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The State-of-the-Art Technologies for Zero-Energy Buildings
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The State-of-the-Art Technologies for Zero-Energy 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: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 5249

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Małgorzata Fedorczak-Cisak

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Malopolska Energy Efficiency Laboratory, Cracow University of Technology, 24 Warszawska Street, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Interests: energy efficiency; climate neutrality; energy savings sustainable development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Beata Sadowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Sustainable Construction and Building Systems, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska Street 45E, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Interests: thermo-modernization of buildings; energy audits; energy efficiency
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Transformation of the building sector is one of the most important challenges of today's economy. Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings is an essential step for the future of our planet. This applies to both new and existing buildings. In the area of newly designed buildings, many countries have near-zero energy building standards, while many other countries are just developing such standards. A huge challenge is the thermal modernization of existing buildings, taking into account historic buildings, for which there are often no requirements for improving energy efficiency. Energy transformation of the building sector must be based on scientific analysis and experience. Only by optimizing energy, cost, and environmental impact and with optimal multi-faceted comfort can a new model for the design and construction of new-generation buildings be created. It is also important to work on new, innovative technologies, without which the ambitious goals will not be achieved.

We invite everyone to publish their research work in our Special Issue entitled "The State-of-the-Art Technologies for Zero-Energy Buildings". Your work will help in the inevitable transformation of the construction sector.

This Special Issue covers the following topics:

  • Near-zero energy buildings (nZEB standard);
  • Sustainable and green buildings, technologies and materials;
  • Life cycle assessment;
  • Renewable energy sources for buildings;
  • Heat transfer in building components;
  • Multi-faceted building comfort;
  • Energy retrofitting of buildings;
  • Improving the energy efficiency of historic buildings.

Dr. Małgorzata Fedorczak-Cisak
Dr. Beata Sadowska
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

  • ZEB and nZEB
  • LCA
  • energy efficiency
  • renewable energy sources
  • comfort
  • energy retrofitting of buildings
  • historic buildings
  • carbon footprint

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  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
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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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22 pages, 1428 KiB  
Article
A State-of-the-Art Review of Retrofit Interventions in Low-Emission School Buildings Located in Cool Temperate Climates
by Andrzej Kaczmarek
Buildings 2025, 15(10), 1620; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101620 - 11 May 2025
Viewed by 361
Abstract
The refurbishment of school buildings offers the opportunity to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, which positively influences reductions in environmental impact. It is also important to remember to maintain or enhance the comfort of the users of such buildings. This paper presents [...] Read more.
The refurbishment of school buildings offers the opportunity to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, which positively influences reductions in environmental impact. It is also important to remember to maintain or enhance the comfort of the users of such buildings. This paper presents a systematic review of the state of the art of current trends and low-carbon technical, operational, and behavioural methods used in the refurbishment of school buildings in cool temperate climates. This subject matter is positioned at the interface of architecture and environmental engineering. This study identifies the most commonly used active and passive refurbishment methods, as well as the research gaps and problems of applied solutions, and demonstrates the most likely and cost-effective optimisation directions in existing schools. The article also considers the issue of innovative technologies, the increasing impact of climate change, and the impact of less predictable phenomena, such as the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its huge impact on school buildings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The State-of-the-Art Technologies for Zero-Energy Buildings)
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18 pages, 2638 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Thermal Insulation Parameters for Vertical Perimeters in Buildings with Single-Layer Walls
by Walery Jezierski, Paula Szczepaniak and Cezary Leszczyński
Buildings 2025, 15(3), 405; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030405 - 27 Jan 2025
Viewed by 808
Abstract
This article presents the results of a study on the impact of selected parameters of a building’s ground-floor zone (the junction of the external and foundation walls, the ground floor slab, and the ground itself) on the temperature field within the external envelope. [...] Read more.
This article presents the results of a study on the impact of selected parameters of a building’s ground-floor zone (the junction of the external and foundation walls, the ground floor slab, and the ground itself) on the temperature field within the external envelope. This study aims to analyze the influence and optimize the parameters of vertical perimeter insulation in the ground-floor zone of the building. Mathematical modeling was selected as the research method. This paper analyzes the relationships between the temperature ϑimg on the inner surface of the wall at the analyzed node and the linear thermal transmittance coefficient ψim of the thermal bridge occurring in this location, as influenced by the following parameters: dp—thickness of the insulation layer in the ground floor slab; df—thickness of the vertical perimeter insulation layer in the foundation wall; t—location of the insulation layer in the ground floor slab relative to the “external wall-foundation wall” contact surface; r—location of the vertical perimeter insulation layer in the foundation wall; and λs—thermal conductivity of the single-layer external wall material. The analysis was conducted under the climatic conditions of Białystok, Poland. Using THERM 7.6 software for computational experiments, data were obtained to develop deterministic mathematical models of these relationships. The models enabled the assessment of the degree and nature of the influence of the studied factors on ϑimg and ψim, optimization of selected parameters, and mathematical description of safe operating conditions for external walls in the ground-floor zone of heated buildings. It was found that the parameters dp, df, and r have favorable effects, increasing ϑimg by 2.57%, 2.51%, and 4.17%, respectively, when varying from their minimum to maximum levels. Conversely, the parameters t and λs negatively impact ϑimg, contributing reductions of −12.01% and −4.66%, respectively, with a cumulative effect of −16.67%. Optimal parameter values were determined based on energy efficiency criteria. This information may be useful for researchers, designers, engineers, and decision-makers when making informed decisions during the design phase of heated buildings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The State-of-the-Art Technologies for Zero-Energy Buildings)
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21 pages, 3800 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Parameters of a Vertical Ground Heat Exchanger in a Geothermal Heating System
by Walery Jezierski and Piotr Rynkowski
Buildings 2024, 14(12), 3722; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123722 - 22 Nov 2024
Viewed by 862
Abstract
This study presents the results of an original study on the influence of selected parameters on the thermal efficiency of a vertical ground heat exchanger (VGHE) in a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) system. The research objective was an analysis of the specific thermal [...] Read more.
This study presents the results of an original study on the influence of selected parameters on the thermal efficiency of a vertical ground heat exchanger (VGHE) in a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) system. The research objective was an analysis of the specific thermal efficiency of a vertical ground heat exchanger q, received by a U-shaped element made of plastic pipes placed in a borehole, depending on seven direct influencing factors: the ground temperature Tg; the soil thermal conductivity coefficient λg; the thermal conductivity coefficient of the well material λm; the temperature of the heating medium (glycol) Tw at the feed to the ground heat exchanger and its flow rate M; the internal diameter of the pipes of the ground heat exchanger dw; and the distances between the external walls of the pipes of the ground heat exchanger L. The analysis was carried out for the climatic conditions of the Podlasie Voivodeship (Poland). Based on the results of the computational experiment obtained using the TRNSYS numerical environment, a deterministic mathematical model of this relationship was developed, and the effects of the influence of selected factors on the specific thermal efficiency q of the vertical ground heat exchanger, received by the U-shaped element, were analysed. Based on the model, the contribution of each parameter to the efficiency of the heat exchanger was determined. It turned out that changes in the values of the factors Tg (X1), λg (X2), λm (X3), M (X5), dw (X6) and L (X7) from the lower to the upper level caused an increase in the specific efficiency q of the heat exchanger by 34.04, 7.90, 15.20, 55.42, 6.58 and 24.26%. Only factor Tw (X4), with such a change, caused a decrease in the thermal efficiency of the tested heat exchanger by 44.22%. The parameters of the tested element of the geothermal heating system were also optimized according to the energy criterion using a numerical method in the Matlab environment. The information may be useful for scientists, designers, producers and consumers of heating systems based on heat pumps with a vertical ground heat exchanger as the lower heat source. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The State-of-the-Art Technologies for Zero-Energy Buildings)
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Review

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18 pages, 71040 KiB  
Review
Sustainable Construction with Cattail Fibers in Imbabura, Ecuador: Physical and Mechanical Properties, Research, and Applications
by Oscar Jara-Vinueza, Wilson Pavon and Abel Remache
Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1703; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061703 - 7 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2441
Abstract
This study is dedicated to advancing practical and experimental knowledge within sustainable construction and enhancing community productivity, focusing on cattail schoenoplectus californicus, Cyperaceae fibers in Imbabura, Ecuador. The research aims to meticulously analyze and understand cattail fibers’ physical and mechanical properties, characteristics, and [...] Read more.
This study is dedicated to advancing practical and experimental knowledge within sustainable construction and enhancing community productivity, focusing on cattail schoenoplectus californicus, Cyperaceae fibers in Imbabura, Ecuador. The research aims to meticulously analyze and understand cattail fibers’ physical and mechanical properties, characteristics, and potential applications through extensive laboratory testing. The study strives to contribute significantly to the ongoing discussions surrounding sustainable building materials by offering a rich repository of scientific data and insights from our in-depth investigations. Furthermore, we delve into biotechnology and biomimicry, seeking inspiration from the natural world to innovate our construction methodologies. Our exploration also encompasses the technical dimensions of a building, artisanal craftsmanship, eco-conscious design principles, and the evaluation of seismic strength within architectural, structural, and acoustical design frameworks. Through this comprehensive approach, we aspire to illuminate new pathways for employing cattail in sustainable construction practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The State-of-the-Art Technologies for Zero-Energy Buildings)
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