Sustainable Engineering Trends and Challenges Toward Industry 4.0
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 115
Special Issue Editors
Interests: sustainable systems development; quality of life; innovative software project management; Society 5.0
Interests: cyber-physical systems; dependable controllers for dependable mechatronic systems; mechatronic systems design for medical/biomedical applications, wellbeing and/or rehabilitation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Sustainable engineering is essential in meeting the needs of Industry 4.0, as the digital revolution transforms manufacturing, supply chains, and service industries. The integration of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing offers vast opportunities for innovation, but also raises concerns about their environmental impact. Sustainable engineering addresses these challenges by developing processes and frameworks that ensure technological advancements align with environmental sustainability. This approach seeks to optimize energy efficiency, minimize waste, and promote a broader vision of sustainability in industrial systems. As industries continue to evolve, sustainable engineering becomes vital in balancing innovation with ecological responsibility, ensuring that the advancements driving Industry 4.0 contribute to a more sustainable future.
The aim of this Special Issue is to explore the latest advancements in sustainable engineering within the context of Industry 4.0. Aligned with the journal’s mission to promote sustainable development, this Special Issue will focus on how the increasing digitalization of industries impacts environmental sustainability. Authors are invited to submit research that addresses key topics such as energy-efficient engineering practices, sustainable design principles, green technologies, and lifecycle management in the era of digital transformation. This collection seeks to highlight innovative approaches that ensure industrial growth and technological progress do not compromise environmental goals, contributing to a more sustainable future.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Sustainable design, and innovation for Industry 4.0;
- Lifecycle assessment and management of systems for sustainability;
- Green cloud computing, big data, and resource optimization;
- Integrating sustainability into software development methodologies and project management practices;
- Balancing sustainability with quality assurance and performance;
- Innovations in sustainable engineering tools, frameworks, and best practices;
- The role of sustainable engineering in driving innovation and fostering resilient systems.
This Special Issue invites interdisciplinary research that contributes to the development of environmentally responsible solutions for the evolving digital industry.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Andreea Cristina Ionica
Dr. Jose Machado
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 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
- sustainable engineering
- computer simulation
- product lifecycle management
- eco-friendly software design
- digital transformation
- sustainable project management
- industrial robots
- innovation in software development
- software quality and sustainability
- big data and data analysis
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