Solar Thermal Systems towards Sustainable Buildings

Dear Colleagues,

Buildings account for 34% of energy consumed and 37% of carbon emissions worldwide. Solar thermal systems as renewable energy-based systems can reduce the carbon footprint by providing a clean, effective, and sustainable low-energy solution for heating and cooling. Solar thermal systems can produce heat from the sun, which can be used for several purposes, including space heating, water heating, and even running air conditioning systems in residential and commercial buildings. Solar thermal systems can also be added to existing building façade and/or roofs or can be an integral part of the building itself. Solar thermal systems integrated into the building, replacing part of the building envelope, for example, as part of the roof and/or façade, are known as building-integrated solar thermal systems (BISTSs). In this case, solar thermal collectors are part of the building structure itself, functioning as the building envelope and fulfilling the structural integrity. Due to the availability of various colors, textures, and formats of solar thermal systems, it is possible to design aesthetically pleasing BISTS structures. BISTSs are integrated into the structure rather than simple additions to pre-existing ones. BISTSs, therefore, provide energy generation ability and aesthetic appeal as a building's exterior layer, eliminating the need for separate solar installations.  Photovoltaic modules, solar thermal collectors, and thermal energy storage can all be integrated into buildings for the purpose of meeting building energy demand using renewable energy sources. Since BISTSs are part of buildings and do not require additional land for solar system installations, they provide opportunities for the effective use of available space, which can be especially helpful in highly populated areas.

This Special Issue will focus on thermal systems, including building-integrated PV, building-integrated solar thermal collectors, and thermal storage. Furthermore, research related to energy policy and economics that enhance the development and deployment of solar thermal systems is relevant and encouraged.

• Building renewables and solar buildings;
• Building physics, building envelopes, and materials;
• Thermal storages;
• Resilience and climate change;
• Advanced modeling and building simulations, CFD;
• Building codes and standards;
• Urban green infrastructure.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Getu Hailu
Guest Editor

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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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.

• solar thermal
• BIPV
• BIPV/T
• thermal storage
• energy policy