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Green Building Design and Construction for a Sustainable Future

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A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 10489

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yongtao Tan

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Guest Editor

School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
Interests: sustainability and leadership in the built environment; green retrofit; modular construction; low carbon building; infrastructure resilience; sustainable urbanization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Peng Mao

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

College of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Interests: sustainable construction; green building; building energy efficiency; energy use behaviour; built environment and health; large infrastructure construction and operation management

Dr. Xiaolong Gan

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

School of Economic and Management, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Interests: sustainable construction; green building development in rural areas; stakeholder management; digitalization in construction industry; construction innovation management

Dr. Hui Xu

E-Mail
Co-Guest Editor

School of Economics and Management, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China
Interests: infrastructure resilience; sustainable urbanization; infrastructure intelligent risk management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

According to the data of the International Energy Agency (IEA), buildings and construction together account for 30% of global final energy consumption and 27% of total energy sector emissions. The building sector has been making efforts to reduce carbon emissions for many years. However, there is still a long way to go to meet the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario. Given the large amount of new construction every year, it is necessary to significantly increase the proportion of green buildings, including new buildings with green design and construction and the green retrofitting of existing buildings.

The green building concept has been around for decades, aiming to reduce the environmental impacts of buildings over their life cycle. Different green building assessment tools have been developed, such as LEED, BREEAM, BEAM Plus, etc., and many buildings have been labelled as green buildings worldwide. However, the number of green buildings is still a small percentage of the existing building stocks. It becomes necessary to further promote the green concept in future building design and construction by involving different stakeholders. Moreover, the green retrofitting of existing buildings will provide important contributions to achieve the net zero emission goal. New technologies and materials will also bring disruptions for the future development of green buildings. To have a clear understanding of the recent development in green building design and construction and future directions, this Special Issue seeks outstanding research studies, reviews and good practices on green building design and construction that lead to sustainable development in the built environment. The key focus areas of the Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following research topics:

Green buildings with low carbon emissions;
Green construction and site management;
Digital technology applications in green design and construction;
Use of recycled materials for green buildings;
Green procurement towards low-carbon construction;
Life cycle assessment of green buildings;
Green retrofitting of existing buildings;
Green innovation management;
Stakeholder management in green building development;
Performance of green building development;
Resilience assessment of green buildings;
Green building safety design.

Dr. Yongtao Tan
Prof. Dr. Peng Mao
Dr. Xiaolong Gan
Dr. Hui Xu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

green building design
green construction
green materials
green retrofit
building environmental impacts
carbon emission
life cycle assessment

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 4064 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantifying the Impact of Carbon Reduction Interventions and Incentive Mechanisms in Campus Buildings: A Case Study from a Chinese University

by Li Xue, Hejun Xu, Zixuan Zhang and Nan Li

Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1262; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051262 - 30 Apr 2024

Viewed by 381

Abstract

With the development of sustainable cities, densely populated higher education institutions increasingly emphasize the sustainability of campuses and their impact on the environment. However, there is a lack of means to quantify emission reduction measures. This study aims to propose an evaluation framework that can quantify energy conservation and emission reduction measures and incentive policies. To this end, this study adopts a mixed methods approach, using questionnaires to assess the effectiveness of management and communication interventions and the impact of incentives on residents’ willingness to participate in emission reduction efforts. The survey results show that although the support for the intervention measures is slightly higher than the average, specific measures such as adjusting dormitory lights-out time and providing sports equipment show superior emission reduction potential. Universities could reduce carbon emissions by about 560 tons per year without incentives and just using interventions. However, when incentives and interventions are combined, the university’s annual emissions reductions are expected to increase to 800 to 1045 tons. Research also highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between occupant behavior, energy consumption, and building carbon emissions. By quantifying the impact of carbon reduction measures and incentives on the daily behaviors of residents, universities can more effectively implement sustainable campus strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Building Design and Construction for a Sustainable Future)

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18 pages, 544 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Multilevel Chain Mediating Mechanism of College Faculty’s Felt Responsibility on Students’ Engagement in Green Building Learning

by Sen Chen, Yuyang Hou, Yujie Zhang, Zhenning Yao, Xinyi Shen, Luning Cao, Haohao Yang, Xinbo Wang, Fuwei Gui, Junyang Cheng and Qian Huang

Buildings 2024, 14(3), 659; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030659 - 1 Mar 2024

Viewed by 574

Abstract

The limitations surrounding the education and teaching of green building courses in higher education institutions are becoming increasingly evident. The roles of instructors, the learning environments of green building-related courses, and the impact of student engagement in these courses are attracting significant academic interest. This study delves into the cross-level mediating roles of the green building learning climate and helping behaviors, exploring the link between instructors’ sense of responsibility and student engagement. It employs a multi-layer structural equation model for statistical analysis, utilizing paired survey data from 543 students and 51 instructors of green building courses, based on social cognitive theory. This paper incorporates the educational psychology concepts of “climate” and “mutual aid” with the green building learning climate and mutual aid behaviors. It provides a theoretical analysis of how instructors’ sense of responsibility in colleges influences students’ learning of green building knowledge and skills. By merging the ideas of “climate” and “mutual aid”, this study aims to theoretically examine the impact of instructors’ responsibility on student engagement with green building concepts. This approach seeks to offer new theoretical insights for pedagogical studies in green building courses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Building Design and Construction for a Sustainable Future)

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24 pages, 1173 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Social Media’s Influence on Eco-Friendly Choices in Fitness Services: A Mediation Moderation Approach

by Samira Hafyana and Ahmad Alzubi

Buildings 2024, 14(3), 650; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030650 - 1 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1005

Abstract

In the evolving landscape of the building sector, the digital sphere is reshaping consumer engagement and purchase behaviors, especially in the sustainability-focused niche of fitness facilities. Utilizing the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and elaboration likelihood model (ELM), this study examines the impact of social media influence (SMI) on purchasing intentions for sustainable fitness services (PISFS) through the mediating role of green building consumption perceptions (GBCPs) and the moderating effect of environmental awareness (EA). To examine the proposed relationships and achieve the objectives of the study, 672 valid responses were collected from professionals and customers in fitness services in Turkey and analyzed using Smart PLS 4. The results of the data analysis revealed that SMI positively impacts PISFS, SMI positively impacts GBCP, GBCP positively impacts PISFS, GBCP plays an effective mediation role between SMI and PISFS, the influence of social media on purchasing intentions for sustainable fitness services is further enhanced at high levels of environmental awareness, and the impact of social media on green building consumption perceptions is further strengthened at higher levels of environmental awareness. This study’s insights call for the building sector, particularly in sustainable fitness facilities, to actively integrate social media strategies and environmental awareness into their marketing and design. Emphasizing green building attributes on digital platforms can significantly influence consumer choices, steering the industry toward a more environmentally conscious and digitally engaged future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Building Design and Construction for a Sustainable Future)

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22 pages, 5831 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A BIM-FDS Based Evacuation Assessment of Complex Rail Transit Stations under Post-Earthquake Fires for Sustainable Buildings

by Hui Xu, Yuxi Wei, Yongtao Tan and Qilin Zhou

Buildings 2024, 14(2), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14020429 - 4 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 708

Abstract

Post-earthquake fire is considered as a catastrophic secondary disaster to personal and property safety, especially in complex rail transit station. This is primarily attributed to intricate infrastructure, densely populated floors, and the unrestricted layout of these areas. The aim of this study is to evaluate the evacuation capacity of complex railway stations under post-earthquake fires, and provide sustainable recommendations for building design. In this article, an evacuation assessment of a complex rail transit station under the post-earthquake fire for sustainable buildings was conducted from the internal environment and external rescue based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Fire Dynamic Simulation (FDS). The internal environment evacuation assessment simulation experiments were conducted in six hypothetical high-risk scenarios. In addition, the external rescue assessment was based on investigation of the route and the required rescue time during different periods of holidays and workdays. The results show that (1) The influence caused by different sizes of fire area in the power distribution room is smaller than those in the train at the platform floor. (2) In fire scenarios with the same fire area but different fire locations, the temperature is more affected than the CO concentration in the power distribution room. (3) It shows slight differences between single-floor fire and double-floor fire on evacuation of small area fire in power distribution room. Meanwhile, optimized design recommendations are proposed to reduce the risk of emergency evacuation in both internal and external environments of rail transit stations for sustainable future buildings, which include strategically locating the power distribution room away from public areas, installing fire-resistant doors around the room, increasing the quantity of smoke detectors and alarms with regular maintenance, minimizing the size of the power distribution room, developing specific emergency plans for train fires, and incorporating small fire stations in urban planning near complex public buildings to mitigate post-earthquake road obstruction challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Building Design and Construction for a Sustainable Future)

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19 pages, 6173 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Spatiotemporal Distribution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Carbon Emissions in the Chinese Construction Industry

by Jun Yang and Xiaodan Zheng

Buildings 2023, 13(11), 2808; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13112808 - 9 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 656

Abstract

As a pillar industry of the national economy, the construction industry not only promotes urban development and social prosperity but also has an irreversible impact on the environment with the trend of high carbon emissions. Therefore, it is of great significance for the construction industry to take the lead in achieving carbon emissions reduction. This paper attempts to explore the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and specific driving factors of carbon emissions in the construction industry in 30 provinces of China from 2011 to 2020 based on the spatial econometric analysis, so as to clarify the development trajectory and formation mechanism. The key findings are (1) there are obvious differences in carbon emissions across Chinese provinces, culminating in a distinct “Belt–Ring–Dot” spatial distribution; (2) the carbon emissions in the construction industry follow an inverted U-shaped pattern from south to north, with lower emissions in the west and higher emissions in the east, which means the pressure and potential of carbon emissions reduction coexist; (3) the Moran’s I index values from 2011 to 2020 were all greater than 0, with a maximum value of 0.284, indicating that there is a notable positive spatial correlation in carbon emissions in the construction industry between provinces; and (4) among the five factors, the number of employees displays the most pronounced spatial correlation, passing the test a total of eight times, and the mean test coefficient is the largest at 0.552. This factor positively influences carbon emissions alongside the gross product. On the other hand, the patents granted factor significantly inhibits carbon emissions with all test coefficients being negative with a maximum absolute value of 0.166. The impact of the technical equipment rate shows a characteristic of initial positive stimulation followed by later negative inhibition. In contrast, the urbanization rate exhibits the weakest spatial correlation with the minimum test coefficient being only 0.001. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Building Design and Construction for a Sustainable Future)

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24 pages, 520 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Green Building Consumption Perception and Its Impact on Fitness Service Purchasing Intentions: An Extended Institutional Analysis and Development Decision-Making Model Analysis

by Yuyang Hou, Sen Chen, Zhenning Yao, Qian Huang, Xinyi Shen, Luning Cao, Junyang Cheng, Fuwei Gui, Yujie Zhang and Xinbo Wang

Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2536; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102536 - 7 Oct 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1223

Abstract

Green buildings play a pivotal role in advancing ecological civilization and promoting green, low-carbon development. Numerous studies have delved into the construction techniques, process attributes, economic benefits, risk management, and benefit assessments associated with green buildings. Concurrently, research on the profitability models, marketing strategies, and public purchasing intentions of commercial fitness clubs has also yielded extensive findings. Yet, there is a noticeable gap: limited research has investigated the nexus between green building development and consumers’ propensity to purchase fitness services from these commercial establishments. Building upon the foundation set by previous scholars and employing the Extended IAD Decision-Making Model, this study utilizes the PLS-SEM method to analyze collected questionnaire data. Through path analysis, we examine the relationships between variables. Our findings indicate that: (1) Positive perceptions of green building consumption bolster the purchasing intentions toward fitness services in commercial fitness clubs. (2) Perceived risk mediates the relationship between green building consumption perceptions and consumers’ fitness service purchasing intentions in commercial fitness clubs. (3) Environmental awareness enhances the correlation between green building consumption perceptions and the propensity to purchase services in these clubs. The goal of this research is to underscore the importance of green buildings both in environmental and economic contexts and to offer insights that can elevate the profitability of commercial fitness clubs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Building Design and Construction for a Sustainable Future)

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25 pages, 19605 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Climate-Adaptive Design Strategies of Sports Stadia in a Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone: A Case Study of Nanjing

by Dongxu Xiong, Kai Cheng and Jingjing Chen

Buildings 2023, 13(9), 2238; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13092238 - 4 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1235

Abstract

Urban planning and design, with the objectives of energy efficiency and climate adaptation, is receiving more and more attention as urban energy consumption keeps rising. As technical representatives with large spans and high difficulties, sports stadia have a broad range of energy conservation and emission reduction compared with traditional buildings and have an extremely close relationship with the energy consumption of the building environment and urban microclimate, so it is necessary to study the climate adaptation design strategy of sports stadia. However, climate adaptive design has not given much thought to sports stadia nowadays. And the energy-saving strategies of sports stadia rely mostly on engineering expertise without taking into account the effect of sports stadia layout, shape, and structure on the urban microclimate. This paper investigates the energy-saving and climate-adaptive design techniques of sports stadia in the hot summer and cold winter zone of China using the layout of sports stadia as the research object. Firstly, we construct a climate adaptive design framework of sports stadia of “layout-shape-structure” based on the characteristics of sports stadia. Secondly, combined with typical examples of large-scale sports stadia in hot summers and cold winters, we establish an abstract model of architectural layout, shape, and structure based on climatic environment. In order to provide climate-adaptive design methods for sports stadia in hot summer and cold winter zones, the ventilation of the external and internal spaces of sports stadia is simulated, quantified, and compared using CFD software. The study’s findings suggest that the layout of sports stadia should take into account the direction of the local wind, that the goal of low energy consumption should guide the choice of building form, and that the internal wind and temperature environment should be stabilized during construction. The study’s findings can serve as a guide for comparable designs that aim to construct sports stadia with reduced carbon footprints. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Building Design and Construction for a Sustainable Future)

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23 pages, 4932 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Safety Management of Smart Construction Sites from the Perspective of Resilience

by Yutong Qian, Hui Liu, Peng Mao and Xiaodan Zheng

Buildings 2023, 13(9), 2205; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13092205 - 30 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1459

Abstract

In the context of green, low-carbon, and sustainable construction, the safety management of smart construction sites has been a key issue. Current related research mainly focuses on the application of technology, but lacks methods to evaluate the safety management level. Therefore, this research aims to construct a smart construction site safety management evaluation model from a resilience perspective. First, this research identified and screened the indicators initially based on the 4R resilience characteristics and 4M theory by analyzing the policy texts of smart construction site safety management. Then, through expert consultation, the ISM model of resilience indicators was established to determine the evaluation indicator system of smart construction site safety management. Next, the weight of each indicator was determined with the help of the analytic network process, and the evaluation criteria of the indicators were formulated according to the existing specifications and expert interviews; then, the evaluation model of smart construction site safety management was established. Finally, the feasibility of the model was proved through a case study. The findings of the research show that in terms of weights, management has the highest score, followed by media, man, and machine. However, more resilience measures are used for the safety management of machine than the other three in policy texts. Obviously, there is a deviation between weights and resilience characteristics. These findings help reveal the current situation of safety management at smart construction sites, which is of great significance for improving resilience. The findings also help smart construction sites to realize the upgrading of safety, efficiency, and greenness, and promote the sustainable development of smart construction sites as well as the construction industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Building Design and Construction for a Sustainable Future)

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Review

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23 pages, 3701 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sustainable Design and Operations Management of Metro-Based Underground Logistics Systems: A Thematic Literature Review

by Dandan Gong, Jiajia Tian, Wanjie Hu, Jianjun Dong, Yicun Chen, Rui Ren and Zhilong Chen

Buildings 2023, 13(8), 1888; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13081888 - 25 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2026

Abstract

Sustainable urban development relies on forward-looking infrastructure development. As an emerging infrastructure system that incorporates green technologies, the Metro-based Underground Logistics System (M-ULS) enables sustainable transportation of passengers and freight within cities collaboratively by sharing rail transit network facilities. M-ULS can effectively save non-renewable energy and reduce pollution to the ecological environment, and the comprehensive benefits of the system make an outstanding contribution to sustainable urban development. The purpose of this study is to provide a systematic review of M-ULS based on different perspectives and to present the development of the M-ULS network integration concept. By employing bibliometric analysis, the four dimensions of M-ULS related literature are statistically analyzed to discover the knowledge structure and research trends. Through thematic discussions, a development path for developing the concept of M-ULS network integration was established. The main findings of this study are summarized as follows: (i) A comparative analysis shows that the metro system has a high potential for freight use; (ii) Improvements in metro freight technologies are conducive to urban economy, environment, and social sustainability; (iii) Network expansion is an inevitable trend for implementing underground logistics based on the metro; (iv) The interaction among public sectors, metro operators, logistics corporations, and users plays a critical role in promoting the development of M-ULS. (v) It is worth mentioning that the planning of green infrastructure should fully consider its comprehensive contribution to the sustainable development of the city. This study visualizes the current status and hotspots of M-ULS research. It also discloses frontier knowledge and novel insights for the integrated planning and operations management of metro and urban underground freight transportation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Building Design and Construction for a Sustainable Future)

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