Synergizing Sustainable Materials with Energy Efficiency for Enhanced Thermal Comfort in Buildings
A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 3 June 2026 | Viewed by 19
Special Issue Editors
Interests: occupant behavior; thermal comfort; agent-based modeling; system dynamics; building performance simulation; building information modeling; energy-efficient building systems; construction materials; green building for a sustainable built environment; artificial intelligence (AI) such as artificial neural networks (ANNs) and machine learning (ML) for human well-being, building, and construction; low-cost digitization
Interests: Knee Osteoarthritis; ergonomics; occupational health and safety; exoskeleton devices; work-related musculoskeletal disorders; physical fatigue; wearable sensors
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The interplay between sustainable building materials, energy-efficient design, and human well-being has become pivotal in redefining the built environment’s role in addressing global climate and resource challenges. The traditional priorities of material durability, energy performance, and cost-effectiveness are now augmented by urgent demands for occupant-centric thermal, visual, and acoustic comfort; circular material lifecycles; and digital innovation. Emerging tools like building information modeling (BIM) and IoT-driven systems further transform how we design, construct, and operate buildings, enabling data-driven synergies between sustainability and human needs. Yet, critical gaps persist: How can material innovations balance low embodied carbon with adaptive thermal performance? How do energy-efficient systems seamlessly enable occupant comfort in diverse climates? What role do digital tools play in scaling solutions across global contexts?
This Special Issue aims to advance interdisciplinary research on holistic sustainable design, where material science, energy efficiency, human comfort, and digital workflows converge to create resilient, equitable built environments. Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 11, 13), it seeks contributions that redefine sustainability through three lenses:
- Materials: Low-carbon, regenerative, and circular building materials with validated thermal, structural, and environmental performances.
- Design Strategies: Energy-efficient systems (passive design, smart HVAC, BIPV) optimized for occupant comfort and climate resilience.
- Digital Integration: BIM-enabled lifecycle assessments, IoT-driven comfort analytics, and AI-aided retrofitting protocols.
- We welcome original research and reviews addressing, but not limited to,
- Green construction materials for energy-efficient design;
- Bio-based materials (e.g., mycelium, hempcrete) and their thermal buffering capabilities;
- Human-centric energy systems balancing net-zero targets with adaptive comfort;
- BIM workflows for circular material reuse and energy retrofits;
- Post-occupancy evaluations linking occupant health to material/energy choices;
- Policy frameworks incentivizing scalable, equitable solutions.
By bringing together material innovation, energy performance, and human well-being, this Special Issue will chart pathways towards buildings that respect both planetary boundaries and their occupants’ needs.
We warmly invite your contributions to this critical area of discourse.
Dr. Mohammad Nyme Uddin
Dr. Shahnawaz Anwer
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
- sustainable building materials
- energy-efficient design
- human thermal comfort
- BIM-enabled lifecycle assessment
- low-carbon materials
- passive design strategies
- bio-based composites
- net-zero energy buildings
- occupant-centric design
- climate-resilient architecture
- adaptive reuse of materials
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