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Advanced Heating and Cooling Technologies for Sustainable Buildings
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Advanced Heating and Cooling Technologies for Sustainable Buildings

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "G: Energy and Buildings".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2026 | Viewed by 3286

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tryfon C. Roumpedakis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Steam Boilers and Thermal Plants, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece
Interests: solar cooling/heating systems; heat transfer; organic rankine cycle

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit your recent works to an upcoming Special Issue, titled “Advanced Heating and Cooling Technologies for Sustainable Buildings”. As the global demand for energy-efficient and environmentally friendly building application systems grows, innovative heating and cooling solutions can play a pivotal role towards the achieving sustainability goals. The enhanced penetration of renewable energy sources in buildings offers a promising pathway for decarbonizing the sector while enhancing energy efficiency. However, despite technological advancements, the widespread adoption of renewable-based heating and cooling systems faces economic and technical barriers, including high upfront costs and system integration challenges. Therefore, rigorous techno-economic assessments are essential to evaluate their feasibility and competitiveness. Simultaneously, with increasing concerns over the environmental footprint of energy systems, life cycle assessment (LCA) emerges as a crucial tool for objectively analyzing the environmental impact of advanced heating and cooling solutions. This Special Issue seeks high-quality research on cutting-edge developments, performance evaluation, economic feasibility, and environmental assessments of emerging technologies, aiming to drive innovation and policy recommendations in the field. Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Renewable driven heating and/or cooling systems;
  2. Hybrid cooling and/or heating systems
  3. Techno-economic optimization;
  4. Life cycle analysis;
  5. Environmental evaluation;
  6. Advanced configurations;
  7. Experimental activities on heating/cooling systems for building applications;
  8. Solar cooling/heating.

Dr. Tryfon C. Roumpedakis
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 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. Energies 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

  • heating
  • cooling
  • building sector
  • decarbonization
  • novel heat pumps

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 4299 KB  
Article
Experimental Study on Variable Operating Characteristics of Two-Stage Absorption Lithium Bromide Refrigeration Chiller
by Bingbing Chen, Chaohe Fang, Bo Xiong, Zhenneng Lu and Yuan Yao
Energies 2026, 19(2), 401; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19020401 - 14 Jan 2026
Viewed by 459
Abstract
Two-stage absorption lithium bromide (Li-Br) refrigeration technology can utilize low-temperature heat sources to achieve refrigeration, thus it holds promising application prospects in the utilization of low-temperature waste heat. However, the performance of two-stage lithium bromide absorption chillers during variable operating conditions is difficult [...] Read more.
Two-stage absorption lithium bromide (Li-Br) refrigeration technology can utilize low-temperature heat sources to achieve refrigeration, thus it holds promising application prospects in the utilization of low-temperature waste heat. However, the performance of two-stage lithium bromide absorption chillers during variable operating conditions is difficult to accurately predict, necessitating further research. Unlike existing simulation-based studies, this paper employs an experimental approach for the first time to investigate the variable-condition performance of a two-stage lithium bromide absorption chiller. A 10 kW two-stage absorption Li-Br chiller was tested under variable operating conditions, including variations in chilled water outlet temperature, cooling water inlet temperature, hot water inlet temperature, and hot water flow rate. The experimental results indicate that each 1 °C increase in the chilled water outlet temperature leads to an additional 0.282 kW in cooling capacity and a 0.0071 increase in coefficient of performance (COP). Similarly, a 1 °C decrease in the cooling water inlet temperature results in a 0.366 kW increase in cooling capacity and a 0.0055 improvement in COP. When the hot water inlet temperature rises by 1 °C, the cooling capacity increases by 0.324 kW, while the COP remains nearly unchanged. Furthermore, a 10% increase in the hot water mass flow rate enhances the cooling capacity by approximately 5% and improves the COP by about 1%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Heating and Cooling Technologies for Sustainable Buildings)
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18 pages, 3725 KB  
Article
Experimental Evaluation of a Solar Ejector Cooling Cycle Prototype
by Konstantinos Braimakis, Tryfon C. Roumpedakis, Spyros Kalyvas, Gabriel Palamidis, Antonios Charalampidis, Efstratios Varvagiannis and Sotirios Karellas
Energies 2026, 19(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19010007 - 19 Dec 2025
Viewed by 534
Abstract
Ejector-based cooling systems have gathered scientific interest as a low-cost alternative for solar-assisted cooling applications, especially in regions with solar abundance. This work presents the experimental investigation of a solar ejector cooling prototype system. The system, developed at the National Technical University of [...] Read more.
Ejector-based cooling systems have gathered scientific interest as a low-cost alternative for solar-assisted cooling applications, especially in regions with solar abundance. This work presents the experimental investigation of a solar ejector cooling prototype system. The system, developed at the National Technical University of Athens, includes a custom-made ejector and is powered by a 48 m2 flat plate solar collector field, assisted by an auxiliary natural gas boiler. Experimental testing under varying operating conditions was conducted to assess the system’s performance, focusing on the influence of evaporation and condensation temperatures. The maximum coefficient of performance (COP) was measured at approximately 0.160–0.165, corresponding to an entrainment ratio of 0.19 at an evaporation temperature of 9 °C and condensation temperatures of 26–27 °C. Ejector performance substantially declined with increased condensation temperatures. However, the influence of the evaporator pressure on system performance was less significant. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of ejector-based solar cooling as a sustainable solution for reducing electricity use in cooling applications, highlighting the critical influence of operating parameters in the system’s performance optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Heating and Cooling Technologies for Sustainable Buildings)
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18 pages, 9337 KB  
Article
Evaporative Condensation Air-Conditioning Unit with Microchannel Heat Exchanger: An Experimental Study
by Junjie Chu, Xiang Huang, Hongxu Chu, Liu Yang, Weihua Lv, Xing Tang and Jinxing Tian
Energies 2025, 18(9), 2356; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18092356 - 5 May 2025
Viewed by 1156
Abstract
A new evaporative condensation refrigerant pump heat pipe air-conditioning unit based on a microchannel heat pipe heat exchanger is proposed. Performance experiments were conducted on the unit, and the experimental results show that the cooling capacity of the unit in the dry, wet, [...] Read more.
A new evaporative condensation refrigerant pump heat pipe air-conditioning unit based on a microchannel heat pipe heat exchanger is proposed. Performance experiments were conducted on the unit, and the experimental results show that the cooling capacity of the unit in the dry, wet, and mixed modes can reach 112.1, 105.8, and 115.4 kW, respectively, the optimal airflow ratio of the secondary/primary airflow is 2.2, 1.8, and 1.8, respectively, and the EER decreases with increasing airflow ratio. With increasing dry- and wet-bulb temperatures of the secondary-side inlet air, the cooling capacity and energy efficiency ratio of the unit decrease, and the energy efficiency ratio in the wet mode is higher than that in the dry mode, which can prolong the operating hours of the wet mode within the operating temperature range of the dry mode and improve the energy efficiency of the unit. A new calculation method for the refrigerant charge is proposed, and the optimal refrigerant charge is 32 kg based on the experimental results, which agrees with the theoretical calculation results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Heating and Cooling Technologies for Sustainable Buildings)
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Review

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27 pages, 3376 KB  
Review
Emerging HVAC Technologies and Best Practices for Energy-Efficient, Low-Carbon Buildings: A Review
by Rakesh Kumar, Phalguni Mukhopadhyaya, Thomas Froese, Alex Dekin and Madelaine Prince
Energies 2026, 19(5), 1296; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19051296 - 5 Mar 2026
Viewed by 708
Abstract
This review paper discusses the technological advancements and innovative strategies of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for buildings. Buildings are a major contributor to energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing about 35% of global final energy use and 26% [...] Read more.
This review paper discusses the technological advancements and innovative strategies of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for buildings. Buildings are a major contributor to energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing about 35% of global final energy use and 26% of energy-related GHG emissions. In Canada, the building sector accounts for roughly 31% of energy demand and 18% of total GHG emissions, with HVAC systems responsible for 40–50% of this energy use. The current challenges, emerging trends, and future prospects for HVAC and related technologies are systematically reviewed to promote sustainability, affordability, and resilience in buildings. The literature scanning begins with an overview of the prevailing energy scenario in buildings, HVAC technologies, and other regulatory and policies. The paper thoroughly examines the critical role of HVAC systems in reducing energy consumption, minimizing environmental impact, improving building affordability and enhancing occupant health and productivity. It discusses emergent technological opportunities, energy efficiency measures, sensors, smart controllers, Internet of Things (IoT) and AI-based technologies. The paper highlights the barriers to adopting new technologies and strategies. It provides an evolving topography of HVAC technologies, their current state and emerging directions to tackle environmental challenges, including net zero energy and zero carbon building goals. The review suggests that while there are promising advancements in HVAC technology, further research and practical demonstrations of innovative solutions are necessary to maintain the momentum in building modernization efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Heating and Cooling Technologies for Sustainable Buildings)
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