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Research on Sustainable Energy Performance of Green Buildings
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Research on Sustainable Energy Performance of Green Buildings

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 5721

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Víctor Echarri-Iribarren

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architecture, International University of Catalunya, Carrer Iradier 22, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: energy efficiency; environmental impacts; life cycle asessment (LCA); indoor air quality (IAQ); conditioning through radiant systems; passive conditioning systems; HVAC

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The promotion, construction, and management of buildings throughout their life cycle is one of the most relevant factors in the challenge of preserving our planet and bequeathing it in the best environmental condition to future generations. In order to meet the challenges of combating the climate emergency, avoiding environmental deterioration and the global warming trend, in-depth and systematic research is required. This will generate effective solutions for constructing green buildings with lower global warming potential, reduced environmental impact, and net-zero emissions. The space in this Special Issue focuses mainly on:

  • Management technologies that lead to demonstrable energy savings;
  • Passive conditioning systems;
  • HVAC systems;
  • Sanitary hot water production (DHW) and storage tanks;
  • Alternative energies—photovoltaic panels, geothermal energy, aerothermal energy, wind turbines, solar cooling;
  • Radiant systems—PPR capillary tube mats;
  • Water cycle management;
  • Prioritization of investments and circular economy.

Multidisciplinary research on buildings during their life cycle is expected in various areas, such as recyclable and low embodied energy materials or building technologies. The aim is to compile high-quality articles to promote the development of low-energy, low-CO2-emission, and environmentally friendly buildings.

Prof. Dr. Víctor Echarri-Iribarren
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. 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

  • energy efficiency
  • environmental impacts
  • indoor air quality
  • life cycle asessment (LCA)
  • radiant systems
  • payback period
  • water cycle management

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 7075 KB  
Article
Assessment of Solar Radiation Datasets for Building Energy Simulation
by Angélica S. Walsh García, Ana Paula de Almeida Rocha, Olga de Castro Vilela and Nathan Mendes
Buildings 2025, 15(18), 3337; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15183337 - 15 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1007
Abstract
Accurate solar radiation data are essential for reliable building energy simulations, particularly for policy making. However, uncertainty in solar input, especially in regions with limited ground-based measurements, can significantly affect simulation outcomes. This study investigates the impact of different solar radiation datasets on [...] Read more.
Accurate solar radiation data are essential for reliable building energy simulations, particularly for policy making. However, uncertainty in solar input, especially in regions with limited ground-based measurements, can significantly affect simulation outcomes. This study investigates the impact of different solar radiation datasets on building energy performance simulations across two climatically distinct years, 2015 and 2024, in a subtropical urban environment. Solar inputs from ERA5, CAMS, and NASA POWER were compared against a regional reference from the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE). In addition to energy simulations, the datasets were evaluated using statistical metrics including root mean square error (RMSE), mean bias error (MBE), and Pearson correlation. NASA POWER showed the best agreement with ground data and yielded simulation results that were reasonably aligned with observed cooling loads and thermal comfort in both years, with slight overestimations in cooling demand and overheating hours. CAMS maintained consistent performance across both years and produced the lowest cooling and overheating estimates, slightly underestimating results while closely matching monthly trends. ERA5 exhibited the largest positive bias in solar input, particularly in DNI, leading to substantial overestimation of cooling demand, up to 34% in 2024, especially during heatwaves. These discrepancies highlight the sensitivity of energy simulations to solar input selection and the importance of using validated high-quality datasets to ensure reliable modeling under increasing climate variability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Sustainable Energy Performance of Green Buildings)
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18 pages, 1129 KB  
Article
The Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Assessment on Hardwood Lumber Production in New Brunswick, Canada
by Nadia Zahabi, Meng Gong, Hongmei Gu and Janet Blackadar
Buildings 2025, 15(3), 499; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030499 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1369
Abstract
This case study conducted a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) on the production of hardwood lumber in New Brunswick, Canada, evaluating the environmental impacts from raw material extraction to the point where lumber exited the mill as rough green lumber, the primary input [...] Read more.
This case study conducted a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) on the production of hardwood lumber in New Brunswick, Canada, evaluating the environmental impacts from raw material extraction to the point where lumber exited the mill as rough green lumber, the primary input for manufacturing pallets and railway ties. Data on annual production, material flow, and energy use for harvesting and sawmilling were gathered through survey questionnaires and on-site visits. The life cycle inventory (LCI) was developed in SimaPro software, the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) was conducted using the North American TRACI method to quantify impact categories, and the cumulative energy demand (CED) method was employed to analyze the total energy consumption. It was found that rough green hardwood lumber production emitted approximately 41 kg CO2−eq/m3 (excluding biogenic carbon storage), with manufacturing accounting for 42% of total emissions and consuming 736 MJ/m3 of total energy, 98% of which came from non-renewable sources. The carbon stored in lumber was 975 CO2 eq/m3, 24 times greater than its cradle-to-gate emissions, highlighting its significant environmental benefit. Future research will aim to conduct a cradle-to-grave LCA on hardwood production by including drying and planing and increase the number of sawmill samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Sustainable Energy Performance of Green Buildings)
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Review

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24 pages, 1464 KB  
Review
An Overview of the Italian Roadmap for the Implementation of Circular Economy in the Energy Transition of Buildings
by Marilena De Simone and Daniele Campagna
Buildings 2025, 15(15), 2755; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15152755 - 5 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1335
Abstract
An important task for the European Union is to transpose agreements and international standards in regulation and directives that are binding on member states. The resultant European action plans and directives identify priority areas in the building and energy sectors where circular economy [...] Read more.
An important task for the European Union is to transpose agreements and international standards in regulation and directives that are binding on member states. The resultant European action plans and directives identify priority areas in the building and energy sectors where circular economy principles can be applied. Italy records a general circular materials rate of 20.8%, surpassing the mean European value. But low recycling rates are still registered in the construction sector. This paper aims to assess the position of Italy with respect to the European regulatory framework on circularity in the energy transition of buildings. Firstly, the government’s initiatives and technical standards are introduced and commented upon. Secondly, the study illustrates the current Italian platforms, networks, and public and private initiatives highlighting opportunities and obstacles that the energy sector has to overcome in the area of circularity. It emerges that Italian policies still use voluntary tools that are not sufficiently in line with an effective circular economy model. Moreover, data collection plays a crucial role in accelerating the implementation of future actions. Italy should consider the foundation of a National Observatory for the Circular Economy to elaborate European directives, harmonize regional policies, and promote the implementation of effective practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Sustainable Energy Performance of Green Buildings)
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28 pages, 36222 KB  
Review
Technical Review of Solar Distribution Calculation Methods: Enhancing Simulation Accuracy for High-Performance and Sustainable Buildings
by Ana Paula de Almeida Rocha, Ricardo C. L. F. Oliveira and Nathan Mendes
Buildings 2025, 15(4), 578; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15040578 - 13 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1437
Abstract
Solar energy utilization in buildings can significantly contribute to energy savings and enhance on-site energy production. However, excessive solar gains may lead to overheating, thereby increasing cooling demands. Accurate calculation of sunlit and shaded areas is essential for optimizing solar technologies and improving [...] Read more.
Solar energy utilization in buildings can significantly contribute to energy savings and enhance on-site energy production. However, excessive solar gains may lead to overheating, thereby increasing cooling demands. Accurate calculation of sunlit and shaded areas is essential for optimizing solar technologies and improving the precision of building energy simulations. This paper provides a review of the solar shading calculation methods used in building performance simulation (BPS) tools, focusing on the progression from basic trigonometric models to advanced techniques such as projection and clipping (PgC) and pixel counting (PxC). These advancements have improved the accuracy and efficiency of solar shading simulations, enhancing energy performance and occupant comfort. As building designs evolve and adaptive shading systems become more common, challenges remain in ensuring that these methods can handle complex geometries and dynamic solar exposure. The PxC method, leveraging modern GPUs and parallel computing, offers a solution by providing real-time high-resolution simulations, even for irregular, non-convex surfaces. This ability to handle continuous updates positions PxC as a key tool for next-generation building energy simulations, ensuring that shading systems can adjust to changing solar conditions. Future research could focus on integrating appropriate modeling approaches with AI technologies to enhance accuracy, reliability, and computational efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Sustainable Energy Performance of Green Buildings)
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