediaan yang dilakukan. Kajian dijalankan disalah sebuah penempatan warga emas yang dikenali sebagai pondok moden Baitul Maab yang memberi peluang kepada warga emas menjalani kehidupan yang dipenuhi dengan aktiviti keagamaan. Kajian ini bertujuan mencari penyelesaian yang praktikal dan mempromosikan kehidupan lestari dalam kalangan warga emas di Malaysia menuju negara menua. Pendekatan kajian yang digunakan adalah perbincangan kumpulan fokus (FGD), pemetaan kolaboratif dan tinjauan bagi mendapatkan pandangan dan pengalaman penghuni di Baitul Maab terhadap manafaat aktiviti berkebun terhadap kesihatan fizikal, dan sosial mereka. Dapatan kajian menunjukan bahawa aktivti berkebun secara berkumpulan bukan sahaja membantu meningkatkan kesejahteraan fizikal melalui pergerakan yang aktif, malah memperkukuhkan interaksi sosial dengan penghuni yang lain. Selain itu penyediaan kemudahan fizikal yang selari dengan keperluan golongan warga emas ini dapat membantu membina komuniti yang inklusif dan produktif. Penyediakan penempatan yang dilengkapi dengan kemudahan fizikal dan spiritual ini boleh menjadi alternatif kepada Malaysia dalam mendepani cabaran negara menua.

  • Open Access

    URBAN COMMUNITY FARMING: LESSONS FROM JAPAN'S CHOKUBAI MODEL FOR BUILDING SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

    by Nikmatul Adha Nordin, Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain, Keiko Yoshida, Fatin Nur Izzati Jufry

    This study examines the feasibility of implementing community farming as a framework for community-driven social enterprises in urban Malaysia. Inspired by Japan’s Chokubai model, which emphasises the direct sale of locally produced goods, this study explores its potential to improve food security, economic empowerment, and social cohesion in highly urbanised areas. A roundtable discussion with nine key stakeholders was conducted using the Net-Map tool to map actors, relationships, and influences within the community farming ecosystem. This participatory approach identified critical factors contributing to project sustainability, highlighting that while government agencies provide substantial support, the most significant determinant of success is the community’s active involvement. The study also noted challenges such as inadequate infrastructure and funding, which could be addressed through targeted policy interventions. The study concludes with strategic recommendations to promote community farming projects in urban Malaysia, addressing both policy and implementation challenges.

  • Open Access

    Connectedness among Urban Parks from the Users’ Perspective: A Systematic Literature Review

    by Jun Li, Melasutra Md. Dali, Nikmatul Adha Nordin

    Although many benefits of urban green space networks have been consistently demonstrated, most of the discussion on space connectivity has concentrated on ecological aspects, such as patch–corridor–matrix connectivity. There are limited systematic studies that have investigated the connectedness between urban parks and people. This study aimed to explore the connectedness among urban parks from the users’ perspective by using a systematic literature review. By following the PRISMA protocol and analyzing 54 studies from Scopus and Web of Science between 2017 and 2022, we proposed the concepts of physical connectedness and perceived connectedness. The “physical connectedness” contained the dimensions of road attributes and park attributes, as well as six categories including physical accessibility, street connectivity, the street environment, spatial scale, facilities and amenities, and natural elements. The “perceived connectedness” mainly referred to people’s perception of the physical environment. The four categories were perceived accessibility, perceived safety, aesthetics, and Kaplan’s perceptual model. Finally, in terms of individual attributes, the impact of sociodemographic factors (age, gender, income, education, and occupation) and the motivation for activity on park connectedness were also taken into account. On the basis of our findings, this study suggested that park connectedness should not only focus on physical connectedness but also perceived connectedness.


  • Open Access

    THROWN INTO THE DEEP END: EXPERIENCES OF REAL ESTATE AND URBAN PLANNING STUDENTS IN NAVIGATING E-LEARNING DURING COVID-19

    by Hasniyati Hamzah, Nikmatul Adha Nordin, Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain

    Built environment undergraduates are future professionals who will shape cities in the future. Normally, they acquire adequate, relevant and current industryrelated knowledge during their study. Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic has replaced their normal learning process with emergency online learning that must be navigated by educators and students alike. Under normal circumstances, the programme syllabi and materials are designed for conventional face-to-face learning specific to the future profession. The physical and social restrictions related to COVID-19 prevention have thrusted upon the built environment students learning limitations that are specific to their field. This paper aims to explore the experiences of real estate and urban planning students during the emergency online learning period not only to document the students’ experiences but also to inform on future curricula development. A constructivist-based qualitative approach was adopted, with qualitative data collected from an online open-ended questionnaire on real estate and urban planning students. Using the framework by Khalil et al. (2020), a thematic content analysis was conducted around four core themes: (1) educational impact, (2) time management, (3) challenges encountered, and (4) preferences for the future. The findings support future syllabi that are emergency-resilient and can ensure professional education that is highly adaptable in emergency situations.


  • Open Access

    PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH ON THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY GARDENING: A STUDY OF RESIDENTS IN AN ISLAMIC ELDERLY HOME

    by Nikmatul Adha Nordin, Rosilawati Zainol, Faizah Ahmad, Siti Nor Awang, Atikah Razali

    This study employs a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach in finding practical solutions to promote sustainable active ageing living environment for the elderly in a Muslim based elderly home – the Baitul Maab, Temerloh. The study was conducted in three sequential phases: initialization, action and reflection utilizing multiple data collection methods which included visual assessment, Focus Group Discussion, collaborative mapping and survey. During the Focus Group Discussion, several proposals were put forward by the residents. One of the proposals by the FGD participants were to have a community garden as an outlet for the residents to engage in healthy activities collectively. Based on this, a community garden called Laman Herba and Sayuran was then created by the researchers and the residents through gotong royong activities. A survey was carried out a year later to determine the usage of the garden and how it helped the community in achieving a healthy lifestyle. The findings suggest that the community garden is perceived to be able to help the residents to be healthier and that it improved their well-being. The study also suggested that elderly below 65 years old were in the age group who most benefited from having a community garden as they still have the energy and strength to do gardening activities This study concludes that community gardening is perceived to yield many benefits to elderly’s health and social well-being. However, for the garden to be efficient, it has to be equipped with the necessary infrastructure such as stools as resting place and easy-to-reach water supply.


  • Top Cited Papers
    Open Access

    Urban Green Space and Subjective Well-Being of Older People: A Systematic Literature Review

    by Tianrong Xu, Nikmatul Adha Nordin, Ainoriza Mohd Aini

    A growing number of articles have identified and reported the benefits and importance of urban green spaces for improving human well-being, but there is a significant knowledge gap regarding the impact of urban green spaces on the subjective well-being of older adults. The literature search (August 2015–August 2022) was derived from two major scientific databases, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. As a result, 2558 articles were found, 1527 of which were retrieved from WOS and the rest from Google Scholar. Bibliometric methods and VOSviewer software were used to screen and organize the articles in the relevant fields. Finally, 65 articles met the review criteria. The included studies aim to capture the benefits of various features of urban green spaces in meeting or enhancing the subjective well-being needs of older adults. The results of our review further support the existence of a strong link between older adults’ subjective well-being and various features of urban green spaces, providing new insights for future in-depth reexamination and policy development. Furthermore, the relationship between urban green spaces and older adults’ subjective well-being depends not only on the urban green spaces themselves but also on the characteristics of the older adult population that uses them.


  • The Urban Women Travelling Issue in the Twenty-first Century

    by Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain, Nikmatul Adha Nordin, Goh Hong Ching, Noor Suzaini Zaid, Andree Woodcock, Deana Mcdonagh, Komal Faiz

    Mobility generally refers to the ability or capacity to move. The subject of women’s mobility has been well documented and investigated by researchers since the 1970s. Early studies were initially inspired by the issue of gender-based violence encountered by women. At the same time, there is increasing research on women transportation mobility due to the increasing percentage of women working and travelling outside the house. However, there is an absence of studies that adopted a systematic review of studies related to women’s mobility. The increase of women working in the 21st century has led to an increase in the percentage of women travelling, thus engendering issues such as safety, security, mobility and accessibility. This paper attempted to identify studies related to women’s mobility in the 21st century from the year 2001 until the year of 2020 by using a systematic literature review, guided by Preferred Reporting Materials for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses, also known as the PRISMA Statement, to further understand the scenario of urban women travelling in the global context. This paper reviews previous studies conducted in the 21st century, revealing slight variations of focus among the authors on the urban women travelling issue.Abstrak. Mobilitas umumnya mengacu pada kemampuan atau kapasitas untuk bergerak. Subjek ‘Mobilitas Wanita’ telah didokumentasikan dan diteliti dengan baik oleh para peneliti sejak tahun 1970-an. Studi terdahulu awalnya terinspirasi dari isu-isu kekerasan berbasis gender yang dihadapi perempuan. Sementara itu, penelitian tentang mobilitas transportasi perempuan semakin meningkat karena meningkatnya persentase perempuan yang bekerja dan pindah ke luar rumah. Namun, belum ada penelitian yang mengadopsi tinjauan sistematis pada artikel terkait studi terkait mobilitas perempuan. Meningkatnya jumlah perempuan yang bekerja di abad ke-21 juga meningkatkan persentase perempuan yang bepergian sehingga menggambarkan banyak masalah antara lain keselamatan, keamanan, mobilitas dan aksesibilitas. Oleh karena itu, tulisan ini mencoba mengidentifikasi kajian-kajian yang berkaitan dengan mobilitas perempuan abad ke-21 dari tahun 2001 hingga tahun 2020 dengan menggunakan Systematic Literature Review yang berpedoman pada Preferred Reporting Materials for Systematic Reviews dan Meta Analysis atau yang lebih dikenal dengan PRISMA Statement untuk memahami lebih jauh skenario perjalanan wanita perkotaan dalam perspektif global. Makalah ini mengulas penelitian sebelumnya yang dilakukan pada abad ke-21 yang telah ditafsirkan dan diuraikan dengan sedikit variasi fokus di antara penulis tentang isu perjalanan wanita perkotaan. Kata kunci. mobilitas wanita, tinjauan literatur sistematis, perjalanan, abad ke-21.