Advancements in Sustainable Cement-Based and Recycled Materials: Pathways to Eco-Friendly Materials for Buildings

Dear Colleagues,

The construction industry contributes nearly 40% of global CO₂ emissions and generates substantial amounts of construction and demolition waste (CDW) annually. Despite its potential for reuse, only a small fraction of CDW—including concrete, wood, gypsum, asphalt, and bricks—is recycled, leading to material shortages and environmental concerns. Effective recycling and valorization of CDW can reduce landfill waste, conserve natural resources, and foster eco-friendly innovations, paving the way for sustainable construction practices and resilient infrastructure.

This Special Issue aims to explore cutting-edge advancements and applications in the valorization of waste materials within the construction industry, contributing to the reduction of environmental impact. We welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and interdisciplinary studies addressing the following topics, among others: 

• Development of sustainable cement-based materials 
• Recycling and upcycling of construction and demolition waste 
• Innovations in eco-friendly building materials 
• Life-cycle assessment of recycled materials in construction 
• Policy and practices promoting the circular economy in construction
• Industrial applications and case studies 

Researchers, professionals, and academics are invited to share their latest findings, insights, and perspectives on sustainable construction materials and practices. Contributions that integrate scientific rigor with practical applicability are particularly encouraged. 

Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Ming-Gin Lee
Prof. Dr. Yeng-Fong Shih
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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.