Advances in the Sustainability Assessment of Building and Infrastructure Projects

Dear Colleagues,

The goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development clearly point to a need for modernization and diversification in the upcoming urban models.  Climate change, social implications and economic viability, as well as cross-sectoral building and energy relationships in buildings and cities, are part of the challenges that the construction sector must rethink in the coming years.

This Special Topic aims to increase knowledge of sustainable design practices, exploring new construction solutions with techniques and materials that contribute to overcoming the challenges facing architecture and civil engineering. As designers, we must assume the responsibility to build and rehabilitate by optimizing resources and materials in all life-cycle phases, to ensure a balance between economic growth, environmental protection and social welfare. These objectives include, among others, the following:

• Life cycle-oriented building and infrastructure design;
• Inclusion of social impacts in the design of buildings and infrastructures;
• Modern methods of construction;
• Sustainable design and management of structures;
• Safe, then circular: cradle to cradle;
• Sustainable cities and society;
• Design optimization based on sustainable indicators;
• Building rehabilitation and service life extension of infrastructure;
• The use of sustainable construction materials;
• Decision-making processes that effectively integrate economic, environmental, and social aspects;
• Design optimization based on sustainable criteria.

Papers selected for this Special Topic will be subject to a rigorous peer review procedure, with the aim of the rapid and wide dissemination of research results, developments, and applications.

Prof. Dr. Víctor Yepes
Dr. Ignacio J. Navarro Martínez
Dr. Antonio J. Sánchez-Garrido
Topic Editors