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Energy Saving Measures, Renewable and Storage Integration Economic and Environmental Potential in Building Sector

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Building".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 3331

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Heba Teamah

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Guest Editor

Department of Building Science, Algonquin College, Center for Construction Excellence, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Interests: renewable energy; efficient buildings; energy efficiency; energy storage; sustainability.

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

On a global scale, buildings are considered major energy consumers, contributing immensely to greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, the world is taking serious steps towards sustainability. To mitigate global warming risks, implementing efficient measures in buildings has become essential. Such measures can be applied to the building process and the mechanical and electrical systems involved. In addition, renewable energy systems can be integrated to buildings as a potential sustainable measure. Solar energy has been found to be effective for space and water heating. Additionally, photovoltaics can contribute to meeting the residential electrical load of buildings. This Special Issue is oriented towards such potential energy-saving measures. It focuses on energy savings and the environmental and economic impact of different measures. This is a core focus of sustainability to ensure a better future for generations to come.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Energy-saving measures in different building systems and processes.
Economic potential of energy-saving parameters in different buildings.
Environmental impact of energy-efficient parameters in different buildings.
Integration of renewable energy to sustainable buildings.
Energy storage systems in building applications.
Smart grids and advanced metering techniques.
Load management strategies for a resilient grid.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Heba Teamah
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.

Keywords

energy consumption
energy efficiency
economic parameters
environmental impact
efficient buildings
renewable energy
sustainable buildings

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 8348 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Post-Occupancy Evaluation of a Passive Multi-Unit Residential Building and a Single-Family Passive House

by Anthony Mach, Maria Parra and Hebatallah Teamah

Sustainability 2025, 17(9), 3799; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17093799 - 23 Apr 2025

Viewed by 175

Abstract

Passive buildings are increasing in popularity in Canada. This paper examines two passive buildings initially constructed in the past decade: the Peterborough passive multi-unit residential building (MURB) and the Wolfe Island single-family dwelling. A post-occupancy evaluation was performed on the buildings. The buildings were modelled in HOT2000 and the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) to ensure the validity of the results. The energy bills were collected from the building owners to acquire the real-time consumption of the buildings. The models have shown a good agreement with the collected data. Furthermore, data loggers were installed in both buildings for indoor temperature monitoring to ensure that they adhere to the passive house explicit criteria. Internal gains, shading, and orientation were analyzed to assess their effect on heating and cooling loads. Peterborough MURB has shown more energy-saving potential compared to the Wolfe Island passive house. Heating load reduction has been compared, more than five times, to the cooling load reduction potential. The reduction in GHG emissions can be up to 39% when passive house parameters are applied to the Wolfe Island house. This paper has shown the potential of the passive house in relation to sustainable buildings in Northern climates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Saving Measures, Renewable and Storage Integration Economic and Environmental Potential in Building Sector)

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28 pages, 4215 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Energy Yield and Economic Benefit of Renewable Energy Technologies for Urban Mediterranean Dwellings

by Andre’ Mizzi and Charles Yousif

Sustainability 2024, 16(20), 9082; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16209082 - 20 Oct 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1103

Abstract

Mediterranean European cities are characterized by high population density and limited space for large-scale implementation of renewable energy installations. This paper addresses the optimization of renewable energy installations in Mediterranean dwellings with the scope of increasing their energy contribution and cost-effectiveness. In a case study for Malta, the three technologies studied were solar photovoltaics, solar water heating, and heat pump water heating. Technical and economic analyses were performed on a number of reference configurations using Polysun software (version 2022.8). Sensitivity analyses were also conducted to study the impact that different technical and economic factors have on the performance of the configurations considered. Finally, comparisons were made between the techno-economic results obtained from the reference and sensitivity analyses. Based on data collected, the presence of renewable energy source (RES) technologies in the residential sector of Malta was characterized and correlated with the types of dwellings considered. Among the results obtained, it was found that although a solar RES installation may experience some shading, this does not mean that it is rendered economically unfeasible. Moreover, from the simulations conducted, electrical energy storage technology was considered as too premature unless strongly subsidized, making economic sense only in specific circumstances. On the other hand, although heat pump water heating technology is also relatively modern, it was concluded to be the most beneficial in terms of both energy yield and economic benefit, generally speaking. Furthermore, it was determined that in a higher occupancy dwelling, solar water heating (SWH) and heat pump water heating (HPWH) result in considerably more attractive energy savings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Saving Measures, Renewable and Storage Integration Economic and Environmental Potential in Building Sector)

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20 pages, 1217 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Achieving Net Zero: How Could User Feedback Be Leveraged to Promote Domestic Heat Pump Adoption in Scotland?

by Christianne Wall and Richard Laing

Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7833; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177833 - 8 Sep 2024

Viewed by 1491

Abstract

Currently, 81% of Scottish households rely on mains gas for heating, contributing significantly to the country’s carbon emissions. Although heat pumps are a central component of the Scottish Government’s transition strategy, the adoption rate has fallen short of expectations. This small-scale research study delves into the pressing issue of transitioning Scotland’s homes to low-zero carbon heating systems, a critical step in achieving the nation’s net-zero target by 2045. This study’s primary objective was to investigate Scottish homeowners’ attitudes and motivations surrounding heat pump adoption. It scrutinises homeowners’ decision-making processes, the factors influencing their choices, and the experiences of those who have already embraced a domestic heat pump as their primary heating source. Furthermore, this research aims to harness this user feedback to bridge information gaps, address perceived barriers, and promote the wider acceptance of heat pump technologies. Data were collected through a structured online questionnaire completed by a targeted sample of 61 Scottish homeowners who had already made the switch to heat pumps. The findings indicate that more targeted information and awareness campaigns can best help facilitate the widespread dissemination of heat pumps in Scotland, and that these should sit alongside support for current adopters. In doing so, it will be possible to ensure that the benefits of heat pumps are realised and that such benefits can be communicated to future users. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Saving Measures, Renewable and Storage Integration Economic and Environmental Potential in Building Sector)

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