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Energy Efficiency and Carbon Neutrality in Buildings
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Energy Efficiency and Carbon Neutrality in Buildings

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: 10 February 2025 | Viewed by 11148

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Amos Darko

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Construction Management, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 351610, USA
Interests: sustainability issues in the built environment; green and net zero carbon built environment; project management; digital technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge of our time. A major source of this challenge is the buildings and construction sector, which represents an estimated 37% of global operational energy use and process-related carbon emissions, making it the biggest global climate offender. To address the critical global climate change challenge, we need to improve and transform the energy and carbon performance of the buildings and construction sector to secure a future that is energy efficient, resilient, and has net zero carbon emissions. However, the recently published 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction sends a strong signal that the sector is not on track to address this challenge. An important call has been made for “concrete actions” now if we are to avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change. This Special Issue calls on researchers who are working on topics relevant to energy efficiency and carbon neutrality (i.e., net zero carbon emissions) in the buildings and construction sector to share their latest accomplishments and research findings. The goal is to facilitate knowledge dissemination in promoting the energy efficiency and carbon neutrality transformation of the buildings and construction sector towards addressing climate change. Both review and original papers are welcomed. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Energy efficient and net zero carbon emissions focused planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition of buildings.
  • Energy and carbon management and mitigation in buildings and construction.
  • Digital solutions to save energy and carbon in buildings and construction.
  • Assessing, monitoring, and reducing energy demand and consumption, and the carbon emissions of buildings and construction.
  • In-use energy consumption estimating, monitoring, and reduction.
  • Building energy modeling and simulation.
  • Renewable energy generation and utilization.
  • Carbon offsetting.
  • Energy efficient and net zero carbon building materials.
  • Energy efficiency and net zero carbon focused retrofitting.
  • Net zero project management.
  • Building energy efficiency and net zero carbon policies and frameworks.
  • Challenges, opportunities, and strategies for delivery energy efficiency and net zero.
  • Occupant behavior, comfort, health, wellbeing, and quality of life.
  • Economic, environmental, and social aspects in energy efficiency and carbon neutrality.

Dr. Amos Darko
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. 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

  • climate change
  • energy efficiency
  • carbon neutrality
  • net zero carbon
  • resilience
  • buildings and construction
  • sustainable built environment

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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27 pages, 2703 KiB  
Article
Determinants of Urban Residential Electricity Consumption in Burkina Faso: A Study of Dwelling, Household, Socio-Economic and Appliance-Related Factors
by Komlan Hector Seth Tete, Yrébégnan Moussa Soro, Samir Franck Amadou Coulibaly, Rory Victor Jones and Sayon dit Sadio Sidibé
Buildings 2024, 14(3), 683; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030683 - 5 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 937
Abstract
This study analyses the dwelling, household, socio-economic and appliance-related determinants of urban domestic electricity use in Burkina Faso. A survey of 387 households in Ouagadougou was conducted and combined with their electricity use, collected from energy bills. To the authors’ knowledge, this is [...] Read more.
This study analyses the dwelling, household, socio-economic and appliance-related determinants of urban domestic electricity use in Burkina Faso. A survey of 387 households in Ouagadougou was conducted and combined with their electricity use, collected from energy bills. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first large-scale, city-wide household electricity study undertaken in Burkina Faso. Linear regression models were applied to the data to assess the influence of household, dwelling, socio-economic and appliance-related factors on electricity use. Significant and unambiguous predictors of urban domestic electricity use included household income, dwelling tenure type and ownership, and use of lighting fixtures, television sets, fridges, fans, freezers and air conditioners. Dwelling, household and socio-economic factors explained 70.2% and 70.5% of the variance in electricity use, respectively, when combined with appliance ownership and use factors. This study provides an understanding of the driving factors of domestic electricity use and discusses the implications and applications of this research for a range of stakeholders in the electricity sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency and Carbon Neutrality in Buildings)
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28 pages, 6592 KiB  
Article
Demand-Side Management Method for Households with Self-Generation and Storage of Electricity
by Vicente León-Martínez, Clara Andrada-Monrós, Elisa Peñalvo-López and Juan Ángel Saiz-Jiménez
Buildings 2024, 14(1), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010276 - 19 Jan 2024
Viewed by 863
Abstract
The main objective is to propose a calculation method for assessing the benefits of individual domestic prosumers in self-consumption and economic savings when managing their own energy resources. The paper applies the demand-side management concept in the residential sector from the individual domestic [...] Read more.
The main objective is to propose a calculation method for assessing the benefits of individual domestic prosumers in self-consumption and economic savings when managing their own energy resources. The paper applies the demand-side management concept in the residential sector from the individual domestic perspective so that customers can understand the value of their own sustainable energy resources, conducting self-generation and demand management. The novelty lies in allowing the prosumer to manage their own energy resources to their benefit at a reasonable cost, instead of participating in automated large residential demand-side-management programmes that respond to the means of the grid system operator or other energy service companies, such as aggregators. A methodology for calculating the self-consumption rate and the economic benefit for the consumer is proposed, including three different cases: consumer demand is higher than self-generation, and consumer demand is equal to self-generation, and consumer demand is lower than self-generation. The methodology is validated with actual data from a household in Valencia (Spain) during a complete year, obtaining an average reduction in the annual electricity bill of 70% and a demand coverage with the self-renewable system reaching values of 80% throughout the year. The significance of this methodology goes beyond the economic revenue of the individual consumer; it also aims to guide consumers towards efficient practices in the use of their available energy resources and raise awareness on their energy behaviour. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency and Carbon Neutrality in Buildings)
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20 pages, 2904 KiB  
Article
CO2 Emission Allocation for Urban Public Buildings Considering Efficiency and Equity: An Application at the Provincial Level in China
by Zhidong Zhang, Yisheng Liu and Zhuoqun Du
Buildings 2023, 13(6), 1570; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13061570 - 20 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1150
Abstract
China is currently recognized as the leading global energy consumer and CO2 emitter. A significant amount of carbon emissions can be attributed to urban public buildings. Establishing an equitable and efficient carbon emission allocation mechanism is a crucial step to meeting the [...] Read more.
China is currently recognized as the leading global energy consumer and CO2 emitter. A significant amount of carbon emissions can be attributed to urban public buildings. Establishing an equitable and efficient carbon emission allocation mechanism is a crucial step to meeting the ambitious targets in China’s 2030 carbon peak plan. In this study, we estimate the total amount of CO2 emissions from urban public buildings by 2030 and propose a preliminary scheme of carbon quota assignment for each province. By means of applying the zero-sum gains data envelopment analysis (ZSG-DEA) model, the carbon emission quotas allocation of urban public buildings in China’s 30 provinces is proposed, and the corresponding pressure to reduce provincial carbon emissions is analyzed. The results indicate that Qinghai has the lowest carbon emission rate (0.01%) for urban public buildings, while Guangdong has the highest (9.06%). Among the provinces, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Tianjin face the least pressure in reducing carbon emissions from urban public buildings. On the other hand, Hebei, Beijing, and Anhui are under great pressure to decrease carbon emissions. Notably, Hebei is predicted to have the highest emission reduction requirement of 95.66 million tons. In terms of pressures on carbon emissions reduction for urban public buildings, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Tianjin exhibit the least pressure. Hebei, Beijing, and Anhui are facing intense pressure to decrease carbon emissions. These findings offer policymakers valuable insights into developing a fair and efficient carbon allowance allocation strategy, while also contributing to China’s efforts to mitigate carbon emissions and combat climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency and Carbon Neutrality in Buildings)
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33 pages, 14496 KiB  
Article
Building Energy Performance Modeling through Regression Analysis: A Case of Tyree Energy Technologies Building at UNSW Sydney
by Faham Tahmasebinia, Ruihan He, Jiayang Chen, Shang Wang and Samad M. E. Sepasgozar
Buildings 2023, 13(4), 1089; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13041089 - 20 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3102
Abstract
Addressing clients’ demands, designers have become increasingly concerned about the operation phases of buildings and, more specifically, energy consumption. This issue has become more prominent as people realize that the Earth’s resources are limited and depleted, and buildings are major energy consumers. Building [...] Read more.
Addressing clients’ demands, designers have become increasingly concerned about the operation phases of buildings and, more specifically, energy consumption. This issue has become more prominent as people realize that the Earth’s resources are limited and depleted, and buildings are major energy consumers. Building Information Modelling (BIM) has gained popularity in recent years and is now widely used by architects, engineers, and construction teams to collaborate and provide a comprehensive design that follows a sustainable strategy. The objective of this research is to examine how building variables are linked to energy consumption in various building shapes, achieved by building prototypes. The accuracy of the regression models is evaluated by undergoing a validation process. Consequently, this study created building information models of selected education facility office rooms and used Autodesk Insight 360 and Green Building Studio (GBS) to perform energy simulations. A 6 Green Star education building in Australia is chosen as the case study of this paper. Thirteen variables related to building internal design were examined, and five were found to endure a substantial effect on building energy consumption. The study also looked at the window-to-wall ratio (WWR), which was analyzed by multi-linear regression; however, the results showed that the model did not fit well, and the error obtained during the validation process ranged from 1.0% to 26.0%, which is unacceptable for this research. These findings highlight some limitations in using BIM tools and linear regression methods and discuss some potential improvements that can be achieved in future studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency and Carbon Neutrality in Buildings)
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Review

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26 pages, 2174 KiB  
Review
Artificial Intelligence in Net-Zero Carbon Emissions for Sustainable Building Projects: A Systematic Literature and Science Mapping Review
by Yanxue Li, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Shahnawaz Anwer, Imran Mehmood, Waleed Umer, Saeed Reza Mohandes, Ibrahim Yahaya Wuni, Mohammed Abdul-Rahman and Heng Li
Buildings 2024, 14(9), 2752; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14092752 - 2 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1333
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as an effective solution to alleviate excessive carbon emissions in sustainable building projects. Although there are numerous applications of AI, there is no state-of-the-art review of how AI applications can reduce net-zero carbon emissions (NZCEs) for sustainable building [...] Read more.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as an effective solution to alleviate excessive carbon emissions in sustainable building projects. Although there are numerous applications of AI, there is no state-of-the-art review of how AI applications can reduce net-zero carbon emissions (NZCEs) for sustainable building projects. Therefore, this review study aims to conduct a systematic literature and science mapping review of AI applications in NZCEs for sustainable building projects, thereby expediting the realization of NZCEs in building projects. A mixed-method approach (i.e., systematic literature review and science mapping) consisting of four comprehensive stages was used to retrieve relevant published articles from the Scopus database. A total of 154 published articles were retrieved and used to conduct science mapping analyses and qualitative discussions, including mainstream research topics, gaps, and future research directions. Six mainstream research topics were identified and discussed. These include (1) life cycle assessment and carbon footprint, (2) practical applications of AI technology, (3) multi-objective optimization, (4) energy management and energy efficiency, (5) carbon emissions from buildings, and (6) decision support systems and sustainability. In addition, this review suggests six research gaps and develops a framework depicting future research directions. The findings contribute to advancing AI applications in reducing carbon emissions in sustainable building projects and can help researchers and practitioners to realize its economic and environmental benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency and Carbon Neutrality in Buildings)
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28 pages, 6235 KiB  
Review
Evaluating the Impact of CO2 on Calcium SulphoAluminate (CSA) Concrete
by Daniel D. Akerele and Federico Aguayo
Buildings 2024, 14(8), 2462; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14082462 - 9 Aug 2024
Viewed by 681
Abstract
The construction industry is a significant contributor to global CO2 emissions, primarily due to the extensive use of ordinary portland cement (OPC). In response to the urgent need for sustainable construction materials, calcium sulphoaluminate (CSA) cement has emerged as a promising alternative. [...] Read more.
The construction industry is a significant contributor to global CO2 emissions, primarily due to the extensive use of ordinary portland cement (OPC). In response to the urgent need for sustainable construction materials, calcium sulphoaluminate (CSA) cement has emerged as a promising alternative. CSA cement is renowned for its low carbon footprint, high early-age strength, and superior durability, making it an attractive option for reducing the environmental impact of construction activities. While CSA cement offers benefits in carbon emissions reduction, its susceptibility to carbonation presents challenges. Although the body of literature on CSA cement is rapidly expanding, its adoption rate remains low. This disparity may be attributed to several factors including the level of scientific contribution in terms of research focus and lack of comprehensive standards for various applications. As a result, the present study sets out to track the research trajectory within the CSA cement research landscape through a systematic literature review. The study employed the Prefer Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) framework to conduct a literature search on three prominent databases, and a thematic analysis was conducted to identify the knowledge gap for future exploration. The study revealed that while CSA concrete demonstrates superior early-age strength and environmental resistance, its susceptibility to carbonation can compromise structural integrity over time. Key mitigation strategies identified include the incorporation of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), use of corrosion inhibitors, and optimization of mix designs. The review also highlights the global distribution of research, with notable contributions from the USA, China, and Europe, emphasizing the collaborative effort in advancing CSA concrete technology. The findings are crucial for enhancing sustainability and durability in the construction sector and advancing CSA binders as a sustainable alternative to traditional cement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency and Carbon Neutrality in Buildings)
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19 pages, 2499 KiB  
Review
Current Developments and Future Directions in Energy-Efficient Buildings from the Perspective of Building Construction Materials and Enclosure Systems
by Rahman Azari, Ehsan Kamel and Ali M. Memari
Buildings 2024, 14(7), 1921; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14071921 - 23 Jun 2024
Viewed by 842
Abstract
The need to design buildings in compliance with the Paris Agreement goal requirements is urgent, and architects and engineers need to consider energy use and operational and embodied carbon requirements in doing so. Building envelopes will be an important element in the next [...] Read more.
The need to design buildings in compliance with the Paris Agreement goal requirements is urgent, and architects and engineers need to consider energy use and operational and embodied carbon requirements in doing so. Building envelopes will be an important element in the next generation of high-performance buildings and there have been significant advancements in recent years to develop building envelopes that help mitigate the building carbon emissions through energy-conserving low-embodied carbon or carbon-sequestering solutions. The key objective of this article is to present an overview of the state-of-the-art in the field of energy-efficient low-carbon buildings with a focus on envelope systems. This article provides a survey of the literature on energy use and carbon emissions of the United States building stock, presents recent advancements in energy-conserving building envelopes, and highlights reuse–reduce–sequester strategies that mitigate the embodied carbon of buildings. As materials are critical in reducing the energy consumption and carbon emissions of buildings, this paper also presents developments on diverse materials and building envelope solutions that have been effective in creating high-performance buildings, from insulation materials to phase-change materials and aerogels. Finally, the characteristics of a selected number of progressive net-zero-energy guidelines such as Passive House Institute (PHI) standards, Passive House Institute US (Phius) standards, the PowerHouse standard, and the BENG standard are discussed. The findings of this work highlight the increased focus on the design, construction, and engineering strategies that aim to mitigate the carbon emissions of buildings based on a holistic whole-life carbon mitigation approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Efficiency and Carbon Neutrality in Buildings)
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