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Special Issues
Material Innovation and Technology Enhancement: Synergistic Pathways for Building Decarbonization
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Material Innovation and Technology Enhancement: Synergistic Pathways for Building Decarbonization

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 2481

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yichao Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
Interests: recycled aggregate concrete; phase change concrete; low-carbon cementitious materials; solid waste utilization; building energy efficiency; green building
Dr. Yanfeng Fang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
Interests: novel carbon-fixing cementitious materials; nano-modified materials; industrial solid waste utilization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global building sector contributes approximately 40% of energy consumption and carbon emissions, making its low-carbon transformation crucial for achieving carbon neutrality goals. This Special Issue will delve into core pathways for deep decarbonization across the entire building life cycle. Research focusing on the critical role of low-carbon building materials (such as alkali-activated cementitious materials, recycled aggregates, and phase-change materials) in reducing embodied carbon during the construction phase—alongside the fundamental value of advanced energy-saving technologies (including high-performance building envelopes, building integrated photovoltaics, and renewable energy integration) in cutting operational carbon during the use phase—is welcome. Significantly, this Special Issue encourages exploration of systemic synergies and integrated strategies between material-based source emission reduction and technology-driven long-term energy efficiency. We welcome original research and reviews focusing on material innovation, technology optimization, performance assessment, multi-scale modeling, policy–economic analysis, and practical engineering applications. Contributions should aim to advance comprehensive low-carbon solutions covering the entire building process—from planning and design to construction, operation, and maintenance—providing solid scientific foundations and practical guidance for deep decarbonization in the building sector.

Dr. Yichao Zhang
Dr. Yanfeng Fang
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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 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 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

  • alkali-activated cementitious materials
  • recycled aggregates
  • phase-change materials
  • high-performance building envelopes
  • building integrated photovoltaics
  • renewable energy integration
  • solid waste utilization
  • green building

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2961 KB  
Article
Optimisation of Sunflower Husk Ash-Activated Slag Binder
by Olivera Bedov, Suzana Draganić, Snežana Vučetić and Marijana Serdar
Buildings 2025, 15(23), 4210; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15234210 - 21 Nov 2025
Viewed by 669
Abstract
This study presents the optimisation of an alkali-activated binder produced from ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and potassium-rich sunflower husk ash (SHA), by varying SHA content, curing regime, and mixing procedure. Both materials are locally available in the Republic of Serbia. The [...] Read more.
This study presents the optimisation of an alkali-activated binder produced from ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and potassium-rich sunflower husk ash (SHA), by varying SHA content, curing regime, and mixing procedure. Both materials are locally available in the Republic of Serbia. The influence of SHA content (15%, 25%, and 35% by mass of GGBFS) and curing conditions (ambient and 65 °C) on hydration products, workability, and compressive strength was examined. The water-to-binder ratio and GGBFS content were kept constant, and a one-part alkali activation approach was employed using untreated SHA. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were performed on paste samples, after 2, 7 and 28 days of curing, while workability and compressive strength of mortars were measured after 7 and 28 days. Increasing SHA content enhanced the formation of C-S-H and C-A-S-H gels, resulting in a consistent rise in compressive strength, from 26.6 MPa to 36.2 MPa after 7 days and from 46.2 MPa to 55.1 MPa after 28 days of ambient curing. Workability was slightly reduced with increasing SHA content, resulting in flow diameters of 156.04 mm (15% SHA), 154.10 mm (25% SHA) and 152.76 mm (35% SHA). Curing at 65 °C accelerated early strength gain for 33% to 39% but produced lower 28-day strengths than ambient curing. Additionally, for the optimal mix, SHA was also pre-immersed in water for varying durations to assess its effect on workability, compressive strength, and potassium ion leaching. This pretreatment increased compressive strength by up to 14.7%, depending on immersion time, but reduced workability by up to 15.5%. The novelty of the research is reflected in attaining the highest 28-day compressive strength of 55 MPa (for 25% SHA by mass of GGBFS), under ambient curing, without SHA pretreatment or immersion, highlighting the potential for low-energy, sustainable binder systems using agricultural and industrial by-products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Innovation and Technology Enhancement: Synergistic Pathways for Building Decarbonization)
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19 pages, 15579 KB  
Article
The Deterioration of Concrete Based on the Experiments Under the Combined Effects of Freeze-Thaw Cycles, Carbonation Erosion and Sulfate Corrosion
by Qianting Yang, Zhiqiang Wang, Xin Chen and Jiaxu Li
Buildings 2025, 15(22), 4179; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15224179 - 19 Nov 2025
Viewed by 853
Abstract
With the progress of human civilization and technology, the focus on civil engineering materials has shifted toward modern concrete materials. These materials are characterized by the incorporation of various admixtures and fibers. Therefore, it is essential to study their durability under diverse environmental [...] Read more.
With the progress of human civilization and technology, the focus on civil engineering materials has shifted toward modern concrete materials. These materials are characterized by the incorporation of various admixtures and fibers. Therefore, it is essential to study their durability under diverse environmental conditions. Firstly, an experimental method is designed to investigate the combined effects of freeze–thaw cycles, carbonation erosion, and sulfate corrosion on concrete durability. Then, models for concrete deterioration are constructed based on the water–binder ratio, fly ash content, polypropylene fiber content, sulfate solution concentration, and compressive strength of concrete, which can reveal the interplays of freeze–thaw cycles, carbonation, and sulfate conditions. Meanwhile, an index-oriented adaptive differential evolution (IOADE) algorithm is proposed to obtain the optimal parameters for the deterioration models. Finally, data experiments demonstrate the reasonableness and efficacy of the proposed models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Innovation and Technology Enhancement: Synergistic Pathways for Building Decarbonization)
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17 pages, 2148 KB  
Article
Impact of Urban Building-Integrated Photovoltaics on Local Air Quality
by Le Chang, Yukuan Dong, Yichao Zhang, Jiatong Liu, Juntong Cui and Xin Liu
Buildings 2025, 15(19), 3445; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15193445 - 23 Sep 2025
Viewed by 519
Abstract
Amidst the global energy structure transition and intensification of climate warming, the temperature control targets of the Paris Agreement and China’s “dual carbon” goals have driven the rapid development of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs). However, solar cells in BIPV systems may produce exhaust gases [...] Read more.
Amidst the global energy structure transition and intensification of climate warming, the temperature control targets of the Paris Agreement and China’s “dual carbon” goals have driven the rapid development of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs). However, solar cells in BIPV systems may produce exhaust gases that affect local urban air quality if exposed to extreme environmental conditions such as high temperatures during operation. In this study, eight air quality monitoring points were established around the BIPV system at Shenyang Jianzhu University as the experimental group, along with one additional air quality monitoring point serving as a control group. The concentrations of four air pollutant indicators (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and NO2) were monitored continuously for 14 days. The weight of each indicator was calculated using the principle of information entropy, and the air quality evaluation grades were determined by combining the homomorphic inverse correlation function. The Entropy-Weighted Set Pair Analysis model was applied to evaluate the air quality of the BIPV system at Shenyang Jianzhu University. The results indicated that due to the high concentrations of SO2 and NO2, the Air Quality Index (AQI) grade at Shenyang Jianzhu University was classified as “light pollution.” Corresponding recommendations were proposed to promote the sustainable development of urban BIPV. Simultaneously, the evaluation results of the Entropy-Weighted Set Pair Analysis model were similar to those obtained using other methods, demonstrating the feasibility of this evaluation model for assessing the impact on air quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Innovation and Technology Enhancement: Synergistic Pathways for Building Decarbonization)
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