Topic Editors

Departament de Ciència de Materials i Química Física, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Departament de Ciència de Materials i Química Física, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

Research in Sustainable and Alternative Construction and Building Materials

Abstract submission deadline
30 April 2026
Manuscript submission deadline
30 September 2026
Viewed by
69

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The use of waste and by-products in the construction sector contributes significantly to reducing landfill demand and advancing sustainability objectives. Recycling, reusing, and recovering materials in the construction field are of high relevance not only for the scientific community but also for society.

The potential use of waste and by-products in the buildings offers impactful alternatives to conventional construction research by integrating sustainable and environmental criteria. These include the development of lightweight materials, insulating materials, alternative binders, and other innovative solutions. A key objective is to achieve alignment with current trends aimed at reducing CO2 emissions through the development and design of new sustainable materials.

This Topic aims to highlight novel perspectives on the development of sustainable construction materials by waste, by-products, and other alternative resources across various applications. This Topic welcomes high-quality contributions that address a broad spectrum of topics related to the use of waste and by-products in construction as well as thermal energy storage systems. It welcomes contributions employing diverse characterization techniques to explore material performance. In addition, it encourages studies addressing the functional properties of the resulting materials or systems, including building comfort, energy efficiency through reduced reliance on HVAC systems, acoustic performance, fire resistance, and other relevant attributes.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Material development: Research focused on the development and characterization of innovative, sustainable materials for building applications, particularly those derived from waste or industrial by-products with emphasis on improving performance, durability, and cost-effectiveness. The chemical, physical, mechanical, thermal, acoustic, and fire-resistant properties should be evaluated for the sustainable materials developed, as well as their long-term performance in real-world construction scenarios.

- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Studies assessing the environmental impacts, energy consumption, and carbon footprint of construction materials developed from waste, including comparative analyses with conventional materials.

- Circular economy: Investigations into circular construction practices incorporating waste or by-products, aiming to enhance sustainability through resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact.

Dr. Jessica Giró Paloma
Dr. Joan Formosa Mitjans
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • construction materials
  • waste and by-products management
  • reuse
  • aggregates
  • life cycle assessment
  • valorization
  • environment
  • alternative sustainable materials
  • alternative binders
  • thermal energy storage
  • thermal comfort

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Applied Sciences
applsci
2.5 5.5 2011 19.8 Days CHF 2400 Submit
Ceramics
ceramics
2.0 3.7 2018 19.6 Days CHF 1600 Submit
Polymers
polymers
4.9 9.7 2009 14 Days CHF 2700 Submit
Sustainable Chemistry
suschem
4.2 10.7 2020 30.4 Days CHF 1000 Submit
Buildings
buildings
3.1 4.4 2011 14.9 Days CHF 2600 Submit
Construction Materials
constrmater
- 3.1 2021 18.6 Days CHF 1200 Submit
Materials
materials
3.2 6.4 2008 15.2 Days CHF 2600 Submit

Preprints.org is a multidisciplinary platform offering a preprint service designed to facilitate the early sharing of your research. It supports and empowers your research journey from the very beginning.

MDPI Topics is collaborating with Preprints.org and has established a direct connection between MDPI journals and the platform. Authors are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity by posting their preprints at Preprints.org prior to publication:

  1. Share your research immediately: disseminate your ideas prior to publication and establish priority for your work.
  2. Safeguard your intellectual contribution: Protect your ideas with a time-stamped preprint that serves as proof of your research timeline.
  3. Boost visibility and impact: Increase the reach and influence of your research by making it accessible to a global audience.
  4. Gain early feedback: Receive valuable input and insights from peers before submitting to a journal.
  5. Ensure broad indexing: Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Google Scholar, Crossref, SHARE, PrePubMed, Scilit and Europe PMC.

Published Papers

This Topic is now open for submission.
Back to TopTop