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Advanced Studies in Indoor Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency for...
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Advanced Studies in Indoor Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency for 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: closed (28 February 2026) | Viewed by 4568

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Haiying Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China
Interests: built environment; thermal environment and human thermal comfort
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yongming Ji

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China
Interests: zero-energy intelligent building; district energy planning; composite energy system; metro-source heat pump technology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on optimizing the built environment to enhance human well-being while reducing energy consumption and seeks to attract studies focusing on models of human thermal perception for built environments, including the prediction of thermal comfort and recognition of occupants’ thermal needs across various thermal conditions. Meanwhile, studies exploring advanced HVAC systems, smart controls utilizing AI and IoT for predictive operation, innovative building envelope designs (e.g., dynamic glazing, high-performance insulation, phase-change materials), and integration with renewable energy sources are welcomed.

Key objectives include achieving thermal comfort conditions with a high rate of satisfaction, minimizing energy footprints through passive design strategies, efficient active systems, and occupant-centric automation. The ultimate goal is to promote studies that develop holistic, sustainable solutions for the creation of healthy, productive indoor spaces resilient to climate change, and bring new insights on the way to global decarbonization and net-zero buildings.

Prof. Dr. Haiying Wang
Dr. Yongming Ji
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-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

  • built environment
  • thermal comfort
  • smart control
  • renewable energy
  • geothermal utilization
  • heat pump
  • energy efficiency

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

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 6375 KB  
Article
Research on the Impact of Transition Space on the Optimization of Thermal Environment in Community Elderly Indoor Activity Spaces
by Guoying Hou, Xiangzhen Zhu, Ping Shu and Shen Wei
Buildings 2026, 16(9), 1779; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16091779 - 29 Apr 2026
Viewed by 192
Abstract
With growing health awareness and an increasing preference for indoor exercise among the elderly, the demand for community indoor activity spaces is rising in the northern regions of China with cold winters and hot summers. While previous community studies have primarily focused on [...] Read more.
With growing health awareness and an increasing preference for indoor exercise among the elderly, the demand for community indoor activity spaces is rising in the northern regions of China with cold winters and hot summers. While previous community studies have primarily focused on residential buildings, limited attention has been given to indoor activity spaces for the elderly. Moreover, field measurements expose critical thermal deficiencies in these spaces, where indoor temperatures remain substandard in both winter and summer, particularly falling substantially below the WHO health-based threshold (≥18 °C) in winter. Recognizing that transitional spaces are effective for improving indoor thermal conditions, this study explored their potential to enhance the indoor thermal environment, leading to targeted retrofitting schemes. The results showed that although additional transitional spaces effectively enhance the thermal performance, the strategies for winter and summer often conflict. Specifically, enclosed transitional spaces are effective for winter insulation but are prone to overheating in summer, whereas semi-outdoor configurations on the south and west facades are beneficial for summer heat prevention. Based on these findings, optimal retrofitting schemes were identified: for Site A, the existing interior corridor is transformed into a semi-outdoor transitional space; for Site B, an Adaptive Façade system is proposed for the south façade. Furthermore, despite the passive benefits, auxiliary HVAC systems remain necessary to maintain temperatures strictly within the comfort range during extreme weather. This study provides a scientific basis for research on transition spaces and offers a reference for retrofitting buildings in similar climatic regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Indoor Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency for Buildings)
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33 pages, 11458 KB  
Article
Color Matters: A Preliminary Assessment of Indoor Surface Colors on Visual Comfort, Thermal Comfort, and Air Quality
by Hayfa Farhah, Ahmed Felimban, Miktha Farid Alkadri and Alya Widha Aurellia
Buildings 2026, 16(4), 760; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16040760 - 12 Feb 2026
Viewed by 509
Abstract
Indoor environmental quality significantly affects human perceptions of comfort and well-being due to the fact that most daily activities are spent indoors. However, surface colors are generally considered to be aesthetic choices rather than environmental factors. The purpose of this research is to [...] Read more.
Indoor environmental quality significantly affects human perceptions of comfort and well-being due to the fact that most daily activities are spent indoors. However, surface colors are generally considered to be aesthetic choices rather than environmental factors. The purpose of this research is to assess the effect of surface colors on visual comfort, thermal intent, and plant-supportive lighting conditions. This study uses a controlled experimental method and four easily interpretable parameters: surface reflectance (albedo), illuminance, correlated color temperature, and photosynthetic photon flux density. The experiment uses a miniature enclosed chamber to standardize the geometry and lighting conditions to test a set of carefully chosen printed and painted color surfaces. The lighting parameters were directly measured using consumer-level spectral and illuminance meters. The surface reflectance parameter is estimated to be red, green, and blue color codes. The novelty of this research is that it provides a preliminary screening method that can convert color choice into quantifiable implications on indoor environments, with clear assumptions and limitations. The results can be used to inform design decisions that link color choice to specific task-oriented lighting requirements, climate-oriented thermal intent (cooler vs. warmer), and plant-rich interior environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Indoor Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency for Buildings)
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21 pages, 1264 KB  
Article
Difference in Preferred Air Speed Between Young and Elderly Adults in Warm Environments
by Gang Wang, Lili Wang, Wenxuan Sun, Hui Zhu and Songtao Hu
Buildings 2025, 15(24), 4454; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15244454 - 10 Dec 2025
Viewed by 625
Abstract
To investigate age-related differences in preferred air speed in warm conditions, experiments were conducted in a climate-controlled chamber. 24 young and 24 elderly participants were tested in windless and preferred wind conditions. A resting metabolic rate (RMR) prediction model based on body composition [...] Read more.
To investigate age-related differences in preferred air speed in warm conditions, experiments were conducted in a climate-controlled chamber. 24 young and 24 elderly participants were tested in windless and preferred wind conditions. A resting metabolic rate (RMR) prediction model based on body composition was proposed to examine the effects of individual differences on preferred air speed. Results showed that the elderly exhibited lower RMR than the young, but their mean preferred air speed was 1.3 m/s, significantly higher than that of the young (0.9 m/s), corresponding to their higher mean skin temperatures. Preferred airflow effectively reduced thermal sensation and perceived sweating, thereby improving thermal comfort and airflow acceptance. During airflow exposure, mean skin temperature decreased, while LF/HF index of heart rate variability and skin conductance level increased, indicating enhanced sympathetic activity. These findings suggest that reduced sweat gland function and evaporative heat dissipation cause the elderly to require higher air speeds to achieve thermal neutrality. Their reduced thermal sensitivity further highlights the need for more precise environmental control. RMR exerted a more pronounced influence on the preferred air speed among the elderly, underscoring its significance in designing thermally adaptive environments for aging populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Indoor Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency for Buildings)
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28 pages, 5011 KB  
Article
Impact of Facade Photovoltaic Retrofit on Building Carbon Emissions for Residential Buildings in Cold Regions
by Yujun Yang, Xiao Li, Zihan Yao, Aoqi Yu and Miyang Wang
Buildings 2025, 15(20), 3762; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15203762 - 18 Oct 2025
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 1381
Abstract
China’s urbanisation has transitioned from an era of rapid, coarse expansion to one of refined and targeted development. In accordance with China’s “dual-carbon” strategy, the building sector—presently the third-largest source of domestic carbon emissions—is compelled to pursue emission optimisation in its forthcoming evolution. [...] Read more.
China’s urbanisation has transitioned from an era of rapid, coarse expansion to one of refined and targeted development. In accordance with China’s “dual-carbon” strategy, the building sector—presently the third-largest source of domestic carbon emissions—is compelled to pursue emission optimisation in its forthcoming evolution. Photovoltaic-building technologies offer an effective response to this imperative. Within the context of accelerating high-rise residential construction, the architectural integration of scientifically configured photovoltaic façades has emerged as a critical challenge. Employing an integrated methodology of urban surveying and simulation, this study examines the façade characteristics of residential buildings in northern Chinese cities, selecting Xi’an as the representative case. Three PV-facade integration strategies for existing stock are presented: window retrofitting, wall retrofitting, and full-façade renovation. Utilising the EnergyPlus platform, the manuscript simulates the electrical demand profiles and clean-electricity generation of typical dwellings under varying photovoltaic materials and configuration schemes, while concurrently assessing economic performance. It demonstrates that a judicious determination of photovoltaic installation scale and layout strategy markedly amplifies energy-saving efficacy, diminishes aggregate energy consumption and carbon emissions, and simultaneously reduces the capital expenditure of photovoltaic systems. For multi-story buildings, a full façade retrofit yielded the highest annual electricity generation of 514,703.56 kWh and an annual carbon reduction of 15,521.50 kgCO2. For high-rise buildings, installing PV modules only above the 20th floor increased the effective generation ratio from 45.24% to 87.17%, while the carbon reduction efficiency per unit investment improved from 0.05 to 0.22 kgCO2/¥. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Indoor Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency for Buildings)
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18 pages, 1858 KB  
Article
A Survey on Nocturnal Air Conditioner Adjustment Behavior and Subjective Sleep Quality in Summer
by Shimin Liang, Yueru Yan, Xiaohui Tian, Yujin Zhang, Cheng Chen, Hui Zhu and Songtao Hu
Buildings 2025, 15(20), 3738; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15203738 - 17 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1405
Abstract
Sleep is a critical physiological process for the mental and physiological restoration of people. The air conditioning usually serves as a common approach to maintain or improve sleep quality. However, available data are still limited regarding the actual sleep quality under different air [...] Read more.
Sleep is a critical physiological process for the mental and physiological restoration of people. The air conditioning usually serves as a common approach to maintain or improve sleep quality. However, available data are still limited regarding the actual sleep quality under different air conditioning modes, which leads to insufficient evidence to support the optimization of the temperature control strategies of air conditioners. To address this gap, an online questionnaire survey was carried out to identify the adjustments of air conditioners during nocturnal sleep, as well as the subjective sleep quality of residents in the summer. A total of 571 valid responses were collected from participants across various age groups, genders, and climatic regions in China through the online surveys that considered several aspects of sleep and air conditioner usage. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to detect the differences between items in surveys. The results indicated that 74.6% of respondents used air conditioners to regulate their sleep environments in summer, with a preferred temperature of approximately 26 °C. Gender difference had a limited contribution to the adjusting behaviors of air conditioners (χ2 = 3.83, p = 0.281), while age played a significant role (χ2 = 20.06, p = 0.018). On the contrary, sleep-related adjusting behaviors of the air conditioner were more influenced by subjective factors such as concerns about being awakened by cold or heat. Nonetheless, over 50% of respondents reported experiencing thermal disturbances during sleep, including awakenings by either cold or heat, regardless of the adjustments (χ2 = 20.3, p = 0.002). Furthermore, 68.7% of respondents reported their preference for dynamic temperature adjustments during sleep. Findings revealed that the age and subjective aspects were critical for the adjusting behaviors of air conditioners during sleep, and the dynamic air conditioning control was preferred more by users. This study provided empirical evidence to support the optimization of air conditioning modes and the development of adaptive, dynamical sleeping air conditioning systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Indoor Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency for Buildings)
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