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Advanced Research on Smart Buildings and Sustainable Construction
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Advanced Research on Smart Buildings and Sustainable Construction

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: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 8423

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Sehyun Park

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Intelligent Energy and Industry, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
Interests: smart energy; carbon neutrality; digital platform; AI-based data; digital twins; smart buildings and cities
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In an era marked by pressing environmental concerns and an urgent need for sustainable development, the pursuit of carbon neutrality and sustainability in building construction and operation has become paramount. This Special Issue seeks to serve as a conduit for the dissemination of leading-edge research, methodologies, case studies, and technological breakthroughs that address the challenges and opportunities inherent in creating smarter, more sustainable buildings with a focus on achieving carbon neutrality.

This Special Issue on "Advanced Research on Smart Buildings and Sustainable Construction" aims to spotlight pioneering research and innovative methodologies in the realms of smart building technologies and sustainable construction practices, with a particular emphasis on achieving carbon neutrality and promoting sustainability. We cordially invite submissions of original research articles, review papers, case studies, and technical notes covering a broad spectrum of topics including, but not limited to:

  • AI-based smart building automation and control systems for carbon reduction;
  • Innovative strategies for energy-efficient building design and retrofitting;
  • Integration of renewable energy sources to achieve carbon neutrality in buildings;
  • Sustainable materials and construction techniques for reduced environmental impact;
  • Digital twin applications for sustainable construction practices;
  • Life cycle assessment and carbon footprint analysis in smart buildings;
  • Emerging technologies and solutions for smart and sustainable buildings;
  • Implementation of smart sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) applications for carbon reduction;
  • Examination of policies, regulations, and standards promoting smart building and sustainable construction.

Prof. Dr. Sehyun Park
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

  • AI-based smart building automation
  • carbon reduction strategies
  • energy-efficient building design
  • renewable energy integration
  • smart IoT for carbon reduction
  • digital twin applications
  • sustainable construction techniques
  • carbon footprint analysis
  • carbon-neutral building solutions
  • policy frameworks for sustainability

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

Published Papers (6 papers)

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22 pages, 7535 KiB  
Article
Responsive Public Policies for Smart and Sustainable Buildings: An Experimental Application of the Smart Readiness Indicator
by Massimo Lauria, Maria Azzalin, Francesca Giglio and Giovanna Maria La Face
Buildings 2025, 15(12), 2002; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15122002 (registering DOI) - 10 Jun 2025
Abstract
The digital transition and decarbonization are strategic European objectives, supported at different levels by the Green Deal, the Energy Performance Building Directive (EPBD), and policies and tools such as the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI). The SRI measures [...] Read more.
The digital transition and decarbonization are strategic European objectives, supported at different levels by the Green Deal, the Energy Performance Building Directive (EPBD), and policies and tools such as the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI). The SRI measures a building’s ability to use intelligent technologies to reduce its consumption and increase the energy awareness of occupants for energy efficiency. Furthermore, today, it has a limited impact on national regulations and public decision-making. Its application presents challenges including those related to heritage conservation. This paper contributes to the Italian SRI framework through an experimental application in the renovation of a historic building in the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria (Italy). The analysis evaluates the SRI’s adaptability by comparing its pre-renovated state, current state, and pre-design plan. The SRI calculation integrates assessment tools with BIM models for a potential future digital twin approach. The study, part of a funded national research project, aims to enhance policies for digitalization in the green transition. The paper is organized into the Introduction; Materials and Methods, which contains the methodological approach; Results; and Discussion and Conclusions. Following the experimental application, the results show that standardizing the SRI approach could enhance energy efficiency and digitalization in buildings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Smart Buildings and Sustainable Construction)
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41 pages, 1662 KiB  
Article
Achieving Maximum Smart Readiness Indicator Scores: A Financial Analysis with an In-Depth Feasibility Study in Non-Ideal Market Conditions
by Mitja Beras, Krzysztof Stępień, Miha Kovačič and Uroš Župerl
Buildings 2025, 15(11), 1839; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111839 - 27 May 2025
Viewed by 253
Abstract
For European competitiveness, energy efficiency must be increased. An important part of energy efficiency depends on an efficient building stock—the sector with the greatest potential for energy savings, as more than a third of all primary energy is consumed in buildings. A new [...] Read more.
For European competitiveness, energy efficiency must be increased. An important part of energy efficiency depends on an efficient building stock—the sector with the greatest potential for energy savings, as more than a third of all primary energy is consumed in buildings. A new instrument, the smart readiness indicator (SRI), is being prepared to accelerate the implementation of smart solutions in buildings and establish a market that would require and accelerate the implementation of such solutions. In this paper, we examine how the SRI score of a shopping center (with an already relatively advanced automation system) changes if we perform an energy optimization worth approximately 6.6 million EUR. As all the upgrades suggested by the SRI methodology cannot be implemented, this paper is the first of its kind to define the maximum feasible SRI score. The necessary measures are elaborated comprehensively, analyzed, and evaluated both technically and financially (IRR, ROI, and payback time). This type of approach is suitable for less developed EU markets without smart grids, DSM, and predictive functions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Smart Buildings and Sustainable Construction)
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38 pages, 5035 KiB  
Article
Developing an Alternative Calculation Method for the Smart Readiness Indicator Based on Genetic Programming and Linear Regression
by Mitja Beras, Miran Brezočnik, Uroš Župerl and Miha Kovačič
Buildings 2025, 15(10), 1675; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101675 - 15 May 2025
Viewed by 204
Abstract
The European Union is planning to introduce a new tool for evaluating smart solutions in buildings—the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI). As 54 energy efficiency categories must be evaluated, the triage process can be long and time-intensive. Altogether, 228 data points (or inputs) about [...] Read more.
The European Union is planning to introduce a new tool for evaluating smart solutions in buildings—the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI). As 54 energy efficiency categories must be evaluated, the triage process can be long and time-intensive. Altogether, 228 data points (or inputs) about the smartness of the buildings are required to complete the evaluation. The present paper proposes an alternative calculation method based on genetic programming (GP) for the calculation of Domains and linear regression (LR) for the calculation of Impact Factors and the total SRI score of the building. This novel calculation requires 20% (Domain ventilation and dynamic building envelope) to 75% (Domain cooling) fewer inputs than the original methodology. The present study evaluated 223 case study buildings, and 7 genetic programming models and 8 linear regression models were generated based on the results. The generated results are precise; the relative deviation from the experimental data for Domain scores (modelled with GP) ranged from 0.9% to 2.9%. The R2 for the LR models was 0.75 for most models (with two exceptions, with one with a value of 0.57 and the other with a value of 0.98). The developed method is scalable and could be used for preliminary and portfolio-level screening at early-stage assessments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Smart Buildings and Sustainable Construction)
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15 pages, 626 KiB  
Article
Smart Readiness Indicator: Ready for Business? Evidence from a Northern EU Country
by Pauli Autio, Eerika Borgentorp, Lauri Pulkka and Seppo Junnila
Buildings 2024, 14(11), 3638; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113638 - 15 Nov 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 850
Abstract
This paper aims to evaluate how well the increasingly popular, market-based real estate energy efficiency improvement projects support the EU’s high-level smart energy transition targets. The implications of these EU-level targets for buildings are described in the smart readiness indicator (SRI) framework. As [...] Read more.
This paper aims to evaluate how well the increasingly popular, market-based real estate energy efficiency improvement projects support the EU’s high-level smart energy transition targets. The implications of these EU-level targets for buildings are described in the smart readiness indicator (SRI) framework. As the SRI becomes mandatory, it is important for the industry to understand whether current market practices align with the SRI framework. This study is based on a qualitative analysis of 49 energy efficiency improvement project proposal reports for properties located in Finland. We use the SRI framework to evaluate the potential impact of the various energy efficiency improvements proposed in the reports on the smart energy transition targets. Three expert interviews were also conducted to gain the interviewees’ interpretations of the industry. While energy efficiency improvement projects are obviously aimed at improving energy efficiency, the results indicate that they are beneficial for some parts of the SRI, mainly within the SRI’s main categories of heating, controlled ventilation, and monitoring and control. Some proposed actions also contribute to increased smart readiness in the categories of cooling and lighting, but the remaining four main categories are generally not being taken into consideration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Smart Buildings and Sustainable Construction)
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13 pages, 2843 KiB  
Article
Building Digital Twin Data Model Based on Public Data
by Dawoon Jeong, Changyun Lee, Youngmin Choi and Taeyun Jeong
Buildings 2024, 14(9), 2911; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14092911 - 14 Sep 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1635
Abstract
This study aims to propose a method for constructing basic digital twin data in South Korea by adhering to international standards and by utilizing publicly available data. Specifically, the study focuses on designing and proposing a digital twin data model for buildings, as [...] Read more.
This study aims to propose a method for constructing basic digital twin data in South Korea by adhering to international standards and by utilizing publicly available data. Specifically, the study focuses on designing and proposing a digital twin data model for buildings, as building-related digital twin data are the most applicable among the basic digital twin data. To achieve this, the first section provides essential background information, introduces concepts and requirements related to basic digital twin data, and offers a brief overview of City Geography Markup Language (CityGML). The second section explains the methodology and the data used in this study. The third section presents the main findings: the selection of public data (building data) for constructing basic digital twin data, the mapping process using CityGML, and the creation of Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams. The fourth section discusses these findings. Finally, the conclusion and recommendations for future research are provided. This approach enhances the accuracy of building-related digital twin data and supports the use of digital twin services in both public and private sectors by enabling various spatial analyses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Smart Buildings and Sustainable Construction)
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27 pages, 6918 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: A Techno-Economic Analysis of Distributed Energy Resources and Local Grid Integration
by Tacklim Lee, Guwon Yoon, Byeongkwan Kang, Myeong-in Choi, Sangmin Park, Junhyun Park and Sehyun Park
Buildings 2024, 14(8), 2546; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14082546 - 19 Aug 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4389
Abstract
The electric vehicle (EV) industry has emerged in response to the necessity of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. However, as the number of EVs increases, EV charging networks are confronted with considerable obstacles pertaining to accessibility, charging time, and the [...] Read more.
The electric vehicle (EV) industry has emerged in response to the necessity of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. However, as the number of EVs increases, EV charging networks are confronted with considerable obstacles pertaining to accessibility, charging time, and the equilibrium between electricity demand and supply. In this paper, we present a techno-economic analysis of EV charging stations (EVCSs) by building type. This analysis is based on public EVCS data and considers both standalone local grid operation and integrated operation of distributed energy resources (DERs) and the local grid. The analysis has significant implications for the management of the electricity grid and the utilization of sustainable energy, and can result in economic benefits for both residential, commercial, and public buildings. The analysis indicates that integrating DERs with the local grid at EV charging stations can reduce local grid usage relative to EV demand. Nevertheless, there are also complexities, such as initial investment and maintenance costs, especially the weather-dependent performance variability of solar, which require financial support mechanisms, such as subsidies or tax incentives. Future research should focus on different DER integrations, regional and seasonal variability, user behavior, installation location, policy and regulatory impacts, and detailed capital expenditure analysis. Such research will advance DER and EVCS integration and contribute to increasing the efficiency and sustainability of urban energy systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Smart Buildings and Sustainable Construction)
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