Advances in Sustainable Building Materials: 2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 544

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
2. Itecons—Institute for Research and Technological Development in Construction, Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: structural analysis; building materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Civil Engineering Department, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: materials; construction and demolition waste; building renovation; building materials; geopolymer; metakaolin
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The sustainability of building materials is key to reducing the construction sector’s environmental impact, promoting resource efficiency, and improving people's quality of life. This sector continues to be among those with the greatest negative environmental impact, due to its excessive use of non-renewable natural resources, the high energy consumption involved, and the high production of waste. Continuous innovation and the adoption of sustainable practices in the construction sector are crucial to attaining global sustainability goals and combat climate change. The sustainability of building materials is critical to creating healthier, more eco-efficient and economically viable buildings, while also leading to energy savings. When selecting these materials, it is important to consider the entire product life cycle, from extraction and production to use, maintenance, and disposal. Their development for sustainable construction solutions continues to grow, remaining one of the great challenges of current research.

This second edition of the Special Issue on “Advances in Sustainable Building Materials", following the success of the first edition, will continue to gather and present the latest advances in scientific research on the development of more sustainable construction materials, contributing to greater sustainability in the construction sector.

Dr. Isabel Torres
Dr. Ana Luísa Velosa
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. 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

  • sustainable construction
  • sustainable buildings
  • sustainable materials

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

43 pages, 43405 KiB  
Article
Portugal’s Wattle and Daub Constructive Legacy
by Kátia Soares, Isabel Torres and Ana Velosa
Buildings 2025, 15(7), 1009; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15071009 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 304
Abstract
The commitment to technical and scientific innovation for appropriate interventions in buildings with wattle and daub walls requires a comprehensive and authentic approach to pre-existing structures. This involves an in-depth study of traditional heritage, aiming for durable, sustainable, and economically viable repair solutions. [...] Read more.
The commitment to technical and scientific innovation for appropriate interventions in buildings with wattle and daub walls requires a comprehensive and authentic approach to pre-existing structures. This involves an in-depth study of traditional heritage, aiming for durable, sustainable, and economically viable repair solutions. Most studies on wattle and daub constructions have focused on northern Portugal, given the prevalence of this building technique in the region. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the presence and specific characteristics of these structures in the central and southern regions of mainland Portugal, as well as in the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira. This research broadens the geographical scope, encompassing the analysis of 30 buildings, providing complementary data to the existing literature and contributing to a broader understanding of the structural and functional behaviour of wattle and daub walls. The information obtained about traditional materials and construction methods is essential to guide interventions that respect the historical and cultural character of the buildings, while also promoting sustainability and economic feasibility. The results confirmed the presence of wattle and daub constructions in the various areas investigated, highlighting significant diversity in the materials used, both in the timber structures and in the infill and rendering mortars. This variability was observed not only between regions with similar characteristics but also in buildings within the same locality, reflecting local adaptations and the richness of traditional craftsmanship. These findings provide a solid foundation for future interventions and encourage the appreciation of the cultural heritage associated with this construction technique. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Building Materials: 2nd Edition)
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